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Acts of loving kindness to all who need help, whether Jew or Gentile, have been a central part of the mission of the Temple Beth-El family from its inception. In fact, even prior to the formation of Temple Beth-El, a Ladies’ Hebrew Benevolent Society was founded in San Antonio to “relieve families of Jewish faith in distress and to do such duties to dead females of the Jewish faith as are necessary.”
Temple Beth-El, from its beginning, has maintained a fund for charity. In its earliest days, it was called the Congregation Charity Fund Association and was later renamed the Montefiore Charity Association in honor of Moses Montefiore. Members of the Congregation have been active, individually, in a number of civic affairs over the years. They include one of the founders of the Tuesday Musical Club; founders, major benefactors and officers of the San Antonio Library Association; the long-time president and major benefactor of our San Antonio Rodeo Association and its Freeman Coliseum; a city councilman; and school board members. Temple Beth-El has always recognized its need to be a member of the wider community and to make possible Tikkun Olam, the healing of the world. This has been typified by the activities of our Rabbis. Rabbi Ephraim Frisch was a man known in our community as a voice of concern for the working people of San Antonio and was active in support of the labor movement. Rabbi Jacobson served as our Rabbi during a time of tumult in race relations and was a major factor in the peaceful desegregation of San Antonio. Rabbi Stahl has been a strong supporter of humanitarian activities in San Antonio and is recognized for his efforts in both race relations and interfaith activities.
Perhaps then the activities of our congregation in support of those in need during recent years is not surprising. Temple Beth-El began a Purim Hunger and Homeless Drive in 1981. In 1990 Temple Beth-El began itsYom Kippur Food Drive. Our Congregation provides thousands of pounds of food and clothing for the needy every year. We provide assistance at the SAMM shelter on a monthly basis and Temple members substitute for many of the workers on Christmas to allow others the time to be with their families. Our Brotherhood conducts blood drives twice a year, and several times a year we cook food at the Temple which is donated to the San Antonio Food Bank and to the Alamo Area Resource Center, as well as to other institutions in the community. In recent years, our Congregation has also taken a major role in Mazon, a national Jewish charitable organization for the hungry and the needy.
The Congregation was a sponsor for several years of Health-O-Rama, held at the San Antonio Convention Center, where medical counseling, testing and referral were provided free of charge to those in need in the community. Our Temple has followed this tradition through our annual Mitzvah Days. We are undertaking our fifth Mitzvah Day. Previous chairs were Idelle Abramson, Prissy Kaufman, Betty Vexler, Barbara Richmond, Richard and Sara Planto, Kenneth and Susan Gindy, and this year, in cooperation with the First Presbyterian Church, our chairmen will be Tory and Clay Richmond. More than 1,000 individuals assist annually on Mitzvah Day in over 50 projects, ranging from activities for the young to senior citizens, all handling worthy projects in our community.