Kindness campaign kicks off in Lawrence

With Elul ushering in the High Holidays, a group of local women are seeking to “tip the scales in our favor,” with a campaign of kindness, with a kick-off event on Tuesday at Lawrence Middle School. Guided by Rabbi Dovid Weinberger of Lawrence, the event includes a website, literature, and lectures.

“It was started by a group of local women in response to tragic events by generating acts of chesed in the neighborhood,” Rabbi Weinberger said. “Our hope is that more than talk, there will be action.”

Looking to scripture for inspiration, the organizers cite tractate Kiddushin 40a. “The response to evil is to put good into the world” The program promotes good will, love, friendship and unity amongst individuals through acts of kindness, organizing the mitzvah through six different goals focusing on various aspects of human relationships, with one goal for each week from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Yom Kippur.

The idea for this program developed at the monthly challah shiur led by Rabbi Weinberger at Congregation Shaaray Tefillah. The name of the initiative, ‘A.O.K. Acts of Kindness,” is credited to his rebbetzin.

The kick-off event hosted noted speakers Rabbi Paysach Krohn and Woodmere resident Charlie Harary. Both speakers are renowned for their storytelling abilities, with numerous examples of inspiration provided at the event. “It really is a frightening time we’re going through,” Rabbi Krohn said. “We have to ask ourselves, what is it that Hashem wants from us? Hashem wants chesed.”

This week’s goal is to “smile until it hurts,” with participants encouraged to smile more at family, friends, and strangers. Goals for future weeks are just as practical to implement, and were chosen to help people stretch themselves to become kinder and more caring people. The reference to G-d as the ultimate giver was intended to inspire people to act likewise, Rabbi Krohn said, truly making the Jews a “light to the nations,” making it possible to bring Moshiach in our time.

Rabbi Krohn explained that when Moshe Rabbeinu saw the burning bush, the pasuk tells us that he “turned and saw it.” The word “turned” seems superfluous, but it teaches us that Moshe had a personality where he turned to look at the suffering of his nation. It was because of this compassion that he was ultimately chosen to lead the Jewish people.

Harary spoke about the spiritual power of the month of Elul, explaining that the month fully spelled out as “Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li” [I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me], we can learn that Elul is a month that is all about love and relationships. For more information on AOK, visit arewedoingaok.com.

“We are commanded to love another as ourselves,” said Harary. He said that love is not merely an emotion, but something that is brought about through action. By giving to others, we strengthen our relationships.

“This month is about giving,” he said. “If you give, what you get back is a million times more.”

For more information on 40 Days of Kindness and AOK, visit AreWeDoingAOK.com