Jews across the globe and across the spectrum of Jewish life and affiliation turned the Hebrew month of Cheshvan into a celebration of social action and unity. During this period, they participated in hundreds of valuable and inspiring social action projects that impacted thousands of people globally. Jewish Social Action Month (JSAM) was embraced by over 100 Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, ranging from major international and national institutions to the grassroots and local groups at the heart of so much social action. For the first time, JSAM leveraged the Internet so hundreds of individuals were able to connect to this global initiative. JSAM was launched in 2005 by KolDor, a global network of young Jewish activists, www.socialaction.com and Member Knesset Rabbi Michael Melchior in order … Continue Reading
Who’s Afraid of ‘Tikun Olam’?
Why does the phrase tikun olam, repairing the world, stir up such negative reactions from some of our most committed Jews? Growing numbers of Jewish organizations, both mainstream and start-ups, are investing in crisis relief, international development, environmental protection and other forms of social action termed tikun olam by their supporters. The UJC General Assembly devoted a session to this trend, explaining that "a recent study of American Jews found that making the world a better place ranked as their personally most meaningful activity." At the same time, many others in the Jewish world are crying out that charity begins at home. What about Israel's security situation, child poverty, Holocaust survivors, terror victims, youth-at-risk? … Continue Reading
Young, Jewish and Working For Change
Just in time for the GA, the UJC has unveiled the results of a groundbreaking study on Jewish service program participants. Highlighting this growing field, the study also found that service programs foster a commitment to social justice; the sense that volunteering is an important Jewish value; contributes to a sense of community and allows new communal relationships that allow young Jews to create new forms of Jewish expression while simultaneously developing the next generation of leaders and donors. from the study introduction: "Tikkun olam, the historic Hebrew phrase for ‘repairing’ or ‘perfecting’ the world lies at the heart of the Jewish service movement. Understood as much as a concept of social justice as an imperative to serve, the tradition extends beyond the obligations to … Continue Reading
Jewish Social Action Month Begins Today
Jewish Social Action Month (JSAM) is your chance to contribute to good deeds in the world, while taking part in global Jewish initiative. See what people around the world are doing, share your ideas and sign up today. How can you fit JSAM into your busy schedule? Sign up for the JSAM facebook group to receive a daily idea for a good deed during Jewish Social Action Month. From the simple to the creative to the profound, JSAM's Good Deed a Day will give you a quick opportunity to make a difference to the world and introduce you to the pick of this year's JSAM projects! about: Jewish Social Action Month (JSAM) is an initiative of KolDor, a global network of young Jewish leaders, the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel and socialaction.com to promote both social action and Jewish … Continue Reading
Opportunity of a LIFE-time
LIFE: an innovative Tikun Olam program for Jewish and Israeli young adults is just about to launch their initial cohort. We last wrote about them in August; here with a program update is Rachel Neiman. Helping the developing world is perhaps the biggest challenge of the new century and, at this point in history, one of the most disheartening. Despite decades of effort on the part of governments, organizations and individuals, in the long run many aid programs have perhaps done more harm than good. To paraphrase the old adage: most aid efforts have focused on giving people a fish, rather than teaching them to fish. And while the Israeli government, through aid arm MASHAV, has long been helping the developing world learn to fish, Israeli and Jewish non-government organizations (NGOs) have mainly … Continue Reading
What Will You Do?
Get involved and make a difference: Jewish Social Action Month 2008 Whether you call it Tikkun Olam, social action, chesed - join thousands of Jewish organizations and individuals around the world from all backgrounds and affiliations for a month of unity through practicing social action. Volunteer with children, rally for Darfur, clean up a river, feed the homeless, raise money for Sderot, paint a mural – do whatever you feel passionate about: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFsWZgGmo4E[/youtube] This Cheshvan let's make JSAM even more global and reach more people. All communities, organizations, and individuals - whether they work with the Jewish world or the general society - are invited to participate. For more information: www.cheshvan.org or e-mail jsam@koldor.org Jewish … Continue Reading
To LIFE!
We first wrote about LIFE back in April. LIFE, an innovative Tikun Olam program for Jewish and Israeli young adults from all walks of life, is seeking to inspire and enable; the fellows in this program hope to change the Jewish community and Israel in terms of the agenda, self-perception and way of living. A nine month long, Israel based service-learning program for University graduates with a four-month stay in India, LIFE will enable the participants to: Live with, help and learn from people in India and Israel through two service-learning internships Develop a capacity to understand and lead social change Grow Jewishly and develop relationships with Israel and Israelis through learning, touring, and connecting with top social activists, intellectuals and leaders … Continue Reading
Leonard Fein on Peoplehood
from yesterday's Forward: We Are All Implicated in the World’s Repair There’s considerable talk these days about Jewish peoplehood. Is the sense of it sustainable? For that matter, is it still alive? And on what foundation does it rest? What is it that connects one Jew to another? And what connects the two largest communities of Jews, here in America and there in Israel, to one another? Is their bond merely the residue of an earlier time, a characteristic of people “of a certain age” whose lives began in a world without a Jewish state and who themselves witnessed the extraordinary transformation that the creation of Israel embodied? Is that bond significantly reciprocal, or does it come down to our dependence on them for psychic needs and theirs on us for financial and political … Continue Reading
Halacha and the Environment
Jerusalem recently played host to an international conference titled, The Environment in Jewish Thought and Law. Spearheaded by Sviva Israel, an innovative Jewish social environmental organization, the goal was to enrich and raise the level of conversation on Judaism and the Environment. Carmi Wisemon, the initiator of the conference and presenter of a lecture on “The Conflicts and Connections between Sustainability and Judaism”, was extremely pleased with the large turnout of people who came together from all walks of life to learn about the environmental issues facing all of us and Jewish responses to them. Wisemon said, “We are delighted that we have been able to bring together in a public forum the highest levels of rabbinical leaders in Israel with environmental professionals, … Continue Reading
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