MITZVAH Day on Sunday November 20th is a Jewish led day of social action.

On Mitvah Day, around the world, thousands of people take part in hands on projects, without fundraising, to support charities, assist the needy and help to build stronger communities.

The mission is to reduce hardship and poverty, to help our environment and to bring a little joy to the world.

It is for all of us to make our mark regardless of our faith, wealth, age, sex or nationality.

Mitzvah Day is based on the Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world) tzedek (righteousness) and acts of loving kindness.

Once again the day marks the beginning of National Interfaith Week and therefore the Jewish community will be supported by the Christian, Muslim and Hindu faiths who will be joining with us in very many projects all over the country.

Some of the projects in Greater Manchester include sending choirs to sing for residents in residential homes for the aged, cleaning litter from cemeteries and standing outside supermarkets in order to ask each departing customer to give one article for the needy.

Here in Altrincham we will be collecting used spectacles for sending to Vision Aid Overseas.

Many children from all faiths will be assembling in Bowdon Synagogue to decorate used shoe boxes. These will then be placed in Churches, Mosques, Hindu Temples and Synagogues for spectacle collection until early December. They will then be sent on to the charity. Young children will also be planting bulbs and herbs in ‘old wellies’ in order to be given away as gifts from the Interfaith Group.