Visiting the Sick and Supporting their Caregivers

Mission Statement of Valley Outreach Synagogue’s Bikkur Cholim program:

• To perform the Mitzvah of Bikkur Cholim (Visiting the sick)
• To comfort and support the infirmed by hospital visits, home visits and  other means which are in accordance with Jewish laws and values
• To comfort and support those who are intimately involved with the infirmed

Current Areas of Concern:

• Any ill Temple member who is in need of comfort and support

Current Action Items:

• Notify Temple office if you have knowledge of any temple member who is ill and in need of hospital or home visits. (818) 348-4867 or e-mail info@vosla.org.

Bikkur Cholim Committee Information
For more information on how to become involved, please contact the Temple office (818) 348-4867.

Valley Outreach Synagogue is a member of Jewish World Watch (JWW), a coalition of 50 some Los Angeles area synagogues working together to mobilize their communities to combat genocide and other egregious violations of human rights around the world. JWW membership is an outreach of the Mitzvah Committee of VOS, and 'Jewish World Watch News' is published monthly in the synagogue's Outreach Newsletter to keep the congregation up-to-date on JWW’s world of concerns (See Programs/Mitzvah). We're organizing a VOS JWW Mitzvah Committee; interested in JWW or our committee? Contact Tom Rogers, VOS representative to JWW; for more information at (805) 459-3377 or SeeTR@AOL.COM. JWW programs educate and activate constituents and the community, and develop resources to assist victims and survivors of acts of inhumanity around the globe.

Jewish World Watch grew from sermon of Rabbi Harold Schulweis of Valley Beth Shalom for Rosh Hashanah in 2004; Rabbi Schulweis remains close and active and continues to encourage and inspire JWW and its development

The JWW website – www.JewishWorldWatch.ORG – helps people Educate themselves and others about Darfur in the Sudan and other human rights trouble spots in the world, Advocate for the people of Darfur and other world crises spots, and Donate to aid the people of Darfur and help other people in need.

Nancy Kupersmid (nancytylimpsyd@yahoo.com)
Jewish World Watch Rep.
805-459-3377

One of the most important issues World Jewry faces today is the rapid rise of anti-Semitism the world over and the concomitant need to support Israel as it faces critical threats from its neighbors... especially Iran. Our continued and dedicated support of Israel is necessary in order to assure our own survival.

All funds donated for "Aid to Israel" through Valley Outreach Synagogue will be slated to improve the infrastructure of the Magen David Adom Emergency Facilities, including the Communications and Ambulance Dispatching Services, its Blood Services Program, upgrading emergency Training Protocols and the maintenance of uninterrupted peacetime services for the injured and sick.

Please make your generous donations to Valley Outreach Synagogue with “Aid to Israel” on the Memo line. As usual, we will forward all funds to Israel through the American Friends of Magen David Adom with instructions as to the application of these monies to the above programs.

Kindly send your checks to the undersigned and we will acknowledge your donations for tax purposes.
RICHARD (“RICK”) RICE
Chairman, Aid to Israel Committee

Many children in our LA school system are having a difficult time with reading and comprehension. Our purpose is to work with these children, and their teachers, to improve their reading skills.

One hour per week is all that's needed to work with a child at a school near your home. Training sessions, sponsored by the Jewish Federation, will be starting in September.

Please contact Bob Resnick @ (818) 885-1778 to begin this wonderful journey.

Operation Interdependence (OI®) is a national non-profit organization that provides a means for the public to support and service troops deployed overseas, their families, military personnel at home and our veterans, without impacting resources.

The cornerstones of the OI Civilian-to-Military Delivery System are the Civilian Rations® (dubbed C-rats ®). C-rats are individual quart-sized baggies that contain, most importantly, a personal note from a caring civilian at home and some of the everyday items they miss. O.I.'s goal is to provide every service man or woman, in each platoon or fighting unit with these C-rats from home, every month, during their entire deployment.

Valley Outreach Synagogue has support the efforts of O.I. since 2004. In 2006 our VOS volunteers raised funds and donated and packed enough C-Rats to ship more than 190 boxes which reached more than 9,500 deployed troops. In 2008, VOS Volunteers, the main work force for OI Los Angeles; inspected and shipped 920 cartons, reaching 46,000 individual deployed Service Members in all branches of the armed services.

For more information, visit out website at www.oidelivers.org  or Sheri Albala at salbala@oidelivers.org.