Elijah Moment Campaign to Pay it Forward this Season

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Will we make a difference in someone’s life this Thanksgiving weekend?

Beyond the football, the turkey, family and friends, will we take the time to make someone’s day?

You may have seen it or heard about it but if not, now is the time to experience and share the Elijah Moment Campaign.

An Elijah moment is seizing an opportunity to give. Through an act of generosity as simple as a kind word or paying it forward at a local coffee shop by surprising the person behind you, we can transform a fleeting moment into an eternal one.

In partnership with my friend Pastor Greg Doll, we launched the 40-Day campaign which began on Sunday, November 23rd and ends onJanuary 1st. Through Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Years, we encourage everyone to discover Elijah moments.

Elijah is a Biblical prophet who appears through history to spread light in the midst of darkness. He is the person who comes into your life and makes your day! A seemingly minor act of generosity can change a life. Every person can be an Elijah.

Although from different faiths, we believe in the potential of every human being to experience the Divine through acts of generosity. In a world with increasing violence, there is no better time to call on citizens to flood the world with acts of kindness.

Last week, we organized two waves of kindness at Starbucks and Beldotti’s bakery in Stamford. We simply offered to pay for someone’s drink or pastry and then asked them to pay it forward. The goodwill is endless. One woman upon receiving her coffee walked the store and offered to pay for others. One fellow shared he would offer free meals to workers in Mt. Kisco and another would purchase clothes for the homeless as their way of growing the goodness.

Our video of Elijah at Starbucks can be seen here.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQZyP1S3sd4

Our vision is to create a wave of goodwill via the power of social media. Imagine if we triggered an Elijah Moment at half time in the Super Bowl or this Friday at noon in stores across the nation, thousands of people would turn to a stranger, exchange a hello or shared a kind word or act. The world could be transformed.

During this season of joy and giving, we encourage every person regardless of their faith to be an Elijah and make a difference now and forever.   Discover and share your Elijah Moments this holiday season!

Anytime you pay it forward (at the bakery, store, anywhere!) post it on our FB page  www.facebook.com/eiijahmomentor tweet with the #elijahmoment so that you can inspire others to do the same! Let’s flood the world with acts of kindness. Be an Elijah and make someone’s day!

For more information about the Elijah Moment Campaign, contact me at rabbicohen@cas-stamford.org or Pastor Greg Doll at greg.doll@norotonchurch.org

 

The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.