Local volunteers will come together Jan. 17 to participate in the fourth annual Mitzvah Day, hosted by The Oshman Family JCC.
Mitzvah Day, a day of service taking place at synagogues and Jewish community centers throughout the nation, coincides with Martin Luther King Day to celebrate the legacy of King and promote community service. A mitzvah can be loosely defined as “good deed.”
More than 25 volunteer opportunities will be available at the local event, with activities ranging from habitat restoration, making cat toys and dog biscuits for homeless pets, visiting lonely senior citizens, serving meals at a shelter, working on crafts for hospitalized children and helping with the creation of a library in Botswana.
Both adults and children of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome to participate, organizers said. Times and locations vary depending on the project chosen.
Participants are also asked to bring a food item that can be included in a brown-bag lunch for the homeless.
“What’s really exciting is the number of families and children that get involved. It’s inspiring and humbling at the same time,” Luba Palant, OFJCC event coordinator, stated in a press release. More than 600 volunteers are expected to take part.
To register to volunteer or for more information, visit the Palo Alto JCC.