By Jeff Friedman
Editor’s Note: This week, Jeff, Friedman, founder and CEO of Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), explains, in his own words, how a family partnered with the organization in a community service project.
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The Hebrew word “mitzvah” refers to a deed performed to fulfill a commandment. As such, the term mitzvah has also come to express an individual act of human kindness in keeping with that law.
I’ve learned that Livingston is mitzvah-central during my 11.5 years running Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI). A number of families, service organizations, religious entities and schools have continued to find both traditional and innovative ways to support LPI and its delivery of needed items and food to the homeless and families living below the poverty line.
The latest act of kindness comes from a Livingston family. Noah Levine, soon to be called to Bar Mitzvah at Livingston’s Temple B’nai Abraham, decided to create a shoe collection drive for LPI. New and gently used footwear are gold to the constituencies we serve. LPI volunteers delivered the trove, collected by Noah and his group members, to the “Ladies of the Boutique” at the Willing Heart Community Care Center in Newark (WHCCC).
“Please let Noah know I appreciate the footwear he collected,” said Lisa Cherokee Raine Booker, who runs the infant and children’s departments at WHCCC. “We separated the footwear into adult and children’s sizes. Well, I had five bins all full with children’s footwear!” The shoes and sneakers were given to families in need on Tuesday.
Speaking of a mitzvah, LPI’s upcoming “Uncle Floyd Live!” is most importantly a fundraiser to provide basic life needs to those who are not in position to help themselves or their children. Altruistic Living-ston residents can help LPI acquire products for profoundly poor folks by purchasing tickets. Then, as value-added, enjoy a hot Saturday evening performance at the same time. Right here in town.
Tickets are easily purchased for a $40 donation at njhomeless.org, the offices of our producing partner, Livingston’s West Essex Tribune or at the Presbyterian Church of Livingston on West Northfield Rd.
We will transform their beautiful sanctuary into the PCL Performing Arts Center for Saturday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. “We are already thinking about our next special performance, perhaps in the fall,” said PCL’s Pastor Dan Martian. “And, we are very much looking forward to hosting Uncle Floyd’s special show on April 15.”
Photo: For his Bar Mitzvah community service (mitzvah) project, Livingston’s Noah Levine created a shoe collection to benefit Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI). The outcome was over two hundred pairs. “Another community mitzvah is to support LPI’s current fundraising campaign by purchasing tickets to ‘Uncle Floyd Live!’ on April 15,” said LPI founder and CEO, Jeff Friedman. Go to njhomeless.org or the Tribune office to purchase tickets.
