Jewish Social Action Network (JSAN)
NEXT MEETING OF JSAN
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6 @
7:00 PM
JCRC’s Annual Cheshvan Outerwear Drive-on now through December 9
Beginning on October 28 and continuing into the month of November, the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and its Bohm Social Justice Initiative will be sponsoring several activities to celebrate Cheshvan, Jewish Social Action Month. Jewish Social Action Month (JSAM) is a global initiative in the Jewish community to promote social action to improve ourselves (tikkun pnimi) and to improve the world (tikkun olam). Cheshvan is a month in which there are no Jewish holidays, and JSAM was created as a way to turn what might otherwise be seen as a “bitter” month into a month of positive actions to help those around us. Click here for flyer.
In conjunction with this worldwide effort, JCRC is sponsoring an outerwear drive to benefit refugees recently relocated to the St. Louis area and children in underserved neighborhoods who might otherwise be unable to afford warm winter coats, hats and gloves. Items donated will be donated to the International Institute, the African Mutual Assistance Association and the Little Bit Foundation. Items can be dropped off at any of the following locations between now and December 9:
- JCRC, 12 Millstone Campus Drive
- The JCC, both the Fox and Staenberg locations
- BSKI, 1107 Linden Avenue
- Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman
- Congregation B’nai Amoona, 324 S. Mason
- Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road
- Shaare Zedek Synagogue, 829 N. Hanley
- Temple Emanuel, 12166 Conway Road
- Temple Israel, #1 Alvan Rubin Drive
- Clothes Tree Boutique, 2538 S. Brentwood
The outerwear drive is being held in cooperation with the Jewish Social Action Network (JSAN), a collaboration of St. Louis Jewish congregations. JSAN encourages congregations to engage in social action programming and coordinates community-wide social action projects. JSAN is coordinated by the JCRC. Chairing the outerwear drive this year is Margie Palazollo, Member of the Tikkun Olam Steering Committee at Central Reform Congregation (CRC) and CRC’s JSAN representative.
Leslie Bursack, a past Chair of the Outerwear Drive, with clients of the
International Institute
JSAN Volunteers Assist with Donation Drive for Joplin Tornado Victims
Thanks to members of the Jewish Social Action Network who helped collect, sort, box and deliver donated items to the victims of the May 22 tornado in Joplin, Missouri. JSAN members collected clothing, baby items, toiletries, blankets, towels and other items from six collection points in St. Louis during the week of May 24-31. On May 31, volunteers gathered at Central Reform Congregation, where the donated items were sorted and boxed so that they could be brought to Joplin later that week.
Left: JCRC Bohm Social Justice Initiative Chair Phyllis Markus with some of the items collected at Congregation Shaare Emeth (photo by Lisa Mandel)
Right: Volunteers from Congregation BSKI sort items at Central Reform Congregation (photo by Kristi Foster)
Seven Congregations Unite for JSAN Volunteer Day
On Sunday February 13, about 30 adults and teens from seven area congregations joined together for JSAN’s first Volunteer Day. Participants sorted clothes for ReFresh, a new teen and young adult resale shop to benefit the St. Louis Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition. Those attending also learned more about the work of the Coalition and were given a tour of the new shop, which opens in the Spring of 2011.
Below are pictures taken that day:
Alyssa Fritz (sitting) and Maddie Mills (standing)
Left to right: Hannah Cropf, Maddie Mills, Alyssa Fritz, Hannah Jacks
Left to right: Robbin List and Suzanne Yee
About JSAN
About JSAN
The Jewish Social Action Network is a collaboration of St. Louis Jewish congregations.
- Encourages congregations to engage in social action programming
- Exchanges information among the participating congregations
- Coordinates community-wide social action projects
- Provides education and advocacy information
Change in Leadership of JSAN: At the August 2010 JSAN meeting, members honored outgoing JSAN Chair Louise Levine (left) for her many years of service. Levine represented Congregation B’Nai El and took over as JSAN Chair in 2007. Tracy Zackson (right), who represents Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community, is the new Chair. Zackson also is an At-Large member of the JCRC Council.
Social Action Congregational Chairs and Liaisons
Tracy Zackson - Jewish Social Action Network Chair
B’nai Amoona – Phyllis Cantor and Margie Kessler
B’nai El – Amye Carrigan
BSKI – Bev Fogelman
CRC – Margie Palazzolo
Neve Shalom – Debbie Schwartz
Shaare Emeth - Amy Ogle
Shaare Zedek – Rhona Lyons and Bob Olshan
Shir Hadash - Jean Shaffer and Tracy Zackson
Temple Emanuel - Hallie Huber
Temple Israel- Pamela Dern and Judy Jacks
Traditional Congregation – Marty Levy
Young Israel - Bob and Judy Hellman
Staff Support provided by: Gail Wechsler, JCRC.
