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New Year, New Ways to Volunteer

Shuli Passow

Looking to get more involved at BJ in 2023? There are plenty of ways to volunteer—plus two new opportunities to connect, meet new people, and help make this community the best it can be. Read on and sign up today!

New Volunteer Opportunities

New! Shabbat Engagement Team

Help create a more magical Shabbat experience at BJ. Sign up for just a few Shabbatot a year to greet people at the door, sit with someone new at services, or mingle at Shabbat dinners and Community Kiddush. Whether you’re a social butterfly or a little on the shy side, all you need is a desire to help create a more welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. We’ll give you plenty of tools and guidance through workshops, resources, and special learning opportunities with the BJ rabbis. Join our in-person info session at 7:00 PM on Thursday February 2.

This is an in-person volunteer opportunity.

New! BJ Archival Research Committee

Do you have a flair for organization, an eye for detail, or a passion for Jewish and/or New York history? Lend your talent to help preserve BJ’s history by making regular visits to the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and going through our archival material stored there. This committee will kick off with a group training session at JTS and then volunteers will arrange their own weekly visits to the JTS library. We’ll discuss each person’s findings from their individual research on monthly Zoom calls. Volunteers should be able to spend one afternoon or morning a week at the JTS library.

This is an in-person volunteer opportunity.

Ongoing Hesed Opportunities

Hesed (the Hebrew word for lovingkindness) is how we express our love for our BJ community members. These opportunities allow us to serve one another at some of our most intimate moments.

  • Shabbat Connections pairs BJ volunteers with other members who are homebound or isolated. Volunteers make weekly phone calls to their “connection,” acting as a regular touchpoint and helping to offset loneliness. The result is a rewarding and ongoing relationship for both parties!
  • Mi Sheberakh callers check up on members of our community who are ill or recovering, letting them know that we are here to support them on the road to recovery.

These volunteer opportunities are over the phone.

  • Bikkur Holim volunteers visit BJ members who are ill or injured, assist with practical tasks such as shopping or running errands, help members get to/from appointments, bring meals to those recovering from illness/injury, and more.
  • Hevra Kadisha volunteers provide support to members and their families in times of loss, from performing tahara (preparation of the body for burial) to serving in making a minyan for mourners to say Kaddish, and more.

These are in-person volunteer opportunities.

Social Action and Social Justice

From preparing meals for migrants to advocating for criminal justice reform, there are lots of ways to get involved in social action and social justice volunteering. 

Indicate your interest on the volunteer form, or reach out to Kiana Davis.

Live out the values of our Community Covenant by joining one of our on-going volunteer efforts to bring love and care to those both inside our walls and out. Tell us how you want to help!