Religious students will do good deeds on Mitzvah Day

More than 180 religious school students from Temple Bat Yahm will spend Sunday doing good deeds ranging from preparing bag lunches for the homeless to writing letters to U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

The event is part of Mitzvah Day at Temple Bat Yahm, which follows the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, which means to repair the world.

Local recipient agencies and organizations will include the low-income and homeless support agencies, SPIN, the Laguna Beach Friendship Shelter and the Orange County Interfaith Shelter.

A special presentation will be made to Akiva Holzer, director of public relations of the Bikur Cholim Hospital in Jerusalem, to benefit its primary hospital wing.

Following the morning religious school projects, Cantor Jonathan Grant and other Temple Bat Yahm participants will travel to the Jewish retirement home Heritage Pointe in Mission Viejo to lead a music program for the residents.

— Brianna Bailey