Social Justice is essential to the life of this congregation. Temple Israel has a long history of raising our voices to protect the dignity and human rights of all people. Whether it is a local, national or international issue, we find ways to get involved and fulfill our obligation to repair the world through mitzvot, education and advocacy.
We:
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Perform mitzvot through social action projects, including partnering with inner city elementary schools, working with the homeless and elderly, and lending our hands for housing.
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Host educational forums with speakers from near and far who engage us in discussions of issues of the day.
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Take a stand, together, for civil rights, public education, justice and children’s well-being.
As Jews, we must recognize that the work of anti-racism is difficult, necessary, and ours to do. At Temple Israel, we are implementing a Racial Justice Initiative, led by a team of congregants, to draw our congregation into this important work.
The mission of the Temple Israel Racial Justice Initiative is to educate and engage the Temple Israel congregation to reflect on and work towards dismantling racial bias, systemic racism, and white supremacy within our congregation, so that we can then engage and support broader change in our community and our nation.
This effort will not be confined to one sermon, one speaker, or one program. It will be a multifaceted effort to engage our congregation at every level, from our youth to our adults, in worship, learning, and service to others.
This effort will be led by co-chairs Sally Kaplan and Sara Cowan, with Geoff Silverstein, chair of the Social Justice Committee, and Rabbi Berezin. Members of the Racial Justice Initiative Steering Team are Adrianna Benton, Gil Dysico, Hannah Dysico, Robert Friedman, Noemi Gilbert, Sarah Gilbert, Daniel Gutman, Ellen Platt, and Rosie Zweiback. We look forward to engaging the congregation in Tikkun Olam through an anti-racist lens.
If you have questions or ideas you’d like to share with our Steering Team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of our members or to email us at socialjustice@templeisraelomaha.com.