Chesed at Rosh Hashanah
At Rosh Hashanah, we think about our lives. We pray for ourselves, and for our families and our friends, that we may all be written in the book of life and enjoy a year of health and happiness.
At a time when we are surrounded by family and friends, many in our community are isolated and alone. Many know that they will struggle over the coming year, some emotionally and some practically.
Before Rosh Hashanah each year, US Chesed provides our Community Care groups with honey cakes and cards for all those in need in their communities. Together with volunteers, we also use our offices to call round these members to wish them a happy new year. This gesture reaches out and personally touches our members and shows that as one community, we care.
"I've been unwell for the last few months. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciated a visit and the honey cake. It's such a comfort to know that someone cares about me"
This year we distributed over 1,000 cakes, and every year the demand increases as our Care Co-ordinators identify more and more members in need.
These cakes have always been provided solely due to the generosity of members of our communities. If you would like to make a donation to support the initiative, please contact Candice on 020 8343 5688.
This Rosh Hashanah 5770 we appealed for your time rather than your money. Our local synagogue based Community Cares groups have been developing over the years and the demand for their services has increased, resulting in an urgent need for more volunteers. We have been delighted by the response to the appeal and now have over 50 new volunteers giving their time to their local communities.
Each local group varies according to the needs of the community and the number of volunteers involved. The types of activities being organised are:
senior tea parties, dedicated telephone care lines, home visits, hospital visits, help completing benefit forms, help with shopping, bereavement befriending, help for new Mums, walking members to shul, providing transport,
cooking for people in times of need, regular calls to senior members...
We organise high quality training to help develop our volunteers' skills. How ever much time you have to spare you can genuinely make a real difference to others in your community.
As our membership continues to grow, we still need more volunteers to allow us to keep up the activity required so new volunteers will continue to be welcomed! Please get in touch with your care co-ordinator or your rabbi and offer to get involved. Or call your shul administrator who can link you to them. Or you can always call US Chesed and we'll put you in touch: Candice 020 8343 5688 email chesed@theus.org.uk.
Volunteering for your US Community Care group is incredibly rewarding and however much time you have to spare, you can genuinely make a real difference to others in your community.
Downloads
- Totally Communications - Web Designers London