Tzedek Initiative

“Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof”
“Justice, justice you shall pursue, that you may live,
and inherit the land which the Lord your God gave you”
(Deuteronomy 16:18)

Congregation Agudath Israel established the Tzedek Initiative in the summer of 2020 to demonstrate that we, as individuals and as a community rooted in Jewish values, stand in solidarity with those fighting for justice and equality with the hope that this is about more than what we do, it is who we want to become. This initiative complements the Conservative Movement’s effort to sharpen its focus on social justice and racial equality.

OUR MISSION
The Tzedek Initiative pursues and promotes social justice and racial equality through listening and learning; community building; and advocacy and activism. The Initiative affords congregants of all ages and stages, as individuals and as a community, the opportunity to learn about and help create a more just and equitable world. We will define success as:

• ► Greater awareness and understanding within our CAI community of social justice and racial equality and the impact our actions, as individuals and a community can have
• ► Long-term and deep community partnerships that enhance our efforts to create a more just and equitable world
• ► Recognition as a trusted supporter and vocal advocate of social justice and racial equality
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Recognizing that the work towards justice and equality begins at home, the Tzedek Initiative also supports an inclusive and welcoming CAI community that celebrates the diversity of the Jewish people and honors and respects differences among us.

For more information or to join our committee, please contact co-chairs Deborah Rosen; Deborah Miller; Ruth Jaffe; or Morris Lewis. We periodically publish a newsletter; to be added to our mailing list, send an email to caitzedek@gmail.com.
 

As of April 2023, more than 250 CAI congregants have participated in at least one of more 20 events or programs, including our annual Juneteenth shabbats. Tzedek Initiative programs include viewing of documentaries; lectures; book discussions; and panel discussions around a range of relevant topics.

COMMUNITY BUILDING
The Tzedek Initiative collaborates with and learns from groups related to us by geographic proximity, mission, and/or religious focus to address issues of social injustice and racial inequality.

ADVOCACY AND ACTIVISM
By proactively and regularly tapping into the opinions of a wide set of congregants, the Tzedek Initiative seeks to identify the social justice and racial equality issues most troubling to them. These form the basis of congregant-led work groups charged with digging deeper to determine whether to move forward into action.