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Social Justice Initiatives

Tzedek, Tzedek (Justice, Justice)

Beth Am Israel’s work to repair the world through social justice action

We hope you’ll be inspired to join us in our social justice work.  There is no action that is too small.  We can all do a piece for peace and justice. See our partner organizations below, and the work we are doing with them by pressing the plus sign next to the organization’s name.

 

A New BAI Initiative for 5783 – Yom HaTzedek and the Tzedek Box Project!

Emerging from an idea originally proposed as part of a Wexner Heritage Program in 2018, the concept of Yom HaTzedek is a modern Jewish holiday celebrating acts of Tzedek undertaken throughout the year – it was conceived as a way to “build expectations, promote collective behavior and provide spiritual grounding [sic] might enrich the Jewish commitment to justice. 

Spearheaded by rabbinical student Andrew Mandel, the idea of a Tzedek box took shape.  A Tzedek box would be like a tzedakah box, but focused “explicitly on justice.”  The idea caught on and in 2020, an iPhone app was launched to provide people with a virtual Tzedek box, with which they could keep track of acts of tzedek undertaken throughout the year, find information about programs and activities focused on social justice and share ideas with friends.  Congregations could use the app as a way for congregants to keep track of social action initiatives being promoted throughout the year.  At the end of the year, on Yom HaTzedek (coinciding with Pesach Sheni), the congregation can come together, open their boxes, and share in all the good works done throughout the year.

Given Beth Am Israel’s interest in and support of numerous social action projects, we think the Tzedek Box project is a natural extension of all we do already and so we will be promoting the project throughout the year.  To kick off the Tzedek Box Project at BAI, we have invited Andrew Mandel, the creator of the Tzedek Box Project and Yom HaTzedek, to join us for a special evening on Thursday, October 13 at 7:00pm.  Andrew is a dynamic and engaging speaker – you really do not want to miss this event!  To find out more about the project, visit:  https://launch.tzedekbox.org/home

Our Official Partner Organizations:

CeaseFirePA works towards ending the epidemic of gun violence in PA and our country through education, coalition building, and advocacy. This group has recently finished a Leadership Training. They look forward to bringing to the larger BAI and, ultimately, interfaith community the knowledge they’ve gained and ways which to participate. Contact Elisa Abeloff, Tali Perlman and Corinne Hackman to get involved and see the documents from their training.

Common Cause is dedicated to protecting the right to vote and the opportunity to vote in the November election for all U.S. citizens. Please contact Art Gershkoff to get involved.

Fair Districts PA is a nonpartisan citizens group working to stop gerrymandering by working towards creating a transparent and fair redistricting process in Pennsylvania. Please contact Jamil Khan to get involved.

Listen to our podcast with Rich Rafferty from FDPA.

The Jewish Earth Alliance enables us to work together to enable Jews to engage in the policy process as citizens to address climate change and other environmental issues. Contact Phyllis Blumberg to get involved.

Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light (PAIPL) is a community of faith-based organizations and individuals of faith responding to climate change as an urgent moral issue through advocacy, energy conservation, energy efficiency, and the use of clean, renewable energy.  It is part of a national network of IPL’s.

By joining them both as a congregation and as individuals, we will be able to work collaboratively to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by increasing efficiency and conservation. PA IPL encourages alternative modes of transportation and the use of clean, renewable energy.

PLSE provides free legal advice and representation to low-income Philadelphia residents whose criminal records are holding them back from achieving their social and career potentials. PLSE seeks a more equitable social environment for those with criminal records through individual representation, strategic litigation, community education, research and advocacy.

Join us:

MLK Weekend

January 17, 2025 - January 20, 2025

The Beth Am Israel Board approved a policy, put forth as a motion from our social justice task force, which encourages congregants to engage in activities sponsored by Board- approved organizations.  The organizations and our BAI affiliation with them is now approved and sanctioned by the Board, and as such, Beth Am members can communicate (via our website, email lists and other means) whereby they may announce events and encourage participation.  Volunteer activities may include letter writing, rallies (virtual and physical), and bringing in speakers to build awareness.  One member of the social justice task force (which serves under the Love Your Neighbor committee) must be in regular contact with the organization and with BAI members.