Mitzvah Day 2022: Seven pictures showing how Leeds communities united to help others

Organisations from across Leeds united to collect warm clothing, provide meals for those in need and to support local causes as they marked Mitzvah Day.

Published 25th Nov 2022, 18:34 BST

They were among 500 UK-based organisations and a record 30,000 volunteers from all faiths and backgrounds which took part in the biggest Mitzvah Day to date. The event is the UK’s faith-based day of social action, taking place on and around November 20 each year.

Among this year’s activities was the Light for Leeds interfaith event at Kirkstall Abbey, with attendees including the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Robert Gettings.

Simon Phillips, director of interfaith at the Leeds Jewish Representative Council, said: “Whilst we know that every day is of course a mitzvah day, we in Leeds recognise the importance of marking the annual Mitzvah Day with a variety of initiatives. We should feel very proud as a community that we can inspire people of all ages and faiths to come together in the spirit of Tikkun Olam, ‘repairing the world’.”

Here are seven pictures that give a flavour of how people in Leeds got involved.

Pictured from left at the Light for Leeds event are Simon Phillips, director of interfaith for the Leeds Jewish Representative Council; the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Robert Gettings; Leeds city councillor Abigail Marshall Katung; Najam Khan, and Gurmukh Singh, of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha.

1. Light for Leeds

Pictured from left at the Light for Leeds event are Simon Phillips, director of interfaith for the Leeds Jewish Representative Council; the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Robert Gettings; Leeds city councillor Abigail Marshall Katung; Najam Khan, and Gurmukh Singh, of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha. Photo: Steve Riding

Elderly residents and guests at the Leeds Jewish Housing Association spent the afternoon chatting to the Eco Committee students from Brodetsky Primary School. The pupils shared their commitment to the planet.

2. Leeds Jewish Housing Association

Elderly residents and guests at the Leeds Jewish Housing Association spent the afternoon chatting to the Eco Committee students from Brodetsky Primary School. The pupils shared their commitment to the planet. Photo: Steve Riding

Mitzvah Day at the Leeds Jewish Housing Association where Brodetsky School pupils chatted to residents.

3. Leeds Jewish Housing Association

Mitzvah Day at the Leeds Jewish Housing Association where Brodetsky School pupils chatted to residents. Photo: Steve Riding

Eva Walper-Roberts, 11, from Brodetsky Primary School gives an Eco talk to the residents at Leeds Jewish Housing Association.

4. Leeds Jewish Housing Association

Eva Walper-Roberts, 11, from Brodetsky Primary School gives an Eco talk to the residents at Leeds Jewish Housing Association. Photo: Steve Riding

Leeds North MP Alex Sobel attends a Mitzvah Day event at a homelessness charity in London called The Passage.

5. Alex Sobel's Mitzvah Day visit

Leeds North MP Alex Sobel attends a Mitzvah Day event at a homelessness charity in London called The Passage. Photo: Yakir Zu

Members from the Jewish community donated a range of items for Leeds Baby Bank in the week leading up to Mitzvah Day, dropping off their donations at the Sinai Synagogue. Pictured are education co-ordinator Helen Michael, community outreach officer Becky Teiger, and Vicki Porcelli with baby Izzy.

6. Leeds Baby Bank collection

Members from the Jewish community donated a range of items for Leeds Baby Bank in the week leading up to Mitzvah Day, dropping off their donations at the Sinai Synagogue. Pictured are education co-ordinator Helen Michael, community outreach officer Becky Teiger, and Vicki Porcelli with baby Izzy. Photo: Steve Riding

Leeds Kirkstall Abbey