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| SPRINGFIELD On Nov. 29, Jewish teens from several synagogues in the Springfield area will be congregating at Temple Beth El to bring the Thanksgiving spirit to those in need. The Dickinson Street synagogue's Teen Initiative will host a gathering where teens will cook up a feast, including food which will be donated to local food shelters under the auspices of Open Pantry. With the beginning of the winter months upon us, the need for provisions at local shelters is apparent, said teen organizers. Teens from Beth Elm and Springfield's Alliance of Orthodox Congregations at Kodimoh Synagogue work together on this effort. Yaakov Asulin, teen education director for Kodimoh and a co-organizer of the event, said, "How wonderful and inspiring it is that Jewish kids from all denominations can come together and enjoy as well as practice the art of giving." "The teens from Kodimoh and the teens from Beth El decided to collaborate on this project because we share a vision for helping repair the world," said Valerie Gintis, director of Teen Initiative at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the organization funding these teen programs. "It is important for teens from different streams of Judaism to learn from each other and to participate in events that promote Jewish values." "We had such a great time last year, we want to do it again," said Jennifer Gottlieb, 15 of Temple Beth Elm. This year hopes to be even bigger, she said. Teens from synagogues throughout the Pioneer Valley are invited to be together for festivities and opportunities to work with others in providing for others, organizers said. "We're proud of our philanthropists of the future," said Doniel Schwartz, teen education director for Beth Elm. For more information about participating in the event, contact Schwartz at 567-4269 or donischwartz@verizon.net |