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TRS Caring Committee
The core of the TRS Caring Committee is a group of coordinators who connect Temple members and/or their families who need help with other Temple members who can help. The goal of the Caring Committee is to provide Temple members a way of fulfilling the mitzvah of performing acts of
G'milut Chasadim (deeds of loving kindness) within the Temple community. Since all Jews are enjoined to perform this mitzvah, we are in fact all members of the Caring Committee. Our Committee core is made up of subcommittees that deal with immediate needs (crises), mutual assistance (self-help), and education. Please consult the list below.
The Caring Committee continues to
seek out members who need help, and we continue to try different ideas and ways
to expand participation. We keep a list of volunteers who wish to help. Temple
members who wish to be included on the volunteer list or serve as a coordinator
are invited to contact Melissa Sporn at (703) 893-3883 or
melsprn@aol.com. TRS members who need assistance that does not fall into one of the categories below are encouraged to contact Anne Duncan in the Temple office, or a member of the TRS
clergy.
Sub Committees:
Members help families coping with a death in the family and assist with burial arrangements. The
Chavrah Kadushah (the Holy Fellowship), the burial society, was one of
the first groups set up by Jews in the Diaspora. Rodef Shalom carries on this
beautiful tradition through the Bereavement Subcommittee. Serving on this
committee fulfills the commandment of comforting the mourner. If you wish to
participate as a volunteer, please contact Anita Thornton at 703-532-2217.
This subcommittee seeks to meet two needs. First, we wish to encourage caring visits in the congregation by educating people through published guidance based on professional sources. Second, we wish to attract and train volunteers to respond to the clergy's requests for visits to ill and convalescing congregational members.
Bikkur Cholim continues the tradition dating to the early days of the
Jewish Diaspora of visiting the sick. Interested members are very welcome.
Contact Melissa Sporn at (703) 893-3883 or
melsprn@aol.com
Support Groups:
This support/education/discussion group is for Jewish widows and widowers who are beyond the initial stages of bereavement (i.e., post 6-12 months). Discussions focus on the practical, emotional, and social issues related to moving ahead with life as a single widowed person. This is not a drop-in group. Please call
Debbie Massey at (703) 264-0297 or email her at
DebMassey1@verizon.net for more information or if you wish to join.
This is an informal network of TRS
women who are affected by breast cancer, including those who are currently in
treatment and those who are post-treatment for any length of time. The group
meets periodically, generally for dinner, to share experiences, information and
resources, to support one another, and to simply be together. In addition,
members of the network are available to reach out to other TRS members who are
newly diagnosed with breast cancer to offer support, information and resources
as they cope with the trauma and decisions this disease involves. If you or
someone you know in the TRS congregation could benefit from participating in
this network, please contact the coordinator, Anita Thornton, Program Director at 703/532-2217
or
athornton@templerodefshalom.org
PFLAG is a 30-year-old nationwide
group with over 500 chapters. It's mission is to promote the well being of
parents and friends of lesbian, gay and transgender individuals, and to provide
an opportunity for dialog about sexual orientation, gender issues, and acts to
create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. This
may be a difficult topic for many, but our strength is sharing our experience
with other parents who are in all different stages of hearing this news from our
kids, relatives and friends. TRS is now hosting a PFLAG meeting at the
Temple. All persons interested in knowing more about PFLAG and our group
at the temple are invited to attend. Meetings will be held the second
Sunday of each month at 3:00pm. If you would like to attend or would like
more information, please contact Valli Swerdlow at (703) 615-3834 or
vswerdlow@mrmclean.com
Community Resources:
Thanks to the continuing
partnership between Temple Rodef Shalom and the
Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA),
JSSA is available to provide support and referrals to congregants in need as a
result of emotional, social, or physical challenges. JSSA supports individuals,
couples, and families through mental health counseling, services for children
and adolescents, older adult services, career programs and adoption assistance.
Currently the Elder Care
subcommittee is working in conjunction with the Jewish Council for
the Aging (JCA) to meet the needs of elderly temple members and/or
families with elder care issues, whether local or out of the area.
Services provided include a Senior Helpline that can be reached at
703/ 425-0999 for information or assistance on housing options,
financial aid, or transportation. TRS volunteers have also provided
rides to services for elderly temple members and assistance in
purchasing groceries and other tasks.
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