Honoring Beth Israel's Commitment to Social Action

by Emily Jennewein, President

I'd like to thank Deb DeBow, chair of this evening’s Speakers Series event, and a longtime dedicated Board member of the congregation.

And I'd like to add my thanks to all the past chairs of our Social Action Committee – most of whom have stayed truly involved with social action over many years.  In your honor, the temple has made a donation to the Hunger Project and you’ll receive certificates this evening to commemorate those donations.

Beth Israel's Social Action Chairs present for the celebration are:

• Jerry Goldberg, chair from 1994-96
• Elaine Moser, 1999-2001
• Anita Hosenpud,  2001-04
• Bob Metz,  2001-03
• Judy Fisher, 2003-06
• Deb DeBow,  2006-11
• Seekey Cacciatore,  2009-11
• Stan Bliss, our current chair

I’d also like to recognize and thank Joan Kutner for founding and running the Hunger Project for most of its 25 years.

Beth Israel’s Social Action Committee dates to the mid-1960s when the congregation formed the Social Action Committee to apply Jewish ideals and ethics to modern life. Early social action programs included an initiative with Jewish Family Service, to help with Vietnamese Boat People Resettlement. 

A group of Beth Israel families helped prepare East County apartments for the refugees with basic furnishings, clothing and food, and then met with the refugees once they arrived to welcome them and help them acclimate to their new environment. 

And for years, Beth Israel held community Thanksgiving dinners for needy people in the Third & Laurel neighborhood.

The committee fell dormant for several years until Jerry Goldberg, who later became our president, revived the committee in 1994. Today the Social Action Committee operates with a comprehensive framework for social action that includes advocacy on social issues, education, opportunities for hands-on participation, and support for Israel.

This evening, we’re also honoring the Hunger Project as the congregation’s longest-standing mitzvah project. Since 1986 Beth Israel has partnered with St. Vincent de Paul to provide a nourishing hot brunch to 800 to 1,000 adults and children every Sunday morning. 

On the very first Sunday, our Hunger Project clients numbered 249 men and one woman.  The servers were our rabbis, members of the board of directors and their families.  Word quickly spread on the street about the quality and quantity of the food served and among the temple membership about the positive experience. 

The next Sunday morning we served 400 people. In 2005, Rabbi Saperstein’s Religious Action Center honored Beth Israel for the Hunger Project with the Irving J. Fain Social Action Award Honorable Mention.

Among the Social Action highlights of the past decade were two Walks for Darfur co-chaired by Judy Fisher and Ami Minteer.  Again Beth Israel led the way, reaching out to the entire San Diego community and raising awareness as well as $80,000 to $100,000 for relief aid to the region.

Beth Israel is very proud of the leaders of our Social Action initiatives over many years.