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Justice activism is in the air, and three recent publications attest to the array of venues that are exploring the nexus of Jewish life and social justice.

In an excellent article in The Jewish Week looking at “New Activism”, Debra Nussbaum Cohen writes about the Internet and social networking sites that are connecting young people to social justice causes. As James D. Besser writes, change agents like Daniel Sokatch (founder of the Progressive Jewish Alliance and now Executive Director of the SF federation) are creating “innovative programs dealing with a range of issues, from fair housing to sweat shops to support for Hispanic immigrants” that appeal to a broader constituency.

This month also finds Jewish Family & Life’s award winning journal Sh'ma focusing on the environment and climate change. Each of the essays below is available on SocialAction.com or Shma.com. The essays explore the Jewish relationship to the planet, and how we might think about the sorts of changes, short- and long-term, that we must make, and how to rethink Jewish teachings on stewardship and covenant, and dominion. What, beyond virtuous personal behaviors, must we understand and change to be environmentally responsible?

Nigel Savage
Why is there a Jewish environmental movement? Why are Jewish institutions starting to green themselves? And in a professionalized community that respects evaluation, outcomes, and metrics, what are our ultimate goals?

Yosef Abramowitz
If Israel set a goal of 40 percent renewables by 2020, it would cast Israel not only as a responsible nation but also as a shining example of what can be accomplished by coordinated global action.

Lawrence Troster
It is time for Jewish environmentalism to move beyond an apologetic theology and an ethic of personal virtue to become more engaged with the many creative ideas that have been emanating from the general religion and environment movement.

And finally, read “Visioning Justice and the American Jewish Community,” a report commissioned by the Nathan Cummings Foundation. Resarched and written by Shifra Bronznick and Didi Goldenhar, the report outlines the challenges and the range of strategies Jewish communities are employing in thinking about Jewish justice, and how to take advantage of this “strategic moment” to create change.