On Christmas Day, the Islamic Foundation of Greater Saint Louis and the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis (JCRC) and its Milford and Lee Bohm Social Justice Center are sponsoring the third annual St. Louis area-wide “Jewish and Muslim Day of Service.”

The two religious communities are working together again to organize and participate in a large scale Christmas Day of Service project. Over 20 agencies have been identified in the St. Louis area as sites that will host needed volunteers on Christmas.  This year’s program will have a new site, new projects and Jewish and Muslim co-site captains at most of the larger sites.

“It has been so gratifying to see St. Louisans of all background and faiths come together each year on Christmas Day to help others,” said Zubaida Ibrahim, co-chair of this year’s event for the Islamic Foundation. “This event is a true labor of love between members of the Jewish and Muslim communities and shows our joint commitment to social action,” said Roberta Gutwein, co-chair on behalf of JCRC.

Jewish and Muslim volunteers will be working side by side throughout the day at the various agencies. The event will kick off at 9 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center Staenberg Family Complex, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, with a volunteer welcome bagel breakfast including a social action blessing and celebration of the purpose and meaning of the event. Participants will leave from there to blanket the community at the various sites.

This year’s new volunteer site is The Bridge, a homeless shelter. Volunteers with help prepare and serve a holiday meal. 

The program will also includes a toiletry donation drive with five drop off sites: Central Reform Congregation, Congregation Shaare Emeth, Daar Ul Islam Mosque, Temple Emanuel and United Hebrew Congregation. Donations gathered at these sites will be dispersed among several area non-profits that are sites for the day of service.  

For more information on toiletry items needed go to www.jcrcstl.org/bohm.php#two. Monetary donations to support this event also are welcomed. Individuals can send donations to JCRC, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63146.

Those wishing to participate need to sign up online no later than Dec. 13. For more information about donating to this event, to sign up online, or for a full list of event sponsors, visit www.stljewishmuslindayofservice.org or contact Gail Wechsler at 314-442-3894.