Our Brotherhood does a wide range of community service, mitzvah, fundraising, and social activities that keep our members highly involved with both the Temple and the rest of our community. Please take a look at some of these activities.
Current Programs
Blood Drive
A semi-annual blood drive to collect much needed blood for Carter Blood Care.
McShan Elementary School
Part of the Vickery Medow area of Dallas which over the years Temple Emanu-El has supported in many ways including growing food at the Temple Garden for the food pantry. Our most recent effort was to support a project initiated by Temple during TE150 celebrations. Temple has made efforts to improve the school’s garden and purchased a pergola as part of it. Temple Brotherhood was called on to build it. The pergola stands tall in garden and while it was being built other members of Brotherhood honed their weeding skills and helped out with gardening chores. In addition, brotherhood built a new gate that leads to the garden shoring up protection from wild animals.
Party Expo
Party Expo is the premier Jewish event expo in North Texas. This event brings vendors together in one place to assist families in planning weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, anniversaries, etc.
High Holiday Ushering
Brotherhood annually joins our clergy, staff, and other lay leaders in offering Temple members a warm welcome and new year greetings. We have volunteers stationed in and around Temple to assist congregants as they enter the building and make their way to their seats.Past Programs
Dallas Furniture Bank
Temple Brotherhood pitched in to build furniture to improve the lives of children and families in need in our community. The Dallas Furniture Bank was founded by a Temple member and through out efforts, we were able to help provide families and individuals experiencing furniture poverty with the necessary furniture to live physically and mentally healthy lives.
Mitzvah Cooking
Mitzvah Cooking began in 1989 out of an idea of a congregant. It grew over the years but on the first Sunday of each month a group of Brotherhood members gathered to cook over 2,500 meals for Bryan’s House, Jonathan’s Place and CHAI (Community Homes for Adults). During Covid the program stopped and has not been restarted.
Coats for Kids
Each Fall we coordinated with all of the temple and additional groups to collect coats, gloves, scarves, hats, etc. to be distributed to those in need. These coats were dry cleaned by a dry cleaner who donated their services and were delivered to various charities.
Shofar Factory
Each year just before the High Holy Days we dedicated one day to conduct a shofar factory where we provided the materials and instruction to all 5th Graders to make and learn to blow their own real shofar.
Community Breakfasts
Several times each year we sponsored a Sunday morning panel discussion on a topic of general community interest where we bring in authorities in the subject area. Brotherhood provided bagels, shmear, and lox for these events.
Kosher Chili Cook-Off
Temple Emanu-El Brotherhood sponsored a team utilizing a top-secret recipe. Cooking began very early in the morning.