On Sunday, March 18, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven will host its Second Annual Mitzvah Day volunteering event in conjunction with the Grand Re-Opening Celebration of the newly refurbished JCC building and the dedication of the Beverly Levy Early Learning Center.

Mitzvah Day combines fun with fundraising and allows volunteers of all ages the opportunity to participate in meaningful mitzvah projects that benefit the whole community. A mitzvah is an act of kindness. Collectively, we will do our part to improve our community through these many acts of kindness.

Mitzvah projects will be run throughout the day at the JCC, as well as at the Federation’s Shoreline Office in Guilford and throughout the community.

At the JCC, projects include lasagna making, creating activity bags for children currently in hospitals and their families, card making for U.S. and Israeli soldiers, a mitzvah cycling event in the new indoor cycling studio, crafting no-sew blankets for local pet shelters, as well as creating worry dolls to be sent to our sister city, Afula Gilboa. The Second Annual Mitzvah Day again includes cereal collecting which will be donated to the Jewish Family Service Food Pantry as well as the Woodbridge Emergency Food Pantry. Also, we will be sorting new socks to donate throughout the community. At Tower One/Tower East, volunteers will craft “plarn” blankets - made from plastic yarn.

A Mitzvah Day phone-a-thon will also be held in support of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven’s Annual Campaign.

At the Shoreline office, volunteers will make lunches to bring to social service agencies in Clinton and Old Saybrook. Area religious schools will also be working on individual projects at their schools and collecting goods for donation.

This year’s event will also feature a brand new Mitzvah Fair from 12-3 p.m. The fair will be an exciting carnival-like celebration where families can learn about the many non-profit organizations in Greater New Haven. In the afternoon, there will also be children’s activities to benefit tuition assistance at area schools and camps: Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy, Ezra Academy, JCC Day Camps, Camp Gan Israel, and Camp Laurelwood. The dedication of the new Beverly Levy Early Learning Center will be held at 1 p.m. The center, formerly known as Yeladim, is named in memory of the late Beverly Levy, a longtime leader in our Jewish community who died at the young age of 63 in March, 2014. Beverly’s husband, Dr. John Levy, said naming the center in his wife’s honor is a reflection of her whole philosophy that “you want to invest in our children. They are our future.”

Ribbon cutting ceremonies for the beautifully renovated JCC will be held at 1:30 p.m. Spend the day with us and splash in our pool and get creative in our new MakerSpace. Get energized in the Health & Wellness Center, play in the gym and scale new heights climbing our new rock wall. Catch up with friends and nosh at the new Café 360, which features a diverse food marketplace offering Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea.

Mitzvah Day volunteers are requested to sign up in advance to choose how to help the community with the many Mitzvah Day projects in different venues.

Please contact Federation Director of Outreach, Engagement and Community Relations Brian Levy at (203) 387-2424, x375 or blevy@jewishnewhaven.org for more information.