Where Justice Dwells

Jewish tradition compels us to protect the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable among us. But discerning how to make meaningful and effective change through social justice work-whether in community or on your own-is not always easy.

How can Jewish values inform our work to create a just world—and help us work together for the good of all communities? "Somehow, most Jews have decided that being a 'good Jew' means adhering to rituals such as Shabbat, kashrut, and prayer. But the word halakhah, generally translated as 'Jewish law,' literally means ‘the way to walk.’ Rather than a limited set of ritual laws, halakhah represents an all-encompassing way of life." —from Chapter 1 Jewish tradition compels us to protect the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable among us. But discerning how to make meaningful and effective change through social justice work—whether in community or on your own—is not always easy. This guide provides ways to envision and act on your own ideals of social justice by helping you navigate through such issues as: Creating a narrative mission statement that reflects your organization’s values Balancing the needs of your community with those of other communities Weighing the pros and cons of various models of social justice work (direct service, advocacy, investment and community organizing) Expanding the impact and efficiency of your work Locating your social justice goals and methods within the context of Jewish tradition Maintaining the motivation and inspiration to continue your social justice work Each chapter includes a set of discussion questions to prompt reflection and conversation, as well as tips, tools, processes and forms for getting your social justice project off the ground.

How can Jewish values inform our work to create a just world - and help us work together for the good of all communities? "Somehow, most Jews have decided that being a 'good Jew' means adhering to rituals such as Shabbat, kashrut, and prayer. But the word halakhah, generally translated as 'Jewish law, ' literally means 'the way to walk.' Rather than a limited set of ritual laws, halakhah represents an all - encompassing way of life." - from Chapter 1 Jewish tradition compels us to protect the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable among us. But discerning how to make meaningful and effective change through social justice work - whether in community or on your own - is not always easy. This guide provides ways to envision and act on your own ideals of social justice by helping you navigate through such issues as: Creating a narrative mission statement that reflects your organization's values Balancing the needs of your community with those of other communities Weighing the pros and cons of various models of social justice work (direct service, advocacy, investment and community organizing) Expanding the impact and efficiency of your work Locating your social justice goals and methods within the context of Jewish tradition Maintaining the motivation and inspiration to continue your social justice work Each chapter includes a set of discussion questions to prompt reflection and conversation, as well as tips, tools, processes and forms for getting your social justice project off the ground.

Confront the most pressing issues of twenty-first-century America in this fascinating book, which brings together classical Jewish sources, contemporary policy debate and real-life stories.

Engaging and sobering. Traces the development of Yizkor from the original memorializing of Jewish communities destroyed by the Crusaders to the touching service we have today, and reflects on how we remember both personal losses and the martyrs of history.

Bertrand de Jouvenel examines the relationship between the distribution of power and the creation of an ethical society.

Many Christians today, even those who may be connected to small groups within the churches they attend, lack dynamic and intimate personal relationships with their Creator. Their exposure to the Scriptures is often limited to a once-a-week attendance at a worship service, and they struggle to maintain consistent and meaningful prayer and devotional lives. Already overwhelmed with life in a difficult time, many realize their spiritual lives are lacking but cannot imagine how to remedy the situation without adding even more complexity and trouble. This book provides practical answers to those willing to take a fresh look at what God has already provided to make a closer relationship possible. It is written as by one who is continuing to learn and willing to share what he has learned from the scriptures and from other authors.

The six reflections and conceptualizations of "Exilic Mediations" explore the relationship between exile and emigration, the (im-)possibility of return, accent and foreignness, multiculturalism and sovereignty, trauma and memory, and a life lived poetically in an unhomely world. Situated subtly between reflections on personal experiences and post-Heideggerian philosophy, these exilic meditations show how a life lived as an exile enables a journey into the very concepts that we hold so dear to our hearts: home, belonging, justice, and the future. Vahabzadeh wishes to find a place where the singular experiences of the exiles and emigrants can be heard. This requires, he argues, a poetic life-one of creative responses to the very conditions of injustice, a life of making and crafting a new world. "Exilic Meditations" calls for attending to the common wounds of the banished and marginalized, displaced and abandoned, exiles and refugees, in these inhospitable times of ours.