UJC Endorses Cheshvan as global Jewish Social Action Month

Background

UJC’s Jewish renaissance and renewal agenda seeks to enact a vision that will transform and reinvigorate Jewish life in North America, Israel and around the world, one that will nurture vibrant Jewish communities based on core Jewish values, including Torah (learning), tzedek (justice), chesed (caring and compassion), avodah (service) and tikkun olam (ethics and repairing the world), all in a framework that reinforces Jewish peoplehood, mutual responsibility and love of Israel. UJC endeavors to serve and transform federation communities into pluralistic communities of Jewish meaning, passion, inspiration, and learning which enable individuals to construct meaningful personal and collective Jewish identities and lifestyles.

UJC is committed to developing and executing strategies that will expand dramatically the participation of Jews aged 20-35 in Jewish life and to build stronger connections between these Jews and the organized Jewish community. It has long been recognized that young Jewish adults are less engaged in Jewish life and activities than older adults. But in many ways, this generation is at the cutting edge of profound changes in Jewish life. Young Jews are developing new forms of Jewish self-expression. The question is whether as a system we are prepared to help nurture them in their own Jewish journeys, even as we encourage them to join, and perhaps help to transform, our institutions, organizations and communities.

To engage successfully the next generation of Jewish leaders, special initiatives will have to be developed that appeal to their interests and strengthen their bonds to our community. Recent surveys report that tikkun olam (repair of the world) and social justice motivate much of this younger generation’s identification with what is important about being a Jew. Consistent with these findings, Federation-supported programs that help people in need and that advocate on behalf of the social justice agenda are likely to attract the next generation to become involved meaningfully in our community.

Recommendation

UJC endorses the call by the international Jewish organization of next generation leaders, Kol Dor, and its partners, to declare the Hebrew month of Cheshvan as “Jewish Social Action Month,” corresponding in 2005/5766 to the month of November. Each year, Cheshvan will be a month devoted to social action and social justice, whereby the Jewish community will give more of its time and resources to pursue the sacred values of tzedek and tikkun olam. In dedicating this month, the time following the Days of Awe, we aspire to advance the dream of generations: the redemption of Israel and the redemption of the world. UJC shall support Federations with “Live Generously” resource materials and encourage them to dedicate the month of Cheshvan to increased education and hands-on programming as part of their broader strategy of strengthening Jewish identity and building compelling communities, especially reaching out to the younger generations in their community.