For the second consecutive year, teens across the globe will join together to make their communities and the world a better place. Jewish teens from Kansas City will join that effort when they gather Sunday, June 1, for J- Serve: Jewish Teens Serving Kansas City. Teens in grades nine through 12 will have the opportunity to fulfill the Jewish values of gemilut chasidim, (acts of loving kindness), tzedakah (just and charitable giving), and tikkun olam (the responsibility to repair the world). They will meet at The Mitzvah Garden of Greater Kansas City, a community gardening project that raises produce for those in need.
Last June, 80 Jewish teens participated in five different community service projects at sites across Kansas City followed by a celebratory pool party at the Jewish Community Center. Projects included making huggable blankets for children at Operation Breakthrough and participating in a dialogue with teens from The Kansas City Interfaith Youth Alliance about empowering youth of all backgrounds and faiths to come together to create understanding and taking a pledge against intolerance with Project6Million. Another group of teens gathered at the Mitzvah Garden to plant seeds and clear weeds. Teens baked and iced 70 cakes for the poor and needy in Kansas City in partnership with Independence Boulevard Christian Church, which serves home-cooked suppers in which faith-based volunteers partner to serve. Another group gathered at The Ronald McDonald House to meet residents, help with chores around the house and baked treats to leave for guests to enjoy. Finally teens helped to serve Save Home by helping with landscaping and gardening at their residences for medically disadvantaged people so that they can lead stable lives with personal dignity.
This year all teens will stay at one site.
“As coordinators, we think it will be incredible to see a large group of teens come together to make a real impact in the community by all working together throughout the day on one large-scale project,” said Amy Ravis Furey, outreach and engagement coordinator for the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, one of the event’s coordinators.
At the Mitzvah Garden, teens will help with a variety of tasks such as erecting a cinder block wall, putting out pipes and drip tape and completing the trenching for the new drip irrigation system. Participants will also get a chance to help at the Village Shalom Mitzvah Garden with the planting of zucchini, squash, gourds and pumpkins.
The daylong event will begin at 10 a.m. at the Mitzvah Garden, located on the grounds of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. Teens will perform service work until 2:30 p.m. From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., participants will travel to the JCC for an optional celebratory pool party. Parents can choose to pick up teens from the Mitzvah Garden at 2:30 p.m. or from the JCC at 4:30 p.m.
The event is free and all Jewish teens and their friends, regardless of affiliation to any of the sponsoring organizations, are welcome to attend. Registration for J-Serve is required. Breakfast is being donated to the J-Serve event by Panera; a kosher option is available upon request. Each teen needs to bring a sack lunch as no lunch will be provided. Teens need to wear work clothes and shoes that can get dirty, and should bring a hat, gloves and a water bottle. Shovels and gardening tools are requested as well. Those planning to go swimming also need to bring a towel, swim suit and sunscreen.
The event will be canceled in case of inclement weather.Each participant will receive a free T-shirt. Registration is available on the Jewish Federation website: https://www.jewishkansascity.org/Events/2014-Events/June/JServe-2014.
J-Serve is being coordinated by the Jewish Federation in partnership with Congregations Beth Shalom, Beth Torah and B’nai Jehudah, BBYO, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Student Union, Kansas City Interfaith Youth Alliance, North American Federation of Temple Youth and United Synagogue Youth.
For more information contact or call 913-981-8801.
