Congrats to our June Volunteer Family of the Month: The Fettner family! We couldn't do what we do without the help of our incredible volunteers like you.

The Fettner’s have been volunteering with TOV for the past 3 years. They have been involved with TOV’s partnership program with PJ Library, Gathering for Good, and Good Deeds Day. We wanted to get to know the Fettner’s a little bit more, so they answered some of our questions below.

1.    How did you first get involved with TOV/JUF?

We first got involved with TOV/JUF in 2016 after joining the PJ Library Gathering for Good program. Gathering for Good is a monthly “Good Deed” Group that participates in volunteer projects such as Bernie’s Book Bank, visiting the elderly at Gidwitz, and making dog/cat toys for the animals of the Anti-Cruelty Society.

2. What makes it important for you to volunteer through TOV?

 Teaching our children, the concept of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and Tzedakah is of the utmost importance to us. TOV makes these teachings possible by providing wonderful family friendly volunteer opportunities. Thanks to TOV, we have met other like-minded Jewish families that want to “repair” the world as well.  

3.    Are there any fun facts about you that we might not know? Feel free to also share a story or experience that has inspired you.

One fun fact is that Michelle recently joined the JUF Young Women's Board. Another fun fact is that our favorite Mitzvah Project we participated in this year was Good Deeds Day. We love all the different organizations and hands on mitzvah project opportunities. One of the hands-on projects we did was to create blessing bags; it contained socks, hand wipes, some snacks, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. Last week while downtown our children gave the blessing bag to a homeless man. Being able to show our children why we created the blessing bag, and who it was for, was a great teaching opportunity. 

We are so lucky to have the Fettner’s as part of our TOV family! To learn more about JUF's important work in the community, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation in their honor, please visit our website. 

Congrats to our April Volunteer of the Month: Sam More! We couldn't do what we do without the help of our incredible volunteers like you.

Sam has been volunteering with TOV since 2017. Sam is a tremendously dedicated volunteer at the JUF Uptown Cafe. We wanted to get to know Sam a little bit more, so he answered some of our questions below.

1. How did you first get involved with TOV/JUF?
   
   I've been involved in JUF activities all my life with my family, but over the summer I was introduced to a JUF program called Camp TOV.  Camp TOV is a week-long camp where you and your friends and other people volunteer at different places for various causes. It was very fun and I enjoyed it a lot. One of my favorite places where we volunteered was the JUF Uptown Cafe. I have now been volunteering there regularly and am almost an all star!
   
   
2. What makes it important for you to volunteer through TOV?
   
   I volunteer because I really enjoy how people react to the good cause I am working for. It is important for me to help others and give them opportunities that they might not have. By doing this, I believe that I am making the world a little bit better every time.
   
   
3. Are there any fun facts about you that we might not know? Feel free to also share a story or experience that has inspired you.
   
   I am currently on a bowling team in a league and we are in third place. It is very fun and I enjoy it a lot. I am also doing a community service project for school that plants flowers for bees to pollinate to help save their species from becoming extinct. 

We are so lucky to have Sam as part of our TOV family! To learn more about JUF's important work in the community, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation in his honor, please visit our website. 

Congrats to our January volunteer of the Month: Joey Kesner! We couldn't do what we do without the help of our incredible volunteers like you.

Joey has been volunteering with TOV for the past 7 years. Joey often participates in our Mitzvah Mania program and volunteers at the JUF Uptown Cafe. We wanted to get to know Joey a little bit more, so he answered some of our questions below.

1. How did you first get involved with TOV/JUF?

I've donated to JUF and attended various functions (Vanguard dinners, YLD Big Event, Mensches in Motion) since graduating college in 2005. I'm not exactly sure when I first heard about TOV, but it's been quite a while. I really enjoy Mitzvah Mania and the many opportunities it provides to volunteer in my community.  

2.     What makes it important for you to volunteer through TOV?  Feel free to also share a story or experience that has inspired you.

I think it's important to volunteer in general, but especially as Jews. It is not only our obligation to help people, but to teach kindness and empathy to our children. TOV has a number of family-friendly options that are both quality time spent with my kids and a way to teach them by example. This is something my parents did with me and something I appreciate more every day.

For a few summers, I volunteered to assist with Keshet's Buddy Baseball program. The kids that came out to the ballpark are some of the most incredible people I've ever met. I loved how some kids flipped their bat and did a home-run trot with all the pomp and circumstance of a Major Leaguer. My favorite part each week was when the kids would sing the National Anthem before the game, in front of all the players and fans, and think nothing of it. Just kids doing typical kid things. Made the trip from Downtown to Buffalo Grove seem less like a schlep and more like an outing.

3. Are there any fun facts about you that we might not know?

 A previous employer would give everyone one paid day off per year to volunteer. I suggested to my manager that we should have a Volunteer Day for our team to take advantage of this generous policy, and wouldn't you guess who he put in charge? I think all my experience with TOV over the years paid off and we had 3 successful team Volunteer Days.

We are so lucky to have Joey as part of our TOV family! To learn more about JUF's important work in the community, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation in his honor, please visit our website. 

Congrats to our December Volunteers of the Month: Larry and Tem Williams! We couldn't do what we do without the help of our incredible volunteers like you.

Larry and Tem have been volunteering with TOV for the past 8 years. They have helped cook food at our annual MLK Day breakfast at the Stone Temple Baptist Church for the last 3 years. We wanted to get to know Larry and Tem a little bit more, so they answered some of our questions below.

1. How did you first get involved with TOV/JUF?

 Volunteering has always been an important part of our lives. We have worked overseas as Peace Corps Volunteers in Kingston, Jamaica, as volunteers for American Jewish World Service in Cambodia, and as volunteers for JNF in Israel. We also currently volunteer for various Chicago area homeless services and at the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

2. What makes it important for you to volunteer through TOV?

We became involved with TOV and its various projects because we like the way it projects care and concern throughout the community for all ages and cultures. We like representing the Jewish community and TOV’s spirit of ‘Tzedakah’ on its many levels for people of many backgrounds.

3. Are there any fun facts about you that we might not know? Feel free to also share a story or experience that has inspired you. 

Some of our favorite TOV experiences have become a January tradition for us, like preparing mounds of turkey bacon for the MLK day celebration at the Stone Baptist Church. We pretty much feel like we have perfected this task. Over the years it has been a real joy to see friends we have made at the church and join them in getting ready for their well-attended brunch.

Serving guests at Uptown Café, gardening at nursing homes and participating in Shabbat, as well as purchasing winter jackets for children add variety to our community activities and  help bridge the Jewish connection to others. TOV is amazing in that it gives us an avenue to be part of so many experiences with people we have come to call our friends.

Whether we are delivering food for Maot Chitim, teaching English and giving business support on behalf of AJWS in Cambodia, working with Ethiopian children in Israel or frying turkey bacon for MLK Day at Stone Baptist church we truly enjoy representing our Chicago Jewish Community. 

We are so lucky to have Larry and Tem as part of our TOV family! To learn more about JUF's important work in the community, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation in their honor, please visit our website. 

Congrats to our Volunteer of the Month: Tony Shir! We couldn't do what we do without the help of our incredible volunteers like you.

Tony has been volunteering with TOV for the past 4 years. Tony is one of our site leaders for Feed Chicago this year. We wanted to get to know Tony a little bit more, so he answered some of our questions below. 

1. How did you first get involved with TOV/JUF?

The federation sent out emails inviting people to get involved and to volunteer their time. This is just my way of giving back.  

2. What makes it important for you to volunteer through TOV?

When I emigrated to US The ARK, HIAS, JVS and several other organizations assisted us in getting us on our feet. 

3. Are there any fun facts about you that we might not know? Feel free to also share a story or experience that has inspired you.

Shortly after my family emigrated to Chicago my father need to take the drivers test but he had no car. You can't purchase or lease a car without a drivers license and you can't take the drivers license test without a car. It's the classic chicken or the egg problem. The family that had sponsored us to come to the United States let my father borrow the car on the parking lot of the DMV, allowing him to take the drivers test so that ultimately he could start working as an electrician.  It was at that point that I realized the importance of community and how a small mitzvah can go a long way. 

We are so lucky to have Tony as part of our TOV family! To learn more about JUF's important work in the community, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation in Tony's honor, please visit our website. 

Congrats to our Volunteer of the Month: Molly Dubow! We couldn't do what we do without the help of our incredible volunteers like you.

Molly has been volunteering with TOV for the past year. Molly has participated in Mensches in Motion and Feed Chicago in the last year. We wanted to get to know Molly a little bit more, so she answered some of our questions below. 

1. How did you first get involved with TOV/JUF?

I got involved with JUF immediately after moving to Chicago because I knew that being part of the Jewish community would be a great way to make my move less terrifying. I really enjoyed all of the JUF and YLD programming I took part in which led me to TOV!

2. What makes it important for you to volunteer through TOV?

It is important for me to volunteer through TOV because, as a nonprofit professional, I really understand and feel the positive impact volunteers have on our organization and I want to be able to give my time to other organizations as well! I also enjoy volunteering at organizations that do different work than the one I work for does. For example, I majored in public health and nutrition in college so I love volunteering with Feed Chicago and the JUF Uptown Cafe.

3. Are there any fun facts about you that we might not know? Feel free to also share a story or experience that has inspired you.

One fun fact is that I actually found my job through TOV! I participated in Mensches in Motion in fall of 2017 and we volunteered at an awesome organization called Cradles to Crayons. I fell in love with it and about a month later they posted a job opening and I am now a full time staff member! I never would have found it without Mensches in Motion and TOV. 

Congrats to our August Volunteer of the Month: Dan Karp! We couldn't do what we do without the help of our incredible volunteers like you.

Dan has been volunteering with TOV for the past 3 years. Dan started out as a substitute volunteer for TOV Reads and became one of our most dedicated weekly volunteers. We wanted to get to know Dan a little bit more, so he answered some of our questions below. 

1. How did you first get involved with TOV/JUF? 

Through the JUF Uptown Cafe, and enjoyed it so I reached out to TOV to see what else was offered and I came upon WITS which I am all in on, great program.

2.  What makes it important for you to volunteer through TOV?

To have the opportunity to give back and at the same time to show my children and grand children that there is more to life.

3. What's an experience that has inspired you?

When I get to school for WITS, Omar, my third grade buddy, always is first in and has the greatest smile. It just reinforces why this program works as it is beneficial to both of us in so many ways. 

We are so lucky to have Dan as part of our TOV family! To learn more about JUF's important work in the community, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation in Dan's honor, please visit our website.