Leah Koenig is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Saveur, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Hadassah Magazine, Lilith, Edible Brooklyn and Beliefnet. She contributes a monthly column on food to The Forward and a bi-weekly column to Saveur.com. She is also the former editor of Hazon's award-winning blog, The Jew & The Carrot. Leah joined Repair the World as a contributing editor in late 2009.
Back in the 1990s, endangered species were a super-popular news item, and campaigns to “Save the Bald Eagle,” “Save the Whales,” and “Save the Polar Bears,” among others, were everywhere. These days, you don’t see endangered species making headlines nearly as often – but that doesn’t mean the problem is gone.
As natural habitats and ecosystems (like rainforests and grasslands) for the world’s plants and animals continue to dwindle due to human development, the effects of global warming, industrial agriculture, politics and other factors, our world’s wildest, coolest and – in some cases most beneficial – creatures remain at risk of becoming extinct.
That’s why Endangered Species Day, which we celebrate tomorrow, May 18, is so important. Each year, people throughout America celebrate Endangered Species Day to help raise awareness about the importance of supporting biodiversity and sustaining the world’s plants, animals and fish for future generations. Here are some ways that you can make a difference in protecting our world’s most threatened plant and animal species. Think of them as your own little act of Noah’s Ark:
Donate. Make a donation to support the work of the World Wildlife Fund, an organization that has been fighting to protect the world’s species for five decades. Or support the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, which pioneered the conservation movement in Israel.
Act. Get involved with Beyond Pesticides, an organization that works to protect health and the environment – including at-risk species like bees – from the risks related to pesticides.
Celebrate. Find an official Endangered Species Day event near you by searching this handy database.
Are you a service fanatic? Someone who puts volunteering at the forefront of life? Or simply someone interested in meeting like minded fans of repairing the world? This summer from June 18-20, let your love of service shine at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service – the world’s largest gathering of volunteer and service leaders.
Held in Chicago, this annual conference hosted by the Points of Light institute offers attendees a chance to “learn, connect and be inspired” through a wide range of workshops, plenaries, and hands-on service projects. Discover new ideas for meaningful volunteer projects, learn techniques for engaging your friends and community members in service, and attend a Books and Brew book club session for an inspiring conversation led by today’s leading service and social change-focused authors.
This year’s featured speakers include, among many others, Interfaith Youth Core founder Eboo Patel, Larry Soler from the Partnership for a Healthier America, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Wendy Spencer, Paul Schmitz who is CEO of Public Allies, Michelle Nunn from the Points of Light Foundation Kevin Bacon – who, in addition to being a Golden Globe award-winning actor, is also the founder of the SixDegrees charitable network.
So pack your bags and head for the Windy City! Find out more about NCVS at the video below and via their Facebook page. Then register to claim your spot at the service conference of the year here.
Like many 11-year olds, Abby Richmond spends her days attending school (she’s a sixth grader at The Rashi School near Boston), playing soccer and piano, and hanging out with her friends. But in her spare time, Abby does something particularly cool – she writes books and donates the book sale profits to organizations she cares about.
So far, Abby has written and self-published two books (check them out here) and raised nearly $3,000. Meanwhile, she’s also involved with a ton of other service and social justice activities, including being an active member of JChoice – a philanthropy networking site for teens. (And the organization that put us in touch with Abby.)
It’s hard to imagine that Abby has much free time on her hands – but she still managed to speak with Repair the World about her lifelong commitment to volunteering and tzedakah, what her books are all about, and how she connects service with her Jewish identity. We’re glad she did – read on…
Has service and volunteering always been an interest for you?
I have always loved participating in service activities. For my birthdays, I invite my guests to bring a check instead of a present and give the money raised to an organization. For my eighth birthday, I donated to the World Wildlife Fund, and I have also donated the money to an organization called Dogs for the Deaf that trains dogs to assist people with hearing disabilities. My school is also very involved with social justice activities. Around Purim we do something where we are given a certain amount of money and get to donate to the organization of our choice as a class. We then write about the organization and have classes dedicated to learning more about their work.
How did you first learn about JChoice?
My grandmother knows the person who runs the organization, so that’s how I first got involved. I set up an account with them, and my school is also involved with them. When someone has a bar or bat mitzvah, Jchoice sends them a gift card and the student can choose an organization to donate the money to. I really love that JChoice involves so many kids, and that kids can set up an account and get involved with organizations they like.
You’ve written some books and donated the profits to tzedakah – can you tell me more about that?
I’ve always loved to write, and when I was in 4th grade I was looking for something more original than just donating money for my birthday. So I wrote my first book, Very Berry. It’s about a 4th grade girl who has a dog that’s getting picked on – the girl is getting picked on to. The book is all about her adventures – it’s a chapter book with about 100 pages. My parents and I self published the book and decided to donate the $1,800 we raised through book sales to Reading is Fundamental. I love books and think that all kids should have access to them even if they don’t have a lot of money, so it seemed like an obvious choice.
You have another book as well, right?
This past November I finished up a second book called Starring Eliza. My family took a trip to California and I really love nature and hiking, so I decided to write about it. The book’s main character grew up in California and loves the Redwoods. So far I’ve raised about $1,200 for the Nature Conservancy. Right now I have a third book that I’m working on, but I’m not very far into it yet.
Do you connect your Jewish heritage with your love of service?
We learn a lot about Judaism and what it says about repairing the world at my school – social justice work is a big part of the curriculum, and in student government we have a social justice committee. So you could say that school has helped me think about these ideas. My school has supported the book projects too. We’re allowed to set up tables in my school’s lobby and sell to friends and the school community. We also have a book fair two times a year where they’ll let me sell my books.
How has JChoice supported your book projects?
I made a video two years ago with JChoice where they talk about how my book came to be and how to donate to Reading is Fundamental. So that has really helped to spread the word.
Find out more about Abby’s books on her website. And check out JChoice’s teen tzedakah network here.
The Huffington Post shares five ways for people to help moms in need on Mothers Day and beyond.
Yahoo News shared an inspiring story about a Yugoslavian janitor at Columbia University who just completed his bachelor’s degree there.
Sustainablog says “no more excuses” for missing out on National Bike Month with a post on how to get your old clunker bike in fine working order.
eJewishPhilanthropy writes about philanthropy and service beyond the tzedakah box.
TheDoGooder website shares an inspiring video made by cancer patients who are redefining the word “strong.”
The Jewish Week pays homage to “Where the Wild Things Are” author Maurice Sendak – a man who taught children (and adults) everywhere that sometimes the key to changing the world for the better includes making a little mischief.
Shabbat Service is a weekly bit of Torah-inspired do-gooding, brought to you by Repair the World and our grantee-partner American Jewish World Service (AJWS). Read on to see how these ancient stories can apply today. Seem far fetched? Check it out:
The story: In this week’s parsha (Torah portion), Emor, ends with what guest writer, Sarah Mulhern, calls “one of the most famous and controversial pronouncements in the Torah.” She’s right – after all, doesn’t the following passage – even written in old fashioned-sounding language – sound pretty familiar?
“If anyone maims his fellow, as he has done so shall it be done to him; fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Just as he inflicted an injury upon a person, so shall it be inflicted upon him.”
The takeaway: The “eye for an eye” concept brings up all sorts of questions about justice, revenge, and the correct action to take when you feel you’ve been wronged. On the one hand, as Sarah writes, “the idea of punishing assault by physically harming the perpetrator makes a certain kind of sense.” On the other hand, it’s totally disturbing – “many of us reject its suggestion of violence as an ethical tool for meting out justice,” she writes. It’s also risky – threatening to turn an isolated incident into a cycle of retaliation.
The “to-do”: Sarah suggests that, done correctly, we have the opportunity to fight violence with education and healing. In our own lives, that may mean speaking with someone who has hurt you instead of hurting them back. In the larger world, it may mean supporting an organization that works to build meaningful dialogue in conflicted areas helping to curb the cycle of violence.
Read the full Torah commentary, on which this excerpt is based, over at AJWS’ website. And for more great texts, commentary and Jewish learning resources on social justice, check out the On 1 Foot database.
Flowers, chocolate, breakfast in bed, a day to do whatever she wants without the stresses of everyday life. Moms deserve it all. And with Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday, now’s the time to let your mom know how much you appreciate everything she does – whether you’re near or far away.
But while traditional gifts are lovely and thoughtful, there’s another way to show Mom you care: share your love with service. Moms give so much of themselves to their kids – honor that by taking the opportunity to give back to the world. Here are some ideas to help you make this the best Mother’s Day yet:
Volunteer together. Spend the day working together at a local soup kitchen or women and children’s shelter, or sharing another volunteer activity. You’ll have a chance to bond, while making your community stronger.
Volunteer in her honor. Book mom a day at the spa and volunteer in her honor instead!
Make a donation to cause she loves. Does your mom have a favorite organization or charity? Or an issue she’s passionate about? Let her know you care by making a donation in her name.
Care for Mother Earth. Make a shared green commitment together, volunteer at a local park, plant a tree or your garden – show mom love by showing Mother Earth some love.
Baking for Good Order mom cookies, brownies or treats from this awesome bakery and 15% of the proceeds will go to a charity of your choice. Order today and they can still ship to mom in time for Sunday.
Bonus video: Jewish tradition really reveres its moms – just take a listen to this old school song, “My Yiddishe Mama,” sung by Yiddish performer Eleanor Reissa. Then let us know how you plan to make mom feel special this Mother’s Day by tweeting us at @repairtheworld.
Last month, J-Serve: The National Day of Jewish Youth Service, brought together nearly 10,000 Jewish teens from around the world for a collective day of service. In the weeks leading up to the event, Repair the World brought you stories from both participants and planners who were getting excited for the big day.
Now, we’re excited to share the highlights from just some of the many amazing service projects that went down during J-Serve. One act of service is a reason to celebrate. But when you multiply that act of service by 10,000, you add up to something truly meaningful. Take a look at what J-Serve teens did to help their local communities while making a big global impact:
Toronto, Canada
WHAT THEY DID: 500 Jewish teens participated in 16 different service opportunities including (among other things): tree-planting in Toronto city parks, packaging books for a literacy program, preparing clothes for distribution at a local clothing bank, participating in a political letter-writing workshop, planting flowers at a Jewish residential program, assembling school supply kits for families in need with Ve’ahavta, and organizing props in a theatre warehouse.
Whippany, New Jersey
WHAT THEY DID: 275 teens from 6th through 12th grade, and from across the denominational spectrum, came together for a variety of service projects including: making nearly 1,200 sandwiches for local homeless shelters, visiting with adults who have cerebral palsy, and making terrariums with senior citizens.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
WHAT THEY DID: Nearly 250 teens from throughout the Pittsburgh region donated 625 combined volunteer hours planting trees and weeding gardens in honor of Earth Day (which this year fell on the same day as J-Serve), constructing a picket fence to line a garden, and sorting through bike wheels and other donated gears and parts at a local bicycle shop.
East Bay, California
WHAT THEY DID: Teen volunteers from across the East Bay spent the day volunteering and digging in the dirt. Some checked out the urban farm over at Repair the World grantee-partner Urban Adamah, while others worked in a garden with senior citizens at senior residence.
Kharkov, Ukraine
WHAT THEY DID: Helping to round out the “international” aspect of J-Serve, 20 teens in the Ukraine spent the morning volunteering – particularly cleaning out a local school yard of leaves, dirt, trash and other debris – and the afternoon discussing leadership and celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut.
Mazel tov to everyone who made J-Serve 2012 a success! And remember, it’s not too early to start thinking about next year’s J-Serve! Find out more about how you can get involved here.
Do you have a teacher who changed (or changes) your life for the better? Someone who introduced you to amazing literature and ideas and encouraged you to follow your dreams? Someone who taught you to think critically, tackle algebra, or write your name in cursive? Today, National Teacher Day is your opportunity to say thank you.
National Teacher Day was founded in 1980 to honor the crucial role teachers play in providing a quality education for their students. Teaching a roomful of kids is hard work, and many teachers go above and beyond to make sure their students get the best. Meanwhile, Judaism deeply honors the value of education – in fact, passing lessons and wisdom onto future generations is one of the central aspects of the tradition!
So take today as an opportunity to celebrate education by honoring the teachers that made a difference in your life. Here are some ways to let your teacher (or teachers) know how much you appreciate them!
Make a Video: The National Education Association and Parenting magazine have teamed up to help you make your teacher’s day by uploading a video tribute to them online. Check out the videos already posted to get ideas.
#ThankaTeacher: Tweet your appreciation for all that good learnin’ – just use the #thankateacher hashtag.
Israel Teaching Fellows: Thank your teachers by becoming one yourself! College grads can apply to teach English while helping to close the achievement gap in Israel. Apply here to be a 2012-2013 fellow.
The Jewish Education Project: This org’s Young Pioneer Awards honors superstar Jewish educators who are making a difference. The deadline to nominate a Young Pioneer is closed for this year, but check out the winners on June 4th!
One Laptop Per Child: Support all kids’ right to education by ensuring that students across the world have access to the technology they need to learn.
How are you celebrating National Teacher Day? Let us know below or by tweeting @repairtheworld.
Shabbat Service is a weekly bit of Torah-inspired do-gooding, brought to you by Repair the World and our grantee-partner American Jewish World Service (AJWS). Read on to see how these ancient stories can apply today. Seem far fetched? Check it out:
The story: In this week’s double parsha (Torah portion), Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, God shares a powerful statement with Moses. God says, “Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them: “You shall be holy, for I – Adonai your God — am holy.” God follows this statement with a whole bunch of laws on sacrificial worship, respecting elders and – interestingly – how to treat the poor. Specifically, God commands two things:
1. “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field…you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger.”
2. With regards to legal justice, “You shall not render an unfair legal decision: do not favor the poor or show deference to the rich.”
The takeaway: What does it mean that God included two statements about interactions with poor people in this larger list of holy laws? One idea it suggests is that no society can be truly “holy” without creating a space for dignity and justice for that society’s most vulnerable people. It is not enough that we just provide the less fortunate with opportunities to provide for their basic needs. We must also ensure that those people have access to the same freedoms and possibilities as every other member of society.
The “to-do”: When and wherever you can, strive for holiness by working towards providing direct aid and relief to those who need it, and working to impact long-term and systemic justice issues. Not sure where to start? Check out AJWS’ giving plan, which lets you create a personalized tzedakah plan to balance your priorities and make the most of whatever you have to give.
Read the full Torah commentary, on which this excerpt is based, over at AJWS’ website. And for more great texts, commentary and Jewish learning resources on social justice, check out the On 1 Foot database.
Are you craving a summer filled with fresh veggies, time spent outside, a chance to dig in the dirt, and an opportunity to work towards food justice – but not sure how to get there? Repair the World has got you covered. We’ve crafted three easy-to-follow recipes that will have you enjoying the tastiest local produce and contributing to a more equitable food system. Check them out and get farming!
Recipe 1: Grow it yourself
Ingredients:
- 1 small backyard, community garden plot, large container, or window box
- a good amount of soil
- a few packets of seeds or plants
- lots of water
- 1-2 videos (like this or this) explaining how to grow food in an urban environment
- A couple of clicks on Ample Harvest’s website.
Take a look at your space (or lack thereof) and decide how many vegetables and fruits you want to attempt to grow. Combine soil and seeds or plants, adding water frequently until vegetables arrive. Refer to videos as needed. Donate any excess produce to help feed hungry people with Ample Harvest (make sure your local food pantries are registered on their site!)
Recipe 2: Support a local farmer
- 1 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership
- 2-3 sturdy tote bags
- 7-10 reusable produce bags
- 1 volunteer shift at your CSA
- 12 weekly trips to the farmer’s market
- 1 kitchen
Pick up your locally-grown vegetables and fruit at your CSA once a week throughout the season. (Say hello to your farmer if he or she is there!) Pack your vegetables and fruit into your tote bags and produce bags. When it’s time, do your volunteer shift and help keep the CSA running smoothly. Supplement your produce haul (with bread, cheese, eggs, honey and other goodies) with weekly trips to the farmers market. Cook in your kitchen like a veggie-loving maniac! Find recipe ideas here.
Recipe 3: Go, grow and learn
- 1 summer volunteer day on the farm with Urban Adamah
- 1 weeklong sustainable agriculture/food justice workshop with Jewish Farm School (apply by May 15)
- 1 week (or month) spent volunteering on an organic farm with WWOOF
- 1 workshop on preserving your harvest through pickling and canning led by Shoresh
Check your calendar and spread ingredients liberally throughout the summer months. Pack your overnight bags and enjoy.
What’s your recipe for creating a farming friendly summer? Let us know in the comments below or by tweeting @repairtheworld.
Repair the World works to inspire American Jews and their communities to give their time and effort to serve those in need. We aim to make service a defining part of American Jewish life.
