Did you know Greater Philadelphia is home to the largest Martin Luther King Day of Service in the nation? Commemorating its 29th anniversary, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is once again proud to co-sponsor Global Citizen’s Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service on January 15, 2024. You can visit Global Citzen’s website for a full lineup of local volunteer opportunities.
Out of the various and important programs being held that day, Jewish Greater Philadelphia is showing up by hosting a number of volunteer events to take action and to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chesed, acts of loving-kindness, and mitzvot, good deeds, are cornerstones of Judaism. Check out the following ways to uphold these Jewish tenets and to ensure that your MLK Day is a day on – not a day off:
Jewish Relief Agency (JRA) - MLK Day of Service Distribution
Sunday, January 14
Join JRA to pack and deliver boxes of nutritious food to hungry people throughout Greater Philadelphia while commemorating the extraordinary life of Martin Luther King Jr. Advance registration is required. To sign up, click here.
MLK Day of Service with jkidphilly’s Parent Ambassadors
Monday, January 15 | 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Richboro, address given upon registration
Join jkidphilly for Martin Luther King Day of Service. Families are invited to come decorate and pack breakfast bags for seniors, and make good wishes cards. There will also be a book corner with PJ Library books about giving back. Please bring donations of kid-sized gloves for The Mitzvah Pantry. To register, click here.
MLK Day Morning Fuel & Call to Service:
Exploring the Intersection of Black & Jewish Identity in America
Monday, January 15 | 11:00 a.m.
Join the JEDI team of the Jewish Federations of North America for an MLK program of education, engagement, and empowerment for Jewish professionals and lay leaders to get involved in MLK Week offerings and delve deeper into themes related to the Civil Rights Era, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, and the fight for justice and equity and the intersection of Combating Antisemitism in the 21st century. To register, click here.
Kindness Rocks: Celebrating Tu B’ Shevat and MLK Day!
Monday, January 15 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
In-door location in Amber, PA (exact address provided after RSVP)
Join the Jewish Federation’s Buxmont Kehillah, jkidphilly and Ambler Arboretum of Temple University to celebrate Tu B’Shevat and participate in an MLK Day Mitzvah! Together, we will: create kindness rocks and other tree crafts, decorate kindness cards for the Mitzvah Circle, learn about Tu B’Shevat – the “Birthday of the Trees” – with an activity from the Temple Ambler Arboretum, read PJ Library stories about Tu B’Shevat and mitzvot, and have coffee and snacks, and a lot of fun for everyone. Please bring new hats or gloves that will be donated to the Mitzvah Circle, or send something from their wishlist. To register, click here.
Or Hadash's Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Social Action Fair
Monday, January 15 | 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Or Hadash A Reconstructionist Congregation
Join Or Hadash for their annual social action fair to commemorate MLK Day. They will also be a collecting items to create care packages for people in need. All items must be received prior to the Social Action Fair. To learn more, click here.
Global Citizen’s Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service
Looking for more ways to take action and give back this MLK Day? Click here to check out Global Citizen’s calendar of volunteer projects happening in Greater Philadelphia, proudly co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community Relations Council.
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Looking for ways to volunteer all year-round? Check our volunteer page.