In Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., our nation found a hero. MLK defined a new era in the pursuit for equality and social change, while also modeling the importance of selflessness, empathy and perseverance. Early in the Civil Rights movement, Jews recognized a kinship. We knew then — as we still know today — that when any group of people suffers oppression, there is work to be done. We stood by his side every step of the way throughout the 1950s and ’60s, and each year on MLK Day we have the opportunity to do so again, honoring both the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as our Jewish tradition of struggling against injustice anywhere and everywhere.
To commemorate MLK’s life and ensure that his words and efforts live on, we encourage everyone in our communities to make an impact on MLK day through volunteerism. This year, Tu B’Shvat and MLK Day fall on the same day, giving us the unique opportunity to celebrate the Jewish Earth Day and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. simultaneously. Join in on one — or all — of these commemorations and service opportunities across the Greater Philadelphia area.
WFCA MLK Day Solidarity Walk
Partnering Sponsors: Wissahickon Faith Community Association and Congregation Beth Or
Location: Start at Wissahickon High School, 521 Houston Road, Ambler, PA 19002
Time: 2:45 p.m.
Join Rabbi Bonder of Congregation Beth Or and members from the Wissahickon Faith Community Association (WFCA) for this annual unification walk from Wissahickon High School to Bethlehem Baptist Church. Meet in the school parking lot. After the walk, all are invited to a 4:00 p.m. service at the church in celebration of the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr.
A Conversation on Race and Faith
Partnering Sponsors: Jewish Community Relations Council, Interfaith Philadelphia, New CORE and WHYY
Location: WHYY Studio, 150 North 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Time: 6:30 p.m.
A diverse panel of religious leaders will discuss how race and racism informs both their leadership and the communities they lead. Panelists will share personal stories highlighting the powerful intersection of race and faith in their lives. Moderated by Reverend Steven Lawrence. The program is free, but RSVP’s are recommended. Click here to register.
Repair the World — MLK Weekend Shabbat Dinner
Partnering Sponsors: Repair the World Philadelphia
Location: 4029 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Kick off MLK Weekend of Service by joining Repair the World for a Shabbat dinner to honor and celebrate the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Participants will enjoy a delicious meal as they delve into a conversation about the enduring racism in our country and how we all can act now for racial justice. We will also engage in dialogue around the intersections of racial justice, environmental justice and Tu B’Shvat. For tickets click here.
Shabbat Service Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Partnering Sponsors: Congregation Rodeph Shalom (RS)
Location: 615 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, 19123
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Help RS welcome the evening’s guests Chester Children’s Chorus, who will sing from the RS bimah. Dr. John Alston, former associate professor of music at Swarthmore College, founded the Chorus in 1994 to offer Chester children the same opportunity to change their lives through music that he was offered as a boy by the Newark Boys Choir. Today, the CCC numbers 130 children, ages 8-18, from every school in the city of Chester, PA.
Name: Shabbat of Interfaith Harmony
Partnering Sponsors: Beth Am Israel, Main Line Reform Temple and Zion Baptist Church
Location: Beth Am Israel, 1301 Hagys Ford Road, Penn Valley, PA 19072
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Join members of Zion Baptist Church, Beth Am Israel and Main Line Reform Temple for the annual Shabbat of Interfaith Harmony. Spirited music by the Unity Choir at this Friday night service.
Before the March: A Jewish Gathering
Location: 2601 Parkway Condominium, 2601 Pennsylvania Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Time: 8:45 a.m.
The third annual Women’s March gives Jewish supporters of justice yet another opportunity to pray with their feet. Join in pre-march solidarity with Jewish Philadelphia activists to sing together, discuss their causes, meet representatives of organizations making a difference and take strength from MLK Jr. Healthy “seven species” Tu B’shvat trail mix snacks will be provided.
Granger Shabbat Afternoon Program
Partnering Sponsors: Germantown Jewish Centre (GJC)
Location: 400 West Ellet Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Each year Germantown Jewish Centre dedicates a Shabbat to celebrating the life and legacy of Ralph Granger, beloved former custodian of GJC and a role model to our community. This year’s topic: What Does It Mean to Live in The Poorest Big City in America? How Financial Poverty Affects Everything from Health and Housing to Education and Employment.
KALLAH: Night of Jewish Learning
Partnering Sponsors: Bux-Mont Kehillah and Kehillah of Chester County
Location: DoubleTree—Valley Forge, 301 West Dekalb Pike, King of Prussia, PA
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Join us for an evening of friends, food and intellectual fulfillment, strengthening our connections to one another and our community. Enjoy classes taught by rabbis and local scholars on Three T’s: Torah, Tikun Olam, Tu B’shvat. Cost: $36 per person, $54 per duo. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. For more information and to register click here.
CTeen Goes to JRA
Partnering Sponsors: Chabad Lubavitch of Montgomery County
Location: Meeting at Chabad House, 1311 Fourt Washington Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034 at 8:45 a.m. then proceeding to the
JRA Warehouse, 10980 Dutton Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154
Time: 8:45 a.m.
CTeen is offering a JRA volunteer opportunity. To RSVP and for more info, contact: RabbiHillel@JewishMC.com
Preparing Meals for the Clients of Connect By Night Emergency Homeless Shelter
Partnering Sponsors: Adath Israel, Connect By Night
Location: Adath Israel, 250 N. Highland Avenue, Merion Station, PA 19066
Time: 9:15 a.m.
Volunteers from the congregation will make hot meals and bagged lunches for Cook for a Friend recipients and for homeless adults being housed at Riverview Church through Connect by Night. RSVP to Harriet Gross, Nina Kinick or Deb Srulevich. Limited space is available.
MLK Day of Service – Organize & Pack Donations
Partnering Sponsors: Congregation Rodeph Shalom
Location: Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, 19123
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Help organize and package clothing donations for Our Closet. To volunteer, contact Marsha Wheeler.
Cemetery Clean-up
Partnering Sponsors: Friends of the Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery
Location: Meet at Beth David Reform Congregation, 1130 Vaughan Lane, Gladwyne, PA, 19035
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Volunteers will gather in the Beth David parking lot for the short walk to the cemetery to help continue this meaningful clean-up effort. Dress warmly and wear gloves and sturdy shoes. Some tools are available, but bring your own if you have them. For questions, contact handleman@comcast.net.
MLK Educational Activity
Partnering Sponsors: Jewish Children’s Folkshul and Adult Community
Location: Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 8000 Cherokee Street, Philadelphia, PA
Time: 10:00 a.m.
The program will include education and service activities to commemorate the weekend.
Contact: folkshul@folkshul.org or 215.248.1550.
NextGen at JRA
Partnering Sponsors: Repair the World, NextGen and Jewish Relief Agency
Location: JRA Warehouse, 10980 Dutton Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154
Time: 11:00 a.m.
NextGen sent 50 volunteers to the Jewish Relief Agency on December 16th. Due to the over-whelming response, NextGen is offering another JRA volunteer opportunity through Repair the World’s MLK Weekend of Service. To sign up, contact Max Moline at 215.832.0803 or mmoline@jewishphilly.org.
Sabbath of Interfaith Harmony
Partnering Sponsors: Main Line Reform Temple, Temple Beth Am Israel and Zion Baptist Church
Location: Zion Baptist Church, 221 W. Spring Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Join members of Zion Baptist Church and Beth Am Israel for their Annual Sabbath of Interfaith Harmony featuring spirited music by the Unity Choir at the services.
6th Annual MLK Bucks County Teen Peace and Social Justice Summit
Partnering Sponsors: Bucks County Jewish Coalition
Location: William Tennent High School, 333 Centennial Road, Warminster, PA
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Featuring inspirational speakers, youth empowerment, meaningful and safe discussions on race, prejudice and bias. Pizza dinner will be provided. Open to all 7th through 12th graders, and schools, churches, community organizations and the public are welcome to this free event. For registration and information, click here or call 215.750.7020 or 215.833.7877 by Monday, January 9, 2018.
Tu B’Shvat Seder
Partnering Sponsors: Jewish Farm School and Kol Tzedek Synagogue
Location: 707 S. 50th Street, Philadelphia PA 19104
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Come together in celebration of the Jewish New Year for the trees and explore our connection to land throughout history, as well as the intersection of land justice and racial justice in commemoration of MLK Day, in an experience guided by song, readings, and discussion. For tickets click here.
MLK Day of Service
Partnering Sponsors: Germantown Jewish Centre (GJC)
Location: 400 West Ellet Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Join fellow GJC and community members as they observe MLK Day with service and political action. Their annual MLK Day of Service projects will take place on Monday morning, and, as in years past, volunteers will be serving with community organizations in Northwest Philadelphia.
MLK Day of Service
Partnering Sponsors: Kol Tzedek Synagogue
Location: Calvary Center for Community & Culture, 801 S. 48th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Join Kol Tzedek as they work to take care of the Calvary Center for Community and Culture. Adults and kids ages 10 and up can help with cleaning, painting and other building tasks (bring heavy duty work gloves if possible). Younger children are invited to come for a morning of learning, service, art and fun. Contact: socialjustice@kol-tzedek.org.
MLK Day of Service – Organize & Pack Donations
Partnering Sponsors: Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El
Location: 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027
Time: 9:30 a.m.
For MLK Day, join the Melrose B’nai Israel Inclusion Committee’s efforts to support St. Christopher’s Children’s Hospital by distributing hats, scarves, gloves, socks book bags, pencils, pens and notebooks for infants through 17-year-olds. Bring your donations to the MBIEE lobby. For more information click here or call 215.635.1505.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Partnering Sponsors: Beth Am Israel
Location: 1301 Hagys Ford Road, Penn Valley, PA 19072
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Join Beth Am Israel for an Interfaith Day of Action and Fellowship with experiential and hands-on activities for all! Bring a friend to help with creating book plates for donated books, cooking for a friend, recording audiobooks, constructing toys for shelter dogs, helping our planet with a green activity, all while engaging in meaningful interfaith dialogue. You can also bring anything with a cord to e-cycle. Church and mosque groups welcome. For more information, email mitvzot@bethamisrael.org.
MLK Day of Service Learning
Partnering Sponsors: Or Hadash and Camp Galil
Location: Or Hadash, 190 Camp Hill Road, Fort Washington, PA, 19034
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Join Or Hadash and Camp Galil for a day of service learning For more information, contact Barbara Wisman, Education Director, at school@orhadash.com or 215.283.0276.
Martin Luther King, Jr., Family Day
Partnering Sponsors: National Museum of American Jewish History
Location: 101 South Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day filled with family-friendly performances, arts and crafts activities, spotlight talks about social justice, and more. FREE museum admission. For more information, contact programs@nmajh.org or 215.932.3811.
MLK Day of Service
Partnering Sponsors: Main Line Reform Temple
Location: 410 Montgomery Avenue, Wynnewood, PA 19096
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Join Main Line Reform Temple congregants for a day of connection and service to community. For a list of the day’s on-site and off-site activities, click here or contact 610.649.7800.
Northeast NORC Day of Service
Partnering Sponsors: Jewish Federation’s Northeast NORC
Location: 8546B Bustleton Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19152
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Volunteers are invited to do minor home maintenance and repairs for older adults who can no longer do these things for themselves. All necessary tools or supplies will be provided. Projects may include weatherizing windows, changing smoke detector batteries and hard to reach light bulbs, cleaning behind furniture, cleaning and reorganizing kitchen cabinets, or helping to go through household paperwork. For more information, contact Abby Gilbert at agilbert@jewishphilly.org or 215.320.0351.
Little Hands Make a Big Difference
Partnering Sponsors: jkidphilly, a program of Jewish Learning Ventures
Location: Wesley Enhanced Living, 100 Halcyon Dr., Media, PA 19063
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Families are invited to create personalized calendars and bookmarks to hand to residents of Wesley Enhanced Living.
Martin Luther King Day of Service
Partnering Sponsors: Old York Road Temple – Beth Am
Location: 971 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001
Time: 11:00 p.m.
Volunteer opportunity for MLK Day with First Baptist Church of Huntingdon Valley.
Contact: 215.886.8000.
Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, Inc, Annual Awards and Benefit Luncheon
Partnering Sponsors: Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, Inc
Location: Liberty Bell, 6th and Market Streets, Philadelphia PA 19103
Time: 12:00 p.m.
ADL Chair Alan Gubernick will accept a Drum Major Award and serve as Keynote Speaker at the Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, Inc, Annual Awards and Benefit Luncheon.
Martin Luther King Day of Service
Partnering Sponsors: Har Zion Temple
Location: 1500 Hagys Ford Road, Penn Valley, PA 19072
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Har Zion’s day of activities includes: donation sorting, Cook for a Friend, crafting, service-related fun activities for children and parents, and an American Red Cross Blood Drive (to reserve your time slot contact 1.800.REDCROSS).
Martin Luther King Service Projects
Partnering Sponsors: Congregation Beth Israel
Location: 542 S. New Middletown Road, Media, PA 19063
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Join Congregation BI for all kinds of projects, including knitting or crocheting warm hats and scarves to donate to those in need. To volunteer, contact Cory Long or Bob McCauley.
American Red Cross Blood Drive
Partnering Sponsors: Adath Israel
Location: 250 N. Highland Avenue, Merion Station, PA 19066
Time: 2:00 p.m.
It’s a mitzvah! Your donation can help to save as many as three lives. Sign up to donate by contacting Harriet Gross.
Lunch and Learn — Civil Rights: The Historic Role of Jews
Partnering Sponsors: Gratz College and the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
Location: 7605 Old York Road, Melrose Park, PA 19027
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Join Gratz College and JCRC as they explore the ties between Jewish groups and civil rights organizations. Attendees will learn about the teamwork between Jewish and black leaders in the early 20th century to push for equality. Speaker: Paul Finkelman, president of Gratz College. Includes kosher lunch. Cost: $23. For more information, contact Mindy Cohen at 215.635.7300, ext. 155, or mcohen@gratz.edu.