Thousands of Jews throughout the country will devote a significant amount of their Christmas break to helping out at care homes, homeless shelters and other welfare projects. In many instances, their support will enable non-Jewish staff to take time off.
In addition to communal welfare charities' regular unpaid helpers, Tikun is expecting at least 650 people to join its Light Up A Life volunteering programme, which started on Wednesday and runs into the New Year. The Jewish Volunteering Network anticipates placing hundreds of people with charities.
"Last year, we had 300 people helping out across a range of activities and this year we think there will be more," said JVN director Leonie Lewis. "They are going to be helping with anything from wrapping presents for families in need to helping out with elderly people at hospices. We even have opportunities for people on holiday in Israel to go and help at a food bank."
"Even though Christmas Day is a Friday, it won't stop people helping out in the morning [before Shabbat] and we have more than 300 volunteers signed up to work on the days around Christmas, too." A special newsletter had been sent out highlighting volunteering options over Christmas and New Year with an emphasis on interfaith opportunities.
"We wanted to open up volunteering opportunities to every faith possible so we are working with Tikun to send people to a Sikh charity, as well as an Afghan charity whose staff are going to be away over the festive season. The idea is that Jewish volunteers help keep them ticking over because their service users are still going to be in need."
At Afghan community organisation Paiwand, Tyler Fox said help from Jewish volunteers was "integral to strengthening community ties and keeping the charity going. We provide advice and support to refugees and help them with health issues, social services, education, counselling and welfare support.
"Over a third of our staff are Christian and will be off during the period. Without the Jewish volunteers, we'd grind to a halt."
Mill Hill Synagogue member Sharon Eskenazy, 51, is among those involved in Light Up A Life and will be cooking food for a homeless shelter. "I enjoy giving back to the community," she said. "It's always so lovely to do something worthwhile for others.
"Last Christmas Day, we volunteered to pack boxes for Gift and I have been volunteering with JVN for the past three or four years."
South Hampstead Synagogue congregant Sue Shefras is volunteering for homeless charity Crisis over the holiday period. "I might be serving breakfast or lunch to the guests and clearing up afterwards, or just chatting to a guest over a coffee. It is hugely rewarding.
"Truthfully, faiths should come together all through the year. Christmas just happens to be the traditional and historic time it's happened. It's a time for sharing, reflection and generosity."
For Liberal Judaism chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich, Christmas Day volunteering is not a new tradition as he has filled in as the Mayor of Kingston's driver for the past 15 years.
It started when he asked the mayoral driver what he did for Christmas "and he told me he couldn't do anything because he had to work. I said: 'Well I can do it.'
"It is great. I take the mayor to the police station and we also visit Kingston Hospital accident and emergency department. I don't celebrate Christmas so why not help someone who does?"
Tikun has this year tried to open up volunteering opportunities to people of other faiths who do not celebrate Christmas with a view to "build stronger relationships".
Muslim volunteer Sarah Bellagha, 31, will be supporting Light Up A Life by researching fundraising opportunities for a charity. She had been "seduced by the concept of inter-community volunteering. I think it is even more important to help around the holiday season as this is the time of the year when ill people feel the loneliest."
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