VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Winter Volunteer Spotlight

This month we are highlighting the leaders of our communal freezer project.

Lauren Berger, Josh Podietz, Dorothy Fox, Judi And Barry Kenter

Why did you get involved with this project? LB: I love the idea of Beth El providing support and acts of kindness for our members. Many of us volunteer to help others outside Beth El and this provides an opportunity to care for our Beth El family. It also seemed like a fun and different way to get involved! JP: I am trying to spend more time giving back to the community and I am very grateful for what Beth El does for our community BK: Judi and I became involved with this project because we had been involved in a similar project in an earlier synagogue. We’ve met others who share our wish for this project’s success. We hope the BESC freezer project will help to connect and unite our congregational family. What have you personally gained from this experience? LB: I am enjoying the social aspect of planning the menus and recipes and mostly the time cooking together as a group! Plus, it gives me a good feeling to know that when others are having a challenging day, don’t feel like cooking, or just want a pick-me-up, they can stop by the Beth El freezer for a meal to warm at home and enjoy! JP: It makes me happy and feel good to dedicate time to our community and also to meet new people at Beth El, strengthening connections and making my time at the synagogue more meaningful What kind of impact do you hope the communal freezer project will have on the community? LB: I hope more members will volunteer to participate, we’ll get to meet and work with new people, we will reach out and encourage our Beth El community to take meals from the freezer, we’ll feel supported by both cooking and by taking meals, and we’ll create a more caring culture within our synagogue. JP: I am hopeful the communal freezer will make the dayto-day lives of our congregation a bit simpler and that people strengthen their connections while volunteering to keep the communal freezer full and grow DF: I hope our project will create yet another caring community at Beth El for those who prepare the meals and the families who may share the meals to ease life’s stressors together.

Volunteer at Beth El!

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS! Beth El is looking for volunteers to help lead our efforts to expand Beth El’s involvement in the following areas: social action, chesed, and community building/social programming. If you are someone who is looking to get more involved, please contact Stephanie Lederman at slederman@bethelnr.org