Dear Am Yisrael SJS & Day School Families,

Many of you have asked me over the years how we can instill in our children a deep connection to Tikkun Olam and the Jewish values of taking care of those who live in our community. We know that our tradition encourages us to show hospitality to guests during Sukkot and that it is a mitzvah to offer food to those who are less fortunate at Purim. But our Jewish faith also teaches us that we must not turn a blind eye to those in need in our community throughout the year.

To live up to our values, I write now to encourage you all to consider new and exciting ways in which you and your family can participate in an existing Am Yisrael tikkun olamproject – Family Promise. Many of you are aware of Family Promise, which is a faith based program on the North Shore that provides shelter, food, and support to families in our community who are temporarily unhoused. Family Promise is the only program in the North Shore that allows parents and their children to remain together, and we are fortunate to be a congregation along with other synagogues and churches on the North Shore, who host Family Promise in their buildings. Am Yisrael hosts Family Promise for one week at the synagogue two times per year – we host guests for one week in December (this year we are hosting December 22-29, 2024) and for one week in July, typically around the July 4th holiday. During the week we host Family Promise at Am Yisrael, there are up to three families and their children who spend the night at the synagogue in classrooms set up for their private use in the SJS building. During this week, we also serve dinner to our guests in the social hall and prepare breakfast before sending them off with a sack lunch for the day. Family Promise guests leave the synagogue by van each morning for the Family Promise Day Center in Evanston where they are able to keep their belongings, shower, and do laundry before the children head off to camp and the adults head to work. During weeks when there is not a congregation lined up to host Family Promise, the families in the program also sleep at the Evanston Day Center. Here is a link to sign up to volunteer with Am Yisrael when we host Family Promise December 22-29, 2024. 

There are many ways that you and your children can support Family Promise in addition to volunteering to help us host families in December and July. Below is a list of suggestions for individual families, SJS classrooms, and chavurot or friend groups who are looking to get more involved in Family Promise:

Cook a meal and deliver it to Family Promise Day Center for a night when the Family Promise guests are not hosted at a congregation and are instead sleeping and eating at the Evanston Day Center location. Right now Family Promise needs meals delivered the week of January 5, 2025 as the families in the program will be sleeping at the Day Center. Am Yisrael families or groups of families can prepare and deliver dinner to the Day Center. You are also welcome to stay and serve the meal and eat with the guests. If you bring children, they would be able to run either homework study sessions or a crafts experience for the children, depending on the ages and needs of the guests in the program and your children’s ages and interests. Your children could also bring a favorite game or book or toy to play with the guests after dinner.

Collect and donate personal toiletries and laundry supplies for Family Promise and drop them off at the Day Center. They are always in need of the following items:

Laundry detergent pods

Disinfectant wipes

Over-the-counter cold medicine

Dove bar soap

Toothpaste

Deodorant (men’s and women’s)

Body lotion

Vaseline

Collect and donate breakfast and lunch foods for Family Promise and drop them off at the Day Center. They are always in need of the following shelf-stable items:

apple sauce cups

granola bars

mac and cheese 

cup of soup

Raise funds for Family Promise as a classroom tzedakah activity as financial support for Family Promise’s work is always very much needed and appreciated!

Recruit older children to participate in after school tutoring and/or recreational activities with Family Promise students either at other North Shore congregations or at the Family Promise Day Center.

Volunteer to purchase holiday gifts for the Family Promise guests who will be staying at Am Yisrael the week of December 22-29, 2024. We will have a list of specific gift items when we know for sure who we will be hosting that week and what their holiday wish list includes. Here is a link where you can sign up to purchase a holiday gift for one of our guests. 

Volunteer to serve a meal or donate food for Family Promise when Am Yisrael hosts at the synagogue the week of December 22-29, 2024. Here is a link to sign up to volunteer. 

These are only a few of the ways that you and your children can support Family Promise. We will be sharing additional opportunities to get involved with Family Promise as they arise and look forward to strengthening Am Yisrael’s existing partnership with this wonderful organization. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask me or to contact the Am Yisrael Family Promise volunteer coordinators – Annette Doherty (317) 517-9391, Aaron Tam 773-551-4577 and Aleeza Strubel (773) 710-4586. Annette, Aleeza, Aaron and I would be happy to speak with you further about how you can get more involved in Family Promise. 

csherman@amyisrael.org