An Afternoon of Mitzvah-Making at Beth Tfiloh

February 15, 2017 Staff Report

February 12, 2017: Arts and crafts on display made by local children. Local children of all ages and their families create arts and crafts to help bring cheer to both people and animals in Baltimore. Photo by: Daniel Kucin Jr./JMORE

Abe Lincoln once said, “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”

Last Sunday afternoon, Feb. 12, on what would’ve been the 208th birthday of the 16th U.S. president, approximately 100 volunteers — from 25 families — gathered in the Crane Multipurpose Room at Pikesville’s Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community High School to put their feet in the right place and create and package mitzvah crafts for both people and members of the animal kingdom.

It was all part of the “BT Cares Mitzvah Crafts Event,” organized by the BT Cares Social Action group.

And Honest Abe would’ve been mighty proud.

The mitzvah activities included creating special baskets for neonatal intensive care unit families at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore (with items required for overnight stays); making greeting cards brimming with warm wishes for senior clients affiliated with the Govans Ecumenical Development Corp.; assembling hot chocolate kits and tissue-paper flowers for clients of the Paul’s Place soup kitchen and after school program in South Baltimore; making and decorating door hangers and plants that don’t require much water for senior residents of Weinberg Park Assisted Living in Northwest Baltimore; and creating pet toys for felines and canines waiting for “furever homes” at the Baltimore Humane Society in Reisterstown.

The items were scheduled to be delivered during business hours later this week.

Participants of the two-hour event were also encouraged to bring home-baked or store-bought desserts to donate to children at Paul’s Place.

Photos by Daniel Kucin Jr.

Top Photo: Decorative door hangers for Weinberg Park residents

Above Photo: Ido Lavie, 14, decorates a plant.

Middle: (left to right) Daria Katz, 9, and Nitzan Lavie, 12, work on greeting cards.

Bottom Photo: Families work furiously on mitzvah craft projects