Beth Am hosts 'mitvah maven'

LONGWOOD-Danny Siegel, poet, author and "Mitzvah Maven," will be the Scholar-in-Residence at Congregation Beth Am of Longwood for Shabbat Bo, Jan. 23-25, 2015. Siegel, probably the key Jewish leader associated with popularizing ideas like hands-on personalized tzedakah, recognizing "Mitzvah Heroes," promoting microphilanthropy (doing great good with small amounts of money) and tikkun olam, will share his ideas and inspire young and old.

Siegel has authored 29 books on the topics of mitzvah and tzedakah. His recent books include "Who, Me? Yes, You!," "Danny Siegel's Workbook to Help You Decide Where, When, Why, and How You Can Do Your Best Tikkun Olam," "1+1=3 and 37 Other Mitzvah Principles For a Meaningful Life," "Giving Your Money Away, How Much, How to, Where, and To Whom," "Heroes and Miracle Workers," and "The Humongous Pushka in the Sky," a story book for children. Siegel is also the founder of the Ziv Tzedakah Fund, a nonprofit mitzvah organization that distributed more than $14 million to worthy individuals and projects for 18 years. He is one of three recipients of the prestigious 1993 Covenant Award for Exceptional Jewish Educators.

This Shabbat weekend will begin with a Donor's Dinner to be followed by a Kabbalat Shabbat service at Beth Am. Siegel's presentation that evening will be "How to be a Mitzvah Hero-what can Bruce Springsteen, Steven Spielberg, David Copperfield, Ben & Jerry, and the Late Paul Newman and Liz Taylor teach us about mitzvot that we don't know?"

Shabbat morning Siegel will discuss "How to solve all the world's problems by making just one phone call, sending one e-mail, or surfing one website." Saturday night's Havdalah service will be co-hosted by BBYO at the home of Dr. Craig and Lisa Fishman where Siegel will lead a program on "Where, when, why, and how you can do your own best tikkun olam."

Sunday's programming will offer two opportunities to meet and hear Siegel. Congregation Beth Am's "Mitzvah Brigade" will host a Sunday morning program titled "Some almost-unknown, often-ignored classical Jewish sources that inspire mitzvoth beyond belief."

This is part of the ongoing Sunday Connection series of Continuing Adult Education. A light breakfast will be served. On Sunday afternoon Siegel will be speaking at the St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Longwood on "Simple ways to make a significant difference"-examining classic, ancient Jewish sources inspiring costless easy projects we can do today that have a potentially awesome effect on people. This will be co-hosted by the Interfaith Council of Central Florida.

The weekend promises to be one that will inspire as well as motivate people to perform mitzvot and acts great and small that will help heal the world. All of Siegel's appearances are open people of all faiths who are interested in making the world a better place. Those who are motivated to help underwrite some of the costs of bringing Danny Siegel to Central Florida are welcome to contact Elyse Jacobs at Congregation Beth Am at (407) 862-3505. Complete information on Siegel's Scholar-in-Residence weekend will be available on the Congregation Beth Am web site at http://www.CongBethAm.org.