Volunteer Opportunities

GREETERS AND USHERS

GREETERS and USHERS

On hold during COVID.

We are proud to welcome hundreds of congregants and visitors each week to our various Shabbat services, festivals, and other events.  Greeters and ushers serve an important role in welcoming everyone and helping people feel comfortable at our Temple.  If you are interested in serving as a greeter please contact, Andy Harkavy, Director of Congregational Engagement.

GIFT SHOP

Our Discovered Traditions Gift Shop is open during the weekdays, on Friday nights, Sunday mornings during Religious School, and during special events.  Although it is professionally managed, we do regularly seek volunteers to help us staff for sales. Dee Kridel, Gift Shop Manager would love to talk to you about volunteering.

MITZVAH DAY

Temple Beth El congregants come together once a year, to perform mitzvot (good deeds) and help with Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). We work together on a variety of service projects to help the Charlotte community. There is a project for everyone; preschoolers, school age children, teenagers, and grown-ups. Find the project that works for you and your family!

Time Commitment: 1-3 hours

If you’re interested in participating, please contact Karen Greenblatt.

STERLING ELEMENTARY PARTNERSHIP

Our Temple “adopted” Sterling Elementary School as part of CMS’s Faith Community Partnership program. We need volunteers to get involved. What can you do?

• Teach a child to read. Learn more.
• Help a child improve math skills. Learn more.
• Be a lunch buddy.
• Help a teacher as an assistant or tutor.
• Do “busy” work for teachers in the comfort of your own home (collating papers, stapling, sorting, and the like).
• Donate new or gently used books or student incentives for a classroom.
• Donate a computer to a needy family.We guarantee the time you spend with these bright, curious children and their teachers will leave you smiling and will make all the difference in their lives!

Email Kim Wilkoff or call (610) 639-4705 to volunteer or find out more!

SHALOM PARK FREEDOM SCHOOL

Since 2011, kindergarten through fifth grade scholars from Huntingtowne Farms and Sterling Elementary, the two schools in faith-based partnerships with Temple Israel and Temple Beth El, have been attending Shalom Park Freedom School.  This six-week Literacy Summer Enrichment Program provides scholars from economically disadvantaged households an opportunity to prevent summer reading loss and build character through afternoon enrichment programs.  “Summer slide” is the largest contributor to the achievement gap for low-income children. With eight Shalom Park Partner agencies engaging in tikkun olam (improving our world), we are helping children in our community become self-sufficient through closing the literacy achievement gap.   Flexible volunteer opportunities available for tweens, teens, and adults from reading buddies, to a teen advisory board, afternoon enrichment leaders, and board positions.  For more information visit Shalom Park Freedom School’s website.

Partner agencies:  Charlotte Jewish Day School, Foundation of Shalom Park, Jewish Family Services, Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, Levine JCC, Levine-Sklut Judaic Library, Temple Beth El and Temple Israel.

SHALOM GREEN

Shalom Green is a group of Jewish community volunteers dedicated to promoting an understanding of Jewish environmental values. Shalom Green is united in its commitment to sustainability and is energized to take meaningful action to preserve and protect Creation through its three primary goals: to REDUCE the carbon footprint of Shalom Park facilities, to MAINTAIN the Shalom Park Community Garden, and to EDUCATE the community about environmental issues. For more information visit Shalom Green’s website or email here.

Partner Agencies:  Foundation of Shalom Park, Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, Levine JCC, Temple Beth El and Temple Israel

For questions or additional information, please contact info@shalomgreenCLT.org.

PROJECT SNOWFLAKE

Every year during the month of December, we organize a group of congregants to provide sustenance and support for staff and residents of various shelters around Charlotte. If you’d like to be involved please contact Merle Gottheim.

ROOM IN THE INN

Abraham’s Tent Room in the Inn: A Muslim Community-Jewish Community Partnership at Queens University of Charlotte

The Muslim community and the Jewish community have partnered to created Abraham’s Tent Room in the Inn. We will provide shelter and food for the homeless during the winter months. The goal is to keep homeless people from freezing on cold winter nights. We need your help providing food and your time. They sleep overnight and get a hot meal for dinner and for breakfast. We supply goody bags for them to take home as well as a bag lunch, socks, hats and coats for the winter. This will also be an opportunity to get to know your Jewish and Muslim neighbors while building bridges and relationships within the communities.

For more information email here or visit Urban Ministry’s website.

For questions or additional information, please contact Patty Torcellini.

ROOF ABOVE MEAL DISTRIBUTION

Normal soup kitchen hours are on hold during the pandemic. If you would like to help during this time, volunteers are needed to distribute food at Roof Above sites for unsheltered people at high risk for Covid-19. Pick a Sunday from 4-6pm.

Questions? Contact Rabbi Klass.

Sign up for a shift

B'NEI MITZVAH PROJECTS

Once they begin preparing for their simcha, all Temple Beth El students are expected to complete a b’nei mitzvah project. B’nei mitzvah students will:

• spend 13 hours on this project.
• pick a project enjoyable enough for them to want to continue even after their big day.
• have contact with the people they are assisting. For example, if there is a donation collection, the b’nei mitzvah student will personally deliver the donations to the people in need.

Peruse this Action and Justice Project section for some b’nei mitzvah project ideas. Contact Rabbi Dusty Klass for more information.

JEWISH COMMUNITY REFUGEE INITIATIVE (JCRI)

The Jewish Community Refugee Initiative (JCRI) is a lay-driven initiative whose mission is to educate the Charlotte Jewish community about refugee issues and to encourage the community to volunteer with local refugees and the agencies that resettle refugees. Many refugees have fled violence and threats of persecution.  Volunteers working with young or adult refugees help provide stability, continuity, and assistance to those adjusting to life in a new country.  While these refugees are not Jewish, it has always been a tenet of Judaism to help the stranger and welcome the refugee.  JCRI brings volunteer, donation, education and advocacy opportunities to you and your family.  For more information visit the JCRI website.

Partner agencies:  Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community, Jewish Family Services, Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, Levine JCC, Stan Greenspon Center for Peace & Social Justice, Temple Beth El and Temple Israel.

For questions or additional information, please contact Amy Lefkof.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCACY

Addressing domestic violence is an opportunity for all of us to examine how we conduct our personal relationships and to face how we deal with people who are in trouble. As a problem for adults, families, and teens, it is an issue that cuts across all committees and programs, just as domestic abuse cuts across all socio-economic, educational and religious groups.
Few synagogues, however, acknowledge that abuse happens in the Jewish community. In 2007 Temple Beth El not only formally acknowledged it, but resolved to address it by becoming a “safe haven” – a community that promotes safety, justice and healing; and by working to end it through education and awareness-raising activities (see Resolution on Domestic Abuse).

Click Here for a Domestic Violence Resource Guide

In working toward these goals Temple Beth El has initiated or collaborated in many ground-breaking efforts including:
• Dedicated weekend in October and throughout month to raise awareness for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• Dedicated activities in February for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
• Tailored educational programs for teens, women and men.
• Promotional materials including Resource Guide to programs and services

Jewish Family Services is committed to assisting victims of domestic violence in finding resources to ensure their safety and stability. Our counselors quickly establish a safety plan. Once a safety plan is in place the JFS counselor works to connect the client to both JFS and community resources to ensure future physical and emotional healing. If you or someone you know is in an abusive situation, JFS can help. Call 704.364.6594 or call the National Domestic Violence 24/7 Hotline at 1.800.799.7233.

To become involved or for more information contact Rabbi Klass.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

In 2010, Temple Beth El’s Board passed a resolution on affordable housing, authorizing institutional advocacy to address the underlying causes of homelessness and expanding affordable housing, recognizing the commitment of member families, the Reform movement and the tenets of our faith to this cause.

Empowered by this resolution, TBE has collaborated on education, advocacy and program changes in our community:

• the award-winning documentary “Souls of Our Neighbors”
• a community website for volunteers now adopted by the Homeless Services Network www.SolveThePuzzleCharlotte.org,
• a pilot program moving families out of homelessness, resulting in the formation of the Moving Ministry at Crisis Assistance Ministry, and
• A Way Home, a public/private endowment led by the Foundation For The Carolinas to provide rental subsidies.

Congregants interested in getting involved are invited to contact Judy Seldin-Cohen.