When it comes to social action, it really is all about walking the talk. And that is precisely what we did as a community for Mandela Day.
On Sunday 23 July, Temple Israel joined forces with Kerry Hoffman’s Souper Troopers for a very special Mandela Day celebration. The day began with our community gathering to make over 1000 sandwiches and 75l of soup, which we then delivered to the ‘Carpenter’s Shop’ in Roeland Street (a place that serves homeless and vulnerable people and has a vision of ‘Dignity and Opportunities for Change’).
We then joined a beautiful celebration of human dignity, held for more than 300 homeless individuals. There is something deeply meaningful and transformative about creating a space where those marginalised in our society get to take centre stage — even if just for a short time. There were free haircuts for those who wanted, sleeping bags being handed out for those who needed, a games station for fun, face painting for the kids, music for the vibe and of course… food, lots of food!
Overall, the day was a magnificent success. And as grateful as were the many homeless people who turned up for the celebration, perhaps we were even more grateful — grateful for being able to do something real to make some difference in people’s lives, no matter how small.
