The Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers, Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet, joined residents from Barnet and Southgate doing voluntary work for Mitzvah Day 2016.
The literal meaning of Mitzvah is a commandment in Jewish law, but it is more commonly understood to mean a good deed or an act of kindness: Mitzvah Day takes place every November and encourages people to take part in volunteering and charity work for their local community. It is an inclusive event which attracts interest and support across different faiths and communities.
Mitzvah Day events are wide-ranging and depend on what is needed locally: over the past few years Theresa has helped out at a charity shop in High Barnet with the Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade, served out tea in a residential care home, and supported a donation drive at JCOSS. Along with Parliamentary colleagues, Theresa attended the launch of Mitzvah Day at the House of Commons in October.
This year, Mitzvah Day took place on the 27th November, and Theresa joined volunteers at Barnet Synagogue and at Cockfosters and North Southgate Synagogue, taking part in collections of clothes and food, book-swaps, a cake sale and storytelling.
Theresa Villiers said: “It was great to participate in Mitzvah Day 2016, and see the efforts being made to help others. It was a real privilege to join people spending a day making things better for their community.”
Alex Fenton, Youth Director at Cockfosters and North Southgate Synagogue said "Mitzvah Day has become an important community event, demonstrating how we are all part of the wider British community. We were delighted that Theresa Villiers was able to support us and see how our synagogue youth came forward and ran all the activities on the day. All the money raised and good donated at the car wash, cake sale, food drop and clothes recycling point will go to the Stroke Association, Norwood, GIFT and Chai Cancer Care."