Social Action

MRT’s Gan Mazon Harvests Over 1 TON of Veggies!

Yes, that’s right, this year – 2024 – our “little-in-acreage” Gan Mazon (Garden of Plenty) has produced 2,400 pounds of tasty vegetables! This garden, under the tutelage of Rutgers-trained Master Gardeners, has been donating produce for over a decade. This year’s recipient of the produce is the Jewish Family and Childrens Service (JFCS) of Monmouth County. The needy families in the JFCS program pick up their bags at JFCS in Asbury Park. A team of MRT congregants, led by Sheila Bodner (pictured with the large cucumber!), work diligently from spring through fall. They prepare the garden, harvest the produce, and thoroughly clean up the garden so that the same spectacular harvest can recur from year to year!

MRT Social Action: Repairing the World in So Many Ways!

Click here for a list of ways you and your family can participate!

Tons of food to be donated to The Center in Asbury Park following MRT’s annual holiday food drive!

MRT member Dean Ross conceived the Shine a Light program by leading a group of people to install bike lights for local residents who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them. The group, which includes congregants from St. Anthony’s Church in Red Bank, has installed more than 100 lights each year since the program started in 2016. The Shine A Light program ensures the safety of local residents on the road at night and continues to grow with enthusiasm and support. Kudos to Dean and the others!

A few of the recipients of MRT’s annual Christmas gift donation, led by Cheryl Gaudette and her merry elves. Fifty one families from Family Resource Associates, who wouldn’t have gotten presents, received gifts from our generous MRT members. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve day, the FRA van delivered the gifts to the families, many children with developmental and physical disabilities.

Diapers generously donated from MRT members were delivered to the Jersey Shore Dream Center for families in need. Pictured: Jill Austin, Ilana Gaudette and Cheryl Gaudette.

Children at the Jersey Shore Medical Center NICU received knitted items from Monmouth Reform Temple’s Knitting Club. Knitted caps and blankets were brought to Courtney Russamano, who coordinates parent support programs at the Neonatal intensive care unit and is also a family coordinator through March of Dimes at other hospitals with NICU units. Little Victoria on the right was a 25 week (one pound) preemie with multiple health challenges who is a true miracle at almost two. Her sister Elizabeth is on the left. The Knitting Club was started by MRT member Lynn Shapiro on Mitzvah Day last May and continues throughout the year. (Photo Credit: Jersey Shore Medical Center NICU.)

Ongoing Programs at MRT (partial list)

Program	Description	Contact
The Center in Asbury Park	Provide support via High Holy Days food drive, preparing and serving meals for residents.	Cheryl Gaudette cbgaudette@gmail.com
Lunch Break	Provide support by periodically donating food and meals.
Assisted Living	Provide monthly Shabbat Services and collections from High Holy Day Food drive	Judy Raybon Jraybon22@verizon.net
Gan Mazon	Garden of Plenty! MRT’s organic vegetable garden, food donated to Lunch Break.	David Levinsky davidlevinsky@optonline.net
Habitat for Humanity	Labor and support to renovate affordable housing.
Family Promise of Monmouth County	Member of support network of faith-based congregations providing temporary housing for homeless families.	Kay Wiesenfeld K.Wiesenfeld@gmail.com
Central Jersey Blood Bank	Several annual blood dirves	Dean Ross dmshoppe@aol.com
Monmouth County Park System	Trail maintenance for Henry Hudson Trail and other parks	Mark Gruensfelder mgruensfelder@aol.com
Shine-a-Light	Initiated partnership with St. Anthony’s to provide and ensure bicycles in Red Bank and other areas have lights.	Dean Ross dmshoppe@aol.com
Mitzvah Day	Annual MRT social action day	Kerry Krachman Kerrykrachman1956@gmail.com

Other Examples of MRT Repairing the World

• Social Action Network – creating a thread throughout MRT

• Social Action Shabbat – yearly

• Community Kitchens – Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter

• Dinner at The Center in Asbury Park monthly 2nd Saturday

• Assisted Living Shabbat services – monthly

Chelsea, Tinton Falls 3:30 1st Friday

Kensington, Tinton Falls 10:30 2nd Friday

Brighton Gardens, Middletown 2:00 4th Friday

• Monthly tzedakah collection

• Monthly food collection for Lunch Break

• Green Team

• Family Promise

• B’nai Mitzvah Projects

• Mitzvah Day

• High Holiday Food Drive

• AJWS Equal Exchange Coffee and Tea Fair

• Crop Walk

• Gan Mazon

• Tuesday Lunch Break food distribution 4:00-6:00

• Advocacy work – local, national and global.

Food Collections for Lunch Break in Red Bank

July	Coffee
August	Jelly
September	Canned Beans (kedney, cannellini, etc.)
October	Stuffing
November	Gravy
December	Fruit Cocktail
January	Tea Bags
February	Hot Chocolate Mix
March	Macaroni and Cheese
April	Powder Drink Mixes (tang, lemondade, iced-tea, etc.)
May	Baked Beans
June	Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo

Fair Trade and MRT

American Jewish World Service Fair Trade Project: Better Beans

Many voices in the Jewish tradition tell us that when we buy and sell goods, we must treat our partners fairly and honestly. We are forbidden to deceive or cheat merchants, customers, or producers in any way. In our globalized economy, we Jews must engage both our hearts and our minds when we shop for goods, so that our ethical consumption enables a harmonious and thriving global society. Better Beans is a partnership between American Jewish World Service and Equal Exchange that allows our congregations, community organizations, and individuals to buy top-quality coffee beans and chocolate while supporting the efforts of small growers and co-operatives in the developing world.

These farmers often struggle to compete in a global production and distribution system that favors larger growers and multinational corporations. To stay in business and feed their families, small and medium-scale farmers must receive fair prices for their crops and affordable credit; they must engage in long- term trade relationships with partners whom they can trust. Equal Exchange and its affiliate programs, such as Better Beans, exist to create a global market for these farmers and to provide them with access to the financial resources and assistance that they need to operate without being exploited. In addition to supporting small farmer co-ops, a portion of every pound of coffee or chocolate purchased through Better Beans will go to support AJWS’s Fighting Hunger from the Ground Up campaign.