Social Action / Tikkun Olam
Congregation Etz Hayim pursues the ideals of Tikkun Olam—repair of the world. To this end we strive, both as individuals and as an organization, to be an asset to the Arlington community and beyond. Students in our religious school volunteer throughout the community and contribute financially to their chosen recipients as part of the curriculum.
Our congregation’s ongoing commitments include a partnership with Doorways for Women, collecting food for distribution to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, joining in and hosting interfaith services, visiting senior housing residents and hospital patients, and participation in an annual Sukkot in Spring along with other Jewish congregations in the area.

For a small community, we have a significant impact. We have held blood drives, hosted debates on local issues, cleaned up parks, responded to the need for funds to build schools in Liberia, and much more.
Activities under this committee’s umbrella include:
- Sukkot in Spring (also known as Rebuilding Together)
- Our year-round food drive for AFAC (Arlington Food Assistance Center)
- Partnership with Doorways for Women and Families
- Partnership with Bridges to Independence
View our advocacy resources HERE.
How Can YOU Help Our Neighbors During COVID?
Committee members hope everyone is healthy and continuing to take the necessary precautions to stay that way. The longer this extraordinary pandemic drags on, the more our neighbors are in need of assistance. We can make a difference without even leaving our homes! Please look at some of the links below to see how you can help.
You may want to assist some of Etz Hayim’s community partners and organizations we have served in the past:
Bridges to Independence seeks volunteers to tweet out their upcoming events. https://volunteer.leadercenter.org/civicrm/vol/#/volunteer/appeal/510
Doorways for Women and Families and Bridges to Independence needs monetary donations and has a triple match in effect until June 15. Doorways also has a “drive-thru” donation drive every Friday for cleaning supplies and other items. https://www.doorwaysva.org/donate/
A-SPAN, which seeks to end homelessness, needs donations of money and cleaning supplies. https://www.a-span.org/get-involved
Aspire!, which CEH members have helped through MLK Day, needs “virtual volunteers,” to help children with schoolwork and reading.
https://www.aspireafterschool.org/volunteer
OAR needs monetary contributions so it can provide emergency services for individuals and families dealing with incarceration.
https://www.oaronline.org/
As our region slowly begins to re-open, many food service workers remain unemployed or in financial straits.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/dmvrestaurantworkerrelieffund
For an extensive up-to-date list of Arlington non-profits that desperately need monetary or in-kind donations, just click here:
https://volunteer.leadercenter.org/covid-19-care-community
Any donation of food, goods, or services can help mitigate the impact of this pandemic on our community.
A Packed Winter for Social Action
At the CEH Hanukkah party, members donated socks for children and adults at Bridges to Independence. CEH was a sponsor of the Arlington MLK Day of Service. Members signed up for the project of their choice and…
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