News & Announcements

My parents used to say that the weather changed after Yom Kippur. Summer ended, autumn began.  Winter coats came out of storage. We boxed our Hawaiian Shirts—well, ok, we didn’t know what a Hawaiian shirt was in those days. It is clear though that in the rhythm of our lives—physical and spiritual--the space between Sukkot and Simchat Torah is the time to prepare to decompress from the past year and begin bringing to life the scroll of the new year.  For the Social Justice Committee this is both a time of continuation and of new beginnings. Many of us are sick of Webinars and frustrated with talking to computer screens. Isolated in this pandemic, what can we do to have meaningful impact to fulfill our mission “To respond to societal conditions and social issues based on traditional Jewish values and the prophetic admonition Tzedek, tzedek tirdofe. Justice, justice shall you pursue?”

The change in seasons will, we hope, bring an end to the current drought. But it will take a chorus of insistent voices like ours to bring about action on climate change.

Immigrants seeking a better life have been crossing our borders since we first drew those lines on maps. But the stories of why people choose or are forced to migrate have become increasingly desperate-- wars, environmental change, fear for their lives and families. Have we learned anything from the experience of those seeking to escape the Holocaust in Europe? How can we take action to honor our responsibility to care for the stranger?

Racism and anti-Semitism, economic oppression and voter suppression require that good people stand up and publicly reject fear and hate.

Not every person enjoys their own vine and fig tree. Homelessness and the extreme shortage of affordable housing afflict our communities and create friction that wears thin our social fabric.

These daunting issues have solutions. The Social Justice Committee has earned its reputation as among the most effective agents for positive change in our area.

Join in the discussion and planning on the following dates (all Sundays at 10:00 a.m.): October 3, October 31, November 14, November 21, December 5 and December 19.  In-person or zoom? Watch PJTC Weekly announcements for information!

Mark your calendars for MLK Shabbat on Friday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m.  

by Carl Selkin