VOLUNTEER HELP WANTED

Help The UJC keep in closer touch with our Members

1. A volunteer is needed to help coordinate the “back office” functions for the Torah Project. This volunteer will work with The UJC office to insure that members are appropriately contacted, and that donations are tracked and appropriately acknowledged. No direct fund raising will be required. This person must be very organized and have a flexible schedule that allows them to be in The UJC office for several hours during the week.

2. A small team of volunteers is needed to review The UJC’s customer relations management/database software needs and current system, investigate avail-able options, and recommend steps to improve our system. Volunteers should have experience with customer relations management (CRM) software and database programs including Access.

If you would like to volunteer for either of these opportunities to help The UJC, please contact Rabbi Martha.

ONGOING TZEDAKAH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Adults and children needed to help the elderly with a cheering visit. Some of our Shorashim parents and children have volunteered and enjoyed the experience; they are looking to expand their numbers.

China Coast Community is a care and attention residence for English speaking elderly persons of any nationality that don't fit into other government programs.

Volunteers may assist in the following areas: General visiting of the Elderly residents, one to one visiting of the residents, assist on outings held every two months, assist with regular activities such as Bingo, Afternoon Teas. No prior experience necessary.

China Coast Community Centre, 63 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon,
Website www.chinacoastcommunity.org.hk

Click here to contact the UJC office for more information

TZEDAKAH :
While the word "tzedakah" is most commonly translated into English as "charity", the word actually comes from the Hebrew word meaning "justice" or "righteousness" In chapter 19 of the Book of Leviticus it says that "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger." In Judaism, it is believed that God is the owner of all things and that an owner of a field is only its temporary guardian or steward of the land and the goods which it produces and that in this passage, God requires the steward to give a portion of what he has been given charge of to those in need. What's more, in this passage, the food is left for the needy to gather in dignity that which God gives to them rather than requiring the poor to beg for what the owner of the field will decide to give them. For this reason, giving anonymously to an unknown recipient is considered to be the second highest form of tzedakah.

Thus the Jewish concept of tzedakah differs from the English understanding of the word charity, in that while charity is given when the philanthropist is able and emotionally or otherwise moved to do so, tzedakah is an obligation given by God to all Jews regardless of financial standing or willingness to give, although giving willingly is certainly considered better than giving unwillingly. A poor man is not absolved from giving tzedakah. Tzedakah is considered one of three acts, along with teshuvah and tefilah, that gain forgiveness of sin and the annulment of bad decrees. (Wikipedia)

More programs will be listed on this page soon. Until then please contact any one of our committee heads (volunteers themselves).

They need you and will happily welcome you into our warm and inclusive 'family' of volunteers.

Click here to find them.