Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism

Mitzvah Day

by Leave a Comment

HCRJ held its annual Mitzvah Day on Sunday, November 20.  We all joined together to make a difference in the lives of the men, women and children who need our help.

Our Mitzvah Day Accomplishments

2,400 pair of underwear packed for Undies For Everyone

800 sandwiches made for 400 meal bags with bottled water, cereal bar, individual bag of chips, fruit snack, cookies, clementine, napkin, candy and motivational message in each for Turning Point Center, Star of Hope Mission and Pleasant Hill Baptist Church

600 eggs filled for Fifth Ward Redevelopment Corporation’s Lyons Avenue Renaissance Festival

293 books donated to Books Between Kids

200 Christmas and Thanksgiving cards colored for Turning Point Center

175 breakfast tacos served to Mitzvah Day participants

140 origami kits created for Texas Children’s Hospital

136 placemats made for Texas Children’s Hospital

98 kitchenware items (46 plates, 13 mugs, 8 cups, 3 cooking pans, cookie tin and more) donated to Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston Refugee Services

85 chew toys made for Citizens for Animal Protection

67 articles of clothing and 7 purses donated for Dress for Success Houston

65 Hanukkah cards made for Jewish Children’s Regional Service

50 flower pots decorated for Seven Acres

43 pairs of shoes donated to Soles4Souls

42 matching card sets and 20 puzzles created for Alzheimer’s Association Houston

40 hospital necessity packs assembled for Jewish Family Service chaplaincy

39 bandanas decorated for Citizens for Animal Protection

22 ID kits distributed for National Child Identification Program

19 items (10 bags of Harina PAN, 3 baby formula bottles, 3 bags of rice, 1 bag of beans, 1 bag of diapers and gift basket of assorted items) donated to FUNDANA

14 pews cleaned in the sanctuary

13 letters of intent signed for HCRJ’s L’Dor VaDor Legacy League

13 birthday cards colored for Seven Acres

10.5 1-gallon bags of toiletries (body wash, bar soap, lotions and shampoos) put together for Jewish Family Service senior adults

10 genetic tests taken with Gene by Gene

9 fleece blankets made for HCRJ newborn and hospitalized members

7 lovies finished for The Thread Alliance and 3 squares completed for afghans for the needy project

8 rows of shelves installed in downstairs closet, downstairs closet and archive room upstairs also cleaned and organized

8 items (7 blankets, 1 jacket) donated to SEARCH Homeless Services

3 items (2 cell phones, 1 kindle) donated to the Houston Zoo

 

Mitzvah Day 2015

by Leave a Comment

Our congregation will “join hands” on Sunday, December 13th to make a difference in the lives of others.

Mitzvah Day Schedule

9:00am – Breakfast Buffet

9:30am – Kickoff with Rabbi Gross

9:45am – Activities

Mitzvah Day Activities:

At HCRJ

  • Plant a Smile Decorating flower pots with plants for Seven Acres
  • Mini-Nosh Packs & Hospital Packs for Jewish Family Service Chaplaincy
  • Holiday Cards for Turning Point Center
  • Easter Eggs for Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation
  • Sanctuary Cleanup Dusting and Cleaning, oiling all the wood and cleaning the pews
  • Sandwiches for Turning Point Center and Houston’s homeless population
  • Origami Kits for Texas Children’s Hospital
  • Fleece blankets for HCRJ newborn and hospitalized members
  • Knitted lovies for The Thread Alliance, with HCRJ’s Knitzvah Group
  • Sharing Our Stories Record stories of senior congregants on iPad/iPhone. RSVP required to Justin at 713-782-4162 or admin@hcrj.org (adults only)
  • Building Our Legacy Learn about HCRJ’s major gift giving program, L’Dor VaDor Legacy League (adults only)
  • Painting Mural in Ozrim Classroom (adults only)

Off-Site

  • Hermann Park Conservancy – Ages 10+. Weeding, mulching, planting and removing plants. RSVP required to Justin at 713-782-4162 or admin@hcrj.org
  • Books Between Kids – Ozrim (10th-12th grades only). Packing and moving books into sections for schools. RSVP required to Michelle at 832-607-3673 or hcrjyouth@hcrj.org
Mitzvah Day donation drives are now underway. The items we are collecting are listed below:
  • Gently used children’s books appropriate for Pre-K through 5th grade readers for Books Between Kids
  • New, in-the-package underwear (sizes 4-adult) for Undies for Everyone
  • All types of new or gently worn shoes – athletic, running, dress, sandals, pumps, heels, work, boots, cleats, dance, flip flops for Soles4Souls
  • Gently used eye glasses – reading glasses, sunglasses and plastic and metal frames for Texas Lions Clubs
  • Old cell phones for Houston Zoo
  • New or gently used large, adult coats, blankets and winter hats for SEARCH Homeless Services

Please consider a donation to Mitzvah Day.  Contributions can be made online under the “Donations” link on our website.  You may also mail a check to the temple office made out to HCRJ.  Every contribution counts.  Together we will make a difference!

Marsha Solomon Tribute Auction

by Leave a Comment

Archway Gallery will be hosting a Silent Auction and Tribute to Marsha (Harris) Solomon, a dear friend of HCRJ, who passed away last moth.

Marsha was a talented artists whose works included watercolor paintings and drawings. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to acquire an original piece of Marsha’s work from her estate and personal collection. Proceeds will benefit her favorite charities:  Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism, The Turning Point Center (for the aged), Council for Alcohol & Drug of Houston, WAS-H, Alley Theater, and Opera in the Heights.

Senior Chai Community Service

by Leave a Comment

Join in this morning of community service at Keegan Kitchen.

Help prepare meals for the Kids Cafe, a program run by the Houston Food Bank which provides snacks and meals for children to eat after school.

Cleverly

Immediately following, lunch will be provided at HCRJ with a presentation by Cleverly Stone. Cleverly is a broadcaster and philanthropist. She covers the food scene on radio and television, and as the founder of Houston Restaurant Weeks, Cleverley has raised more than $5.9 million since 2003, creating 18 million meals to fight hunger in our city. Her event is the largest annual fundraiser for the Houston Food Bank.

RSVP to hcrj@hcrj.org.  Transportation to Keegan Kitchen will be provided upon RSVP.

Senior Chai program is dedicated to enriching the lives of those 60 and above.   Join us for more Senior Chair Events!

Community Service Opportunity (8-12 graders)

by Leave a Comment

8-12 graders are invited to join us on Sunday, November 23rd from 11am-2pm for a community service project.

We will meet at the Merfish teen center and help sort Chanukah gifts for underprivileged kids in Houston. Community service hours available to all who come. Please RSVP to Michelle at hcrjyouth@hcrj.org.

 

Count Me In, Inc. is a non-profit organization conceived by two high school students that grew from an idea to a city wide endeavor.

Each year Count Me In donates thousands of gifts to hundreds of children and adults during the Hanukkah season. The goal of our organization is to help Jewish families celebrate Hanukkah by providing them with donations of gifts and other ritual items. Our recipient base includes families experiencing temporary financial difficulties, families of patients undergoing medical treatment, as well as senior citizens residing in assisted living facilities. We are constantly expanding and reaching out to more stretches of the Jewish community, and assistance in this process is greatly appreciated. In addition, Count Me In is in partnership with Lonestar Region BBYO to encourage teen community service and involvement in the Jewish community.