Actions speak louder

[Times photo: James Borchuck] Lauren Sher, 13, of Largo stirs macaroni and cheese in the kitchen of Ronald McDonald House in St. Petersburg on Feb. 2. Sher was among 200 members of Congregation B’nai Israel in St. Petersburg who volunteered in the community during Mitzvah Day.

Local youngsters help other folks on "Mitzvah Day," where doing good deeds is very good, indeed.

By JACOB LUDIN, Times X-Team
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 10, 2003

On most Sundays, Rachel Silverberg would be spending her time hanging out with her friends. But on Feb. 2, Rachel decided to do something different. She decided to do something to help others.

Fifteen-year-old Rachel, her 12-year-old brother, Noah and her father, Edward, went to Congregation B'nai Israel, a synagogue in St. Petersburg, to participate in its second annual "Mitzvah Day" and help with a neighborhood cleanup.

Mitzvah is a Hebrew word meaning "commandment" and some of the Jewish commandments include doing good deeds. Last year, at the suggestion of Rabbi Jacob Luski, the synagogue leaders decided to have a day when its members could do good deeds for others.

This year, congregation members had 11 projects to volunteer for to help the community. About 200 people, which included about 75 children, participated.

Some of the projects included baking cookies and delivering them to firefighters, preparing lunch for homeless people at the St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen and meeting Menorah Manor nursing home residents at Wal-Mart to help them shop.

[Times photo: CHERIE DIEZ] Joan Redisch, a member of Congregation B’nai Israel, removes chocolate chip cookies from the oven of the synagogue’s kitchen. The cookies were delivered to firefighters for “Mitzvah Day.”

"The organizations were very excited to have new volunteers and those that had us last year were happy to have us back," said Terri Gross, chairwoman of the 2003 Mitzvah Day.

Rachel helped to paint a fence in the community near the synagogue. With white paint on her sweat pants and in her hair, she looked like she was having fun. "I like helping people. It is a great feeling and a lot of fun," Rachel said.

Firefighter James Metevia and his fellow firefighters at Lake Pasadena Fire Station No. 9 in St. Petersburg were thrilled when a group of mostly children showed up with a huge tray of cookies.

"It gives us a great feeling of accomplishment knowing that people are coming out, taking their time, to show us an appreciation for the job we do," Metevia said. After the firefighters took the cookies, they gave the visitors a tour of the station and the fire trucks.

While at the fire station, Benjamin Brasch, 11, said that he participated "because it is a mitzvah and I think that it makes me a better person and I like to help people." Benjamin picked this event because he always liked firefighters and fire stations.

Phyllis Werner, a fifth-grade teacher at Bauder Elementary School, made teddy bears for cancer patients. "I love doing crafts," said Mrs. Werner, who worked on the project with about 40 others. "I wanted to do something to help others."

Sadie Wahnon, a resident of Menorah Manor nursing home, and about nine other Menorah Manor residents, returned from the Super Wal-Mart shopping trip with big smiles on their faces and bags in their hands.

"It was wonderful," said Mrs. Wahnon. "I found everything I needed, and candy. Don't forget the candy. We really had a good time looking around." Mrs. Wahnon was taken around Wal-Mart by Mali Feld and her daughter Mandi-Lou. Rabbi Luski explained the religious importance of a Mitzvah Day. "As a Jew, we are obligated to God to fulfill many laws, many obligations. Some of these laws have to do with our fellow man, and being sensitive and treating our fellow man with kindness," Luski said. "By fulfilling those commandments, we are doing what God wants us to do. Also, it makes us feel good."

Even though they had Mitzvah Day to help others, most of the participants learned that it also made them feel good as well. "It really made me feel good inside to reach out and do something for somebody else," Mrs. Gross said.

Jacob Ludin, 11, is a fifth-grader at the Pinellas County Jewish Day School in Clearwater. Jacob helped do some painting on Mitzvah Day.

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