Mitzvah day in London this year saw Galim, Bogrim and the MoWos invade a London nature reserve for a cross communal interfaith day of tree hugging madness. After a small talk about the great work which goes on at Camley Nature reserve (near Kings Cross, see below website for details) we split off into groups with the other volunteers form various communities including a delegation from interact, an interfaith forum (again see website below). Tasks ranged from fixing up planters to be reused, pruning in the garden and, of course, being waist high in a pond pulling out reeds! Ruach levels were maintained to the max with singing and splashing as we embraced the cold and wet for the greater good. After a well received lunch of pitta, salad and houmous, Interact ran an informal team bonding peulah for us and the other volunteers.
Games included ‘design your own animal’ amounts a few old classics such as Waaah (which happened to be won by an LJYnyc!). After the interfaith fun and games we rolled up our sleeves, put on our Mitzvah Day hats and resumed our various tasks enjoying the cool fresh air. A tour of the reserve, from the clay ovens at one end to the bee hives at the other, concluded what had been a productive, fun and informative day in one of London’s most beautiful nature reserves.
Miriam Sanderson had this to say:
“On the 20th of November a group of ruach-filled LJY-niks, along with others, descended on Camley Street Nature-Reserve for one reason. Mitzvah Day. Yes it was that time of year again, the time to gather together to help others in fun and creative ways, whilst making a small but significant difference.We met, fully kitted-out in wellies, woolly hats and our oh so fashionable Mitzvah Day T-Shirts, ready for the task at hand. We were then divided into groups, each with different activities; painting, pruning, or, my personal favourite, pond-clearance. With only waders to protect us from the water, we trudged, waist deep, into the pond, in order to clear the reeds so the pond-life could receive enough sunlight and oxygen to survive.Having spent a genuinely enjoyable few hours in the pond, we stopped for lunch and a session led by the inter-faith group Interact, where we played some LJY classics including the ever-popular “Wah” and got to know others from different organisations.After another hour in the pond it was, regrettably, the end of Mitzvah Day 2011. We came away having had such a great time and having done our little bit for Tikkun Olam.” – Miriam Sanderson
To find out more about Camley Street Nature Reserve please visit the London Wildlife Trust website link below:
To learn more about the interfaith forum ‘Interact’ and to find events near you please click on the link below: