Do the Jewish People really need another holiday?

These young activists think so.

TEL AVIV, May 23 2006: The Jewish calendar is filled with holidays every month of the year — except one. But now a group of young activists is asking that all Jewish calendars mark the Jewish month of Heshvan (which this year runs from October 23 to November 21) as "Jewish Social Action Month."

Jewish Social Action Month launched triumphantly last year, garnering endorsements from Israeli president Moshe Katsav and American president George W. Bush, among others. Jews from around the world carried out a vast variety of social action projects in support of this global initiative, ranging from large scale and ongoing social action projects to simple acts of individual kindness.

In the Jewish tradition, the month of Heshvan is often described as Mar-Heshvan ("bitter Heshvan), a time of bitterness as it has no holidays. But, Israeli President Katsav said making Jewish Social Action a permanent part of the Jewish calendar should "lead to the removal of the Mar [bitter] preface to the name of the month."

KolDor, the global network of young Jews, created the holiday in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office of Israel and socialaction.com. In 2005, it received the enthusiastic support of Jewish and non-Jewish leaders including US Senator Joseph Lieberman and Congressman Steve Israel, British politicians such as Lord Janner of Braunstone and Lousise Ellman MP, Israel Member of the Knesset Rabbi Michael Melchior and Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin and Canadian Minister of Justice and Attorney General Irwin Cotler.

Communities and organizations from more than a dozen countries participated in Jewish Social Action Month including the United Jewish Communities of North America (UJC), and international student and youth groups such as Hillel, Bnei Akiva and Habonim Dror.

A wide and unusually diverse spectrum of Jewish religious leaders also blessed the project including the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Sir Jonathan Sacks and the leaders of the Reform Movement in the US including Rabbi Eric Yoffie.

Social action projects were carried out in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Romania and others, as well as in Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom.

"Social action is a vital part of the Jewish tradition," said KolDor member Jay Michaelson, "that unites Jews of many different religious and cultural backgrounds. Until now, there has been no single holiday devoted to it." Michaelson added that by leaving open how the holiday is to be observed, "everyone can celebrate Jewish Social Action Month in the way that is most relevant to them and their communities."

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