Wardrobe for Opportunity

During our week day sessions last week, I introduced the Edot students to the "8 rungs of giving Tz'daka" developed almost a thousand years ago by the great Jewish philosopher/rabbi/physician Moses Ben Maimon, a/k/a RAMBAM (the acronym developed from the first Hebrew letters of Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon). In the non-Jewish world, he is referred to as Maimonides.

The purpose of this lesson was to prepare the students for yesterday's Mitzvah Project. This year, each Religious School track has been assigned to help a specific organization toward fulfilling its mission. The organization to which our Edot class was assigned is "Wardrobe for Opportunity" (WFO).As you can see from its website, its mission is to help low-income people “Find a Job, Keep a Job, and Build a Career.” According to Rambam, this is the highest form of giving "tz'daka. Even before Wendy Dorband, a representative of WFO and a member of our Temple Isaiah community entered the classroom to share the mission of the organization, and to explain how to sort the clothing our Edot families donated, our Edot students understood that they were about to participate in the highest, most respected form of giving in Judaism. This certainly showed in the enthusiasm,energy, and serious thought they put into the process of sorting the clothing. Yasher Koach to our students, and Yasher Koach to Wardrobe for Opportunity for the amazing work they do in preparing individuals to stand up on their own again, providing them not only with interview and workplace-appropriate clothing, but with the dignity and self-confidence necessary to become contributing members to society.  Truly an act of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)!

Wendy sharing the mission of WFO with our Edot students. Bobbi and Elaine, WFO volunteers who came with Wendy to help us sort the clothing, are standing.

It's a well-made blouse, probably costing about $100.00. But it's a paisley pattern, not what's needed in the up-to-date workplace environment. This blouse will be donated to the gift shop of a local hospice.

Max modeling a donated coat - since it's a warm, winter coat, and WFO is looking for spring and summer clothing now, it will be donated to a local thrift store, from which proceeds WFO can purchase what is needed and not donated (new underwear, socks, etc.)

Clothing appropriate for WFO is hung on the rolling rack - lots of men's suits and dress slacks, as well as women's blouses, skirts, and suits

Deciding which clothing was appropriate and in good enough condition for WFO was not an easy task. A lot of discussion could be heard at each table, sharing the pluses and minuses of each piece of clothing.

Often, we had to defer to Elaine's, or Bobbi's, or Wendy's opinion as to whether the clothing would go to WFO, to the hospice gift shop, to the thrift store, or to Africa (those pieces of clothing which could not be re-sold).

Every scarf, tie, purse, pair of shoes, etc. had to undergo close inspection for any flaws, and even if it was in perfect condition, decisions had to be made for its seasonal appropriateness, workplace appropriateness, etc.

Once a bag was filled (white bags for the thrift store), there was time for a quick breather, then on to the next pieces of clothing waiting on the table to be sorted. 

Thank you to all our Edot families who took the time to pick out and bring clothing for our Mitzvah Project. Incidentally, the next highest form of giving tz'daka, according to Rambam, is when neither party knows who the other is - the donor doesn't know who is receiving the donation, and the recipient doesn't know who donated it. WFO helped us to achieve the two highest levels of tz'daka and, in the process, helped our Edot students learn how they, even at their young age, can help create a better world.