Today was Mitzvah Day, sponsored by the Riverdale Temple, one of the local synagogues, which is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its founding this year.

A mitzvah is a good deed, and members of RT's community were out in force, helping various community associations accomplish a variety of tasks from spring planting, cleaning graffitti and playing games with residents in nursing homes.

My assignment throughout the day was to chronicle the mitzvahs. In between taking my daughter to Church, Sunday school, dropping her off at the barn where she works, and rides her beloved horses, (she's a "barn rat"), I managed to catch quite a few helping hands. I nearly missed my daughter's horsebackriding lesson but arrived in time to catch the last 15 minutes or so. She's completely focused when she's riding and sometimes I don't think she knows whether I'm there or not. As she was opening the gate to go back to the barn, I mentioned: "Hey, that was a great lesson, Katie," to which she replied: "Well, what you SAW of it, anyway!" Gives one pause...

Louise Jacob and her daughter, 10 year old Tara Jacob, helped to spruce up the corner of 246 Street and the service road of the Henry Hudson Parkway with a group of volunteers from the Riverdale Temple. At right is Irving Rosen, who coordinated the cleanup with the Riverdale Community Association as part of "Mitzvah Day."

© 1998 Susan B. Markisz

Vanessa Velez, age 10, helped Fairfield resident Anna Wolpert to plant flowers.

© 1998 Susan B. Markisz / The Riverdale Press

4 1/2 year old Sara Pohar played "Connect Four" with 80 year old Margie Giandana.

© 1998 Susan B. Markisz / The Riverdale Press

4 1/2 year old Sara Pohar greeted Fairfield Home resident, 87 year old Anna Clemente during Mitzvah Day on March 29, 1998.

© 1998 Susan B. Markisz / The Riverdale Press