Helping others
Weston temple, school host Mitzvah Day
More than 550 families from Temple Dor Dorim and its school in Weston made a big difference in the community with their annual Mitzvah Day.
“It really encompasses the Jewish religion and the mitzvah (good deed), which is one of the greatest things you can do,” said Lisa Lerner, who chaired the day of philanthropy with Karen Arkin. “It’s the greatest lesson you can teach your kids. They carry this on and make this a better world. They should know in their heart to do something for someone else.”
Kindergartners participated in carnival games, with proceeds benefiting a juvenile diabetes charity. First- and second-graders decorated cards and boxes carrying military packages for Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, and the temple’s Empty Nesters’ efforts included putting the packages together.
Third- and fourth-graders made bookmarks for the hundreds of books donated to the LJ Library, a project coordinated by teens Lauren Pabian and Jordan Edelman as their bat mitzvah project for North County Elementary School in Miami Gardens.
“They were so excited about receiving the books, and when they heard that they could keep them, they couldn’t believe it,” Pabian said. “It was such an amazing experience that we decided to continue the project, collect more donated books and create homemade bookmarks for the students receiving books from the library.”
“This mitzvah, or selfless act, brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction. It is an overwhelming feeling helping others,” Edelman said. “Any donation of books is appreciated.”
Fifth-graders helped with baby blankets donated to AmeriCares, and sixthgraders created Shabbat beeswax candles for the Douglas Gardens senior home.
Other activities included a bake sale for Ryan’s Song, a car wash for the Dan Marino Foundation and assembling and delivering bagged lunches and other items for the homeless at LifeNet4Families.
There was also a walk benefiting Hand in Hand for Haiti, which is raising money for a school there.
“In 2010, Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake that killed over 200,000 people,” said Jacob Morrison, 16. “… Due to the earthquake, over 4,000 schools and 30,000 classrooms were destroyed. … In October of 2011, the school was opened. This school provides its students with medical care, such as doctors and dentists, two meals a day, a world-class education and so much more. This school runs on donations, so it is important for me to do whatever it is that could help the school in any way.” Scott Fishman can be reached at smfishman@tribune.com.