Performing Mitzvot

Mitzvot [meets-VOTE] = commandments, generally defined as "good deeds;" the plural of mitzvah [MITS-vuh]. We are commanded to help others and to engage in service work, therefore performing good deeds is honoring the commandments ... and in Judaism there are 613 of 'em. (FYI: A boy who becomes a Bar Mitzvah or a girl who becomes a Bat [baht] Mitzvah, therefore, is someone who has reached the age -- 13 -- at which one is bound by the commandments.)




I had started this post with the intention of publicizing a very quick and easy way to help fight hunger. MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger is one of my very favorite charities; it is "a national nonprofit organization that allocates donations from the Jewish community to prevent and alleviate hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds."

And you -- yes, you! -- can have $1 donated to this good cause simply by going to joyofkosher, becoming a member, and signing up to receive its free weekly e-letter. That's it! Get information and recipes and all sorts of other goodies while also helping to feed the hungry. You can sit in your jammies giving yourself a facial (one more way to use up all those cucumbers my garden is spitting out???) and read about food, while knowing that you're helping to provide sustenance to those who might not get sufficient quantities to eat otherwise.

And then, as I trolled through my favorite blogs, I read about another great cause via All Home Cooking. All Year Long. Michelle -- one of my favorites, whose posts I always read -- had suggested that folks check out A Foodie Fairytale ... well, I took her recommendation and followed the link -- I respect her opinion!

And there, I found that Amy is sending out a "call for recipes" to put together a cookbook to benefit the March of Dimes. Both of her children were born prematurely and received state-of-the-art healthcare; Amy is clearly and understandably devoted to the charity that helped to save her babies' lives.

So here's what she's seeking:

We are needing a total of 200-300 recipes in the following categories:

Appetizers & Beverages
Soups & Salads
Vegetables & Side Dishes
Main Dishes
Breads & Rolls
Desserts
Cookies & Candy
Miscellaneous (This & That)

Recipes should be submitted by email to foodiefairytale(at)gmail(dot)com. Then leave a comment under the post I linked to above, telling Amy that you've sent something ... that way, you'll get entered into a giveaway for kitchen goodies featuring some homemade treats. The deadline for entering the contest is July 31, so hurry up! Check out Amy's post for more details ....

So, there you have it: I may not have killed two birds with one proverbial stone -- which I wouldn't be cruel enough to do anyway! -- but I have promoted two mitzvot in one blog post ... :)