Social Action

The mission of Rodef Sholom’s Social Action Committee is to make Judaism’s commitment to the principles of Tikkun Olam  (Repair of the World) an integral part of everyday life within the congregation. We connect with each other through social action. The committee organizes projects and events that educate the congregation and provide meaningful experiences through which we can repair our world on many levels.

July-August Social Action Happenings

Summer Acts of Tikkun Olam: Small Steps to Repair the World

With so much happening in the world—environmental challenges, social injustices, and ongoing uncertainties—it can sometimes feel overwhelming to know where to start making a difference. Yet, tikkun olam teaches us that even small, everyday actions matter. This summer, we invite you to embrace simple, meaningful ways to help repair the world right where you are. Together, our collective efforts can bring light, healing, and hope to our communities and beyond.

1. Eco-Friendly Habits

• Reduce water use: Water plants early in the morning or late in the evening to conserve water.
• Pick up litter: Bring a reusable bag on walks or hikes and collect trash you find.
• Use reusable water bottles & containers: Avoid single-use plastics at picnics, pool days, and barbecues.

2. Community Acts of Kindness

• Host a “Green” BBQ: Invite friends & family for a potluck with local, organic food and compost food scraps.
• Volunteer outdoors: Help at community gardens, tree planting events, or park clean-ups.
• Support local farmers: Visit farmers’ markets to support sustainable agriculture.

3. Social Justice & Helping Others

• Donate clothes & supplies: As the seasons change, donate gently used summer clothes or school supplies to local shelters or youth programs.
• Check on neighbors: Especially elderly or vulnerable neighbors, during heat waves.
• Organize a drive: Collect toiletries, sunscreen, or water bottles for people experiencing homelessness.

4. Jewish Learning & Reflection

• Weekly Shabbat outdoors: Celebrate Shabbat with a picnic or walk, blessing the natural world.
• Study tikkun olam texts: Read and discuss teachings about repairing the world with family or friends.
• Incorporate blessings: Say blessings for the earth, water, and sky during daily activities like drinking water or eating fresh fruit.

5. Mindful Consumption

• Eat seasonal, plant-based meals: Enjoy summer fruits and veggies to reduce carbon footprint.
• DIY natural products: Make your own natural bug spray or sunscreen with safe ingredients.
• Upcycle or repair: Instead of buying new beach gear or summer clothes, repair or repurpose what you have.

Give Your Pill Bottles a Second Life

Are you one of the nearly 70% of Americans who take at least one prescription medication? If so, you may have a growing collection of empty plastic pill bottles—and a nagging feeling of guilt when tossing them out.

While these small containers are common and convenient in the U.S., they’re rare in many parts of the world. For people without safe ways to store medications, reused pill bottles can make a big difference. Unfortunately, recycling options are limited—most pill bottles are made from #5 plastic, which many recycling centers can’t process. As a result, only about 5% of plastic waste in the U.S. actually gets recycled.

But there’s good news: pill bottles are incredibly easy to reuse. Organizations collect clean, empty pill bottles to distribute to communities in need. These bottles help protect medications from damage and keep them safely out of reach of children.

Here’s how you can help:

• Collect your empty prescription bottles (any size) with their caps.
• Remove the labels if you’d like (soaking in hot, soapy water helps!), or we’ll take care of it.
• Make sure bottles are clean and dry.
• Drop them off in the RST lobby.

Let’s keep these containers out of the landfill and into the hands of those who need them most. Small action, big impact!

Toiletry Donations Needed – Travel or Full Size Welcome!

Thank you for your ongoing donations of toiletries for those experiencing homelessness in our community. Your support is greatly appreciated! If you don’t travel or don’t have access to single-use toiletries from trips, regular-sized toiletries are also very much needed and welcomed at our donor sites.

Recycling Smarter: Feet on the Street

Hampton Roads communities are working together to improve the quality of curbside recycling through the Feet on the Street (FOTS) program. This initiative provides residents with real-time, personalized feedback right at the curb, helping ensure only the right materials make it into recycling carts and reducing contamination across the region.

FOTS will reach more than 32,000 households across participating localities, including Newport News, York County, Suffolk, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and James City County.

This effort is part of a larger, three-year regional recycling education campaign, funded by a $1.9 million Recycling Education and Outreach Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and led by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC).