Tikkun Olam

If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I?
If not now, when" - Rabbi Hillel

Tikkun olam (Hebrew for "repair the world") is the Jewish concept of following the commandments to help others.  We are committed to creating a more just and peaceful world through g’milut hasadim (acts of loving kindness and compassion) and through tzedekah (sharing our own bounty with those in need) . Temple Beth Or’s  Tikkun Olam program of social action and community service is active in our communities--the Jewish community, the local community, and the world beyond the local.  For information, please check this page, the calendar, the weekly newsletter and Temple Topics.  Help us repair the world!

Click here to be directed to our Volunteer Request Form.

Helping Hands

Helping Hands is a signature program of our Sisterhood Auxiliary, whereby  members provide food and emotional nourishment to families in times of need, such as following a death, during a health crisis, or some ongoing difficulty.   Sisterhood also prides itself on being present in supporting families through their joyful occasions, too!

Mitzvah Day

Our Tikkun Olam committee plans a Mitzvah Day each year. Some of the projects sure to be on the list are the ever popular work with the Interfaith Food Shuttle, Stop Hunger Now, annual TBO Blood Drive, landscaping at the Jewish community Center and other non-profits, and working with Habitat for Humanity. Look for new programs this year including Brotherhood Adopt a Highway, young children visiting senior centers, and lots more in the works.

ONE Wake

TBO has been a member of ONE Wake since 2021. ONE Wake is a non-partisan, multi-racial, multi-issue group of religious congregations, associations, and nonprofits in Wake County. It brings people together across religious, racial, ethnic, economic and political party affiliations to make Wake County a better place. An issue ONE Wake has been active in, is  advocating for affordable housing.

Interfaith Food Shuttle

For more than 20 years, Temple Beth Or has been collecting food and monetary donations for the Interfaith Food Shuttle. We collect food throughout the year, but a signature of the program is our annual Yom Kippur Food Drive, which, in 2011, collected over two tons of food to feed Raleigh’s less fortunate. Youth from our Religious School help staff the Food Shuttle trucks … hoisting, sorting, and stacking thousands of cans, boxes, and packages of food stuffs.

StepUp Ministry

StepUp Ministry is a non-profit organization that prepares adults and children to live stable and productive lives.  Temple members partner with a family weekly to provide counsel on life skills and job training. Our Sisterhood members make a meal once a month to serve the 130 plus family members in the program. TBO also contributes some of the clothing and school supplies collected on Mitzvah Day.

Habitat for Humanity

Temple Beth Or members have long worked with Habitat for Humanity. Join fellow builders by volunteering with Habitat Wake. This is a fun, hands-on opportunity to support Habitat’s mission and build our community while building your skills and relationships. No experience is required!  A highlight this year was TBO’s participation in  Habitat’s first Abraham Build project, a collaborative effort of Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths to fund and build a home for a low-income family.

Support for Children in Guatemala

Temple Beth Or partners with Nueva Generación, a 501(c)(3), founded byTBO member, Cindy Schneider. The organization provides scholarships for indigenous Maya children living in extreme poverty to attend school in their village. Nueva Generación also provides sustainable housing, food distribution, computers, English classes, medical clinics and medical treatment for specific cases. Outreach trips have been organized for Temple members and youth. Thanks to many TBO members, over +1500 scholarships have been provided. For more information, visit NuevaGen.org or email cindyschneider@me.com.

Walks Supporting Social and Health Causes

TBO is well represented by members in various community walks for social and health issues, such as the Walk for National Alliance on Mental Health, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and our own Run with the Rabbis.