Sarah Siedel Sisterhood

Founded in 1918 as the Bordentown Hebrew Women’s Association, the Sisterhood adopted its present name in 1942 to honor the memory of Sarah Siedel, a founding member who had given unstintingly of her time and effort to the organization.

Our Sisterhood offers ongoing informative and entertaining social programs. It provides a forum for the women of our community to join together in a relaxed, supportive, and informal atmosphere. The Sisterhood is involved in many activities for the temple, such as organizing the Oneg Shabbat program, fundraising, organizing an annual blood drive, assisting families sitting shiva, and providing support for bar/bat mitzvah families. Meeting dates are posted in our newsletter.

Please contact our Sisterhood President at sisterhood@bnai-abraham.org

Tikkun Olam (Healing the World)

Our community has a long history of engaging in a number of community service projects. We have initiated some on our own, and others are cooperative endeavors with other agencies and places of worship in the area. Most of our efforts center on feeding the hungry. In conjunction with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, the local food pantry and a coordinated interfaith group we participate in on-going efforts to collect, prepare, deliver and serve food in needy communities. We make an effort to involve all members of the congregation in these service projects, from the youngest Hebrew School students to our adult members. Our most successful projects in recent years include:

• Grocery bags - This is an interfaith project we participate in with a number of churches in the area serving those living in welfare motels in the area. Once a month, we give 20 bags of assorted non-perishable food items to these transitional residents. Each house of worship provides 20 of one item (peanut butter, cereal, crackers, etc.), which are sorted into bags and delivered. TBA provides the granola bars and our Hebrew School students and teen teachers have helped with making up the bags and delivery.

• Food Pantry- We regularly collect and deliver non-perishable items to the local food pantry at St. Mary’s Catholic church in Bordentown. One of our members also volunteers there regularly.

• Meal delivery - Another interfaith effort, this time with the Crosswicks Methodist Church, the Unitarian Church, and HomeFront; the church prepares and packages meals once a month for residents of area motels, and TBA members and Hebrew School Students deliver them.

• Trenton Area Soup Kitchen - Our students and teens also participate throughout the year in collecting hygiene items, making bag lunches and serving food at TASK.

• Programs for the elderly- The Hebrew School students have prepared a number of creative programs for the elderly residents at The Clare Estate in Bordentown. Hanukah songs, Passover prayers, interactive craft projects and hand-made gifts have enlivened the residents’ holiday season and especially boosted morale for the Jewish residents.

Proceeds from the annual student organized Purim Carnival fund these efforts, along with generous donations from our members.