On April 27th, Mia Farrow began fasting in solidarity with the people of Darfur, who face ever worsening suffering since Sudanese President Bashir expelled over a dozen aid organizations from the country.  read more »

Rabbis Epstein, Zevit, Eisenstat and DobbOn May 11 and 12, 2009, JRF’s Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Rabbi Nancy Epstein, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat, JRF affiliate Adat Shalom’s Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb represented the JRF at a meeting of more than 40 leaders from across the broad spectrum of the organized American Jewish community for the first national Jewish Sustainability Conference. We gathered at the incredible Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center outside Baltimore for two days of learning, workshops, and discussion on Judaism and sustainability.

One of the initial questions we grappled with was defining “sustainability”. Rachel Cohen, the intern for environmental issues for the Religious Action Center, with whom we partner on many social justice initiatives, stated in her post-conference blog entry that “sustainability means creating communities that meet the basic human needs of all of their members, (and the world we are part of), by rethinking and often limiting both what we take from the natural world and the by-products that we put into the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the public spaces we enjoy together. We came to understand how the American Jewish community can unite around the goal of building safer, healthier communities for ourselves and our children based on these fundamental principles.” We also shared an understanding from Jewish tradition and contemporary thought, that sustainability means living in a social, economic, political, environmental, culutral and spiritual balance and integrative manner. In this way the impact of our actions to meet our own needs and the needs of the planet today, are also measured against the impact on future generations (l'dor v'dor).

The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), a program of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, along with 17 Jewish religious movements and national organizations, organized and sponsored this historic gathering. JRF was involved from the beginning of this effort as part of our movement wide commitment to the issue, dating back to our 1990 Resolution on the Environment, and the recent "Omer Learning and Sustainable Synagogue Initiatives.  read more »

2009 JRF OMER STUDY AND ACTION INITIATIVE (APRIL - JUNE 2009/5769)

"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)

Dear Hevre,

Thanks to all of you who have been helping to promote the various JRF and other national/international initiatives happening this Pesach and beyond. Our Omer Initiative this year is focused on partnership activities, additional PEARL tikkun olam calls and program/ritual resources. Please keep drawing people's attention to these initiatives, and where you can let us know what they are up to so we can highlight local/regional activities on our webpages.

2008 Omer teachings on community building and sustained action
2007 Omer teachings on environmental sustainability
2006 Omer teachings on hunger and poverty
2005 Omer teachings on Pirke Avot

L'Shalom,

Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam
Congregational Consultant
215.885.5601 x 24 / fax: 215.885.5603
Cleveland Office: 216-591-1886

For Tikkun Olam see http://www.jrf.org/to
JRF ~ Transformative Judaism for the 21st Century www.jrf.org

ANTI-HUNGER AND POVERTY INITIATIVES

See also http://delicious.com/JRFtikkun/hunger

In partnership with the JCPA and their local CRC's, we are offering a Children's Nutrition Seder to draw attention to and take action on child hunger and poverty and in the process we are hoping to mutually deepen the ongoing relationship between local CRC's and JRF congregations.

See JCPA's Omer Resources for JRF attached below.

International poverty and hunger alleviation

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUSTAINABLE SYNAGOGUE INITIATIVES

U.S. National Judaism and Sustainability Conference

Birkhat HaChammah, Wed. April 8, 2009. Every 28 years the Jewish people mark this event and this year a national Jewish coalition, Bless-the-Sun is promoting sustainable energy as well. We hope you will look to at very least do something in your own congregation or havurah, at best- partner with others with the emphasis on sustainable energy from solar and other alternative sources.

Solar Energy Slide Show with Music

Rabbi Fred Dobb's 2009 Doctoral Thesis: Sustained Sustainability: Eco-Judaism in the Pulpit, Enriched with Interfaith Intersections.

Article from Cleveland Jewish News

Teva Environmental Seminar
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMMIGRATION REFORM

Pesach Freedom initiative as indicated on the webpage- this initiative is in concert with HIAS who provide the support and materials.

See HIAS' Omer resources attached below.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DARFUR GENOCIDE RELIEF

April Darfur Month

Seder for Darfur and April Darfur Sermon Initiative

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGREGATION-BASED COMMUNITY ORGANIZING (CBCO)

A number of congregations in each region are beginning to get active in this area, and Chapel Hill Kehillah took the lead in getting a chapter started where there was none. Our work with Jewish Funds for Justice and the individual national organizations (IAF, Gamaliel, PECO) continues individually as well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 continues to organize our communities, consult and provide resources for our affiliates and external partners. Visit www.jrf.org/to or click on the titles below to learn more about the range of our Tikkun Olam programming and involvement:

Additional Ongoing JRF Resources and Initiatives

Sign-Ons, Resolutions and External Affiliations

Inclusion of Persons with Special Needs

GLBT Inclusion and Same-Sex Marriage Rights

Guidelines for Congregational Decision Making and Social Justice Actions

Service Learning

Israel Resources

Tikkun Olam Resources Library

Tikkun Olam Resources Outside JRF

JCPA 2009 Plenum Resolutions (JRF Member Religious Organization)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OMER STUDY INITIATIVE 2009/ PEARL TELECONFERENCE CALLS (REGISTER AT www.jrf.org/PEARL)
Sustainable Synagogues 3.0
Start: May 14 2009 - 12:00pm - 1:15pm, EST
As part of JRF's ongoing Sustainable Synagogue Initiative, this call is a follow up to previous successful synagogue greening calls of last June, featuring some of JRF's leading communities and their work in creating sustainable Jewish communities. Special focus on sustainable practices in ritual, programming and policy aspects of Jewish communal life.

CBCO-Congregation Based Community Organizing
Start: Jun 4 2009 - 12:00pm- 1:15pm
Since 2006, JRF has partnered with the Jewish Funds for Justice, the Interfaith Organizing Initiative and other social justice networks in the field of congregation-based community organizing to help promote and develop spiritually activist communities. Many of our clergy and lay leaders have led the way in their communities to start and grow "CBCO" networks, transforming their own congregations in the process. This call is for anyone who is interested or has embarked on this powerful method of social justice organizing in faith community.

Growing the Soul of Your Community
Jun 11 2009 - 12:00pm - 1:15pm
While we understandably focus on the technical aspects of running and growing our communities (especially in difficult times), there are core spiritual, cultural, ethical and identity issues that bring us together as religious communities. This call will explore some of the key elements that are crucial to keeping our selves grounded in core religious values, spiritual values, and social justice principles as we grow our faith communities. Topics will include ritual life, prayer, Jewish values-based decision making as spiritual practice, spiritual direction, tikkun olam and more.

• Resolution Regarding Children of Interfaith Partnerships (patrilineal descent)
• Resolution on the Environment
• Resolution on Hunger and MAZON
• Resolution to join the Jewish Coalition Responding to Aids in Africa
• JRF statement on reproductive rights
• JRF taskforces and reports on:
• Kol Ehad - Inclusion of People with Disabilities
• Homosexuality Report and Inclusion of GLBTQ persons
• Boundaries and Opportunities: Role of Non-Jews
• Israel Task Force and Middle East Statements and Resources
• Resolutions passed by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), of which JRF is a voting member religious organization, on:
• Jewish Security and The Bill of Rights
• Equal Opportunity and Social Justice
• Israel, World Jewry and International Human Rights
• Resolutions passed by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA)

JRF issues guidelines and reports to help our member communities in their own communitarian Jewish values-based decision-making processes.

Along with the JRF resolutions and resources, please also visit Sample Guidelines for Congregational Decision-Making. You can continue to find specific additional resources for tikkun olam at our Tikkun Olam Resources Library, Tikkun resources outside of JRF, Tikkun Olam Omer Learning Initiatives (here and here),
Anti-hunger and poverty, Sustainability and Environment, Congregation-Based Community Organizing, and Service Learning.

For your information, here are the resolutions that came out of the recent JCPA plenum. In the two years since JRF became a member religious organization and fourth Jewish movement in the JCPA, we have participated in many coalitions and sign-on initiatives. This Plenum marked the first time we were a national religious organization co-sponsoring three of the resolutions below. Thanks to Carl Sheingold (JRF Executive Vice-President), Bob Barkin (JRF President) and Val Kaplan (JRF Chair of External Affiliations) for representing us and voting on our behalf at the Plenum.

Full list of 2009 JCPA Resolutions

Full listing of partner organizations and sign-ons,

JCPA
JCPA speaks to you each week, alerting you to what the community relations field is doing to safeguard the rights of Jews here, in Israel, and around the world and to protect, preserve and promote a just, democratic and pluralistic American society. For three generations, we have brought together diverse voices in the Jewish community to unite a strong Jewish public policy force.

Date: March 11, 2009
From: Max Mulcahy, Program Director, JCPA

Below are the final versions of the JCPA resolutions as adopted by the 2009 Plenum. Click on the links to access the resolution text in pdf format. Please share these resolutions with your board and leadership. If you have any questions please feel free to contact JCPA offices.

Strengthening the Assets of Low Income Households

Challenges in Coalition Building

Comprehensive Energy Policy

Criminal Justice Reform

Darfur

Freedom of Expression/Defamation of Religion

Supporting Comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Education Programs for All

Muslim Jewish Relations

Alleviating Hunger and Food Insufficiency among Children, the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities, and other At-Risk Individuals in the U.S. and Internationally

Reform of the Federal Poverty Measure

There are many JRF initiatives or letters of support in which we are continually asked to participate. In all of these cases, JRF is invited to join other interfaith or Jewish denominational coalitions in national and international social justice areas or letters/programs about forthcoming legislation or policy in keeping with our already existing resolutions.

Sign-ons through 2011 (to be updated):

Older sign-ons

• Opposition to "High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004" - US Congress - URJ/JRF - June 2004
• Interfaith service for Justice for Children and the Poor - Children's Defense Fund, support of event - October 2004
• Defense of RLUIPA Coalition - Becket Fund for Religious Liberty - December 2004
• Brief in legal defense of church/state land use separation on behalf of Coalition for Free Exercise of Religion - Cutter vs Wilkinson - US Supreme Court
• WISC Health Care Working Group- Medicaid to the president, members of Congress and OMB - January 2005
• Supplemental Security Income benefits for elderly refugees - Senate Finance Committee - HIAS - March 2005
• Petition to Congress for Sudan Darfur relief
  - US Congress - Hillel International - March 2005
• National Coalition Building Institute 20th anniversary event - Congressman John Lewis speaker- Washington - NCBI - April 2005
• NY State Amicus brief in support of same-sex marriage,
  April 2005

Listen online or download the audios from this Forum. Download Rabbi Fred Scherlinder-Dobb's notes!  read more »

Also, listen to audio of the Convention’s opening plenary, Jewish Identity, Community and Leadership: A Dialogue Between the Generations.

In 1990, JRF passed a movement-wide resolution 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 more »

• http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources
• http://jrf.org/sz-2007-omer-intro
• http://jrf.org/omer/2007

As part of the Sustainable Synagogue Initiative and the 2008 JRF Biennial convention, we honored 15 of the individuals and communities leading the way in our movement in integrating Jewish values and religious life, and sustainable communal policies and practices. Read more to see the full list!

Learn more at www.chkehillah.org/socialaction.htm

2009 Updates: http://www.jspot.org/showDiary.do?diaryId=2090

We are pleased to announce that the Chapel Hill Kehillah, a synagogue in Chapel Hill, NC, affiliated with the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, has received a matching grant from the national organization Jewish Funds for Justice to support our first year of congregational membership in the Orange County Organizing Committee.

The Orange County Organizing Committee (OCOC) is building a broad-based organization with the power to take collective action in the name of justice and the common good.  read more »

Visit the Tents of Hope Project: www.tentsofhope.org
The mission of the Tents of Hope project is to support a one-year process in which people respond as communities to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan by creating tents that are both unique works of art and ongoing focal points within communities for learning about, assisting and establishing relationships with the people of Sudan.
The tents are not answers in themselves. Rather, they are points of entry for more concrete forms of Darfur advocacy.