Have you ever held a great social justice program and no one came?
Do you want your temple to respond effectively and powerfully to the systemic causes of injustice?
How would it feel if your congregation acted together?
Congregation-Based Community Organizing enables synagogues to address these questions through internal conversations and work in powerful coalitions across lines of race, class, and faith.
Across the country, congregations of all faiths have engaged in a transformative social justice model based on the principles of community organizing. They have expanded their social action programs, increased their memberships (both in size and commitment), and strengthened their leadership. By applying the congregation-based community organizing model, synagogue leaders are trained to think strategically about how to engage significant numbers of others by conducting intentional relationship building campaigns. Through house meetings and one-on-one conversations, issues of shared concern emerge, and leaders conduct significant actions that engage their members in addressing the systemic causes of social justice issues.
Support the work of Just Congregations. Donations enable us to train and support rabbis and lay leaders at participating
synagogues and to train future clergy in the art of congregation-based community
organizing.
Our GOALS
The Union for Reform Judaism is committed to having our congregations explore congregation - based community organizing, because:
It makes our synagogues stronger, helping us find and develop each other as leaders, and strengthening the fabric of our community.
It brings us into sacred relationships across lines of race, class, and faith.
It enables us to act powerfully on our most deeply held Jewish values in order to bring about a redeemed world.