WASHINGTON — D.C.’s Jewish community is celebrating on this Christmas day by giving back. It is an annual day of service known as December 25, or D25 for short, and it has been taking place for 29 years in the District.
Erica Steen, Director of Community Engagement with DC Jewish Community Center, says about 1000 volunteers were heading out to 50 different social services agencies throughout the community on Christmas morning. They will do everything from serving meals to the homeless, to singing Christmas carols, passing out gifts, and donating blood.
“It’s a really a feel-good day that people can give back to the community,” says Steen. “Projects are 2-4 hours long, so there’s plenty of time for family stuff. But it’s really an opportunity for the community to give back to those in need.”
Maria Zumer and her two friends, who are all Jewish, volunteered at a transitional housing facility for veterans in Southeast D.C. She says they served the veterans breakfast, sang Christmas carols to them, and wished then Merry Christmas. Her friend Yelena Lazdun says, “I think they really appreciated us being there because they probably don’t get many visitors.”
Hila Balely and her 23-year old son Itay were heading off to deliver gifts to a Lutheran Church.
“We wanted to volunteer to do something good today,” Balely says. “Obviously we don’t celebrate Christmas, so we thought this is going to be a nice thing to do, especially together.”
She said they wanted to spend a little time with some of the families at the church.
“It’s refugee families and (we’re) just (trying) to give them a little bit of holiday spirit.”
