It’s hard to believe it, but we’re already getting ready for Thanksgiving. We’re all about celebrating holidays at Maot Chitim, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate a holiday than to practice gratitude. These are just a few of the things that we’re giving thanks for this Thanksgiving.
1. The Chicagoland Jewish community
We like to think that our Jewish community here in Chicago is pretty special. We love when the whole community comes together to celebrate, especially for our Rosh Hashanah and Passover deliveries. Our community is the perfect balance of diverse and close-knit.
2. Delicious food
It’s easy to stress about the intricacies of Thanksgiving dinner, and easy to take for granted that we even get to have such an extravagant meal, or really any meal at all. We are reminded of this when we deliver packages to those who need it for the Jewish holidays, but it’s important to remember year-round.
3. Warmth
During this unseasonably cold fall season, let’s be thankful for warm clothes and heating in our homes. It’s easy to complain about the cold every time we walk outside, but it would be even more uncomfortable without winter coats.
4. Shelter
There are many things to worry about on a daily basis, but we should be grateful if stressing about where to stay at night is not one of them. Even though houses are a huge responsibility and burden, they are also a privilege.
5. Family
Thanksgiving is, for many people, one of the only times when the whole family can be together. This can cause drama or tension, but at the end of the day it’s important to acknowledge the blessing of getting together as a family.
There are so many ways to practice gratitude this November. You can start a journal or share something you’re thankful for at your Thanksgiving dinner. A great way to turn your gratitude into something tangible is to help others who need help with basic necessities this winter by donating to organizations who are doing work to end hunger and homelessness. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Who said resolutions are only for the calendar new year? The Jewish new year is the perfect time to make a new positive habit or quit an old negative one, especially since it coincides with the beginning of pre-existing routines like the school year. If you’re looking for some inspiration for your resolution, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some ways to be a better version of yourself in 5780.
Spend less time staring at screens- Did you know that Americans spend over 10 hours per day staring at screens? Limiting screen time can free up hours of time to be productive or relax…up to you
Start a journal- Journaling is a proven way to destress. Letting your frustrations out on paper on a regular basis is a much more sustainable way to deal with emotions than letting your emotions build up until a breaking point.
Appreciate your surroundings- It’s so easy to take things for granted, including our surroundings. A great way to combat this instinct is to be a tourist in your own city. Trying new restaurants or businesses in your area with family and friends will undoubtedly make you thankful for where you live.
Get organized- This might sound like a big goal, but it doesn’t have to be. Take on one project at a time, and let the satisfaction from completing a project be your motivation to finish the next one.
Give back- There are so many ways to help those less fortunate, from donating to volunteering. The warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from being helpful is undeniable and reinforces the desire to make it a habit.
We are so thankful for all of those who chose to give their time and money for our recent Rosh Hashanah delivery and can’t wait to be joined by others in this new year. L’shana tova from all of us at Maot Chitim, and best of luck on your resolution endeavors!
Why do people volunteer? The obvious answer: people volunteer because they want to help other people from the bottom of their hearts. The not-so-obvious answer: the volunteers themselves experience a wealth of personal benefits. Here are five surprising things benefits volunteers gain from their service:
1.New friends
Making friends is even easier for volunteers because they already have something in common: their passion for the same cause! People who consistently volunteer at the same organizations start interacting with the same people and form a community. Volunteering is also a great way to get connected to a new area after moving.
2.Career experience
Employers love well-rounded job applicants who are involved in organizations outside of their workplace. Volunteering is a great way to show off your versatility and learn resume-worthy skills. On top of all the friends that volunteers make (see benefit 1), people who volunteer regularly are more likely to meet valuable career contacts who can help them land new jobs. Nonprofits are the perfect place to start networking, especially for those looking to enter a new career field.
3.Exercise
Manual labor is always in high demand at nonprofits. Even though it isn’t the most glamorous job, it is mutually beneficial. Organizations couldn’t run without it, and it serves as a thorough workout. Not convinced? Volunteers have lower mortality rates, blood pressure, and heart disease risk than non-volunteers.
4.Happiness
Studies have shown that being helpful to others releases endorphins that make people feel happy. Recipients of volunteer work often praise the volunteers for their generosity and selflessness, which makes them feel great about themselves. Everyone can use a self-esteem boost every once in a while!
5.A sense of purpose
The feeling of appreciation from recipients make volunteers feel needed by others. This motivation to get out of bed in the morning is especially for people who are going through hard times. If people feel like their work is genuinely important, they will do whatever it takes to complete it.
Maot Chitim has a uniquely heartwarming volunteer environment that, in addition to the listed benefits, keeps our volunteers coming back year after year. To hear the stories of some of our volunteers, check out our Instagram and Facebook every Monday for a “Humans of Maot Chitim” post. Sunday, September 22nd is our 2019 Delivery Day and we would love to see you there.
Most Jewish holidays are a cause for celebration. Usually, there’s lots of food involved. Tisha B’av, often described as the saddest day of the Jewish year, is an exception. It commemorates a series of tragedies that all happened to fall on the 9th day of Av, which falls on August 10th this year. To name a few, the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem and the expulsion of Jews from England and Spain all happened on this day. These disasters are commemorated by a day of mourning observed by fasting and reflecting on the tragic history of the day.
Even though Tisha B’av is a solemn day, there is a silver lining. After every attempt to destroy the community and spirit of the Jewish people, they were resilient and continued with more bravery than ever before. When we mourn those who lost their lives, we should also be thankful for those who continued to be proud Jews even after relentless attacks. Thanks to them, we get to enjoy our thriving Jewish community today.
No one should take their Jewish community for granted. Jewish people can find a lot of meaning in their lives by staying connected to their Jewish roots and traditions. Maot Chitim helps needy members of the Chicagoland Jewish community stay connected through the celebration of Jewish holidays. This Tisha B’av, please consider donating or planning to volunteer with us for our upcoming Rosh Hashanah delivery.
There was a time in my youth where the phrase “community service” only signified some kind of mandated punishment. To me, there was no benefit that I would experience from doing volunteer work. I felt that the only people benefiting from this activity were either the people who would receive the fruits of my labor, or the organization itself. I was immature and wrong.
After I graduated from high school and had the opportunity to leave the sheltered suburbs of my childhood, my perspective on community service slowly began to shift. This was an important period of time where I could redefine my identity. I took specific moments to reflect on who I was, how I impact those around me, and who I wanted to be.
My honest reflection revealed that I was pretty darn selfish for the first 18 years of my life. My parents were supporting me financially and I really only focused on baseball, school, and my friendships. I spent virtually all of my time focused on myself. After my period of reflection I felt that I needed to change my contribution to those around me. I had time that didn’t need to be devoted to myself. Initially, I tried spending more time with family and doing more work around the house when I was home, though, these attempts at filling the “selfish” void felt unfulfilling. My “ah-ha moment” came during the first semester of my sophomore year at Denison University. As a member of the baseball team I was granted the opportunity to read to kindergartners of the Newark Ohio school district that winter. To give some context, the Newark area has experienced a bought of poverty over the last 30 years, and most of these students were from disadvantaged families.
On a cold February morning, 2 teammates and I read a short story to two different groups of students in the Newark library basement. After finishing the story, we were told to stress how smart the students were and that a college education is a worthy goal. I was blown away with the impressionability of the children and how much I felt that afternoon had positively impacted their psyches. Not only did I feel that the students benefited from our volunteer work, but this feeling itself made ME feel good. I had never volunteered in a way where my actions directly helped someone sitting next to me. This experience made me want to continue giving back to the communities in which I’m a member, and even to those that I am not.
The moral of this story is that community service can be a mutually beneficial endeavour. Volunteer work isn’t a punishment, it is awesome. Not only does it help those who are in need, but it also creates a positive legacy for you. Ask yourself the question “how will I be remembered”? Was I a selfish guy who never lent a hand, or was I someone who improved the lives of others? This specific time was important to my development as a person, yet it can take place at any time for any person who chooses to reflect honestly. Organizations desperately need volunteers and those who volunteer benefit as much, if not more than those they are serving.
When Jewish immigrants started flowing into the US in the early 20th century, summer camps were created with the intention of assimilating the immigrant children to American culture. More than a century later, Jewish camps have evolved into a place for kids to discover their Jewish identities while having fun and making lifelong friendships. Jewish values can be found everywhere at camp, from the dining hall to the lake.
Summer camps are overflowing with spirit. It can be found in the dining hall cheers, song sessions, and the classic color war. On the surface, these activities might just seem like smart ways to use up some of the campers’ endless energy. If you look a little closer, however, they are teaching campers the Jewish values of spirit, joy, and celebration.
One of the hardest Jewish values to teach to children is connection to Israel. Getting kids who have never even left the Western Hemisphere to appreciate a faraway country can sound like an impossible mission. When campers bond with Israeli counselors or master a complicated Israeli dance, they are already forming a connection to Israel without leaving the country.
Few events can evoke a warm-fuzzy feeling like an all-camp bonfire or a cabin dance party. Camp makes kids feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. This is a perfect introduction to the Jewish value of community. As campers get older, they might want to find the same kind of Jewish community that they first found at camp.
Many consider respect of nature to be a Jewish value that is derived from tikkun olam, or repairing the world. Camps provide campers with a variety of ways to connect with the outdoors, from canoeing to horseback riding. Camping trips are a rite of passage that give even the most timid campers a sense of appreciation for the natural world. Even if the trip doesn’t go as planned, the memories and bonds from these moments in the wilderness are priceless.
Even if just one or two camp traditions stick with the campers, Jewish camps have done their job. As the campers get older, the values that they learned from these traditions will encourage them to stay connected with Judaism.
You can continue keeping your campers connected by bringing them to volunteer at the warehouse! Nothing teaches Jewish values like Tzedukah. Deliver food as a family, and you will continue the Jewish learning in your home. Our Rosh Hashanah Delivery is Sunday, September 22, 2019. Please watch for more information to follow.
Nonprofit organizations are always looking for innovative and exciting ways to raise money. When organized exercise became popular in the sixties and seventies, nonprofits used the trend to gain enthusiasm for their causes. Americans loved the idea of using charity as a motivation to take on physical challenges, and the idea caught on quickly. Here is a brief timeline of exercise as a fundraising method:
1970: The first nationwide charity walk, March for Babies, raises $75,000.
1985: Relay for Life is founded and introduces the concept of fundraising teams to exercise fundraisers.
1988: As running gains mainstream popularity, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society starts sending runners to destination races if they can reach fundraising goals.
1998: The first Avon walk for breast cancer inspires thousands of dedicated participants to return year after year.
2009: The first Warrior Dash, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, is a mud-filled obstacle course extravaganza. Crazy, messy, and unique exercise fundraisers start popping up everywhere.
2011: Charity Miles, an app that donates money to a charity of the user’s choice for every mile they run or bike, is created. Today, people can be motivated to donate money through exercise without signing up for a race.
Over the years, exercise-based fundraising has come a long way. Coming up on June 30th, Maot Chitim board members will be participating in the Midwest Charities Midwest Charity Ride. We will Bike to Feed the Hungry, benefitting Maot Chitim and several other Jewish charities. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in this fun event and hope to see you there! More information can be found at MCRide.org.
