What is the Temple Emanuel Mitzvah of the Month?
Temple Emanuel of Tempe is proud to announce our Mitzvah of the Month program! In conjunction with our various social groups and committees, each month, congregant families will have an opportunity to engage in acts of tikkun olam, repair of the world by collecting specific needed items to benefit the charity of the social groups choice.
Our Mitzvah of the Month program recognizes that our tikkun olam efforts have never been limited to just one day, and it provides new opportunities for congregants of all ages to engage in social justice activities.
If you or your group would like to apply to sponsor a month please review our guidelines below and select the button below to complete the form. We will review your request and be in touch to schedule your sponsorship!
- Select a local charitable organization to benefit (does not have to be specifically Jewish, but does need to represent Jewish values in the work it is doing).
- Determine the “Ask.” This should be focused on 1 or 2 tangible items only, moderately priced so all in the community may participate.
- Determine the contact person from the sponsoring group for us to direct any questions.
- The sponsoring group is responsible for:
- Providing information about the charitable organization to us to assist in the marketing.
- Picking up the items from TEOT and delivering them to the charitable organization the day after the drive ends.
- Providing end results pictures and counts of items to assist us in promoting and tracking our success.
- Temple Emanuel is responsible for:
- Promoting and marketing of the program. We will create the “blurb” for the flyer and the graphic to be distributed on our FB page, our website, and in our emails.
We handle the PR part and your group’s members “push it” among their friends and within the group. 😊
How do I get involved?
Check out the current month's collection opportunity and bring your donations to the Temple during the following times: Before all in-person Worship Services
During in-person Religious School
Monday – Friday 10 am – 5 p.m.
2. Consider sponsoring a month through your group or commitee!
Email Your Sponsorship Request HERE
Current Collections
February, 2024
Soles4Souls
Past Collections
January - February 2
Toilet Paper and Full-size Shampoo
December 1-31
One Warm Coat
November 1-30
Adopt a Family with JFCS
October 1 - 31
Feminine Hygiene Products
September 1 - 30
Jewish Family and Children's Services High Holy Days' Food Drive
July 21 - August 31
To learn more about the Justa Center's mission, click here:
Justa Center-A Senior Center
justacenter.org
Justa Center provides a huge array of services to seniors who are unhoused or in danger of becoming unhoused by providing day programs, cooling centers, access to social workers, nurses, legal help, and much more. They have connections with many service agencies and match seniors with the help they need. Justa Center needs protective items (sunglasses, brimmed hats, lip balm, sunblock) and snacks (individual packages of crackers, pretzels, chips, breakfast bars, and fruit cups) for their resource center.
Donations to our Mitzvah of the Month can be dropped off in the lobby.
Please join Temple Emanuel in supporting this essential need for the unhoused in the Phoenix community. Donations for needed items listed below may be dropped off in the Temple Emanuel lobby during normal office hours.
June 1 - 30
Join our Temple Emanuel Wine Club in collecting items for Lost Our Home Pet Rescue. Specifically they are looking for the following items to help for the summer: Any size or brand of Bleach. Soft, chewy dog treats and all sizes and brands of Kitty Litter.
From their website: Lost Our Home Pet Rescue is the only non-profit, no-kill pet rescue based in Tempe whose mission is dedicated to providing compassionate services to pets and pet parents in crisis. Whether it be foreclosure, homelessness, job loss, illness, domestic violence or any other hardship, we are there to serve pets and pet parents in the Valley who don’t know where to turn. Often, we are their very last hope. Lost our Home is committed to helping pets and people and ensuring that our pets face a different future—a certain future that’s fulfilling, happy, healthy, and with a loving family.
May 1 - 31
Join our Temple Emanuel Evening Book Club in collecting Adult Coloring Books, Colored Pencils, and Simple card games to donate to the Foundation for Senior Living (FSL) Adult Day Health Care Center through the ReCreación program. This program works to provide adults who are living with physical, cognitive developmental disabilities or medical conditions support through person-centered services. Through an array of health and wellness options, this program provides a safe and organized, but fun and judgment-free environment.
FSL is a registered 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide home and community-based services and develop energy-efficient, affordable housing to promote health, independence and dignity for all.
April 1 - 30
As sponsors of our April "Mitzvah of the Month", MOE (Men of Emanuel) have elected to support the great works of Jewish War Veterans of the USA. This 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization has served the country and individual veteran communities for over 125 years.
Jewish War Veterans Copper State Post 619, located in Sun Lakes, is an all-volunteer organization, whose sole mission is to support hospitalized, homeless and at-risk veterans in need.
Working with the Sun Lakes chapter of the JWV, this month's collection will focus on gathering new adult socks for the men and women who will take shelter at the new US Vets homeless veterans facility opening next month in Phoenix.
Thank you to our generous community and our MOE members our donation box is overflowing with socks to be donated to the Jewish War Veterans! Thank you for all of your support to this amazing cause!
March 1 -31
Our Sisterhood has been collecting backpacks all year long, and working with our Mitzvah of the Month program we now have the opportunity to join together to help fill those backpacks!
Specifically, we are collecting the following items requested by JFCS for K-6th graders:
Index Cards, Spiral Notepad, Pocket Folders, Glue Sticks, Pencil Pouch, Pink Erasers, Composition Book, 24 pack of crayons, 8 pack of pencils, Blunt tip scissors, 8 pack of markers - broad tip, Sharpener with the receptacle, 12 pack of colored pencils.
Please join us in supporting Sisterhood and JFCS in the effort to get these kids off to a great start in the new school year!
Thank you to our generous community and our Sisterhood members we were able to fill over 30 backpacks to donate to Jewish Family & Children's Services. Thank you for all of your support to this amazing cause!
February 1-28
Sponsored by our Temple Emanuel Refugee Assistance Program, for the month of February, we will be collecting Toilet Paper and Baby Wipes. The collection of these items will go to support The Sonoyta Resource Center, Centro de Esperanza (Center of Hope) just over the border in Mexico which just celebrated its first anniversary. In only the month of October 2022, the shelters provided 8,504 meals, provided 250 medical appointments, and gave out 4,524 articles of clothing and shoes. This was just in one month!! What our Temple collects is gratefully received by them. Last year our toilet paper donation lasted the center for 6 months. Let's collect even more this year! These resources help the local community and those waiting to get into the United States. Toilet paper and baby wipes can be found in your local supermarket.
Please join us in supporting our neighbors to the south.
What an amazing show of our community's generosity. Thank you for all of your support to this amazing cause!
January 1-31
Our amazing TETY (Temple Emanuel Temple Youth) are the sponsors for our January 2023 Mitzvah of the Month collection.
The focus of this collection will be NEW adult underwear and socks (both male and female - all adult sizes) to benefit D2 Homes for the Homeless.
D2 is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission to prevent homelessness for the Serious Mentally Ill (SMI) population and is focused on humanizing the homeless by providing dignity in a bag through our youth-focused community outreach programs while instilling philanthropic values in young generations. Please join us in supporting our own amazing TETY teens in their efforts to help the community in partnership with
D2 Homes for the Homeless.
Many thanks to all who donated! In the month of January, we collected a total of 131 pairs of socks and over 75 pairs of new underwear to be donated to Dsquared!
December 1 -31
Our August Mitzvah of the Month collection was sponsored by our wonderful Board of Trustees who partnered with Match Maker Home Consultants in their annual "One Warm Coat Drive."
During the month, our amazing and generous congregation donated clean and wearable coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts and pants and socks.
Founded in 1964, UMOM is located in Phoenix, Arizona and is an innovative provider of shelter, housing and services for people experiencing homelessness.
Every night they provide safe shelter and supportive services for nearly 700 individuals experiencing homelessness – 155 families and 130 single women. We also offer over 550 units of affordable housing across the Valley.
Temple Emanuel's Annual Yom Kippur Food Drive is partnering with our Mitzvah of the Month program this year! We will be gathering non-perishable food items throughout the month at the Temple and also on Yom Kippur morning, Wednesday, October 5th at Dayspring UMC!
This year’s food drive will benefit Just 3 Things. Just 3 Things is a program of Jewish Family and Children’s Service and provides food and toiletry items to youth as they transition from foster care to independence.
Special thanks to Just In Time Moving for their donation of a truck and staff!
August 1 -31
Thank you to everyone who donated! We are well supplied for all of the upcoming art projects!
Help welcome our Religious School students back with art supplies to last the whole year through!
Our August Mitzvah of the Month collection is Markers and Construction Paper to benefit our Religious School Students!
All sizes, brands, and types of both markers and construction paper are being accepted now through the end of August.
Religious School begins August 14th! If you have not yet registered your children, do so now by contacting or Religious School Director, Jessie Rubenstein, or log in to your account and click here.
Join us in supporting our students by dropping off any and all types of markers or construction paper to the box in our Temple lobby between now through the end of August.
If you are interested in supporting our Religious School and our teachers with other supplies please check out our Amazon wishlist.
July 1 - July 30
Thank you for your very generous donations of sunscreen benefitting Circle the City!
Sponsored by our Sisterhood, July's Mitzvah of the Month project is just in time for UV Safety Awareness Month and will specifically benefit Circle the City, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that for the past 10 years has been providing lifesaving healthcare to people experiencing homelessness in and around the Phoenix area.
Click here to read more about Circle the City
Join us in supporting this worthy cause by dropping off any and all types of sunscreens to the box in our Temple lobby between now through the end of July.
Your Donations!
June 1 -June 30
Thank you to all who donated this month! We were able to help refill the food bank at a very crucial time in the year!
Join us in supporting the Jewish Family & Children Services, Just 3 Things program with your donation of non-perishable foods during the month of June.
"The Just Three Things program was born out of the need to provide food for the youth transitioning out of the foster care system at our Real World Job Development Center. Since then, the collection of non-perishable food has expanded to meet the needs of our clients at the Michael R. Zent Healthcare Center, West Valley Healthcare Center, East Valley Healthcare Center, Glendale Healthcare Center, Shelter Without Walls, Transition to Adulthood and Senior Programs. Donating “just three things” may seem like a small act of kindness, but collectively these donations help to assure that children, teens, adults and seniors don’t have to go to bed hungry.
Please help JFCS stock the Just 3 Things food pantry by donating just 3 non-perishable food items each month and provide a needy youth with food as they transition from foster care to independence."
May 1 - May 31
May's Mitzvah of the Month was sponsored by TEOT's Post-Confirmation Class.
Thank you to our Temple family for yet another successful collection drive! We sent a bunch of good wishes and hopefully many smiles to those fighting for good health at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at HonorHealth!
Thank you for your continued generosity and creativity!
Sponsored by our Post-Confirmation Class we are collecting cards, letters, and words of affirmation for cancer patients at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at HonorHealth.
Cancer patients are often at increased risk for infection and the isolation of the pandemic must be difficult. The goal of this project is to bring a smile to patients' faces.
Both handmade and purchased cards are accepted. Envelopes are not required. Please ensure no scents are added to the paper as patients can often be sensitive to different smells. Include your messages of encouragement and support. Any positive affirmation or sentiments are appreciated!
All cards will be donated to the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at HonorHealth.
The Gift of a Smile is Priceless!
April 3 - May 1
April's Mitzvah of the Month was sponsored by TEOT's Confirmation and Post-Confirmation Classes.
Our Confirmation and Post-Confirmation Classes are proud to sponsor this months Mitzvah of the Month!
Kosher and Kosher-for-Passover Food
Kosher-for-Passover donations appreciated before April 14th!
All foods with Kosher ("KFP") labels may be donated through May 3rd.
All items collected will be donated to
Ezras Cholim is the only organization in Arizona that provides emergency support services to sick Jews and those who seek our help. They provide Kosher meals to patients and their care givers, volunteer visitations, rabbinic counseling, guidance and patient advocacy.
March 4 - April 2
March's Mitzvah of the Month wass sponsored by Sisterhood.
NEW towels, Bath Towels, Hand Towels, and Washcloths to donate to Sojourner Center.
A little about Sojourner Center;
Since 1977, Sojourner Center has been a safe haven from domestic violence for women and their children in Arizona. Since our founding, we have transformed lives by providing shelter and support services to more than 60,000 adults and children affected by domestic violence.
Click here to read more about Sojourner Center.
Drop off NEW bath towels, hand towels or washcloths in the bin marked, “Mitzvah of the Month” in our Temple lobby until Saturday, April 2, during the following times and hours:
Before all in-person Worship Services
During in-person Religious School
Monday – Friday 10 am – 5 p.m.
Thank you to our Temple family for yet another successful collection drive! We sent a trunk load of new hand towels, washcloths and both towels to the women of the Sojourner center.
Thank you for your continued generosity!
February 10th - March 4th
A special thanks to our generous community!
Our first Mitzvah of the Month was a great success and sent some much-needed and appreciated supplies to “El Centro de Esperanza” (The Center of Hope) in Sonoyta, Mexico.
We collected 496 rolls of toilet paper and 55 containers of laundry detergent!
We at Temple Emanuel have a wonderful opportunity to do a “mitzvah.” For the next 3 weeks during the hours listed below, please drop off toilet paper and/or laundry detergent to benefit a refugee shelter in Mexico. In 2019 many of our members attended an information meeting about helping asylum seekers in this country who had been legally admitted. Many of you helped at University Presbyterian Church those asylum seekers who were dropped off by ICE. You were all very generous, but we had to stop our program when the border closed and Covid broke out. Since then, many of us have donated clothing and other items to be taken to Mexico. In addition, we hosted families at Temple for a Thanksgiving meal and wrote personal greeting cards to those stuck in the Eloy Detention Center during Covid.
The shelter in Sonoyta, Mexico is called “El Centro de Esperanza” (The Center of Hope). It is a resource center over the border where they service over 150 refugees a day (many of whom are children). They offer the following services to them: Medical (immunizations, vaccinations, etc., two meals a day plus snack packs to take, showers, clothing, laundry, arts and crafts for children, and legal assistance. They are currently working on fundraising to build a playground.
This shelter was started by a non-profit called "Shelters for Hope" registered in Southern California. They purchased an old hotel last summer in Sonoyta to service asylum seekers who could not cross the border. They refurbished the hotel and had their grand opening December 18, 2021. A variety of nonprofits are assisting them with money for food and salaries. They need many other items, but we are focusing on two of them.
Temple Emanuel of Tempe is the only Full-Service Reform Congregation in the Southeast Phoenix Valley.