“You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” -Pirkei Avot
At Temple Ner Tamid, we are deeply committed to Tikkun Olam—“repairing the world” through social action and justice initiatives. Below are descriptions of our key programs, each offering a chance to make a real impact.
Inquire about ways to participate by reaching out to Lauri Hornik and by checking out volunteer opportunities on the calendar.
Temple Ner Tamid’s food drive is held at least six Sundays each year to benefit the Human Needs Food Pantry, the largest ongoing food-donation program in Montclair. Congregants gather at the Bloomfield grocery store to ask shoppers to buy an extra item or two for people in need. By the end of the food drive, we have delivered thousands of items to the food pantry and have also provided an easy, fun way for shoppers to participate in tikkun olam themselves.
Each year we collect and deliver nearly a thousand bags of food to the Human Needs Food Pantry and the Community Food Bank of NJ as part of our high holiday observation. Congregants leave the Rosh Hashanah service with empty grocery bags which they bring back full on Yom Kippur, ready for distribution to food-insecure members of our community.
Since 1988, Family Promise of Essex County has aided families in need through emergency housing assistance, job referral, counseling, mentorship, and financial literacy workshops. We at Temple Ner Tamid contribute grocery gift cards and apartment necessities, take part in occasional events, and serve as allies in the Circles program of mentorship.
Each year, in March, TNT partners with the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey for the Annual Community Mitzvah Day, a day of service activities for all ages. Families typically gather together to take part in various charitable projects and fundraising (such as a bake sale, drawing pictures for our first responders, assembling hygiene kits for shelter residents, writing postcards to get out the vote, etc.).