First UK Synagogue to Employ Head of Social Justice
The position of head of social justice (Rosh Tzedek) at Alyth (North Western Reform Synagogue) is the first of its kind within a synagogue in the UK. The role of the Rosh Tzedek is to initiate and sustain social action projects as well ensuring the integration of social justice education within Alyth for both the youth community and the adult community.
Alyth's Rosh Tzedek, Nikki Levitan explains that the synagogue created the position 'because, just as we continue to work hard to ensure that our worship and education are dynamic, involving and responsive to the world that our members inhabit - so too we wanted to ensure that our g'milut chassadim, our actions of loving-kindness also display the same qualities'.
The aim is that a stream of social justice education be put into place for school age groups, with continuity for Alyth youth and post B’nei Mitzvah on their social justice journey. This will involve engaging them in current issues both local and international and providing them with the skills they need to become young Jewish social activists.
Nikki has also begun to work on a one to one basis with members of the community across the generations, to assist them in finding volunteering and intern opportunities with UK charities and NGOs. Nikki comes to Alyth following deep involvement in social justice issues on the front line. In particular she worked for some years with Dafuri refugees in the UK and in Israel and ensured that Jewish communities were aware of their plight and helped them to find the support they need.
Since the role of Rosh Tzedek came into place in December 2010 a number of significant advances have been made. An ambitious adult social action committee has been set up to support and initiate social action and justice projects and activities within Alyth across the generations. They have begun to plan an Alyth signature social justice monthly project.
On Purim Alyth hosted a social action event where the youth and the adult community came together to learn about the link between the festival of Purim and social Justice and collected donations for refugee and asylum seeker communities in the UK.
As Nikki explains, these steps are just the start: 'Many more new social justice projects and initiatives will be beginning in this coming year at Alyth. Through the position of Rosh Tzedek we are beginning to work towards creating an ethos of social justice within a place of Jewish life, community and learning. We hope to be able to make genuine differences in the lives of people less fortunate than ourselves. We hope this will also serve as a beacon within the Movement - encouraging and inspiring other Jewish communities to becoming engaged and be leaders in social action and the pursuit of justice.'
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