Mitzvah Day founder and chair Laura Marks said this year’s increase in the number of projects reflected renewed enthusiasm after the restrictions of the Covid years.
Margaret Hodge MP (Photo by Yakir Zur)
“We have not seen his level of interest since way before the pandemic,” she said. “The urge to be out and about, making a difference, offering warm clothes, food and connections is palpable. We look forward to projects which provide relationships which resonate and joy which rejuvenates,” added Ms Marks
One early Mitzvah Day activity at the House of Commons saw Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs write Christmas cards and pack bags of warm clothing and toiletries for the homeless in Westminster.
United Synagogue team present wrapping
Alex Sobel, Bob Blackman, Charlotte Nichols, Christian Wakeford, Dame Margaret Hodge, Jonathan Djanogly, Nick Thomas-Symonds, Sir Peter Bottomley and Tulip Siddiq were among the participating politicians, supporting homeless charity The Passage.
Ms Siddiq, the Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, has been a Mitzvah Day regular, saying “it really shows the best of our faith communities.
“Every time I’ve been involved — whether it’s cooking for the homeless or collecting for a foodbank — I’ve seen people of all faiths and ages come together. I just can’t rave about it enough.”
Dame Margaret, who hosted the event, said the MPs were supporting Mitzvah Day “to recognise the importance of the work done by Britain’s faith communities to promote a loving attitude and help those in society who desperately need it”.
It was organised in conjunction with the Board of Deputies and the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Jews.
In another early activity, children from Clore Tikva Primary visited Jewish Care’s Redbridge Jewish Community Centre (RJCC) to entertain and chat to older members.
Fifty-two motivational messages were written on “leaves” for a mitzvah tree. And for the next year, a new message will be read out weekly on Kabbalat Shabbat at both the school and the centre.
RJCC co-ordinator Timea Kasza said that “community centres are keeping people warm this winter, not just physically but by connecting older people with each other and with the community”.
St Albans Masorti Synagogue (SAMS) members worked with two local churches to cook and share a meal with asylum seekers in an activity for both Mitzvah Day and Interfaith Week.
Thirteen asylum seekers from seven countries attended — among them a 21st birthday celebrant.
Guests were involved in the food preparation and said they enjoyed both the meal and the company.
Housed in a local hotel, they normally exist on microwaved food consumed in their rooms.
Holland Park Synagogue members collected goods for a local Ukrainian club. United Synagogue staff wrapped donated gifts that will be distributed to children supported by various charities over the Chanukah period.
And a Board of Deputies team headed to JW3 in London’s Finchley Road earlier this week to lend a hand with an inventory of the JW3 Foodbank, which distributes hot meals to hungry neighbours in need.
