Volunteer with us
Join us in making a difference in the world! We are here to connect you to meaningful, impactful volunteer opportunities, such as staffing our in-house food pantry, delivering fresh challahs to members recovering from illness, taking elderly members to visit the graves of loved ones, cooking and serving food to the homeless, leading shiva services, and so much more.
CLICK HERE to view our upcoming volunteer opportunities!
Food Pantry
One of our most critical volunteer opportunities is helping to feed the hungry in our immediate community. You can make an impact. Our Food Pantry volunteers interact with those who come for food, sort and organize the food items, and ensure that everything makes it into the customer’s vehicle for transport home. We do this on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 2-4 pm.
For more information please contact Helene Deutch at hdeutch@temple-israel.org or call 248.661.5700 x 172.
Supported by the David and Stacy Gordon Family Do Good Fund.
BIKKUR CHAVERIM (VISITING SENIOR FRIENDS)
We match volunteers with seniors living in senior facilities around the community to build friendships between them and to bring some extra love into to their lives. Volunteers visit regularly, and at least once a month. Would you like to be a volunteer or know someone that you'd like our team to visit? Please contact the Temple office 248-661-5700 for information.
Challah delivery
We deliver challahs with love to Temple Israel members who have recently been discharged from the hospital. We include a note from our clergy along with the words of the "Mi Shebeirach" (Prayer of Healing). Then, Temple volunteers deliver our "healing challahs" just in time for Shabbat. When you're recovering from illness, surgery, or celebrating the birth of a baby, there's nothing like welcoming in Shabbat with a freshly baked challah from your Temple Israel family.
Based on the success of this project, we've expanded our challah deliveries to new members. Volunteers deliver a “welcome” challah to their home, complete with a Shabbat greeting from the clergy and the "hamotzi," or blessing over the bread.
Challah Delivery is funded by the Louis and Lily Margolis Family Challah Fund.
To volunteer, connect with Stacy Gordon at sgordon@temple-israel.org.
Baldwin Center
The mission of the Baldwin Center is to "feed, clothe, educate and empower the men, women, and children of the Pontiac community." Join us as we volunteer our time to help serve lunch to those in need.
Learn more about the Baldwin Center at www.baldwincenter.org.
Lighthouse SOS
Every December during the holiday season, Temple Israel "hosts" families of Lighthouse's SOS Emergency Family Shelter by providing meals, essential items, and more.
This effort is staffed by volunteers. As it grows, we welcome more volunteers for a variety of jobs. Come join us and help make the holiday season a little brighter for our local community members in need.
For questions or more information, please email us or call 248-661-5700.
Temple Israel's Lighthouse SOS project is supported by the Lynn & Harvey Rubin Social Action Fund and the Steven Gotlib Memorial Fund.
Minyan Corps
Know Hebrew? Can sing? The Minyan Corp is comprised of both our minyan leaders who lead daily morning services at Temple Israel and those who go into houses of mourning to lead evening services during the period of shiva. This is such a special volunteer effort, for the volunteer as you provide the opportunity for mourners to say the Kaddish for their loved and help guide them in the process of bereavement.
Shabbat B'yachad
Our Shabbat B'Yachad (Shabbat Together) team delivers Shabbat dinners to your home when a new baby arrives. Volunteers are needed to help deliver these special meals.
For questions or more information, please email us or call 248-661-5700.
Shabbat B’Yachad is funded by the Josephine & Harry Colton Shabbat B'Yachad Fund.
Shabbat Solos
Flying solo on Shabbat? New member? Visitor? Or simply solo? This is a group that sits together at Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday nights. Discover the real joy in Shabbat fellowship. Come sit, sing and pray, and then join us for the oneg after services. Just give us a call and we’ll meet you at the door! For more information, please contact Mary Jane Larson at 734-812-8170.
Yad Ezra
Every year, Yad Ezra’s Annual Yom Kippur Food Drive raises approximately 25,000 pounds of food, and your financial donations help service 1500 families in need every month. This effort is very successful due to your participation and the generosity of the members of our community.
For questions or more information, please email us or call 248-661-5700.
UPCOMING VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
For more information on all upcoming Temple Israel programming, click HERE.
Free Fresh Food Pantry
Thursday, Dec 26th 2:45p to 4:45p
Free Fresh Food Pantry
Thursday, Jan 9th 2:45p to 4:45p
Kemach Baking Club
Tuesday, Jan 21st 6:30p to 8:30p
Free Fresh Food Pantry
Thursday, Jan 23rd 2:45p to 4:45p
Free Fresh Food Pantry
Thursday, Feb 13th 2:45p to 4:45p
Kemach Baking Club
Tuesday, Feb 18th 6:30p to 8:30p
Free Fresh Food Pantry
Thursday, Feb 27th 2:45p to 4:45p
Kemach Baking Club
Tuesday, Mar 11th 6:30p to 8:30p
Free Fresh Food Pantry
Thursday, Mar 13th 2:45p to 4:45p
Free Fresh Food Pantry
Thursday, Mar 27th 2:45p to 4:45p
