GOOD DEEDS RULE ON MITZVAH DAY.

Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer

Packing lunches for the needy, stuffing backpacks with school supplies for homeless children, restocking shelves at food pantries and donating blood are just a few of the volunteer activities planned Sunday for the ninth annual Mitzvah Day.

Inspired by Mitzvah Day's perennial theme, Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world, members of synagogues and Jewish organizations will brighten up someone's life or the environment in the San Fernando, Conejo, Simi, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.

``A call goes out to every Jewish organization and synagogue in the five valleys to become involved,'' said Rona Berger, co-chairwoman of The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance committee for Mitzvah Day.

``Prior to Mitzvah Day, they send a representative to listen to speakers. The speakers are not just from Jewish organizations and it is not competitive. We help put out the ideas. Each group creates their own Mitzvah Day activities.''

Berger and co-chairwoman Barbara Klaristenfeld have seen Mitzvah Day become bigger and better in terms of the age range of the volunteers and variety of projects.

``We want people to make it more than one day of the year that they get involved in helping people,'' Klaristenfeld said. ``The beauty of Mitzvah Day is sharing and exchanging ideas on how to help people. It empowers people and it's wonderful.''

Elan Feldman is following in the footsteps of his elder brother, Jared Feldman, who started the Mitzvah Meal Makers project at Temple Judea in Tarzana and West Hills six years ago.

The project is planned and organized by teens. The temple's religious school's children, ages 3 to 16, decorate lunch bags, make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, write notes or draw pictures for each lunch, and assemble the bags, which will be distributed to the needy by Angel Harvest on Sunday afternoon.

``Our main goal is to educate the kids on what's going on in our community, that there are hungry people here,'' said Elan Feldman, 16. ``We're going to show a film on hunger before we start. We want the kids to go home knowing that they did something, that they actually helped someone who is needy.''

Feldman, crediting his parents with setting an example of helping those who need help, said 5,000 bags were produced last year. Hoping to equal that goal this year depends on overcoming the glitch, partially due to the supermarket strike, in getting enough fresh fruit and bread, said Feldman.

``I think of doing this project as an obligation to fulfill the commandment,'' Feldman said. ``It's ethical and it's moral.''

School on Wheels, a tutoring program for homeless children, will receive more than 7,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies thanks to Mitzvah Day volunteers and a local importer who discounted the new packs.

Members of Congregation Shir Ami in Woodland Hills were impressed by the work done by School on Wheels. They form one of about 30 synagogues and organizations that pledged money for the school supplies and the purchase of backpacks for the project.

``School on Wheels gives out brand new backpacks with supplies all year round, not just on Mitzvah Day,'' said Leon Nachenberg, co-chairman of Congregation Shir Ami's Mitzvah Day committee. ``The speaker we had was saying that for the kids in the homeless shelters, the backpacks are the only place they have to store their precious few possessions. The kids also stand out at school if they don't have a backpack. It serves many purposes for those kids.''

``Mitzvah means commandment. You can have commandments for prayer and ritual but the other meaning of mitzvah is good deed,'' Nachenberg said. ``It's important to follow rituals, but I think God also wants us to help our fellow man.''

Holly Andres, [phone]

holly.andres(at)dailynews.com

Mitzvah Day activities

The following activities are planned for Mitzvah Day:

--Red Cross blood drive, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday at Abraham Heschel Day School, 17701 Devonshire St., Northridge. No appointment necessary. Call [phone].

--CROP walk will begin with registration at 1 p.m. Sunday at Congregational Church of the Chimes, 14115 Magnolia Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Pledges for the 1:45 p.m. 2K, 10K and ``Tot'' walks will go to Meals on Wheels and food pantry programs. Call [phone], Ext. 3002.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Elan Feldman, right, and cousin Shelli Goldzband run Mitzvah Meal Makers.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

Box:

Mitzvah Day activities (see text)