Mitzvah Day International Day around the world. Though based within the UK's Jewish Community, Mitzvah Day traditionally marks the first day of UK National Inter Faith Week, and as a result has expanded to include participants from other faith communities as well. 'Mitzvah' is the Hebrew biblical term for 'deed' or 'commandment', which has come to mean 'good deed' or 'charitable act' in contemporary English. The 2017 date is November 19. Mitzvah Day International was founded by Laura Marks in 2005, who, upon returning to her native UK from a period spent in Los Angeles, decided to bring the 'Mitzvah Day' concept she
Machar, The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism and Darwin Day, and periodic Shabbat services. Services use language that is consistent with the nontheistic philosophy of Humanistic Judaism. Machar’s Sunday school integrates Jewish history, culture, values, and practice into a developmentally appropriate curriculum at each grade level, from preschool-aged children through the B’Nei Mitzvah year. Post-mitzvah teens can assist in Jewish Cultural School classrooms and help to organize community service activities on behalf of the congregation. Machar offers programming for adults concurrently with Sunday school. Topics include themes of Judaism, Humanism, and other social, humanitarian, or personal issues. Machar, The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism Machar is