Tikkun Olam

Congregation Shir Ami provides many opportunities for members of all ages to participate in Tikkun Olam, a concept based on early Rabbinic literature and themes central to Judaism.

In modern day Reform Judaism, Tikkun Olam has come to be associated with tzedakah (charitable giving), g'milut chasadim (acts of kindness), performing mitzvot (good deeds, commandments, or religious obligations), engaging in social action/social justice programs, and helping to heal or ‘repair the world’.

By reaching out to those in need, we not only help to ‘heal the world’, but also strengthen our own Jewish identity and values.

Congregation Shir Ami Tikkun Olam Events/Activities and Mitzvah Projects Have Included:

• High Holy Days Food Drive – Shir Ami members and guests donate food/canned goods and personal care items, which we bring to local food banks.
• Blessing of the Animals – Shir Ami raises money and collects items to donate to local animal rescue/care organizations.
• Pajamas & Book Drive – Shir Ami partners with Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church to collect and donate new pairs of pajamas and books for children in need. We celebrate together our donation project with cookies and milk in our pajamas and the clergy of each congregation read winter holiday books and share a dramatic reading of Lemony Snicket's interfaith holiday classic: The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story
• Pride Interfaith Celebration and Austin Pride March – Shir Ami participates in Pride/Interfaith events to support and celebrate equal rights for all. 
• RAC-TX Advocacy with Reform Jews all over the Great State of Texas
• Mitzvah Projects – our B’nai Mitzvah students read to and walk shelter animals, read to children in literacy programs, organize food drives and donate collected items to local food pantries, and more. 
• Religious School Tzedakah Program - Our students bring coins and dollars for tzedakah to every class. At the end of the year, the students vote on where to send our donations. Each year, we choose one organization benefiting animals, one Jewish organization in America, and one Jewish organization in Israel.
• Central Texas Interfaith Advocacy focusing on collaborating with our neighboring churches and workers groups in Williamson County to stay informed on issues in Williamson County and encourage everyone to vote
• Purim food drive – We collect boxes of macaroni & cheese, which congregants use as groggers during the Megillah reading, and donate them to a local food bank.
• Caring Circle – To support members of Shir Ami in times of life’s challenges such as illness (physical or mental), death, divorce, and birth. We do this by providing short-term assistance such as visits, phone calls, meals, cards, rides to Shir Ami activities, and coordinating Shiva or memorial minyans. If you or someone you know in the congregation is ill, recovering from surgery, had a death or birth in the family, please let us know.  The first step is to contact Rabbi Reice to let her know what is happening and the best way to contact you.
• Drive-A-Senior Northwest - Shir Ami members volunteer and even serve on the Board of this important local organization. Click here to view of map of our volunteer/service area.