Norwalk Residents Honored as Mitzvah Heroes

 Celebrating everyday heroes

The Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County is in the business of building community and supporting those in need locally and around the world. Supported in its mission by donors and volunteers, the non-profit organization has many opportunities to say “thank you” to the community-members who work to advance its humanitarian and educational mission.

Throughout the 15 communities that make up the Federation’s constituency, there are people whose passion for making a difference is instilled in the often daily choice to share their most precious resource – their time.

On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 9, the Federation will honor 13 of these doers, “mitzvah heroes” identified by area Jewish clergy and lay leaders as those who bring life to the Jewish value of tikkun olam – improving the world. Hebrew for “commandment,” mitzvah is also used to connote a good deed that helps another.

The honorees represent those volunteers who often work outside the spotlight, contributing time and energy to improve their respective congregations and the community at large. Each Mitzvah Hero will be presented with the award by his or her congregation’s clergy-member or lay leader.

The honorees are all longtime volunteers, note event co-chairs Amy Gershberg of Congregation Beth El Fairfield and Allyson Gottleib of Temple Israel in Westport, both honored as members of the first cohort of Mitzvah Hero awardees in January. “Whether helping to arrange a prayer service at a house of mourning, visiting a sick person, bringing a therapy dog to brighten the day for cancer patients, working with religious-school students on community-service projects, helping to carry out Jewish funeral rituals, or organizing local food-rescue and hunger initiatives, our 13 Mitzvah Heroes look for various ways to make a difference and pitch in where they see a need.”   

The award ceremony is just one component of TzedakahFest, Federation’s first-ever celebration of collective impact in the community. Tzedakah is Hebrew for “charitable giving,” and underlies the Federation’s mission locally and around the globe.

Held at Congregation B’nai Israel in Bridgeport, the event will feature an exhibit hall of 50-plus area Jewish congregations and partner organizations, a family concert with The Nields, breakout sessions on teen and elder health issues, participatory philanthropy promoting sustainability and inclusivity, and a hands-on community-service project.

The Mitzvah Hero Awards event was launched in January, not only to acknowledge a special brand of generosity, but also to bring together members of the Federation’s sprawling, 15-community region, bordered by Ridgefield, Monroe, Stratford, and Rowayton.

“At its heart, our Federation is about the difference that we can all make together,” says CEO David Weisberg. “I am so excited to have a day that is all about understanding and celebrating the power of our collective tzedakah.”

The 2nd Mitzvah Hero awardees include:

Bridgeport
Robert Sussman – Congregation B’nai Israel
Edith Winick – Congregation Rodeph Sholom

Fairfield
Betty Feldman – Congregation Beth El Fairfield
David Jutkowitz – Congregation Ahavath Achim

Norwalk
Wendy Engel – Temple Shalom
Marvin Rosenbaum – Congregation Beth El-Norwalk
Stephen Schwartz – Beth Israel of Westport/Norwalk

Trumbull
Penny Volpe – Congregation B’nai Torah

Westport
Steve “Simcha” Cooper – Beit Chaverim Synagogue of Westport/Norwalk
Eileen Glickman – Temple Israel
Martin & Martha Rosenfeld – The Conservative Synagogue
Steve Ulman – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Fairfield County