Social Action Committee

Home > Community > Social Action

"If justice and righteousness defines what it means to be a Jew, then we must constantly search for ways to implement our values. If it’s the foundation of our covenant, we cannot say, “I tried, I did my share.” Rather, every day we have to wake up and ask, “Is there something that I can do? Is there something that I didn’t do? Is there something that I could try again?” --Rabbi Steven Rein, Kol Nidre Sermon, 2017

The goal of the Social Action Committee of Agudas Achim is to create opportunities for Agudas Achim members to perform Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World), Tzedakah (Righteous Giving), and Gemilut Chasadim (Deeds of Loving Kindness). We provide opportunities for our membership to engage in education and dialogue, advocacy, and direct service around the following priorities of Loving Kindness.

1. Combatting hunger and homelessness. This includes our congregation’s long term relationship with ALIVE! and Carpenter's Shelter, our Good Deeds Day service projects, and our upcoming MLK 2020 Day of Service meal packing event.

2. Anti-racism, with a special focus on restorative justice in our education and criminal justice systems, and building our relationship with Alfred Street Baptist Church.

3. Refugee and immigrant support, in partnership with HIAS and other NoVA synagogue social action committees.

4. Citizenship engagement, including voter registration and partnership with other congregations on candidate forums.

5. Gun violence prevention, in the interest of the very Jewish value of preserving life.

6. Muslim-Jewish dialogue and anti-bigotry work, including our relationship with a local mosque.

Get involved: Contact Committee Chair Katherine Allen at socialaction@agudasachim-va.org.

Racism and Police Brutality

"The Book of Ecclesiastes teaches us, “עת לחשות ועת לדבר - There is a time to be silent and a time to speak out.” As a community we cannot remain silent after watching the shattering video of a police officer keeping his knee on the neck of George Floyd who was crying out “I can’t breathe.” Such inhumane treatment of another human being requires a collective response from all people of conscience. The pursuit of justice is a fundamental tenet of Judaism, and thus we stand together with our brothers and sisters to declare that all life is sacred, and all people are equal before the law in a democratic society. " - Rabbi Rein, June 1, 2020

The Social Action Committee of Agudas Achim has as one of its key areas of focus working with our brothers and sisters of color to combat racism in our community. We say that black lives matter. Get involved with our work to increase our reach!

Here are some resources for this time.

1. A video message and letter from the Alexandria Police Department and Alexandria Chief of Police.

2. Speak Out: The NAACP has a petition in support of justice for Floyd George and we encourage people to sign.

Our partners at Alfred Street Baptist Church recommended that social media statements showing support for our African American friends and their community at this time are deeply meaningful.

3. Self-Education: This is a critical part of racial teshuva. Avodah has resources to support white Jews' racial teshuva on their blog and web site, including videos and workshops from Jewish leaders of Color such as Dr. Koach Frazier and Yavilah McCoy, and a Shavuot piece by National Program Director Sarra Alpert on the racial divisions of COVID-19, and "The Torah Case for Reparations," by Avodah’s spiritual advisor, Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein. In support of Jews of Color, we urge congregants to consider supporting the Jews of Color Field Building Initiative, which now has a fund to support Jews of Color affected by COVID-19.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture has a "Talking about Race" portal with useful resources as well. Families with children may want to explore Embrace Race to learn how to help our children short circuit the subconscious racism many white children, including Jews, learn from American culture.

4. Congregants may also want to consider learning further from the organizations Campaign Zero or Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ). Campaign Zero can give you ideas on what you might do to help end police violence and it also tracks legislation. Anti-racism work also involves asking uncomfortable questions about our own biases about the world around us, and SURJ facilitates such difficult discussions, questioning assumptions, and learning to have conversations that include strong views of different people. SURJ will hold a June 9th Zoom workshop on Alternatives to Calling the Police.

Social Action Committee Activities

Resources for B'nai Mitzvah Projects

Resources on Gun Violence Prevention

Special Focus 5780: Year of Song and Service

Special Focus 5779: Refugees and Immigrants

Special Focus 5778: Safe Spaces

Special Focus 5777: Racial Injustice

Ongoing Projects

Carpenter's Shelter News

Note from Shelter Staff:

For more than 30 years, Carpenter’s Homeless Shelter has opened its hands to lend much-needed support to thousands of men, women and children in Northern Virginia. Founded by an interfaith effort in a church basement in the winter of 1988, Carpenter’s has relied on churches and synagogues to provide meals, clothing, tutoring, and most importantly, listening ears to homeless families and adults as they strive to live a more productive and healthy life.

The shelter is incredibly grateful for their many years of support of our good work in the community.

Many thanks to the following congregations which have graciously supported the New Heights campaign:
Agudas Achim Congregation
Alfred Street Baptist Church
Christ Church
Christ the King
Commonwealth Baptist Church
Good Shepherd Lutheran
Grace Community Church
Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill
St. Paul Christian Center
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Washington Street United Methodist Church
Westminster Presbyterian Church

Shelter Redevelopment News
The new shelter is much more than just a building, it is a safe, welcoming refuge for all. Shelter staff are working with vendors to make sure the furniture, technology and security are in sync with one another. They are striving to make residents’ transition from homeless to housed as productive and positive as possible.

Thu, March 4 2021
20 Adar 5781

National Refugee Shabbat

Saturday, March 6 | 9:30 AM

Agudas Achim is joining HIAS (the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) and hundreds of other congregations to celebrate National Refugee Shabbat on March 5-6. This year, we have the special privilege of hearing from our congregant Hayvi Bouzo, who is a Syrian-born American broadcast journalist, Middle East and foreign policy expert and commentator.

Hayvi appeared in leading TV shows in both English and Arabic. She is also known for hosting The Axis a leading political TV show that focused on the U.S. policy towards the Middle-East, and broadcasted in over 60 countries. Recently, Hayvi started her own podcast titled The Untold with Hayvi Bouzo where she interviews experts, journalists and officials to talk about political, national and global affairs. On Saturday morning, she will share personal reflections on her interactions as a journalist and her family's experience in Aleppo.

We hope that hearing these personal stories will inspire you to take action in support of refugees and asylum seekers. The Social Action Committee would like to bring particular focus on opportunities to donate airline miles to help migrants arrive in the United States and support a revival of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
• The Miles4Migrants campaign enables you to pledge airline miles to help fulfill a future case. HIAS's nonprofit partners identify refugees, asylees, asylum-seekers, and their immediate family members, who have legal approval to travel but cannot afford airfare, and then Miles4Migrants helps fly them to their new homes!
• Due to drastic reductions in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in recent years, the number of refugees resettled by HIAS fell from more than 4,200 in 2016, to just 576 in 2020. President Biden has pledged to raise the refugee admissions cap to 125,000 per year, a level not seen in more than two decades. Visit HIAS's website and consider making your views on this pledge known to your Members of Congress.

Social Action Soiree

Monday, March 22 | 8 PM

The next meeting will cover the book Sitting Pretty, by Rebekah Taussing. It is an easy-to- read account of living with disabilities. The book is available from booksellers and in the public libraries.

For April we will read If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. Date TBD.

Please register to receive the zoom for the March meeting.

All are welcome to a monthly Social Action Committee initiative wherein participants will read books, watch films and visit museum exhibitions (online and in person when permitted) of current interest related to social action, racial justice and other relevant issues consistent with the mission of the Social Action Committee. For information please contact Deborah Rosen.

Read ahead:

Potential Book List

The books we've read:

The Color of Love, by Marra Gad

Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi

Family Properties, by Beryl Satter

The Velvet Rope Economy, by Nelson D. Schwartz

Movies

Shared Legacies: The African American-Jewish Civil Rights Alliance, directed by Shari Rogers

Voices for Change

Hazzan Elisheva Dienstfrey sings along with many other hazzanim and black music ministers and choir members, including several friends from Alfred Street Baptist Church, in Voices for Change. A time to welcome the stranger and bring healing to Black and Jewish communities.

listen to the powerful song produced by the Cantors Assembly.

Casa Chirilagua Urgent Needs

Just to the north of shul, Arlandria is the home of many immigrants and refugees from Central America and has been hit particularly hard by the virus. Across Alexandria, the Latinx population has the highest number of infections, with nearly a quarter of the city's total concentrated in the 22305 zip code. Many of the residents of this neighborhood are also lower income, leaving them with smaller safety nets to cope with the economic consequences of the stay-at-home order.

Because of the conditions, demand for Casa Chirilagua’s services has become enormous. Guided by the commandment to love our neighbors, we maintain a responsibility to step up and help others. Please donate directly to CASA.

Requested items:
Clorox Bleach
Laundry Detergent
Cleanser
Household cleaner/disinfectant
Dish Soap
Maseca/ Corn Flour
Rice
Pasta
Dry beans
Canned Goods

Donate directly to Casa Chirilagua.

SAC Update

updated May 6, 2020

Financial Donations Needed for Food and Housing

ALIVE! needs cash donations to purchase food by the pallet-load for the hungry in out midst. Please consider a financial donation to ALIVE!.

Other organizations that have been supported by our community and continue to have great need include:

Capital Area Food Bank
Arlington Food Assistance Center
Carpenter's Shelter
United Community (serving a range of needs along the Route 1 corridor)
Pathways to Housing DC (serving the homeless on the streets of DC)

Donations of food are not being accepted at this time. Some of these organizations may list on their websites ways that healthy individuals can safely volunteer.

Care for Community Volunteers Needed in Alexandria

Volunteer Alexandria is looking for healthy adults and teens who can help with various food distribution programs, particularly for children.

Virginia Hospital Center Donations Needed

VHC has requested unopened packages of gloves, goggles, hand sanitizer, face shields, masks, and bleach/bleach wipes. They cannot accept homemade masks. Please call 703-717-4653 or email to coordinate donations via their safe and approved acceptance process.

Social Action Ongoing Activities

For a list of ongoing projects and partners, click here.

Thu, March 4 2021 20 Adar 5781

Social Action Committee