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The time I spend working in Asia and Africa keeps me keenly aware of deprivation in the world, of injustice, and also of the enormous disparities in incomes and access to services. I’m therefore particularly pleased to be part of a congregation that is so creative and so generous in helping to meet these needs, both locally and internationally.
Lots of examples:
- On Yom Kippur this year, and again at Thanksgiving, we continued our tradition of making substantial contributions of non-perishables and warm clothes to our Brattleboro Drop-In Center.
- Our B’nai Mitzvah class is entering into pen pal relationships with Israeli and with Palestinian teenagers, and will likely become involved with them in development of social service projects.
- Our congregation is a founding member of the Brattleboro Interfaith Initiative, rapidly becoming an important social action vehicle in our community.
- Last month our congregation responded immediately and generously to an emergency need facing a local family.
- During the Chanukah season, we made available energy efficient light bulbs which have such potential in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Individuals in our community continue to be actively involved in projects in Nicaragua, Argentina, Cuba and elsewhere which are helping to meet basic needs while raising awareness of injustice issues.
Additionally, how about this proposal now under discussion – a series of monthly "coffee houses" on a broad array of social action topics to educate and inspire us, while giving us the opportunity to help out with our brains, our hands or our pocket books?
Such activity makes it all the more a privilege to be part of our congregation.
As we say so often to our children: engaging compassionately in social action, helping the disadvantaged, working for justice, and cleaning up our planet are the very best ways available to us to partner with God in helping to complete the as yet incomplete creation of the world.
B'shalom,
Jim |
