Helping our neighbours bring food to their tables
by Ingrid Segal
Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day, ‘oh, what a beautiful Mitzvah week, everything came our way.
It would not have been possible without my remarkable Mitzvah Day Team: Sue Morgan, David Levy, Ann Robinson and Judy Lyons.
Project 1
Made possible by the management and staff of both Carpenders Park Garden Centre and the Waitrose Northwood who provided invaluable support and teamwork. With their continued generosity, the NRUS Mitzvah Day team led by David Levy has been able to cultivate a plot of land double the size to previously to grow produce for those in need.
Like last year, this year’s main Mitzvah Day project addressed hunger, poverty and unemployment. Our home-grown vegetables were delivered directly from Carpenders Park Garden Centre to Elim Church, Watford, for their Manna Food Bank project and their Oasis Lunch for the homeless programme. We are proud to work with the wonderful Elim Church, Watford, which continues to support over 3,000 people living in poverty.
This year, an even greater abundance of vegetables was delivered through the summer months. In addition, on Mitzvah Day we also provided dried and tinned foods and toiletries collected from our generous community, plus fresh fruit and vegetables grown in our members’ own gardens. This is an ongoing around the year project.
Project 2
A new project this year, led by Sue Morgan and Judy Lyons, the mission is to inspire and enable lifelong giving in partnership with GIFT Hendon. NRUS members provided fresh produce for GIFT’s daily food bank. On Mitzvah Day morning our NRUS volunteers packed fresh ingredients for 14 specially created and printed recipes in sealed bags. Beautifully printed ingredients cards were fixed to the front of the bags with our own special NRUS Mitzvah Day labels.
Project 3
Again led by Sue Morgan and I our team of volunteers (Natasha Goodman, Aviva Wilford, Pauline Binstock, Jan Harwood and Jenny Wagman) provided a special Mitzvah Day tea & fun afternoon for single parents and their children at the Jewish Family Centre in Temple Fortune on Sunday 24th November. The Centre offers a wide range of confidential support services for families and parents. Our supreme entertainer, Richard Binstock entertained the children with magic and animal balloon modelling alongside other fun activities including games, arts and crafts. A wonderful time was had by all!
The Candy floss was a popular item and was made and handed out by our own Aviva Wilford. Their new popcorn machine arrived and was operated by Sandy at the JFC.
Sue Morgan provided a singsong, and the children loved the Jumpy Castle, which they were playing on all afternoon.
Each year we extend our Mitzvah Daydreams and we know that next year will be the same.
Thank you, Northwood & Ruislip United Synagogue, the small community with a very big heart!