Dear Friends,
Our bible is filled with commandments regarding ways to establish justice and mercy in the world, and this week’s Torah portion presents us with one of the most powerful statements regarding this eternal obligation. In Deuteronomy 16:20, we read,
“Justice, justice you shall pursue…”
In this short and powerful commandment, the word “justice” is repeated twice seeming to emphasize the importance of justice in our world. These words stand to remind us that from generation to generation every individual has the responsibility to act in ways that promote justice wherever it is lacking.
HCRJ is proud to participate in ongoing efforts to address justice in food distribution in the City of Houston. Here are two important way you can fulfill this mitzvah in the coming weeks:
Competing In Goodness
We are participating in Competing In Goodness for our High Holy Days Food Drive this year. Through a friendly competition in September, during National Hunger Awareness Month, Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities will compete against one another to collect non-perishable items for the Houston Food Bank. This interfaith competition is a terrific opportunity to work together to benefit our city, develop a stronger sense of community, and motivate participants to reach across to their neighbors. Please bring your items to HCRJ during Rosh Hashanah or anytime in September.
Social Action Project at the Houston Food Bank
Our HCRJ social action team will be volunteering at the Houston Food Bank on Saturday, September 17th from 1-4pm. The volunteer responsibilities will include inspecting, sorting, and repackaging donated food items for community distribution. The Houston Food Bank is America’s largest food bank in distribution leading hunger relief in 18 southeast Texas counties.
L’Shalom,
Steve