Mitzvah Man speaks here Oct. 17-19

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2008-10-01T00:00:00

Danny Siegel, The Mitzvah Man, will be in Portland for a Shabbaton Oct. 17-19 as part of the Rabbi Geller (z”l) Lecture Series at Congregation Shaarie Torah.

Referred to as “The World’s Greatest Expert on Micro-philanthropy” and “The Pied Piper of Tzedakah,” Siegel will deliver a series of lectures during the weekend, which culminates with a mitzvah day for those of all ages to put concepts into action.

“Bringing the Mitzvah Man to town crosses over all theological and congregational boundaries,” said Shaarie Torah Education Director Dorice Horenstein. “Our doors are opne to anyone who feels like doing a mitzvah.”

An author, lecturer and poet, Siegel has written books about mitzvah heroes–people who have made a difference in the world. Siegel has a master’s degree in Hebrew literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

Siegel founded the Ziv Tzedakah Fund in 1981 after making several trips to Israel. Since Jewish tradition teaches that anyone on a Mitzvah mission will be saved from harm, on each trip he asked friends and relatives for a dollar or two to give away to Tzedakah upon his arrival in the Holy Land. Once in Israel, Siegel went in search of “the good people,” ordinary Israelis who were working tirelessly and simply trying to make the world a better place.

On Friday, Oct. 17, the 6:30 p.m. service will be followed by Shabbat dinner and a talk by Siegel entitled “What do Bruce Springsteen, Steven Spielberg, Paul Newman, David Copperfield, Ben and Jerry, and Liz Taylor Know About Mitzvahs That We Don’t Know?”

From 10:30 to noon, Oct. 18, Siegel will discuss “Kid Mitzvah Power: Amazing Tikkun Olam Done By Our Young, Medium-Young and Very Young Kinderlach.” During lunch, he will speak about “Jewish Values for Ourselves, Our Families and Our Community.”

A mitzvah video extravaganza, with free popcorn, begins at 7:30 that evening. The program will feature videos and discussions about mitzvah heroes and what we have in common with them.

On Sunday, attention turns from learning to action.

Anyone interested in dong a mitzvah is invited to gather at 9:30 a.m. at Shaarie Torah for an energized talk: “Judaism with Emotion. Yiddishkeit from the Gut!”

At 10 a.m., participants will choose one of seven mitzvoth before returning to the synagogue for lunch at 12:30. All participants will receive a mitzvah certificate.
Mitzvah Options :

•Rose Schnitzer Manor—Play Mah Jongg; play poker; provide a manicure for a resident (bring hand cream, nail polish remover and nail polish only); pull ivy (no tools necessary); or young children can help beautify the trail.
•Oregon Holocaust Memorial—Garden help: bring gloves, kneeling pads and personal weeding tools.
•Sunshine Pantry—sort, stock and clean shelves.
•Forward Stride, Therapeutic Horse Riding Stables in Beaverton—Clean stalls.
•Collect food cans in the neighborhood for the Oregon Food Bank.
•Write letters to children in Sderot, which is frequently hit by rockets launched from Gaza, or write letters to Neve Michael, children’s youth village for youth in Israel.

Cost for the Friday Night Shabbat Dinner for nonmembers/members is adults $20/$17 and child $10/$7. Sunday lunch is $15 per family.

After lunch, all Jewish teachers and lay leaders are invited to join Siegel for a training session beginning at 1:30 p.m.

For reservations and more information, call Shaarie Torah at 503-226-6131.