The Hebrew word “chesed” is often translated as “loving-kindness” or simply “goodness.” The Tucson Jewish community’s Day of Chesed on Jan. 20 will offer many ways to do good in our community, from a clothing swap to visiting with Handmaker residents.
The Day of Chesed is organized by Levia Nahary, director of community engagement at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, and Arielle Shemesh, community impact project coordinator at Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona.
Jan. 20 “is also MLK Day, which has become synonymous with going out into the community and doing volunteer work. I think it’s great that we’re pulling together the Jewish community to have our own spin on MLK Day,” says Nahary.
JPSA’s Young Leadership Division is sponsoring the clothing swap, which will be held at JPSA to support Homer Davis Elementary School students. Other projects include creating hygiene kits at Kol Ami Synagogue for the unhoused population, donating and/or gift-wrapping toys at Tucson Torah Center for children impacted by illness or loss, and an American Red Cross blood drive at the Tucson J. Tucson Hebrew Academy and PJ Library will join forces to assemble food packs for students at Homer Davis facing food insecurity. There will also be a story, crafts, and campus beautification projects at THA.
The J will also collect new or gently worn sneakers and/or new socks to support Hope City Church from Jan. 20 through Jan. 26.
Community members can “pick the mitzvah project that resonates the most with them,” says Shemesh. “Jewish people, we love options.”
More information and registration for all Day of Chesed projects is available here.
