THIRD ANNUAL SHEMA TOUR
by Richard Guttman
On Monday January 15th, 49 Temple Beth Hillel congregants (including 28 children and teens who were off from school) boarded a bus and visited 3 sites in the Greater Hartford area which provide domestic services and job opportunities for people less fortunate than those folks whom we most likely encounter in our everyday lives. The purpose of the Shema Tour is for us to observe the situations where help is required, learn about the conditions under which the people are living and working, listen to their needs, and arrive at a consensus of what project our Congregation could sponsor this year that would offer the best assistance. The Shema Tour was established 3 years ago by Rabbi Glickman in commemoration of the principles expounded by the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Our first visit was to Jewish Family Services in West Hartford, where we learned about their social and medical services programs, and of their Kosher Food Pantry, which is the only one in the Hartford area. Although the benefits of this organization go mostly to Jewish people, the services are available to people of all religions and races. On this stop we made a donation of quite a few shopping bags full of Kosher non-perishable foods to help their Food Pantry Program.
The next stop was at Easter Seals in Hartford, where people who cannot hold a steady job in the normal workplace because of a physical or mental handicap are given an opportunity to work to the best of their ability in a non-hostile environment. They are paid for their efforts, because the company makes a profit by selling an assortment of tools to commercial customers such as Sears. Some of the specialized flashlights that they manufacture will be available at the Men’s Club Auction at the Temple in February.
Our third destination was the YWCA in Hartford, which offers shelter and low rent housing for women who earn less than ½ of the median income measured for the Hartford area. Many of these women would be homeless if not for this facility. The first floor shelter area is for temporary living up to 3 months, whereas there are efficiency units on the higher levels available for longer terms. We met one woman who was there since July 2005, when her unit first was ready for occupancy. We donated many bags of towels, blankets, sheets and pillows, and found out that other donations such as toiletries, books and puzzles would be greatly appreciated.
The Shema Tour is an eye-opener for most of us, and you are encouraged to participate in the 4th annual Shema Tour on January 21st, 2008.
