Social Action

Our Purpose

The Social Action Committee of Temple Ahavat Shalom seeks to foster an ongoing commitment to the ideals and practice of Tikkun Olam as exemplified by Rabbi Chanina Ben Dasa when he said: “When deeds exceed learning, learning endures; but when learning exceeds deeds, it does not endure.”

We will try to accomplish this by inspiring and encouraging the integration of social action into the lives of the Temple community and by engaging in specific actions designed to assist and improve the lives of others.

About Us

Social Action at Temple Ahavat Shalom takes a variety of forms:

• Serving the less fortunate in the Tampa Bay community.
• Contributing resources to international, national, or local relief efforts.
• Encouraging congregants to get involved by exploring issues affecting our community.
• Collecting goods or services for distribution in the community.

The programs of Temple Ahavat Shalom administered by its Social Action Committee include, but are not limited to:

• Holding an annual Mitzvah Day, in conjunction with the Religious School, when the entire Temple family participates in activities designed to enhance the lives of others.
• Providing information that will help families choose acts of kindness they can perform in the community throughout the year.
• Organizing holiday dinners for The Haven and Grace House of Hope Villages of America.
• Preparing and serving dinner at Pinellas Hope.
• Providing an explanation of amendments to the Florida Constitution that appear on November ballots in even-numbered years.
• Encouraging all who are qualified to register to vote, and then to vote.
• Educating the Temple community on how to become informed about bills in the Florida legislature.

The Social Action Committee encourages participation from the entire congregation as we strive to fulfill the mitzvot of tikkun olam (repairing the world), g’milut chasidim (acts of kindness), and k’hilat tzedek (creating a community of justice).

One aspect of the SAC's work is to inform interested members about some of the bills pending in the Florida Legislature.  While the legislative session is not active, please select here for a contact information for all State Senators and Representatives.

Every year our Social Action Committee partners with the Temple's Weaner Religious School to host Mitzvah Day! This year's projects included donation collections to HOPE villages of America, a Temple "Beautification" featuring a student painted mural, a Youth Group run Restaurant to raise funds for the Good Samaritan Free Health Care Clinic of Pasco County, a Teddy Bear workshop to make teddy bears for children who are being re-housed locally, and more! Click the link below to see all of this past year's projects.

Mitzvah Day Report

Donation Information:

Please click here, Donations, to contribute to the programs of the Social Action Committee.  Please follow the prompts as you proceed through the payment  process.  Make sure you indicate the Payment is "a donation" and for type you select "Social Action Fund"  Continue through the payment process and complete your credit card information. 

In addition, please email Bill Ross at billross2@hotmail.com or Maia Hermann at maiajhermann@outlook.com after you make a donation and indicate who (their full name) the donation is In Celebration of, In Honor of or In Memory of.  Also indicate to whom you would want an acknowledgement card sent and include their name and address.  If you have a question, please contact Bill or Maia.