Volunteering

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nlevitin“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”
Cynthia Ozick

This week, Shomrei will celebrate Honor Night, an evening devoted to thanking all of Shomrei’s volunteers and especially our featured volunteer extraordinaire Marc Chalom.

The truth is that Shomrei simply couldn’t exist without our volunteer workers. It takes more than 5,000 volunteer hours a year to provide the many services that Shomrei provides.

So much of what is an integral part of our community life is provided and coordinated to a large extent by a group of hard core volunteers, whether it is our MESH Café that feeds the homeless, the Mensch Squad that takes care of our members during times of illness and sorrow, and the countless signature events of our community – this Fall’s Welcome Back Barbeque, the Hanukkah Party, the Purim Carnival, the Shomrei Band, the Purim Shpiel, and Shalach Manot preparation and delivery, all simply wouldn’t happen without the incredible commitment and determination of our volunteers to ensure that Shomrei is a place that speaks to our diverse spiritual and social needs.

Another example of how volunteers play a critical and often unseen role at Shomrei are our Shabbat and holiday services. The Ritual Committee ensures that each service has daveners, Haftorah readers, gabbais, etc. All this just doesn’t happen; it requires a group of committed people to do it. The same with our incredibly dedicated Kiddush volunteers. What would Shomrei be without our weekly Shabbat Kiddush?

The Programming and Communications Committee have labored hard to ensure that we not only have compelling and exciting programming, but that that information is readily available on our online calendar, and the weekly online publication ShomreiWeek which details everything that is going on at Shomrei. In addition their email blasts notifying us of upcoming events keeps us connected in ways that are engaging and increase participation.

Our Board of Education is another example. Made up of parents from the Preschool and JLC, it meets regularly to address the needs of our students, to develop school policy, and initiate school fundraisers.

All our volunteers, those listed above, our office volunteers, our building and grounds volunteers, our board of trustees, (and yes, those who are not listed) all make what can so easily be taken for granted, possible.

We owe them all a huge debt of gratitude and a very loud and enthusiastic Yasher Koach!

And here’s the thing… Not everyone can make huge volunteer commitments because of time commitments elsewhere, but the truth is that as much as you need Shomrei, Shomrei needs you. Even if it is for an hour or two a month, you have the opportunity to make a difference. So as we take the time to honor our volunteers, I encourage everyone in our community to step up to the plate and be a volunteer. Albert Schweitzer wrote, “The interior joy we feel when we have done a good deed is the nourishment the soul requires.” Think about it. Do it. Nourish your soul!

 

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