Tikkun Olam

Tikkun Olam Calendar 2012-13

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:46:48 -0400

Reconstructionist Movement and Global Jewish Community tikkun olam/social justice efforts for 5773- 2012/13

JRF is committed to leading and supporting congregations in Tikkun HaNefesh V'Olam, the healing and repair of the individual person and the world at large. JRF is also a committed member of the National Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, the Green Hevre and multiple other ongoing and situational partner organizations and issues.

Reconstructionist Movement resources: http://jrf.org/tikkun-olam-resources
Omer Social Justice Initiative Home Page: http://jrf.org/omer/home
PEARL Leadership Programs on Tikkun Olam: http://jrf.org/pearl/archive
General Social Justice Resources: http://jrf.org/tikkun-olam-issues
RRC Social Justice Program: http://www.rrc.edu/academics/rabbinical-program/social-justice-organizing-program
How to make decisions about what to be involved in: http://www4.jrf.org/guidelines-for-social-justice-advocacy

2012-13/ 5772 Calendar Year major Tikkun Events

October 2012
Saturday, October 9th: Shabbat Noach Global 350 Climate Change: http://jrf.org/Shabbat-Noach-Global-350
JCPA ANTI-POVERTY MONTH http://jrf.org/fight-poverty-with-faith

Nov 2012
International Jewish Social Action Month: http://jrf.org/jewish_social_action_month December 2012
Rabbis for Human Rights Shabbat, http://jrf.org/Human-Rights-Shabbat

February 2013
February Jewish Disability Month, http://jrf.org/node/1743 (use their resources, study JRF Task force report- dedicate a Shabbat next month, etc.)
http://jrf.org/Jewish-Disability-Awareness-Month

March 2013

April 2013
Immigration Reform and HIAS "We Too Were Strangers" Passover Initiative http://jrf.org/Immigration (where does their local CRC/Federation stand on these issues as well as encouraging participation in Passover initiative)

JCPA Child Nutrition Passover Seder http://jrf.org/Hunger-Seder (April 2013)

May 2013

May 1 Deadline for application for JRF-Greenfaith Environmental Certification and Fellowship Programs http://jrf.org/Greenfaith

June 2013
National Religious Campaign Against Torture Torture Awareness Month
http://www.nrcat.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=298&Itemid=219

Ongoing:

Tikkun Hanefesh V'Olam: Growing the Soul: Self, Community and World: (2010 audio and print resources now available at www.jrf.org/omer/2010

Externally affiliated organizations and project partners: http://jrf.org/external-affiliations

Ongoing International Relief Efforts JRF is an Executive Council Member of the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief https://www.jdc.org/jcdr_main.html, http://jrf.org/darfur-resources and http://jrf.org/East-Africa-Relief

Climate Change Initiative http://jrf.org/Jewish-Climate-Change-Initiative

Sustainable Synagogue Initiative http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources

Health Care Reform Interfaith Coalition http://jrf.org/Health-Care-For-All (ongoing work since passage of bill focusing on coverage for immigrants and persons with disabilities, reproductive choice coverage among other areas.

Global Anti-Poverty campaign: http://jrf.org/ONE-AntiPoverty and http://jrf.org/hunger

Immigration Reform http://jrf.org/Immigration

Congregation-based Community Organizing: http://jrf.org/cbco

GLBT rights and same-sex marriage resources: http://jrf.org/node/1742

HaKotel L’Kulam — The Western Wall Should Be For All http://jrf.org/Women-of-the-Wall

National Jewish Get out the Vote Initiative http://jrf.org/Get-out-the-Vote

Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) http://www.jewishpublicaffairs.org/ (Getting involved with your local JCRC- looking for people to be involved in the annual Plenum in Washington (e.g. http://jrf.org/2009+JCPA+Plenum+Resolutions/) The Jewish Council for Public Affairs serves as the representative voice of the organized American Jewish community in addressing the mandate of the Jewish community relations field. The mandate is expressed in two, interrelated goals:

• To safeguard the rights of Jews here, in Israel, and around the world; and, in order to accomplish that,

• To protect, preserve, and promote a just American society, one that is democratic and pluralistic.

Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice http://www.rcrc.org National Christian, Jewish and other religious organizations work through the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice to ensure reproductive choice through the moral power of religious communities. It seeks to give clear voice to the reproductive issues of people of color, those living in the poverty, and other under-served populations.

National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) http://www.ncbi.org/
Encourage their local participation where there is a chapter. NCBI has chapters in 60 cities where diverse leaders in the community work together in coalition to lead prejudice reduction, inter-groupconflict resolution, and coalition building programs. JRF member congregations could become involved with NCBI in their local communities or have local NCBI leaders come and lead programs in their congregations.

Mazon: Jewish Response to Hunger http://www.mazon.org/
Encourage their communities to give 3% from simchahs. Relevant Resources: Mazon Canada ; JRF Hunger Initiative Founded in 1985, MAZON (food in Hebrew) is a national, nonprofit agency which provides food, help, and hope to hungry people of all faiths and backgrounds. It allocates donations from the Jewish community to the most effective hunger relief organizations in the United States, Israel and in poor countries worldwide. As MAZON 'partners', congregations raise funds for hunger-relief during the High Holy Days and other times. Many Jews also give to MAZON three percent of the cost of weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and other joyous events.

The Informed Meetings Exchange (INMEX) http://www.inmex.org/
Encourage them to use this website before booking any hotel functions. INMEX offers groups a way to avoid labor disputes at their meetings and conventions. The Informed Meetings Exchange (INMEX) was to research, analyze and disseminate information about the global hotel industry. It enables member organizations to make informed decisions about how and where their meeting and convention dollars are spent. Each INMEX member organization wants to maximize the quality of their events and the impact their meeting and convention dollars have on hotel workers' lives and the communities they live in. http://www.forward.com/articles/check-out-working-conditions-before-checking-in-fo/

National Jewish Social Justice Roundtable

The Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, founded in 2009, is a collaboration of 21 Jewish social justice organizations working to elevate the role of social justice in the Jewish community and create a unified and robust Jewish social justice movement. The Roundtable is supported by the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

American Jewish World Service; AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps; Hazon; Jewish Community Action; Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston; Jewish Council for Public Affair; Jewish Council on Urban Affairs; Jewish Organizing Initiative / Center for Jewish Organizing; Jewish Reconstructionist Federation; Jewish World Watch; Jews United for Justice; Keshet; MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger; National Council of Jewish Women; New Israel Fund; PANIM Institute of BBYO; Progressive Jewish Alliance & Jewish Funds for Justice; Rabbinical Assembly; Repair the World
Union for Reform Judaism/ Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism/Just Congregations; Uri L’Tzedek

See also:
• Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations
http://www.conferenceofpresidents.org/
• International Association for Religious Freedom
http://www.iarf.net/
• International Jewish Social Justice Network
http://www.koldor.org/
• Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)
http://www.coejl.org
• The Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief
http://www.jdc.org/jcdr_main.html
• The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
http://www.rcrc.org/
• Secure Communities Network
http://www.scnus.org/
The World Union for Progressive Judaism
http://wupj.org/

Tikkun Olam

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:51:42 -0400

Browse our library of tikkun olam resources, organized by type.

"Justice, justice you shall pursue" (Deut. 16:20).

“A theology which is not a plan of social action is merely a way of preaching and praying. It is a menu without the dinner.” (Mordecai Kaplan, Not So Random Thoughts)

Today, much of the Jewish world understands tikkun olam as social justice and global repair. However, this is only one part of the equation that leaves out the holistic vision that emerged over preceding centuries in the religious tradition and culture of the Jewish people. Tikkun in its fullest sense includes not only the idea of tikkun olam, but tikkun hanefesh (rebalancing and repair of the individual soul) as well. JRF and our member communities strive for an integrative approach of tikkun hanefesh v'olam in our personal, communal and societal efforts.

Tikkun means, I look at what the work I need to do individually for my my own physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being. Tikkun also means actively participating in engagement with the larger world for the sake of communal and global well-being, healing and justice. At the same time, we strive to be mindful of the interdependence of, and need to, seek balance between particular and universal needs.

I really believe that we must now talk and act on a level of political, social, economic, environmental and spiritual sustainability if tikkun hanefesh v'olam are to be actualized beyond the occasional mitzvah day or tzedakah collection (worthwhile ventures to be sure, but not end goals in and of themselves).

We hope the resources, external affiliations and programs contained in these Tikkun Olam pages will help you and your community or organization pursue responses to the many areas of concern we face in North America and around the world.

As a Jewish community, social, economic or environmental problems are realities to be fully met in the broadest coalitions and the smallest local initiatives. Together we can pursue the Divine call to do what is just for tikkun hanefesh and tikkun olam. Please be in touch and let us know how we can best partner in this sacred endeavor.

JCPA Adopts New Consensus Policies, JRF Co-Sponsors Two Resolutions

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:39:16 -0400

Jewish Community Adopts Consensus Policies on Campus Anti-Semitism, Hydrofracking, Education Equality, Collective Bargaining, and Gender Separation in Israel

Image: Rabbi Leonard Gordon (USCJ), Barbara Weinstein (RAC) and Rabbi Shawn Zevit (JRF) at the JCPA Plenum

Detroit, MI – May 7, 2012: The Jewish Council for Public Affairs’ 14 national member agencies (including The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation) and 125 Community Relations Councils debated and adopted five resolutions expressing the consensus view of the American Jewish community at the JCPA’s annual Plenum in Detroit. The resolutions deal with anti-Semitism on campuses, collective bargaining, education equity, gender segregation in Israel, and hydrofracking for natural gas and oil.

For the complete resolutions go to http://engage.jewishpublicaffairs.org/blog/comments.jsp?blog_entry_KEY=6328

I1. Countering Anti-Israel and Anti-Semitic Activity on Campus
This resolution calls for education about and support for the “important remedy” that is now available under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and calls on campus leaders to do more to make students safe. It embraces a range of responses to hostile campus atmospheres including dialogue, education, and legal remedies.

2. Collective Bargaining
This resolution continues longstanding support for collective bargaining for public employees and opposes efforts to narrow or eliminate it.

3. Equal Education Opportunity

This resolution addresses inequity in educational opportunity in public schools. This resolution calls for research, education, and community attention directed to closing the achievement gap in our nation’s public schools and heightening awareness of this issue on the national Jewish agenda.

4. Gender Segregation in Public Spaces in Israel (JRF joined the Conservative and Reform movements as well as CRC's and other organizations in this resolution)

This resolution was ultimately supported by the National Council of Jewish Women along with the Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform, and Orthodox Jewish movements. It states that enforced gender segregation in secular public spaces is inconsistent with Israel’s founding principles of equality and, at the same time, that there may be circumstances where accommodation of gender segregation may be appropriate such as the consideration of religious and cultural sensitivities in the delivery of municipal services

5. Hydrofracking (JRF was the only denominational movement to sponsor this resolution along with the Jewish Labor Committee, and three JCRCs)

This resolution addresses natural gas and oil extraction by the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as hydrofracking. The resolution calls for studies, disclosure, safeguards, and oversight.

JRF's Sustainable Synagogue Initiative 2012-13

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:47:22 -0400

Sustainable WorldIn 1990 JRF passed a movement-wide resolution (see attachments below) on the environment and congregational life. Since 2006 we offered conference calls and resources on Sustainable Synagogues and Living a Jewish Life Rooted in Ecological Values.

Read the notes from the 2007 call.

With the enthusiasm around JRF's Omer Learning Initiative, (2010 Omer Sustainability call- http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Sustainability) as well as the solid response of JRF congregations in the Climate Change and Blessing the Sun (Solar Energy) Initiatives, JRF continues to deepen our work with member communities, other religious movements and partner organizations (JCPA, COEJL) in the area of sustainability. See Rabbi Shawn Zevit speak about the Reconstructionist Movement's work in sustainability

Our goal is to motivate and educate our congregations in sustainable practices, with the goal of reaching 100 percent participation in the years ahead. See a list of the 15 Communities and Individuals honored at the JRF 2008 Convention as part of our Sustainable Synagogue Intiative.

See information about the Jewish Climate Change Initiative and Shabbat Noach, JRF's participation in the International Climate Change Initiative.

Additional calls and webinars have been offered through our PEARL leadership series. See the Sustainability programs at www.jrf.org/pearl/archive and additional resources through our partner organization Greenfaith: www.jrf.org/greenfaith

Read Brant Rosen's Yom Kippur devar Torah that inspired the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston to reach for the highest level of sustainability in their capital campaign. You will also find documents from JRC about their Green policies, educational material and promotional flyer for environmental awareness attached below. JRC received the first Platinum LEEDS rating for a synagogue in the United States.

Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb created a text study on climate change that incorporates elements of musar with other diverse material from our tradition.

NEW RESOURCES JUST ADDED!

For an equally inspiring High Holy Day sermon see Rabbi Sheryl Lewart's talk on living an environmentally sustainable life and Kehillat Israel's Five Mitzvot for Sustainable Living.

Also available is a wonderful meditation on environmental consciousness tied to the seven days of creation by Peter Goldberg of Shir Hadash, Milwaukee, WI, and inspiring materials from Dor Hadash, PA and Darchei Noam, Toronto, Canada and JRC, Evanston, IL (both moved into their new environmentally upgraded buildings in 2008).

For an example of a creative way of community organizing and educating about sustainability simultaneously see Philadelphia's Playback for Change at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ut6eLHEyF8

APRIL 8, 2009- 5769 BIRKHAT HACHAMA (BLESSING OF THE SUN) SOLAR AND RENEWABLE ENERGY CAMPAIGN IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. 2008-9 (5769) was the little known Jewish year of “Birkhat Hachamah” the “blessing of the sun”. JRF was a leading partner in a national coalition that used this rare event to focus on solar power and energy stewardship. See a video for Birkhat Hachammah at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=629JxUYTlFk

As well see resources for Birkhat Hachamah at Ritualwell.org- managed through Kolot: The Center for Gender Studies.

The Shalom Center's Green Menorah Covenant

Environmental resources in Israel

Arava Institute & Kibbutz Ketura

Nurit, new eco-friendly town in Israel being built on the Gilboa

Green Zionist Alliance

The Heschel Centre for Envrionmental Learning and Leadership

The Ecological Greenhouse Ein-Shemer

Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo Eco Activist Beit Midrash

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Additional JRF Resources:

http://jrf.org/omer2008-enviro (2008 Social Justice Initiative)

http://jrf.org/node/1264#enviro (Community Organizing Resources)

http://jrf.org/omer/2007 (2007 Social Justice Initiative)

COEJL Greening Synagogue Guide by R. Fred Dobb

Synagogue Council of Massachussetts- Green Initiative

Boston COEJL Synagogue Green Guide

Education material from CAJE

URJ (Reform)
Synagogue Architecture
Green buildings

USCJ/RA (Conservative):

Also see: http://www.fjmc.org/ShomreiHaaretz.html

OU (Orthodox)
Also see: http://ouradio.org/images/uploads/events/Repairing_The_Future.pdf

Ethical Kashrut

How does your community's practices align with the JRF resolution and the actions and commitments of other JRF communities? To add your resources to this initiative please e-mail SZevit@jrf.org

East Africa Relief Efforts

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:01:58 -0400

JRF joins East Africa Relief

https://www.jdc.org/jcdr_main.html
Countries in the Horn of Africa including, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti are experiencing the worst drought in 60 years. As a result, millions of people are in desperate need of food and water. Livestock and crops are deteriorating due to the lack of access to water and malnutrition is on the rise. A famine has been declared in a number of regions of Somalia and elsewhere, causing hundreds of thousands of people to flee to neighboring countries.

The Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief (JCDR), an alliance of U.S. and foreign Jewish agencies that provide a united Jewish response to humanitarian disasters, has formed a special coordinating group in response to the drought and ensuing famine in East Africa. The Coalition. of which the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation is an executive council member, is in contact with national and international partners to assess the situation and determine the most efficient way to respond. As usual, the Coalition will use its past experience with humanitarian crises to aid those most in need.

You can also take action through USAID's federal program (FWD) www.usaid.gov/fwd. "FWD stands for Famine, War, Drought: the three major crises that have led to this perfect storm of devastation in the Horn of Africa" said Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID's Administrator. "But it also stands for our call to action—that people get informed, get engaged and forward this information on to their friends and families." You can use their co-branding tool-kit and downloadable action guide.

You can also see a video discussion http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/10/26/open-questions-crisis-horn-africa#transcript

Other ongoing relief efforts include:

http://jrf.org/Turkey-Earthquake-Relief

http://jrf.org/southern-midwest-USA-relief

http://jrf.org/Japan-Tsunami

http://jrf.org/Haiti-Earthquake-Relief

Passover, Fair Trade Practices and Child labor Practices

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 11:30:09 -0400

A number of us in the Jewish and larger social justice streams have been tracking the issue of child slave labor and the chocolate industry (Hershey is not the only or worst culprit here) for some time. My cousin’s son gave a dvar challenging his congregation to audit their chocolate choices in 2009 at his bar mitzvah. He came to this issue by identifying with Joseph being tossed down the pit and crying out with no one to hear him, abandoned by those he loved (his dvar Torah is attached on this page).

You will also see a Fair Trade Chocolate Seder, an Adat Shalom supplement supplied to me by Rabbi Erin Hirsh, some information from Fair Trade Judaica who are organizing their own Jewish community campaign, links supplied by Cantor Eric Schulmiller of Reconstructionist congregation RSNS, NY. For thousands of children on this planet, slavery is not a historical event, but a current reality. We can make a difference.

Fair Trade Judaica: (http:/www.fairtradejudaica.org), a non-profit organization promoting fair trade as a Jewish value, is organizing an educational campaign in the Jewish community, linking the Pesach theme of liberation with the issue of child labor/slavery in the cocoa industry. See the website for Pesach at http://fairtradejudaica.org/make-a-difference/fair-trade-jewish-holidays/bean-of-affliction/

Fair Trade Judaica has put together a variety of Pesach related resources: Free Haggadah supplemental readings, http://fairtradejudaica.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/HaggadahSupplement2012.pdf

“Virtual” Fair Trade Kosher for Passover Chocolate Bar to place on the Seder table, http://fairtradejudaica.org/make-a-difference/fair-trade-jewish-holidays/fair-trade-your-seder/virtual-chocolate-bar/

List of kosher, fair-trade chocolate makers, none of it is yet certified kosher l'pesach, because of the extra expense: http://jcarrot.org/resources/kosher-sustainable-chocolate-list

RSNS haggadah, which is now part of COEJL's resource bank:

http://www.coejl.org/~coejlor/tubshvat/celebrate/TB_Seder_RSNS_2007.pdf

Website has a link to our instructions for how to run a fair-trade tu bishvat seder: http://www.hazon.org/food/tuBishvat/FairTradeTuBishvatSeder.pdf

Beyond-fair-trade chocolate company! Workers are shareholders, healthcare and onsite daycare are provided, beans are all local, etc. http://omanhenecocoa.com/?page_id=378.

"Raise the Bar” campaign, coordinated by the International Labor Rights Forum, Green America, Global Exchange, and Oasis USA, focusing on encouraging the Hershey Corp. to commit to begin sourcing fair trade certified cocoa beans within the next two years: http://www.raisethebarhershey.org/

AJWS:Better Beans website: http://ajws.org/hunger/better_beans.html and blog about food justice issues: http://ajws.org/hunger/news/

U.S.A. Fair Trade Chocolate purchases: full article at: http://tinyurl.com/4h3f57p

Green and Just Celebrations Guide: http://www.greenandjust.org/

Website looking at Child Slavery and Food Industry: http://www.foodispower.org/slavery_chocolate.htm

Fair Trade Guide from Jewish Community in UK: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/includes/documents/cm_docs/2009/j/jewish_community_resource.pdf

Get Out the VOTE: Why American Jews Must Vote

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:59:20 -0500

Why American Jews Must Vote

A crucial election day is only weeks away. At stake are vital political, economic and moral issues of concern to all Americans, in addition to issues of special concern to American Jews.

As Jews and American citizens we have an obligation to participate in the elections to ensure that our country's policies at the local, state and national levels reflect our commitment to social justice. Every vote counts and plays a defining role in setting policy agendas. It is our civic duty to register promptly, educate ourselves about the critical issues and VOTE!

The Get Out the Vote 2012 Guide attached to this article, provides you with tools, resources and information to help your congregation or community plan a successful voter engagement effort in advance of Election Day.

This guide was designed for use by Jewish congregations and communal organizations wishing to conduct their own voter registration drives. We also encourage participation in voter registration drives in the general community. The same procedures and materials that are suggested here for use in the Jewish community can be adapted for voter registration use in the broader community.

Rabbi Yitzhak taught, "A ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is first consulted" – Talmud, B’rachot 55a

The Guide was prepared by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism with the support of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and the larger Jewish community. See: http://rac.org/advocacy/specialresources/vote/

Jewish Disability Awareness Month- February 2013

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:56:34 -0500

Join a unified effort to raise disability awareness and support efforts to foster inclusion in Jewish communities worldwide

The mission of Jewish Disability Awareness Month is to unite Jewish communities and organizations for the purpose of raising awareness and supporting meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in every aspect of Jewish life. JRF is also a member religious organization of the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (IDAC: http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/interfaith-disability-advocacy/).

During Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month You Can:

Use resources in your community in programming available at www.jsped.org and http://jrf.org/node/1743
Offer programs on disability awareness in your community
Dedicate a Shabbat worship service to inclusion and the contributions of children and adults who have disabilities
Participate in a community-wide disability awareness event such as the showing of “Autistic License” or any of the fine films listed on our website
Start a Committee on Inclusion
Join the Facebook page celebrating JDAM. Over 1,000 fans are sharing ideas and resources to celebrate diversity within the Jewish community.
Find more ideas assembled by UJA-Federation that have been successful in New York synagogues –– large and small –– in prior years. This year, for the first time, UJA-Federation will honor exemplary synagogue inclusion efforts with Synagogue Inclusion Awards. Applications received by the Caring Commission reflect the commitment and care that many of you give to assure the ability of all to contribute to and take part in Jewish life. We look forward to sharing the results with you so that our community of synagogues, along with New York Jewish agencies, can continue to grow from strength to strength.
The Jewish Special Education International Consortium is a professional network of directors, coordinators and administrators of Jewish special education services in Central Agencies for Jewish Education and/or Inclusion of People with Disabilities and is affiliated with JESNA.
“Do not curse the deaf nor put stumbling blocks before the blind.” Leviticus (19:14)
The value of awareness months in general and disability awareness in particular, the fact that the Holocaust began with the Nazi T4 program of forced sterilization (and eventually murder) of individuals with disabilities, how religion in general has dealt with disability and on a more personal note how Jewish culture and community approach disability.
The MeShaneh HaBriyot, a lesser known brachah, is traditionally said when you encounter a person with a disfigurement or disability. It translates as Blessed are…..”who varies the forms of his creatures" an alternative updated translation reads … "who makes her people different" (Talmud Brachot 58b). The Talmud explains this uniqueness and the sanctity of human difference saying that “Humans stamp out many coins with one die, and they are all alike, but the King, the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed Be, stamped each person with the seal of Adam, and not one of them is like their fellow. Therefore each and every one is obliged to say, ‘For my sake the world was created.’” (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5). As with other brachot, the MeShaneh HaBriyot provides us with a moment between thought and action to be reflective and intentional. In this case mindful of our reactions to difference and how they shape our relationships and community. It is also a reminder of the value of difference and the reality that we each create (or remove) the metaphorical barriers represented by "stumbling blocks before the blind" and "cursing the deaf" noted in Leviticus. Scott Lisner, member of The Little Minyan, Columbus, OH and Americans With Disabilities Act Coordinator for The Ohio State University
For those interested in accessible Israel trips see Israel4All http://www.israel4all.com/

Human Rights Shabbat, December 7-8 and 14-15, 2012

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 08:17:36 -0500

Start: Dec 2 2011 - 4:17am

End: Dec 13 2011 - 6:17pm

Now in its fourth year, Human Rights Shabbat is RHR-NA's annual celebration of Jewish values and human rights. Resources include innovative curricula along with sample sermons, children's programs, and human rights prayers. Synagogues can either use RHR-NA's Human Rights Shabbat resources or celebrate a human rights issue that resonates with their community.

The following JRF communities were among those who made a public commitment to Human Rights in previous years: Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation, Bethesda, MD; Beth Evergreen, Evergreen, CO; B'nai Havurah-Colorado Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, Denver, CO; Columbia Jewish Congregation, Columbia, MD; Congregation Beth El, Bennington, VT; Congregation Darchei Noam, Toronto, ON; Congregation Dor Hadash, Pittsburgh, PA; Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, West Newton, MA; Congregation Kol HaLev, Houston, TX; Shir Hadash, Milwaukee, MI; Congregation Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community, St. Louis, MO; Germantown Jewish Centre (Dorshei Derekh Minyan), Philadelphia, PA; Kol Tzedek Synagogue, Philadelphia, PA; The Little Minyan, Columbus, OH; Martin Run Senior Life Community Congregation, Martins Run, PA; Mayim Rabim Congregation, Minneapolis, MN; Mishkan Shalom, Philadelphia, PA; Or Hadash, A Reconstructionist Congregation, Fort Washington, PA; Society for the Advancement of Judaism, New York, NY; Temple Beth HaTefiloh, Olympia, WA; Temple Beth Israel, Eugene, OR; Temple Beth Israel of Maywood, NJ; Temple B'nai Israel, Willimantic, CT; Temple Hillel B'nai Torah, West Roxbury, MA; Tzedek V'Shalom, Newtown, PA; University Synagogue, Irvine, CA; Valley Outreach Synagogue-P'nai Tikvah, Las Vegas, NV; West End Synagogue, New York, NY

For more information, please visit www.rhr-na.org

For more information contact: Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster, Director of Education and Outreach, Rabbis for Human Rights North America - rkahntroster@rhr-na.org - 917-747-9487 (phone)

Here is one report from our affiliate Dorshei Emet in Montreal, QUE on their Human Rights Shabbat activities:

On December 9, Friends of Rabbis for Human Rights - Montreal celebrated Erev Human Rights Day with a program called "Refugee Rights As Human Rights" at the Westmount YMCA. Denise Otis, the Legal Officer representing the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Montreal, showed a short film and spoke about refugees around the world. On Shabbat, Leanore Lieblein presented a D'var Torah at Congregation Dorshei Emet on the human rights implications of the Judah and Tamar story in Parshat Vayeshev.

See what the many Reconstructionist clergy and lay leaders shared at the RHR Conference on Human Rights, Dec. 5-7th, 2010 http://www.rhr-na.org/page/conference-on-judaism-and-human-rights and see a video from the conference of Rabbi Shawn Zevit, JRF Director of Congregational Services and Tikkun Olam, discussing some of the issues presented: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J5HByGxY0w. “I am a Rabbi for Human Rights” video testimonials collected at the conference can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/rhrna. RHRNA's new blog www.rhrna.org includes many posts, photos and some video about the conference.

JRF Support of Immigration Reform Initiatives

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:28:39 -0500

We Were Strangers TooJRF Supports Immigration Reform

The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation continues to work with a coalition of Jewish and interfaith organizations towards comprehensive reform of the immigration system in the United States. Our key partner in this endeavor is HIAS (The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, see http://wewerestrangerstoo.wordpress.com/).

HIAS and our national and local Jewish organization partners have launched We Were Strangers, Too: the Jewish Campaign for Immigration Reform.

The We Were Strangers, Too campaign calls for immigration legislation that:

•Keeps families united and decreases the waiting time for family re-unification.
•Creates pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
•Creates a plan for future migration flows in order to protect all workers' rights.
•Empowers immigrants to fully integrate by providing financial support to local governments and community organizations that offer classes and services.
•Establishes border protection and enforcement policies that bolster our national security, while balancing enforcement with economic development and human and civil rights.
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Contact Congress: Schedule an in-district lobby visit with your Members of Congress or send an e-letter to Congress asking for immigration reform.

Educate: To Educate leaders in your community, host a Rabbinical Roundtable discussion in your city, which will engage Jewish leadership on the topic of immigration from the Jewish perspective. To educate the general Jewish community, host Welcome the Stranger, HIAS' 90-minute educational program focusing on immigration from a historical and values perspective.

Spread the Word: HIAS offers religious materials on immigration, including sample D'Var Torah and Jewish holiday guides focusing on immigration.

Stay In Touch: Contact Liza Lieberman (liza.lieberman@hias.org) with any questions, to join the national Jewish Task Force for Immigration Reform listserv, or to sponsor the We Were Strangers, Too campaign.
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A Faith Leaders’ Statement on Immigration
Supported by the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

As the leaders of different faith groups and denominations across the country, are gravely concerned with the current political and policy environment surrounding the issue of immigration. We are troubled by signs that our nation is turning away from reforming our nation’s immigration system and is instead pursuing enforcement policies which are ineffective and inhumane.

Enforcement raids, state and local anti-immigrant ordinances, and harmful rhetoric against immigrants are just a few of the signs that our nation is moving away from civil discourse and toward discord and division. As a result, immigrant families are being separated and immigrant and ethnic groups targeted, creating a climate of fear in all of our communities.

Now is the time to restart the debate on immigration reform and develop fair, balanced, and humane solutions to immigration. We offer the following principles to help guide our country in reaffirming our identity as a nation which welcomes immigrants and believes that the best of America is shown in how we treat those who come to our shores:

Anti-immigrant rhetoric has no place in public discourse and should not be used. As a country, we value civil public discourse as the reasonable way to address our problems and arrive at solutions. Inflammatory statements and dehumanizing categorizations of any person or people, e.g. “illegals”, should be stricken in favor of factual and more accurate descriptions of the people adversely affected by our broken immigration system.

Elected officials should examine all aspects of our immigration system. Examining and reforming only one aspect of our immigration system—such as enforcement---will not meet the challenges we face. The legal immigration system, both employment and family-based, must also be reformed.

Reform of our laws should restore the rule of law and secure our borders. Current immigration law is severely flawed and thus must be corrected in order to re-establish the rule of law. As a sovereign nation has the right to secure its border, any reform should ensure that our country’s borders are secure from outside threats.

Reform of our laws must respect the human dignity of the person. The adoption of new laws must be measured by their ability to uphold basic human dignity. Any proposals which can lead to an abuse of human dignity and human rights must include safeguards to protect against such violations.

Reform of our laws must protect family unity. Proposals should ensure that families are kept together, to the greatest extent possible, and that children and youth, particularly, are afforded special protection. Too often our immigration laws lead to the disintegration of the family unit and the abandonment of children.

We commit ourselves to working with our own faith communities and others to foster constructive and respectful dialogue on this important national issue. As faith leaders, we will work to ensure that immigrants are treated with respect and dignity. We will speak out and educate our communities about the value of immigrants and the important contributions they make to our lives, while fostering a climate for constructive and civil dialogue on this important national issue.

We also urge our elected officials and all persons of good will to work together to find solutions which uphold the moral fabric of our nation, protect the dignity and human rights of all persons, and restore and maintain the rule of law.

As a nation of immigrants, we must remember our heritage and return to those values which have helped build our great nation—fairness, justice, opportunity, and compassion.

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Political Update: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/12/1003677/two-immigration-amendments-extended
New resources on Immigration for the Jewish holidays available at http://advocacy.hias.org/NetCommunity/religious_materials

See http://www.hias.org/progress for more information

Op-Ed by Rabbi Maurice Harris: http://www.jewishaz.com/issues/story.mv?100430+abraham

Sample Programs in JRF communities:

At our Social Concerns Luncheon on a recent shabbat, the topic was immigration. Two speakers from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) spoke on the topic “Religious Responses to Illegal Immigration and Initiatives for Reform”. The first speaker, HIAS CEO Gideon Aronoff, outlined five Jewish bases for HIAS’s work in helping Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants as well as in supporting “fair and compassionate immigration laws.” The second speaker, HIAS VP of Media and Communications Roberta Elliott, talked about starting the first Jewish detention visitation group in the U.S., at the Elizabeth Detention Center near Newark Airport. The center houses individuals who arrive without sufficient documentation while their applications for asylum and status are considered. Roberta’s descriptions of conditions at the center and her stories about detainees she has met and assisted were moving and inspiring. Several of our members expressed interest afterwards in following up with detention visits and in organizing a book drive for the detainees which is a need of the people there. You can read more on our website, http://www.thesaj.org
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As part of the faith alliance of metro Atlanta, Rabbi Josh Lesser helped organize educational sessions documentary showing in collaboration with many other institutions. Congregation Beit Chaverim has a strong relationship with RRISA (Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta) and we have partnered with a number of families to provide support. Our school has worked with the Burmese immigrant community. This year our tikkun olam commitee is working with some Latino organizations to do advocacy against proposed state anti-immigration bills and we are planning an educational Shabbat on immigration in Georgia. Lastly, we are creating a Passover seder that explores directly immigration with the passover narrative. Rabbi Joshua Lesser http://www.congregationbethaverim.org/
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Rabbi Dennis Sasso of affiliate Beth El Tzedek, Indiannapolis, IN, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Immigrant Welcome Center in Indianapolis and represented the center and the Jewish Community Relations Council at a conference to sign and launch the Rabbi Sasso's talk is attached to this page. http://bez613.org/
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10 Things You and Your Synagogue can do to Welcome the Stranger- Rebecca Gould (RRC '11)

The list below focuses on Philadelphia and region, but can be adpated for resources and organizational connections in your area:

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am your G-d.”
- Leviticus 19: 33-34

What can I do to help?

1. Encourage people in your life to use language that honors the divine spark in everyone - use the term undocumented immigrant instead of illegal alien.

2. Donate furniture - free pick up from your home - to furnish apartments for new refugees.

3. Go to these websites and join listservs: for state legislation updates - http://paimmigrant.org/ and for national legislation updates - http://capwiz.com/hias and www.interfaithimmigrant.org then make calls and write emails as legislation comes up.

4. Become an American friend by helping new immigrants get settled and learn about living in Philadelphia.

5. Help refugees and immigrants avoid deportation by giving tzedakah to HIAS and Council so we can continue to provide legal representation for those in need. Go to http://hiaspa.org/involved.html to give.

How can my synagogue community make a difference?
1. Create a media watch committee to respond to anti-immigrant sentiment (post on facebook, blog, write op-eds, etc.) Help people fulfill the Jewish values of welcoming the stranger and loving your neighbor by changing public opinion on immigration.

2. Join the PA Immigration and Citizenship Coalition listserv at http://paimmigrant.org/ and participate as a community in local actions for immigration reform.

3. Do an oral history project about your congregants families’ immigration stories. Children and adults can interview relatives. Present creatively and make connections to current day immigration issues. Research immigration issues and history at hias.org

4. Sponsor educational programs and invite speakers from various faiths and backgrounds (tailored for adults or children).

5. Do a community drive for household goods and other items to help immigrants and refugees. Encourage bar and bat mitzvah students to take a leading role.

HIAS and Council Migration Services of Philadelphia (www.hiaspa.org)
IMMIGRATION: MYTHS VERSUS FACTS

Myth # 1: Immigrants Take Jobs Away From Americans
Immigrants work in niche occupations, including many areas U.S. workers don’t choose to work in. One recent study showed NO correlation between high unemployment and counties with large numbers of immigrants.
(http://immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/Not_In_Competition_3.pdf ; http://immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/immigration-reform-and-job-growth )

Myth # 2 Immigrants Increase Crime
New immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans. While immigration has increased since 1994, including doubling undocumented populations, violent crime rates fell by 34.2%. This question has been studied for over 100 years and the findings consistently show that new immigrants commit fewer crimes than native born residents. (http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/03/05/immigration_and_crime/ ; http://immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/immigrants-and-crime-are-they-connected-century-research-finds-crime-r... )

Myth # 3 Immigrants Don’t Pay Taxes
All immigrants pay taxes, whether income, property, sales, or other. As far as income tax payments go, immigrants pay $90-$140 billion a year in federal, state, and local taxes. Even undocumented immigrants pay income taxes, as evidenced by the Social Security Administration’s “suspense file” (taxes that cannot be matched to workers’ names and social security numbers). In 2002, this suspense file grew by $56 billion in reported earnings, with $7 billion in Social Security taxes and $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes largely paid by immigrants who will never enjoy these programs. Immigrants contribute $611 billion to our Social Security system; a moratorium on legal immigration would devastate the system by raising the deficit 31% over 50 yrs.

Myth # 4 Immigrants Don’t Contribute Economically to Society
The immigrant community is not a drain on the U.S. economy but, in fact, proves to be a net benefit. Research reported by both the CATO Institute and the President’s Council of Economic Advisors reveals that the average immigrant pays a net 80,000 dollars more in taxes than they collect in government services. For immigrants with college degrees the net fiscal return is $198,000. Furthermore, The American Farm Bureau asserts that without guest workers the U.S. economy would lose as much as $9 billion a year in agricultural production and 20 percent of current production would go overseas. In the Philadelphia region, immigrants have accounted for nearly 75 percent of the area’s labor growth since 2000 and, when compared to native born, more are employed (73 percent versus 71.5 percent) and self-employed (10.7 percent versus 7.9 percent). In addition, immigrants have a high rate of entrepreneurship, opening businesses and creating jobs. And new groups have tremendous buying power. The growth of the Latino press is an example; at a time when newspapers are struggling for readership, Latino radio and T.V. offerings are increasing. Since 1990 Latino purchasing power has increased by 349% and Asian buying power by 92%. (Source: New Brookings Institution study, “Recent Immigration to Philadelphia: Regional Change in a Re-Emerging Gateway.” CATO Institute, CATO Handbook for Congress: Policy Recommendations for the 108th Congress, http://www.cato.org/pubs/handbook/hb108/hb108-63.pdf; Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisors, “Immigration’s Economic Impact,” June 20, 2007, http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/cea_immigration_062007.html; Derrick Z. Jackson, “Undocumented Workers Contribute Plenty, The Boston Globe, April 12, 2006, http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/04/12/undocumented_workers_contribute_pl...)

Myth # 5 Immigrants Don’t Want to Learn English
Immigrants and their children learn English today at the same rate as Italian, German, and Eastern European who emigrated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are not enough English classes to accommodate all the immigrants who want to learn English. Nevertheless within 10 years, 75% of immigrants are able to speak English well. 91% of second generation immigrants are fluent or near fluent English speakers. By the third generation, 97% speak English fluently or near fluently. (Source: Shirin Hakimzadeh and D’Vera Cohn, “English Usage Among Hispanics in the United States,” http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=10487 Pew Hispanic Forum, 12/6/07. http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=82; Janet Murguia and Cecilia Muñoz, “From Immigrant to Citizen,” The American Prospect 10/23/05; http://www.immigrationforum.org/images/uploads/MythsandFacts.pdf)

Myth # 6 Immigrants Have a Way to Immigrant Legally; They Just Need to Wait Their Turn
There are no legal possibilities for many immigrants. Visa caps, complex laws including 1996 changes in the law means if an immigrant leaves and tries to apply to re-enter, they could be separated from their family for 10 years or more. There are virtually no permanent employment visas for unskilled immigrants; the wait is 8 years and no employer will hold a job open that long. Immigrants can’t wait in line, because there is no line.