Comments on: Taking on Social Justice http://resources.havurah.org/2009/12/taking-on-social-justice/ Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:51:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Resources for your community | Jewschool http://resources.havurah.org/2009/12/taking-on-social-justice/#comment-102 Resources for your community | Jewschool Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:42:52 +0000 http://resources2.havurah.org/?p=46#comment-102 [...] out how to make decisions in a non-hierarchical community? Looking for ways to plan a text study or engage your community in social justice? It’s all there, along with multiple collections of links to other resources around the [...] [...] out how to make decisions in a non-hierarchical community? Looking for ways to plan a text study or engage your community in social justice? It’s all there, along with multiple collections of links to other resources around the [...]

]]> By: Erica Raphael http://resources.havurah.org/2009/12/taking-on-social-justice/#comment-8 Erica Raphael Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:39:36 +0000 http://resources2.havurah.org/?p=46#comment-8 I don't think it is particularly helpful to characterize projects that are mainly externally focused and in which only some people participate as an "old" model. While it is exciting and challenging to consider how the Jewish values that lead to social justice work can infuse all aspects of a havurah or minyan, some groups will have different primary goals and may still choose to sponsor one or more social justice projects in which some or all members may choose to participate. A good example of this type of project is Fabrangen's Project Hope, an assistance program for formerly homeless families. The project, which began many years ago, continues to work with one of the families and has done much to transform the lives of some of its members. A mix of mentoring, financial support, and other support has made this a signature effort of Fabrangen that could be a model for other minyanim or havurot that want to sponsor this type of effort. I don’t think it is particularly helpful to characterize projects that are mainly externally focused and in which only some people participate as an “old” model. While it is exciting and challenging to consider how the Jewish values that lead to social justice work can infuse all aspects of a havurah or minyan, some groups will have different primary goals and may still choose to sponsor one or more social justice projects in which some or all members may choose to participate.

A good example of this type of project is Fabrangen’s Project Hope, an assistance program for formerly homeless families. The project, which began many years ago, continues to work with one of the families and has done much to transform the lives of some of its members. A mix of mentoring, financial support, and other support has made this a signature effort of Fabrangen that could be a model for other minyanim or havurot that want to sponsor this type of effort.

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