Project Mitzvah

A Community Wide Response

Dear Friends,

When sanctity diminishes in the world through the loss of precious life, we are challenged to increase sanctity through our actions.

The past few weeks have been difficult ones.  Many of you have approached us with questions as to how we can respond.  As indicated by Rabbi Goldin in his drasha to all Minyanim two weeks ago, we believe the appropriate response to be the strengthening of our ongoing, daily relationship with God and his Torah. The performance of Mitzvot provides us with a structure when answers elude us; a structure that, in turn, offers directions through the darkness.

We are therefore launching an effort called Project Mitzvah through which we encourage each communal member, in individual or family fashion, to adopt one additional Mitzvah on an ongoing basis. By doing so, we will not only enrich the quality of our personal lives, but will also help transform the character of our community through concrete actions.

In order to encourage participation in this effort, we would like to formalize the process.  Attached you will find a suggested list of additional Mitzvot which you might accept on an individual or family level.  This list is by no means comprehensive and we would be pleased to hear suggestions from you as to how to expand it.  We ask, not only that you adopt a new endeavor, but that you let us know of your decision.  Please email Rabbi Poupko at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name and mitzvah of choice. We will publicize the various commitments made to encourage others to do the same.  In this way we hope to strengthen each other and our community as a whole through recommitment to the tenets, practices and rituals of our people.

A number of special programs will take place over the next weeks to highlight this initiative.

May God bless us all with better times and may our recommitment to His law grant us each a life of greater personal meaning and fulfillment.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin

Rabbi Chaim Poupko

Choose a Mitzvah which you are not already doing and which will challenge you to grow:

…or come up with your own!