www.reformjudaism.org.uk

It’s a Whole New Social Action World Out There

There have been two major additions to the Jewish social action landscape in the past couple of years and as she explains here, Jude Williams has had the opportunity to be part of both on behalf of the Movement for Reform Judaism.

The first is the establishment of the Jewish Social Action Forum (JSAF), which is run out of the Pears Foundation’s JHub (a hub of social action and innovation in West Hampstead – and open for all to visit).

JSAF started with a remit of bringing together all Jewish organisations with a social action agenda. This was partly to share information and thinking and partly to grow the field within the Jewish community. JSAF has become an internationally renowned player and has created a space for the Reform, Liberal, Masorti and Orthodox movements as well as a plethora of other organisations (including, amongst others, the Board of Deputies, JLC, ResponseAbility, Mitzvah Day, Tzedek, JCC, Three Faiths Forum, and RenéCassin) to work together on campaigns and issues of mutual interest. JSAF is now proactive in setting agendas across the community and making sure that the social action agenda is well served in the UK. The Movement is an important partner in JSAF.

The second development is the Jewish interest in community organising. The American Jewish community has been embracing community organising for some years – most rabbinic programmes involve community organising placements, most synagogues across the States have community organising groups, and it’s hard to engage with young adults without addressing this agenda.

Citizens UK has been the UK Jewish communities’ way into community organising, as a new group, North London Citizens was launched in March this year with Finchley Reform Synagogue among the founding communities. What community organising brings to the table is an emphasis on building social justice programmes that are rooted in a coalition of strong and broad-based communities, which respond to issues facing the people in those communities.

Community organising has a powerful tool up its sleeve – the one to one conversation. Communities, they believe, are built on relationships where people talk to each other about life and its complications. When we share our stories and challenges we can find common threads; when these are shared across communities of faith, schools and associations, we create a coalition of communities and begin to create organised people who can bring pressure on those who have the power to change those things we find challenging.

North London Citizens is currently undertaking a listening campaign with places of worship, schools, and other communities. A shared agenda has emerged - the safety of our children and young people, the alienation of old people in our communities and the lack of work opportunities for young people. These themes will be researched, and together communities will build grassroots campaigns to bring about change.

I am not sure how radical the idea really is – Judaism has always stressed the importance of relationship – with God, others and Torah. In fact, Martin Buber’s existential philosophy has inspired so many of us to connect to Judaism and the possibility of community, because in those relationships between ourselves we can know or touch something powerful beyond ourselves. Judaism has also always stressed the importance of getting involved in the lives of those around us, to show kindness and bring justice to the world.

Community organising has appeared to connect the dots – we live in warm, intimate communities. We know how to talk. Now we can learn the tools of creating a shared agenda and focusing social action not only beyond our own experience and lives; but also on our lives and the lives of our communities.

JSAF and community organising are likely to make an impact on the synagogues of our Movement and RSY-Netzer. Both are going to bring a new wave of activism; the opportunity for a new way to view leadership development, to build stronger communities and to bring the world a little closer to perfection through our actions.

Find out more about Citizens UK and community organising in synagogues. For more about JSAF check out their on-going fair trade kippot campaign and learn more about JHub here.