Jewish Care members, residents, staff and volunteers came together across the organisation’s services to mark Mitzvah Day, with many taking part in meaningful activities and events throughout the week leading up to the day itself.
This year, Mitzvah Day centred on The Big Soup Serve, marking 20 years of Mitzvah Day. The idea is simple but powerful: by preparing soup, donating ingredients, and ideally sharing a nourishing cup together, communities can meet real needs while also building warmth and lasting human connections. Many Jewish Care services wove this theme into their plans.
Students from Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School paid a special visit to residents at Jewish Care’s Vi & John Rubens House care home.
Teacher Deborah Harris described the impact of the intergenerational visit: “Mitzvah Day gives the children a chance to connect with older generations, creating experiences that both pupils and residents value deeply.”
Jewish Care resident Wallace Leventhal agreed: “It is so nice to interact with young people and see their amazing smiles!”
The children were equally enthusiastic, Isabella said, “It was an amazing experience… finding out fascinating facts about them,” while Millie shared, “I feel like I made their day. Visiting the home made me feel very proud.”
YJJC (Young Jami Jewish Care) volunteers together with residents and relatives from two care homes: Sidney Corob House care home, which supports people living with mental health needs, and Otto Schiff care home, which supports people living with dementia, united for an afternoon at Jewish Care’s Michael Sobell Jewish Community Centre enjoying a meaningful and uplifting day. The event was part of YJJC’s ongoing Super Sundays, which offers supporters regular opportunities to volunteer across Jewish Care services and strengthen connections with residents.
Young professionals volunteered alongside residents and relatives to prepare and decorate soup-package donations for a local food bank, with residents adding their own handwritten positive messages.
Susan, daughter of 102-year-old Dorothea, resident at Otto Schiff care home for people living with dementia, shared, “I think YJJC are doing excellent work and it’s so nice for them to have involved family members. Seeing the younger generation interacting with the older generation is amazing, and I’ve enjoyed myself a lot.”
Joss, member of YJJC, added, “What a lovely opportunity it has been to do something together with Jewish Care residents, especially for Mitzvah Day. Being able to bring joy to other people with our soup packages as well as having a lovely time chatting over tea.”
Doreen, resident at Otto Schiff care home for those living with dementia, shared in the session, “I enjoyed every minute, what a wonderful afternoon we had.” And resident, Betty, sharing “What lovely young people – I had a great time.”
Danuta Krysiak, Social Care Coordinator at Otto Schiff added, “What a big difference you made to our residents today. The nice conversations you engaged in made their days. I’m sure those at Sidney Corob had just as fantastic a time. The residents couldn’t stop talking about it when they got back to the home.”
On Sunday, across the three care homes at The Betty and Asher Loftus Centre in Friern Barnet, more than 100 young volunteers from Tribe’s Cross-Community Zone Programme, representing 11 synagogues, visited residents. They spent time chatting, singing and taking part in hands-on activities including flower arranging, with volunteers also engaging warmly with residents living with advanced dementia. Throughout the week at The Sam Beckman Centre for people living with dementia, members, staff and volunteers collected non-perishable food items for homeless shelters.
At Anita Dorfman House care home and Wolfson Assisted Living, residents marked Mitzvah Day with a collaborative art project that will be displayed on Sandringham campus before being donated to the children’s unit at Watford General Hospital. The woven artwork is threaded with blessings and well-wishes from residents and staff to brighten the hospital space and bring joy to the children who will eventually receive it.
Residents enjoyed sweet green treats, the Mitzvah Day colour theme, prepared by the kitchen team, and the atmosphere was filled with dancing, singing, and familiar Jewish favourites. It was warm and joyful, an expression of creativity, community, and chesed. The Mitzvah Day activities continued at Jewish Care’s Redbridge Jewish Community Centre where food donations were collected throughout the week for a local Chabad-led food bank.
Members at Jewish Care’s Michael Sobell Jewish Community Centre partnered with Camp Simcha to support the charity’s blood drives by assembling snack bags and packaging toys. At Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre members also worked alongside Camp Simcha, creating gift parcels that were later delivered to local hospitals.
At Sandringham care and community campus, soup and funds were collected throughout the month for a local food bank, and students from Kisharon Langdon joined members at the Zalman and Ruchi Noe Centre and the Ronson Family Community Centre to make soup and take part in a challah bake.
Back at Vi & John Rubens House care home, residents enjoyed a celebration funded by Cranbrook United Synagogue, whose members also exhibited their artwork at the care home during the week.
Across all centres and care homes, the activities brought together community, connected young and old and shared warmth and kindness in the true spirit of Mitzvah Day.