Hunger Walk | Operation Isaiah | Pilgrimage Festivals | Next BLOOD DRIVE

The Social Action Committee participates in a variety of social action programs throughout the year and our programs currently serve as many as 40,000 people.

The AA Mitzvah Team

Do you have a few hours to do one mitzvah?
We would like to invite all AA members to our new AA Mitzvah Team. We will call on you occasionally to ask if you have a small amount of time to do one mitzvah as part of our social action programs. This might mean donating some food, toiletries or clothing, serving food one night at a shelter, joining or contributing to our AA Hunger Walk teams or spending a few hours with Habitat and other social action programs. Please look for our red AA Mitzvah Team card in AA's lobby to sign-up. With our AA Mitzvah Team, we will be able to reach out to the community even more and really make a difference. We will demonstrate the commitment AA has to our community. If you have any questions about this program, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 678.585.9010. 

JF&CS and AA Food of the Month | We are partnering up to help fill the kosher pantry for Atlanta Jewish families in need. The program runs from June 2011 to May 2012. Please click the cans to download or take a look at our "food of the month" listings through May and bring your contributions to the Synagogue.
Collections for February: Canned beans, canned veggies.

Social Action Committee Programs: An Overview

Share our Shabbat – Food for those in Need

Each Saturday, following our Shabbat services, a team coordinated by Alan Wexler and Dr. Nancy Canter Weiner take our left over Shabbat food to the Task Force for the Homeless in downtown Atlanta.  This shelter serves approximately 50 people each night.  Our left over Shabbat food plays an important part in their serving their residents. This is an important Mitzvah for AA.  If you would like to participate, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Chairperson of the Social Action Committee, | 404.872.8880. This is a wonderful family activity.

Pilgrimage Festival Social Action Initiatives

During the pilgrimage festivals, we collect items needed in our community.  Alice Taratoot has taken the lead in these programs. For information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 404.355.5222 Ext. 226.

Passover: ShAAring Basics for the Journey | 2011, in April, we collected supplies for The Ronald McDonald House. UPDATE: Todah Rabah AA!!! The collected items from the Ronald McDonald wish list have been delivered to the Ronald McDonald House in Atlanta. They were delighted to receive the items (a full SUV load) and the House Manager was very grateful and said that the items would be put to immediate use (including 12 brand new pillows which were among other household and non-perishable food items)!

Shavout: Providing the BAAsics for Learning | May 12-June 10 2011 we collectedsupplies and other items for this year's list.  With this effort, AA members helped kids in need to get ready for the fall school year.

Sukkot: ShAAring our AAbundance | We collect clothing, jackets and toiletries. In 2010, these items served 5,500 people.

Shelter Programs and AA – Serving the Community

AA serves two shelters in Atlanta from November through April. The Zaban Couples Shelter serves 44 residents and the Shearith Israel Shelter serves 13 women each night. AA is in charge of the food on the 8th and 9th of each month at the Zaban Shelter and for a total of 21 days at the Shearith Israel Women’s Shelter. The food for Shearith Israel is kosher. This is an important mitzvah, especially during these cold months. These shelters also welcome volunteers to spend the night. We welcome your donations to the AA Social Action Fund which allow us to purchase the food we serve at these two shelters. Naomi Gold coordinates both of these programs.

AA depends on your generosity to continue the mitzvah of providing to people in need. Please phone This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 404.355.5956, today, and let her know you will be a part of the team.

Georgia Radio Reading Service (GARRS)

Volunteers work onsite at GARRS, a broadcast service for the vision impaired. These volunteers record books, magazines, etc., for broadcast. If you are interested or want more information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 404.812.1734.

Hunger Walk  – Feeding the Homeless and Those in Need

2012 Participation: To join AA's Team click the HWR2012 Logo >>>>>
or contact: Sally Kaplan, AA Hunger Walk Chairperson @770.952.8752, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Chairperson, Social Action Committee, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Contributions: Tribute donations are accepted throughout the year online and via snail mail to Sally Kaplan (4507 Chattahoochee Way, Marietta GA 30067); make your check payable to Hunger Walk; for information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 404.325.4201. Meet us at Turner Field March 11, 2012!

Habitat for Humanity – Providing Shelter for Families

Habitat Build | Alan Wexler and I on behalf of the Ahavath Achim Synagogue and the Community Action Committee want to express our sincere thanks to each of you for volunteering for our 2011 build Sunday, October 16, @ 2371 Arno Court. Giving your time and putting forth a worthwhile effort is most appreciated. We had over 45 "builders" on site, each of whom played a vital part in doing so many great tasks. AA Synagogue is extremely proud that you personally represented our congregation so well. An additional thanks to Manny & Joe of the Bagel Palace of Toco Hills for their sponsorship and those friends of the Ahavath Achim and the B’nai Torah team who joined us in this event. To those that shared emails for registration and those that brought unregistered friends, thank you and please pass on our thanks to those that joined you. Please follow us on Facebook to see this year's team photos!  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 404.702.3469 |  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Operation Isaiah – Sharing food

This year's food drive beings September 14 and runs through October 24. Please bring HEAVY CANS of food and drop in the food barrels at the Synagogue. Our goal is 5772 pounds in honor of the New Year. The AA Operation Isaiah food drive was named one of the Top 25 Food Drives in Atlanta last year by the Atlanta Community Food Banks. Let's do it again! For questions, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In 2010, AA members collected 7,212 pounds of food which served 5,548 meals to needy individuals in our community. Ahavath Achim Synagogue was recognized by the Atlanta Food Bank as one of the area's top 25 food drive participants in 2010.  Read more here. Dr. Nancy Canter Weiner (pictured)  chairs our very successful food drive during the High Holy Days. For information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Caregiver Programs 

There are two programs offered under Caregiver. The Social Action Committee promotes these programs.

CARE Atlanta | This program serves Jewish adults and families who are active caregivers for their loved ones. If you have a few hours to help, please call  CARE Atlanta at 770.677.9432.
Lifespan Resources | This agency handles transportation for medical appointments. To help, please call 404.237.7307.

Save Darfur Coalition

The Social Action Committee has increased awareness of this important issue and has asked members to write their representatives to end the violence with has claimed so many lives in this African nation. For more information, visit SaveDarfur.org or call 800.917.2034.