Our Progressive communities came out in force on Mitzvah Day, often together with neighbours of other faiths, to help others.

Our members, from all over the UK, joined 35,000 volunteers in projects encompassing care home visits, cooking for those in need, litter picks, card-writing, park clean-ups, and food bank and winter clothing collections.

We round up your pictures and stories below. If yours is missing, please email it to SimonR@progressivejudaism.org.uk.

Progressive Judaism Co-Lead Rabbi Charley Baginksy joined Bishop of Edmonton Revd Canon Dr Anderson Jeremiah in a show of solidarity at care home Hammerson House where residents and volunteers packed for Food Bank Aid and sang and danced together. Speaking to The Independent Catholic News, Rabbi Charley said: “This was a heart-warming event on a very special day. Mitzvah Day provides us all with an incredible opportunity to take part in making the world a little bit better and remind ourselves how much stronger we are when we work together.”
(Picture by Yakir Zur)

Youngsters at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue’s Rimon Religion School demonstrated how acts of kindness can illuminate darkness through a series of projects – including crafts, collections and a litter pick – and support for the community’s Asylum Seeker Drop-In. Writing in The Jewish News, Rabbi Elana Dellal said: “Mitzvah Day reminded us that building bridges through acts of kindness isn’t just a nice idea – it’s an essential practice that helps create the world we wish to see.”

Members of Menorah Synagogue collected warm clothing and toiletries for refugees and asylum seekers, and also heard from speakers from support organisations about volunteering opportunities.
(Picture by Tony Knox)

Southgate Progressive Synagogue partnered with charities – including Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, Jewish Care, JW3 and HIAS+JCORE – performing 139 good deeds over the month and collecting 84 gifts for the hospice.
(Picture by Marcus Jamieson-Pond)

Jews and Muslims – from North West Surrey Synagogue and Shah Jahan Mosque – joined together to collect food for the Runnymede Foodbank, in a project for both Mitzvah Day and the Muslim Sadaqa Day.

Generations bonded at Sha’arei Tsedek: North London Reform Synagogue as the community donated, packed, sorted and cooked for the Winter Night Shelter initiative run by Homeless Action in Barnet.
(Picture by Karen Zetter)

Members of East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue helped to clean and clear the grounds of Haven House Children’s Hospice, as well as baking cupcakes for families and staff of the hospice.
(Picture by Karen Zetter)

The children and parents from the joint Kol Chai Reform Synagogue and Mosaic Jewish Community chederim – along with Rabbi Naomi Goldman – had a food drive for families in need, and made bags and cards for children in care supported by Comfort Cases UK.
(Picture by Keith Gold)

Newcastle Reform Synagogue collected and distributed toiletries, winter clothes and food to a number of wonderful local charities – who joined with them on the day, along with the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Cllr Rob Higgins.

Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue organised an interfaith community tea with East Sussex Fire and Rescue, The Interfaith Contact Group, Voices for Exile, The Dialogue Society and Brighton and Hove Faith in Action.

The Radlett Reform Synagogue Cheder hosted a tea with games, chat, singing and plenty of joy for the people supported by Norwood – joined for the afternoon by Hertsmere Mayor Richard Butler.

The children at The Liberal Synagogue Elstree Hub spent the morning baking and decorating gingerbread biscuits and making pizza swirls for Borehamwood Foodbank – along with bringing in items to donate.

Bromley Reform Synagogue held a MacMillan coffee morning, hosting multi-faith guests from Peace of Cake so that people could take the time to chat with someone from another religion they would not otherwise meet.

Lincolnshire Jewish Community – working with the Centre for Reconciliation and interfaith communities and also the Hindu community – spent the day packing and supporting the local hygiene bank.

Harrow Interfaith – featuring many members of Kol Chai Reform Synagogue – were joined by members of the police, Gareth Thomas MP and the Friends of Harrow Weald to clean up the streets of North Harrow.

Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue’s cheder – along with Rabbi Dr Andrea Zanardo – held a Mitzvah Day Café, with Yellow Ribbon Brighton and Helping Hands in attendance. They also made Mitzvah Day cards for Off the Fence, which supports the homeless.

Members of Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue are part of a local interfaith knitting group, making 45 baby hats, two blankets, three cardigans and more for the Baby Basics charity, which supports those in financial hardship.

Liberal Judaism Chair Karen Newman and York Liberal Jewish Community’s Deputy Owen Power were part of The Board of Deputies’ inclusion of Mitzvah Day into their plenary – held at Manchester Maccabi – collecting food for those in need (Picture by Tony Knox)

The RSY-Netzer movement workers organised a collection of items for Food Bank Aid, while the LJY-Netzer assisted with the Mitzvah Day projects at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue.

Members and friends of Suffolk Liberal Jewish Community armed themselves with gardening tools and went along to tend the very old Jews Burial Ground in Ipswich. The last burial took place in 1850 and, while the gravestones are heavily weathered, Hebrew writing can still be seen.

Jews, Muslims and people of all faiths and none came together at Kingston Liberal Synagogue to pack 250 bags for RBKares, which will be distributed to the vulnerable and needy in Kingston.

Alyth chose Great Ormond Street Hospital, All Saints Childs’ Hill Food Bank and the local fire station as recipients of its donations of food, toys and toiletries – which were cooked and collected over a number of weeks.

Members of Stevenage Liberal Synagogue collected goods for Hitchin Pantry, a local pop-up supermarket/support hub for those struggling financially.

Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue’s Mitzvah Day was organised by their new Bnei Mitzvah teacher Yael. The youngsters decorated plant pots and filled them with plants, which were then donated to Jewish Care Vi & John Rubens House.

Oaks Lane’s Rabbi Jordan Helfman also joined children from Clore Tikva School as they collected toys for Camp Simcha and toys for the Chabad Aid Foodbank.
(Picture by Karen Zetter)

Finchley Progressive Synagogue ran three projects, including relaunching an afterschool family club at the community centre for asylum seekers staying at a nearby hotel.

Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community cooked breakfast for the homeless and vulnerable at the Cheltenham Open Door premises.

Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue ran a huge number of Mitzvah Day projects including a clean-up of Boxtree Park, cookie decoration and card-making for care homes, nappy drive for Sebby’s Corner and intergenerational community tea. Read about their interfaith cook-a-long here

York Liberal Jewish Community welcomed Mitzvah Day CEO Stuart Diamond for a special Shabbat celebrating Inter Faith Week. Read about it here

Around 100 volunteers – including Jews, Sikhs, Christians and Humanists – got together at Maidenhead Synagogue to take part in three collect-a-thons and 10 different activities, including the award-winning Knit Your Socks Off (KYSO) which was visited by the Mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead, Cllr Simon Bond.

Children and adults at Harlow Jewish Community – including Rabbi Irit Shillor and Chair Jon Kaye– marked Mitzvah Day by collecting urgently needed items for Harlow Food Bank.