Bethlehem Interfaith Group (B.I.G.)
Founded by Rabbi Singer in 2017, the Bethlehem Interfaith Group (B.I.G.) seeks to bring local Bethlehem communities of faith together in fellowship, education, and social justice work. Constantly growing, B.I.G. now has 20 houses of worship meeting, learning, and working together. From our first Faith Crawl to Thanksgiving services – B.I.G. has changed the dynamic in the Bethlehem community. We have stood together against hate and racism, supported each other’s social justice work, and brought greater understanding and friendship among the diverse religious communities that make up our city.
Facebook: @BethlehemInterfaithGroup
New Bethany Ministries
New Bethany Ministries Mallard Hospitality Center served 69,516 meals to 2,080 individuals as well as providing more than 3,263 food baskets and 1,000 showers to 712 families in 2015 alone. But these life-saving efforts were and are not possible without the help of volunteers like those from Congregation Brith Sholom.
Miller-Keystone Blood Center
“Emergency: the critical need for blood donations in our community continues. Approximately 450 donations are needed every day for lifesaving transfusions to those in need, including many patients undergoing joint replacement surgery or organ transplant.” It is all about your blood, their hope.
Under David Caine’s guidance, Congregation Birth Sholom is one of the many organizations and religious groups that have answered this call. You can help save a life at the Miller-Keystone Blood Center by going online to giveapint.org or by calling 800-B-A-DONOR (800-223-6667) to schedule an appointment. Please remember to mention – Brith Sholom it can be credited to our blood donation quota.
Established in 1971, Miller-Keystone Blood Center is an independent, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) community organization that serves as the only blood provider to 21 hospitals in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Dauphin, Lehigh, Luzerne, Northampton, and Schuylkill (PA), and Hunterdon and Warren (NJ) counties.
Monocacy Farm Project
The Monocacy Farm Project is a not-for-profit community service initiative launched in 2013 by the School Sisters of Saint Francis. Today it is its own independent non-profit that has grown to provide 12 local Lehigh Valley food pantries and soup kitchens with fresh organic produce. The project is based on a ten-acre organic farm located on Bridle Path Road in Bethlehem, PA. The mission of the farm project is to give local residents and “food-desert” populations access to affordable, chemical-free fruits and vegetables, to promote self-sufficiency among low-income families, and to provide on-going educational programs for children and adults on nutrition, organic gardening, healthy lifestyles and sustainability. Caring for the earth and caring for the poor are integral parts of its mission.
Congregation Brith Sholom is a founding and sustaining member of the Monocacy Farm Project and Rabbi Singer currently serves on the Board of Trustees. Brith Sholom has a dedicated group of adults and children currently working on the farm project and supporting its efforts.
https://www.monocacyfarmproject.org
Bethlehem Advisory Council
Following the wake of violent hate/racism and anti-Semitism, members of Brith Sholom led by Rabbi Singer marched and began working toward a better Bethlehem community. Rabbi Singer was asked by Mayor Donchez and Esther Lee from the NAACP to sit on a community advisory board to help improve the Bethlehem community and take on systemic racism and inequality in Bethlehem. The work of this council is to advise the mayor and city council on issues of homelessness, policing, food insecurity, education, and economic inequality. Members of Brith Sholom have been at the forefront of these efforts to build a better Bethlehem community.
Rabbinical Assembly Social Justice Commission
In February of 2019, Rabbi Singer was appointed the Chair of the Rabbinical Assembly’s – Social Justice Commission. Having served two previous years as the subcommittee chair of the Food Justice Working Group, Rabbi Singer brought together national partners like Mazon and Hazon in the fight against hunger in America. Today Rabbi Singer is at the forefront of leading the Rabbinical Assembly and the Conservative Movement in coordinating and creating policy within six areas of social justice: Food Justice, Gun Violence, Environment, Human trafficking, Women’s Health & Reproductive Freedom, and Combating Hate/anti-Semitism. Members of Congregation Brith Sholom have worked with Rabbi Singer on these issues and continue to make social justice a priority based on our Jewish religious tradition.