Volunteer

As Jews, we understand each of us has a responsibility to play a role in fighting injustice and helping repair our fractured world, tikkun olam. All aspects are necessary, including giving tzedakah (charity through donations), performing the mitzvot of volunteer work and engaging in political advocacy to bring about structural change to end hunger and homelessness.

If we, as Jews, are told every single person is created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of G-d, then we have obligations to care not only for our own Jewish community, but for all others who are part of our human family and who are deserving of dignity, respect, security and opportunity.

In our daily prayers, we are called to remember that we once were slaves in Egypt, oppressed and powerless. But remembering and identifying with the marginal and the weak is insufficient.We are called to act on their behalf.

When you volunteer to serve our neighbors in need, Jewish and non-Jewish, you are fulfilling the commandment of performing gemilut hasadim, or acts of loving kindness, as part of our larger mandate of tikkun olam.