Gearing up for Jewish Social Action Month 2006

Calling on all calendar-makers: a New Holiday for the Jewish people

TEL AVIV, May 7 2006: Preparations are intensifying for the second annual Jewish Social Action Month [JSAM] with organizers expecting the global initiative to be even more successful than last year's triumphant launch.

Jewish Social Action Month is a celebration of social action and Jewish unity and takes place every year during the Hebrew month of Cheshvan. This year, Cheshvan corresponds with October 23 through to November 21.

The first priority is on having Jewish Social Action Month marked on all Jewish calendars.

During this month, Jews from around the world will carry out a vast variety of social action projects in support of this global initiative.

In doing so, they will be answering the call of the President of Israel, Moshe Katsav, for Jewish Social Action Month to be a permanent and vital part of the Jewish calendar.

In the Jewish tradition, the month of Cheshvan is often described as MarCheshvan, a time of bitterness as it has no holidays.

President Katsav has described JSAM as an "important initiative that I hope will lead to the removal of the Mar [bitter] preface to the name of the month" and transform Cheshvan into a time of unity and positive action.

The idea of a Social Action Month was conceived by members of KolDor; a global network of young Jews that seeks to promote Jewish peoplehood and activism.

They were partnered by the Prime Minister's Office of Israel, through Member of the Knesset Rabbi Michael Melchior, and by SocialAction.com in the United States.

In 2005, JSAM received the enthusiastic support of Jewish and non-Jewish leaders, communities and organizations from more than a dozen countries.

President George Bush of the United States was joined by US senators and congressmen, British parliamentarians, Israeli Knesset members in lauding the idea.

A wide and unusually diverse spectrum of Jewish religious leaders also blessed the project. There was also tremendous regional diversity, with social action projects inspired by Jewish Social Action Month taking place in Brazil, Mexico, Russia and elsewhere.

Everyone will again be welcome to celebrate Jewish Social Action Month in the way that is most relevant to them and their communities.

Activities will range from large scale and ongoing social action projects to simple acts of individual kindness. New projects will be launched and existing social action initiatives increased and highlighted. Both Jewish and non-Jewish causes will again benefit.

For further information, please contact:

Paul Thomas, KolDor executive office.
Mob: + 972 (0)54 495 1801
Email: paul@koldor.org
More information will shortly be available on www.cheshvan.org and www.socialaction.com