Ongoing Social Action Projects

Hunger Project
Every Sunday, 9:00 am

The Hunger Project prepares and serves brunch on Sunday mornings at the Paul Mirable Center, part of St. Vincent de Paul Village, which provides services for homeless people and clients from the surrounding neighborhood. Your help is always needed to set up, serve brunch, and clean up on any Sunday morning from 9:00 to 11:30 am. CBI provides food, funding and volunteers for this program. Cash donations are also needed. Reservations are a must. To learn more about this rewarding mitzvah, visit our Hunger Project page To sign up, contact Terri Fine at 858 535-1111, or tfine@cbisd.org.

Knit and Nosh
Every 2nd Sunday, 9:00 am.  Next meeting September 9.

Monthly meetings at Café Beth Israel. Volunteers are encouraged to knit or crochet 8-inch squares using washable acrylic or cotton yarn and/or crochet or sew the squares together. Squares or finished blankets can also be left at the Beth Israel office. Donations of washable cotton yarn welcome. Contact Susan Volsky at susanvolsky@yahoo.com, or 858 259-1667.

G'mach/Jewish Gift Closet

G'mach is an acronym for "Gemilut Chasadim" or "Deeds of loving-kindness". San Diego's Jewish Gift Closet is a place where people in the community donate items they have no use for so that people who need them can receive them. San Diego opened its own G'mach in June 2009 which serves countless families and individuals in the community.  For a list of needed items, please go to The Jewish Gift Closet.  If you or someone you know needs help with household items, Judaica, clothing, baby stuff, or other items, go to the website or call 858 549-1877.

Help Keep a Senior Safe

Jewish Family Service offers a Fix-It service to any senior citizen with a caregiver in San Diego County. The Fix-It service repairs or installs safety devices in the home. The demand, however, is exceeding the financial resources. Please consider donating cash (online at Jewish Family Service and designate JFS Fix-It Service) or the following items:  carbon monoxide detectors, child-proof door knob covers (for Alzheimer/Dementia clients), door alarms, eco-friendly light bulbs, handheld showers, nightlights, suction cup tub mats.

Drop off locations: Beth Israel black bins at each entrance or JFS office. For more information contact JFS at 858-637-3354, fixit@jfssd.org, JFS Fix-It Service, or one of the "fix-it" helpers, Beth Israel member Glenn Farber, at glennfar@cox.net or 619-460-5384.

Adopt a U.S. Soldier

Your monetary donations help us send drinks, food, books, games, health and hygiene products, boot socks and other items to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each box costs about $32. Click here to donate online. Choose "Adopt a Soldier" as the designation, or you may write a check made out to "CBI" with "SAC/Adopt a Soldier" written in the memo and mail to: Congregation Beth Israel, 9001 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, CA 92122, Att: Bonnie Graff. Call us at 858 535-1111 to make donations by phone.

Our soldiers tell us in wonderful letters how much they appreciate our care packages. Click here to read some of them.

For more information contact Linda Valfer or Program Coordinator Bethany Ratner 858-535-1111, ext. 3124.

Promote Sustainability with Community Supported Agriculture

In an effort to strengthen sustainable/organic community agriculture and support local farmers, the Social Action Committee invites CBI members to join the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at the new UTC Farmers Market on the West Side of the UTC Mall, Thursdays from 3-7 p.m.

Go to BriansFarmersMarkets.com for details on what is included in your weekly box, and how to join the CSA, Make sure to choose the UTC location as your pick-up spot.

Donate Your Old Glasses!

Drop your old glasses off in the basket at CBI's front desk for New Eyes for the Needy, a non-profit that has provided eyeglasses for over seven million poor children and adults worldwide. Contact Program Coordinator Bethany Ratner 858-535-1111, ext. 3124 for more information.

Don't Trash Your Cell Phone - Recycle It!

Bring your old cell phones and accessories to CBI and drop them in the black bins near the guard stations. The cell phones will be refurbished and sold to developing countries. BITY will receive a portion of the sale price and the remaining net proceeds will be donated to gorilla conservation agencies. The refurbished phones will be used by low-income families instead of ending up in landfills.