Social Justice
"Wake me up, God; ignite my passion, fill me with outrage. Remind me that I am responsible for Your world. Don't allow me to stand idly by. Inspire me to act. Teach me to believe that I can repair some corner of this world."
- Rabbi Naomi Levy
We invite you to explore ways you can enrich your life and deepen your connection to Judaism and the Emanu-El community through the mitzvah of helping others.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
Events
The Hazon Golden Gate Ride (May 24 – 27)
Ongoing Projects
Emanu-El Gardens at the Free Farm
Experience Corps, for Volunteers 50+
Reading Partners - Books and Bagels
Project Open Hand
Next Door Homeless Shelter
San Francisco Food Bank
Roosevelt Healthy Children Pantry
Volunteer to Cook Sunday Dinners at G-House
Join the Ride
Join Rabbi Fenves, Rabbi Mintz, and fellow congregants on Hazon's Golden Gate Ride, Memorial Day Weekend, May 24 – 27. Enjoy two days of cycling through Sonoma and Marin counties, support the cyclists on the road, or come just for shabbat and still participate.
Learn more
Emanu-El Gardens at the Free Farm
First Sunday of each month, 10:00 am – Noon (weather permitting)Next: May 5
Eddy St. at Gough, San Francisco
Help our experienced lead volunteers to plant and harvest fruits and vegetables for the hungry in San Francisco. All harvested produce is distributed at the Mission Street Farm Stand on Sundays. Please join us for this unique morning mitzvah! All ages are welcome!
The Free Farm is open to all volunteers each Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm during June and July.
If interested or you have questions, please contact congregant Stanley Edwards at edwards.stanley@gmail.com or (415) 317-3502.
Are You 50+ and Looking to Volunteer?
Experience Corps, an award-winning tutoring and mentoring program, is currently seeking volunteers ages 50 and older to share their life experience to support students in literacy in grades K-3.
This intergenerational exchange has been proven to not only boost students’ academic performance, but also to improve the health and well-being of older adults and build stronger communities in the process. Volunteers are asked to commit for the rest of the school year for a minimum of two hours per week. The unique experience and talent of older adults is the foundation of Experience Corps, so no prior tutoring experience is necessary, and training is provided. If you are interested in this fun and rewarding volunteer opportunity, email ecba.today@gmail.com or call (415) 759-4223.
Volunteer with Reading Partners Today!
Reading Partners is dedicated to transforming struggling young readers into confident readers who are excited about learning. They
- Focus on children from low-income communities.
- Give one-on-one instruction at the student’s reading level.
- Recruit and train community volunteers to work with children.
- Partner with high-need elementary schools to offer an effective program on campus.
- Provide a way for volunteers to give a small amount of their time to make a huge difference in a child’s life.
When you volunteer at Reading Partners, you'll work one-on-one with a child who has fallen behind in reading.
- Each tutoring session is 45 minutes.
- Volunteers can tutor once a week or twice a week. (Children are tutored twice a week.)
- Volunteers can tutor one child or several. (Some tutors tutor several children in back-to-back sessions.)
- Tutoring takes place on the campuses of local schools that have a relationship with Reading Partners.
Reading Partners Track Record of Success
Reading Partners is focused on data and results. We are dedicated to ensuring that every investment made in the success of our students leads to a measurable increase in reading skills. During the 2011 – 12 school year
- 89% of students accelerated their progress in reading.
- 73% of students ended the year closer to grade level than when they started school.
- 78% of students who began the year with low self-confidence demonstrated increased confidence by year's end.
- 97% of principals noted school-wide progress in reading.
Congregant Nick Josefowitz says, “I would absolutely encourage others to get involved. I've already recruited three of my friends! Reading Partners is one of the best-run volunteer programs I have had worked with. They will make sure your time is spent efficiently, productively, and most importantly in such a way as to deliver results. They are a metric-driven organization, and have a track record of measurable success. Knowing that my tutoring is improving a child's reading is, when it comes down to it, what keeps me coming back every week.”
To volunteer or ask questions, please contact Emma Laz-Hirsch, Bay Area Outreach Manager at Reading Partners:
106 Linden St., Suite 120, Oakland, CA 94607
510.508.0312 direct l 510.444.9800 office
emma.laz@readingpartners.org
For more information visit the Reading Partners website at www.readingpartners.org.
Project Open Hand
Since 1985, Project Open Hand has been providing “meals with love” to people living with serious illnesses and to seniors in San Francisco. Evening, weekday and weeknight shifts are available for individuals and groups to work in the kitchen, shop for clients in the on-site grocery store, deliver meals to homebound residents or serve lunch to seniors. Volunteers must be at least 15 years of age. Questions, contact volunteer coordinator, Rachel Kamen at rkamen@openhand.org or (415) 447-2313.
Serve Dinner at the Next Door Homeless Shelter
Help serve dinner to the 330 homeless adults living at the Next Door Homeless Shelter in San Francisco (1001 Polk Street). The food is prepared by cooks but we are always in need of volunteers to help serve the meal. The dinner shift is from 6:00 – 8:00 pm beginning with a short orientation and continues with plating food and clean-up. There's lots of room for interaction and connection with shelter residents as they receive their dinner meal. Some of the older clients and those with disabilities need extra assistance from volunteers to bring their meal directly to their table. This is a great team-building opportunity. Sign up as group of 5 to 7 individuals for a once a month activity.
RSVP to Mallory Hasick, Volunteer & Community Outreach Manager, Episcopal Community Services (ECS):
(415) 487-3348 or mhasick@ecs-sf.org
Easy Way to Do Service!
Seeking Volunteer Shoppers at the SF Food Bank
Over 350 partner agencies visit the Food Bank's warehouse on a regular basis to select fresh produce, packaged food, bread, and dairy or meat items for their clients. This range of choice allows agencies to meet the varied nutritional needs and cultural preferences of the client communities they serve. Each Friday morning, Emanu-El volunteers shop for food which is then distributed at our Healthy Children Pantry at Roosevelt Middle School as well as a neighborhood pantry at St John's Church.
Shopper Responsibilities:
Commit to shopping one time every month from approximately 8:00 am – 9:00 am at the SFFB warehouse, 900 Pennsylvania Ave in Potrero Hill.
Contact Donna Neumark with questions or to sign up at donna.neumark@gmail.com
Volunteer at the Roosevelt Healthy Children Pantry Summer Location
June 10, 17 & 24
July 8, 15, 22 & 29
August 5
Mondays, 2:00-4:30 pm
Volunteer to Distribute Food to Roosevelt Middle School Families at our Healthy Children Pantry summer location:
Congregation Beth Shalom
301-14th Avenue between Geary Blvd. and Clement Street
To sign up, please contact lead volunteer Susan Brown at susangb999@gmail.com or call (707) 322-9933
Volunteer to Cook Sunday Dinners at G-House
Sundays, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
This Larkin Street Youth Services site in the Richmond District, helps former foster youth and homeless youth between the ages of 18 and 24 to make successful transitions into adulthood and into living independently. Each Sunday, congregants from Emanu-El plan, cook, serve, and eat dinner for and with the G-House residents.
Contact Sandy Rechtschaffen to sign up.
Sandy Rechtschaffen
Community Engagement Manager
(415) 751-2541 x177