Community Organizing Opportunities

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*How Can You Help Create a Better Jewish Community? Win a JFSJ Cornerstone Award

In Spring 2008, the Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ) will present four $10,000 awards to young Jews (under 40) who exemplify strong Jewish leadership and values in the progressive nonprofit and organizing communities. Twenty-five percent of each Cornerstone Award will go toward the winner's professional development; 75 percent will be granted to the winner's organization for general support. Help build better Jewish communities. The application deadline is January 15, 2008. Apply Now!

*Guide to Congregation Based Community Organizing (CBCO)

Looking for Ways to Involve Your Synagogue in Social Justice? Consider Jewish Funds for Justice Guide to Congregation Based Community Organizing (CBCO)

JFSJ has worked with clergy, lay leaders, and community organizers across the country to produce K'hilot K'doshot: Holy Congregations, Just Communities, a resource booklet designed to introduce synagogues to congregation-based community organizing. This booklet profiles six synagogues that are engaged in CBCO, sharing their stories and feedback. The CBCO model of activism enables congregations to build a civic power base capable of promoting social change for the larger community. To receive a copy of the guide, contact CBCO@JewishJustice.org.

*Jewish Organizing Initiative, Boston, MA

JOI recruits young Jewish adults from all over the world for a year of leadership training that includes: working for social and economic justice, Jewish learning, training in grass roots community organizing skills, and Jewish community building. The fellowship year involves work in social justice community or labor organizations, generally in low-income community organizations, (sometimes in the Jewish community) and weekly learning and reflection about organizing for justice, Judaism and community building.

“Just Congregations” no longer “Just in Boston”

When four congregations embarked on the Greater Boston Synagogue Organizing Project, their goal was to engage large numbers at their synagogues to work on social justice issues from a Jewish perspective, and to broaden those efforts to include work on the root causes of social problems. What they did not know then was that the Union for Reform Judaism would decide to use faith-based community organizing as a way to transform congregations all across the country into agents of social change—using the organized synagogues of Boston as a model. This July, the URJ will launch Just Congregations, a new initiative seeking to bring the Boston organizing model to cities nationwide.