Quarterly e-newsletter: April to June 2016
In This Issue
ViA Isaiah
Tzedakah
Yasher Koach
Homelessness
Hunger
Education
Community of Care
Multi-faith ACTION Coalition
Get Involved
 Social Action Calendar
 
Thursday, April 14 
CCIH Tenant Dinner

Thursday, April 21
Loaves and Fishes Food Prep

Wednesday, May 4
Community Blood Drive

Wednesday, May 4
Literacy Tutor Training

Thursday, May 19
Loaves and Fishes Food Prep

Thursday, June 16
Loaves and Fishes Food Prep

Quick Links
Email Preferences
What's Happening at ViA Isaiah

Religious, political, compassionate or what?
Fulfilling ViA Isaiah's mission involves every part of Temple Isaiah, and all of us. We work tirelessly to provide food and shelter security for those in our community. We donate countless hours tutoring reading, art and math to our public schools' students. We donate our blood to our community's trauma centers. We will soon help settle local refugees. Our desire is for all to achieve at least a basic level of comfort, security, self-esteem and independence. To this end we also work to ease access to college. We canvas because families fracture without a livable minimum wage. We petition for sentencing reform for eligible offenders who might be able to find better life path. Those of us actively engaged in furthering these important works are asked what's Jewish about it. Aren't these business or political matters? Isn't it a family and student's responsibility to make college a reality? But really, no one can ever subsume our responsibilities we have to each other. The living of decent and vital lives by our neighbors is OUR issue. As Jews, we meet them face-to-face and eagerly give of ourselves. This quarterly VIA Isaiah newsletter highlights only some of our recent successes and challenges. Everyone, please help! Any thoughts or questions, please email me at [email protected]

Thank you.
Jamie Gracer, Chair, ViA Isaiah

Tzedakah

Coronado Elementary School, Richmond
We are pleased to announce this quarter's recipient of Tzedakah funds collected: Coronado Elementary School, Richmond, where our members volunteer as art teachers, literacy tutors and more. ViA Isaiah funds helped to repair a kiln and provide kiln training for ceramics classes and for two classes to attend the California Academy of Sciences.

JQuest Seventh Grade Fund
This fund is an exciting program that helps Temple Isaiah's students actively learn about philanthropy and take part in tikkun olam through tzedakah. 

This year's theme is cancer, and on May 1, our seventh grade fund board of directors will vote on where they will give 3 grants of $5,000 each (potentially a 4th partial grant). 

American Cancer Society
Camp Kesem
Cancer Support Community Easy Bay
Chai Lifeline
Deliver the Dream
John Muir Health Foundation
Notes 4 Hope
Okizu
St. Baldrick's Foundation
Sunflower Wellness
The Max Foundation
UCSF
We Spark
Zero Breast Cancer

Click here to learn more. 
Questions? Contact youth director [email protected]
Yasher Koach
 
We wish to thank the generous volunteers that helped to meet the need for meals at the Shelter Dinners in Martinez last week (A ViA Isaiah Initiative and Project of Women of Isaiah). 

We couldn't be more proud of our community. The pantry and every course was filled with over 105 volunteer slots. Click here for our photo gallery. Yasher Koach! 

We also thank our last quarter volunteers at Loaves and Fishes helping to prepare meals: Marla Simon, Karen Goldberg, Barbara Beckert, Deb Slotsky, Mike Portnoff, Phyllis Ceasar, Harvey Ceaser, Tony Crea, Jan Trzesniewsky, and Bobbi Baron.

Want to say Yasher Koach and give kudos to any ViA Isaiah volunteers in the next e-newsletter? 
Please contact [email protected]

Yasher koach (YAH-shehyr KOH-ahkh)
Hebrew. Literally, straight strength. Figuratively, may you have strength, or may your strength be increased. A way of congratulating someone for performing a mitzvah or other good deed. In essence, you are wishing this person the strength to continue doing this good thing, and you are also recognizing the effort that the person put into doing this good thing.

Homelessness
 
Melody Howe Weintraub
and Jerry Weintraub at the
CCIH Ruby Boots Gala 2016
Jasmine and Rob Tarkoff at the 
CCIH Ruby Boots Gala 2016
 




















Contra Costa Interfaith Housing (CCIH)
CCIH's mission is to provide permanent, affordable housing and vital support services to homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa.
  • Help run a summer day camp for a week (just two hours a day for 1 to 4 days). Plan activities and share your interests with the resident children. Some ideas include: music, dance, drama, science, robotics, no-cook snack preparation, crafts. Feel free to call and discuss ideas or just help with an already formed camp week. All camps are supervised by on-site CCIH staff. Contact volunteer coordinator Gloria Bertolozzi at [email protected] or call 925-944-2244 ext 214.
  • Provide a meal for one night. Temple Isaiah will be providing dinner following the monthly tenant meeting at Garden Park Apartments on April 14th. Just drop your dish off at Temple Isaiah and we will do the rest. Sign up here: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/60B0A4DACA72BAB9-ccih1
  • School supplies drive. Keep your eyes open this summer for the school supply drive sign-up, and help CCIH students enter school in the Fall prepared.
From Co-chairs: Amy Faltz and Pat Reyes

Earn it, Keep it, Save it
Earn It! Keep It! Save It! is an exciting initiative of the United Way of the Bay Area. This program provides free tax preparation to low- to moderate-income Bay Area households. More than 3,600 highly-trained volunteers comprise the backbone of this program, preparing returns for 68,000 households in 2013. This year, they brought $74 million back in refunds to the community, spurring jobs and economic stimulus. We want to expand this impact of this program in Contra Costa County. Help us by volunteering as a tax preparer (volunteers will complete a training course to become IRS certified), screener, interpreter or greeter.
Contact: Ella Sansikov at [email protected]

Jewish Family and Community Services of the East Bay 
New Friends Refugee Resettlement Program
The first meeting Thursday, March 31 was inspiring. We heard form Kathryn Winogura and the JFCS-East Bay about how we can help, and the of a family recently here. happy to confirm that the first Welcome Group of volunteers, Welcome Group Aleph, will begin to assist the family we heard about immediately.  No wasting time here!  After the meeting, Kathryn Winogura of the JFCS-EB called the wife of the family we are helping to tell her the great news. She was so appreciative, and even mentioned her hope that we will also be able to speak English with her husband when we have time.

We will also soon get the New Friends Committee going to help all of our congregants best do this amazing work we've undertaken.  I will keep everyone abreast of our progress with our first two families, and be in touch to get more Welcome Groups together in preparation of more refugee families on the way. 

For more information visit www.temple-isaiah.org/resettlement

Project Hearth 
Assists Shelter Inc. primarily by providing emergency funds to pay utility bills and/or short term rent to people at risk from becoming homeless.
Contact: Jill Douglas at [email protected]

Winter Nights Rotating Shelter
For the 13th year, Temple Isaiah will host the Winter Nights Shelter for homeless families with children during the next winter holiday season. Hundreds of volunteers come together for this two-week expression of tikkun olam; their generous acts of kindness provide our guests with a warm safe haven, healthy food, activities for the kids, educational excursions, holiday celebrations, compassion, rest, and peace. Thank you for being part of this heart-felt community mitzvah. Questions? Please contact [email protected]

Wardrobe for Opportunity
Wardrobe for Opportunity works in partnership with the community to assist low-income individuals to "Find a Job, Keep a Job, and Build a Career."
* Clothing and Accessories Drive -Participate in temple-wide clothing and accessories drives. Donate, help sort , load vehicles and deliver to WFO Boutique in Concord.
* Sorting and Displaying Clothing and Accessories at the Boutique - Mon and/or Fri mornings, 10-12 help sort and hang clothing, etc. at the Concord Boutique
* Outfitting Both Male and Female Client - learn how to dress clients appropriately for job interviews and new job placements and have 1 hr. one-on-one appointments with the clients to dress them.
Contact: Wendy Dorband at [email protected]

Hunger
Volunteers Serving at the Shelter Dinners in Martinez March 2016

Cal Fresh (formally Food Stamp Program):
The CalFresh program is vital to helping individuals and families who cannot afford enough to eat. Unfortunately, a vast number who are eligible are not enrolled. CalFresh EBT cards not only prevent hunger, they also support health and well-being and provide economic stimulus to the local economy. Please join faith and community based organizations working to help the working poor, the elderly, and hungry children by increasing enrollment in Calfresh. With 42% of eligible people in Contra Costa County unrolled, there is a tremendous opportunity to make a difference! 
Contact: Joanne Peterson at [email protected]

HHD Drive for Hunger in Contra Costa County
We are proud of our annual High Holy Day food drive collecting over 5,400 pounds to feed countless hungry members of our county! Donations were nutrient-rich, shelf-stable foods in cans, plastic containers and boxes within labeled expiration dates. 
Contact: Nadav Rave at [email protected]

Contra Costa Food Bank
We are thrilled to announce that the annual Turkey Drive mailing raised $5,275 to feed the hungry in our county during the holidays.

Loaves and Fishes
Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa operates five dining rooms from Martinez to Oakley where it serves free hot lunch Monday-Friday. Its free food pantry distributes over a ton of groceries each week.
* Help Serve Meals - Join fellow TI congregants to prepare food for approx. 2 hours the 3rd Thursday of every month from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Work takes place at the catering kitchen at Loaves and Fishes in Pittsburg.
Contact: Phyllis Ceaser at [email protected]
* Perpetual Food Drive to benefit Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry - One Sunday a month, join fellow congregants in collecting food. The food pantry is critical as it helps bridge the weekend when the soup kitchen is closed! Seeking Food Captains, who will coordinate, as well as food donors!
Contact: Stacii Gerson at [email protected]

Mt. View Emergency Family Shelter 
A ViA Isaiah Initiative and Project of Women of Isaiah
Serving homeless families with children in need of emergency housing, this shelter supports up to 13 families at any given time. Yasher Koach to the countless volunteers that helped from November 9-13, 2015 and March 28-April 1, 2016. Contact: Gail Walden at [email protected] or Lynn Harrington-Gold at [email protected]

Shelter Lunch Program
The 1 hour Mitzvah that feeds 65 people! JQuest sponsors a project that reaches out to the hungry in our own community. On several Sundays throughout the school year our JQuest families have the opportunity to work together in Temple Isaiah 's kitchen preparing lunches for an adult transitional shelter in Concord. This is a shelter where the lunch meal is not usually provided. We are the only agency providing lunch and our efforts are greatly appreciated. In addition, toiletry donations are always welcome and can be brought to the Temple Kitchen on the dates of the shelter lunch program. For more information please contact Shelter Lunch coordinator Amy Skepner at [email protected].

The Urban Farmers
The Urban Farmers focuses on feeding the hungry local produce harvested from backyard fruit trees and gardens. Donations go to local hunger relief agencies.
* Donate excess fruit by registering your trees on The Urban Farmers website: http://www.theurbanfarmers.org or call (415) 806-7005. Purchase a fruit tree from The Urban Farmers to feed future generations. Plant the tree on your property or donate it to a needy family.
* Join a harvest team and have fun doing light work outdoors to help Urban Farmers harvest backyard fruit. Help from home with important tasks, such as responding to e-mails or writing articles.
Contact: Nadav Rave at [email protected]

Education
Jewish Coalition for Literacy
Can you read this? That means you can help a child who can't. In just one hour a week you can help a student learn to love reading. Take part in this rewarding tikkun olam program and help a child succeed. Join the Jewish Coalition for Literacy as a volunteer reading tutor and make a difference in a child's life.

Click here to register for our next free tutor training workshop (note our Community Blood Drive is 2-7pm): 
Wednesday, May 4, 2016 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at Congregation B'nai Tikvah, Walnut Creek

Yasher Koach to our volunteers that were able to supply the kids and teachers from Coronado Elementary School in Richmond with an additional 120 free books that they selected at the East Bay Children's Book Project earlier this month.

Tutors Needed in Pleasant Hill, Concord, Richmond and El Cerrito . Tutoring is usually for classes K thru 3rd between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. However, tutoring may be requested after school hours.
Contact: Judy Pam Bycel at [email protected]

Community of Care 

Blood Drive Wednesday, May 4 from 2-7pm at Temple Isaiah

Angel Network
The Angel Network's mission is to assemble a group of volunteers who offer comfort and support to Temple members and their families in times of need. Volunteers receive the training necessary to engage in acts of loving kindness as they reach out to the Temple Isaiah community with helping hands and caring hearts. When a need arises the Angel Network can respond with: supportive phone calls and notes, providing meals, offering rides for appointments, errands and Temple events, visiting the sick in the hospital or home, ongoing friendly visits and healing circles. The Angel Network has 138 volunteers - people who send cards. prepare meals,  provide rides, run errands, visit sick and/or homebound, outreach to seniors, Last year (2015) we had contact with about 130 congregants - many receiving multiple services over time.  
Contact: Ruth Willen at [email protected] and Jill Jacobson at [email protected]

Community Blood Drive with our new provider American Red Cross 
Wednesday, May 4 from 2-7pm at the Temple Isaiah Adult Lounge
Help us meet our goal of 40 units! We are the host site and anyone is welcome to donate if they meet the basic eligibility requirements. Tell your family, friends and colleagues! To schedule your appointment or for more information visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: TIBLOOD or call 1-800 RED CROSS 
(1-800-733-2767) By using RapidPass, you can reduce the time you spend at the blood drive by up to 15 minutes and learn which local hospital your blood is sent to. Learn more by visiting redcrossblood.org/RapidPass.

Neighbor to Neighbor
Neighbor to Neighbor is an on-going interfaith alliance with our neighboring faith communities of Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church and the San Ramon Valley Islamic Center. Our focus is on learning about each other's faith principles and worship, establishing strong connections between our communities, joining together for hands-on, direct-service efforts of social justice and speaking in one voice against incidents of prejudice that arise in Contra Costa County. We welcome your participation in this important and gratifying communal outreach. If you would like to be part of Temple Isaiah's Neighbor to Neighbor cohort, please contact Rabbi Shanks: [email protected] or (925) 283-8575.

Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living
A 110,000 square foot multi-services facility in Danville that is home to 180 residents living in the Sukkat Shalom Skilled Nursing unit, the Assisted Living apartments, Tikvah Enhanced Care Center or Traditions Memory Care Center. Their mission is to "add life to years".
* Join fellow TI members in volunteering your time and interests to run different fun activities with the residents. Terry Matzkin has been running Bingo at Reutlinger for over 10 years!

The Concord RotaCare Clinic
A volunteer driven, free health clinic providing urgent care, some specialty care and health education to uninsured community members. The clinic is a major community project of the Concord Rotary Club.
* Opportunities to participate are available for practicing or retired Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, and Social Workers
* Additional support opportunities are available for: Computer literate people to help with our Electronic Health Records; Multilingual interpreters; Lay people to help with registration; Anyone interested in helping with development; grant writing and fund raising.
All clinic volunteers are covered with liability insurance through RotaCare.
Additional information is available at: http://www.RotaCarebayarea.org or by calling Rita Corbinook, the Clinic's Administrative Director at 925-429-6409.
Contact: Steven F. Wolfe, MD at [email protected]

Multi-faith ACTION (Advocates & Communities Taking Initiative 4 Our Neighbors) Coalition 

Temple Isaiah was the founding organization of the Multi-faith ACTION Coalition. The co-convener is our own Jasmine Tarkoff. We have 10 people in leadership positions and more working on Task Forces and work groups. 

One central initiative of the Coalition was raising the minimum wage 
(Announced April 1, 2016) Families in California with members who work low wage jobs will get a raise to $15 an hour and our faith voices helped make it happen. THANK YOU! Thank you for increasing awareness of this issue in your congregation and for every signature collected -- we got their attention!

We applaud the Governor and leaders in Sacramento for listening to our faith voices and the voices of working people to rapidly bring SB-3 before the legislature. In a short time, we collected close to 2,000 signatures from our faith communities in Contra Costa County to Raise the Wage. Although we support raising the minimum wage sooner than 2022, we commend our legislators for the passage of SB-3.

Supporting this raise by voting YES on SB 3 were:
Assembly Members Bonilla, Frazier, and Thurmond and Senator Glazer.

Now the Governor is planning to sign the legislation on Monday, April 4. A victory! A victory for workers. A victory for the labor unions who organized the initiatives and continued dialogue with the decision makers. A victory for the Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty in Contra Costa County whose focus on this issue created local support. And a victory for all of us involved in the Multi-faith ACTION Coalition! Yeah!

Raising the Minimum Wage is a moral issue because work is about the dignity of the person. Work should lift us up and enable us to be fulfilled, care for our families, and contribute to our communities. Raising the minimum wage to $15/hour will not by itself lift all low-wage workers out of poverty, but it will make it easier for 5.6 million workers (32% of the statewide workforce) to support themselves and their families. Its good for our economy, too. When low-wage workers earn more they spent more in our local businesses, which supports and creates jobs and generates tax revenue for our communities.

Multi-faith ACTION Coalition Contact: Melody Howe Weintraub at [email protected]

Get Involved

Through direct services, community organizing and advocacy, we want to make a difference in the lives of others: our own members at their time of need, the underserved in our communities, and the common good. From one-time opportunities to long term volunteering, from working with Temple members to engaging in larger coalitions, we believe we can begin to repair a broken world. 

Join Temple Isaiah in our mission to engage in acts of Tikun Olam throughout the year by making a positive impact on hunger, homelessness, education and more. These are just a sample of the opportunities to help those in need in our community and our neighborhood.

Your ViA Isaiah Leadership,
Jamie Gracer, Chair [email protected]
Jasmine Tarkoff, [email protected], cell (925) 765-0832
Jen Boxerman, [email protected], office (925) 283-8575
Rabbi Roberto D. Graetz, [email protected], office (925) 283-8575

This Week @ Isaiah Footer

Temple Isaiah | (925) 283-8575 | www.temple-isaiah.org | 945 Risa Road | Lafayette | CA | 94549