Tikkun Olam
Tikkun Olam translates to “repair of the world.”
“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
Repair of the world is a guiding principle of our Havurah. Our projects have been directed locally and globally, collecting of goods and funds for local and international charities, and food pantries, cleaning Narberth Park, and participating in the Martin Luther King Day of Service and Philadelphia’s Annual Peace & Reconciliation Walk.
More recently, the Havurah has focused on our interest in addressing ongoing threats to our planet’s ecology and issues of racial injustice through specific projects to help grow food locally and to distribute it to people in our communities that are food insecure.
Below are our key initiatives. For more information or to get involved, please reach out to our Social Action Chair, Harris Stern at harriswwstern@gmail.com.
Planting and Caring for Trees
Trees are amazing for so many reasons. They clean the air, help to regulate the water cycle, prevent soil erosion, and provide habitat for wildlife. In addition, trees play an important role in racial justice. Minorities are more likely to live in areas with poor air quality, and trees can help to improve the air quality in these areas. As a result, planting and caring for trees is an essential part of creating a more just and equitable world.
Our members are involved in planting and caring for trees--especially in underresourced neighborhoods with minority populations. Local Tree Tender groups that get education and support for these efforts from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society need and welcome our help! Help often involves watering and weeding around trees in nearby Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Key Partners: Tree Tenders in Overbrook and Germantown; Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Growing & Distributing Vegetables
Vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet, and often the poorest have limited access to fresh, nutritious produce. Community Gardens provide a space for people to come together and grow food for themselves and for others. They also help to build relationships and create a sense of belonging. And they can be a great source of fresh produce for food banks and other organizations that serve those in need.
Havurah members have joined local efforts at Holy Trinity’s Giving Garden as well as Bethel AME’s Victory gardens, which grow impressive amounts of food that is shared with communities in need. We also support and encourage each other to grow our own produce for consumption or sharing.
Key Partners: Giving Garden at Holy Trinity and Victory Garden at Bethel AME Ardmore, Trellis, a non-profit that supports gardens for sharing.
Havurah food donation drives
At a time when so many are struggling to put food on the table, the importance of collecting and distributing packaged foods to those in need cannot be overstated. The food insecure are often forced to choose between buying food and other essentials like health care or paying rent, and as a result, many go hungry. Our goal is to collect food for the food insecure on all holidays. In addition, our Hebrew School children and community make a vital difference in the lives of those struggling by volunteering at the Jewish Relief Agency, where they help to box food and deliver it to those in need. By working together, we can help to ensure that fewer people go hungry.
Activism
We use our connection to Judaism to inspire us to engage in activism on issues of social justice, including racial justice, reproductive rights, LGBTQA+ rights, gun violence, and others. We sometimes join like-minded organizations like Interfaith Power and Light, a grassroots organization of over 50 Pennsylvania congregations committed to racial, economic, and environmental justice. We have also been involved with the New Sanctuary Movement.
As Jews - and humans - we have a responsibility to stand up for the most vulnerable among us and to work for a society that reflects our values of compassion and justice. In Rabbi Hillel's words: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" We take these words to heart as we fight for a better world for all.
