+ We’re Grateful: Tamid thanks UJA!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 10, 2014

Tamid: The Downtown Synagogue and The New Shul announce on-going community service collaboration with continued support from UJA Federation of New York.

The Downtown Hunger Action Project will put hunger and homelessness on the agenda of both organizations in 2014-15 for teens to affect change in our city.

At a time when hunger, homelessness, and economic divisions are growing in our city, two synagogues in Lower Manhattan are actively making a difference by bringing teens together to study and to serve. For a second academic year, downtown teenagers will gather one Saturday evening each month with educators, community activists, and their rabbis, in a transformative experience.

“We see human suffering on our streets every day. The Jewish mandate has always been to make the world a better, safer, and more humane place. Teaching our youth how to be advocates for equality and to live a life of meaning is our responsibility,” said Darren Levine, Tamid’s Founding Rabbi.

Community service and issues of social justice are core values at both synagogues. “Our teens came home from DHAP events beaming with a sense of pride and self worth from participating in such an amazing experience.  As educators, we try to show our teens how important social justice is and I believe in DHAP and the mission we are fulfilling,” said Bonnie Streigold, The New Shul’s Interim Director of Education.

UJA Federation of New York has provided the continued funding for this service learning project. Jennifer Sokol, Task Force Chair for the Experiments in Teen Engagement, said, “DHAP has been an excellent collaboration between two synagogues. It’s been exciting to witness the growth of DHAP and how it has addressed both the reality of teens’ experiences living in an urban setting as well social issues in a Jewish context, using a uniquely Jewish lens.

Beginning in October, 2014, teenagers will meet monthly with field experts to discuss the root causes of hunger and homelessness and to learn about social advocacy. One Saturday evening each month, teenagers will prepare sandwich and dinner bags and head out into the streets of New York City with adult supervision to hand deliver food to the most needy.

Teenagers interested in participating in this program are encouraged to read more at tamidnyc.org/dhap or visit us at facebook.com/dhapnyc. For more information, contact Christina Broussard (cbroussard@tamidnyc.org) or Bonnie Streigold (bonnie@newshul.org).