Every so often, an idea comes along that feels like it should have existed forever. That’s kind of what Eden Village Camp is like. The Jewish environmental overnight camp combines two already wonderful things – summer camp and sustainability – into one package.
Now in it’s third summer, Eden Village Camp empowers campers to experience a sustainable and spiritual Jewish community geared towards them. At camp campers can be fully themselves, learn outdoor and environmental skills via hands-on projects like organic farming, cooking, and ecology hikes (and more), and become leaders in their communities once camp is over. The camp also runs several Family Camps each season to give camper parents and siblings a taste of camp-life, as well as year-round environmental programming.
There is still time to register for Eden Village’s August session or August Family Camp. Know a camper who might be interested? Find out more here. Want a closer look? Check out this great slideshow of photos, and watch the in-depth Eden Village Camp video here.
Talking with kids about tragedy (see GOOD, at left). Photo by catlinator via cc
The past week was filled with two tragic and painful stories – the bombing of an Israeli tour bus in Bulgaria, and the deadly shooting in a Colorado movie theater. This week’s link roundup shares information about how to help the victims of these tragedies, as well as your weekly round up of service-related news from around the web.
Hadassah is one of several organizations collecting funds to help the victims of terror in Bulgaria. Click the link to make a donation.
The Huffington Post has rounded up several ways you can help the victims of last week’s shooting in Colorado, as well as their families.
GOOD published a powerful and instructional article about how to talk with kids (and really anyone) after an act of violence occurs.
JTA, in more heartening news (which feels so necessary right now) published a story about a kosher community kitchen in Australia that celebrated Nelson Mandela’s 94th birthday by preparing hundreds of meals for the needy.
Sustainablog, on the subject of food, wrote about a clean, solar-powered stove that could be useful across the developing world.
Famous words from the 1960s...still relevant today.
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), Matot-Masei, the tribes of Reuven and Gad ask Moses if – instead of settling in Canaan with the rest of the Israelites – they can settle east of the Jordan River, where the pasture is perfect for raising their livestock. Moses doesn’t buy it, thinking they’re using farming as an excuse to avoid the battle necessary to conquer Canaan. “Your brothers are going to go to war,” he says, “and you are going to sit here?” Reuven and Gad relent, agreeing to fight in the war if they can then settle where they wish.
The takeaway: This week’s dvar tzedek author, Sigal Samuel, writes that Moses’ perhaps misread Reuven and Gad. “Although the men initially couch their request in terms of livestock, the issue of their children’s safety creeps into their speech. They explain that, while they’re off at war, “our children will dwell in the fortified cities.”
Reuven and Gad knew from experience the devastating effects war can have on children. Their stance was like a biblical take on the famous anti-Vietnam War poster in the 1960s that said, “War is not healthy for children or other living things.” Unfortunately, as Samuel writes, “we too have seen society’s most vulnerable members bear the brunt of war’s tragic consequences. According to UNICEF’s 1996 report, over the preceding decade 2 million children were killed in armed conflict, while 6 million were seriously injured or permanently disabled. This does not include the many children who became refugees, orphans or victims of rape, sexual slavery, disease or malnutrition as the result of war.” Perhaps Reuven and Gad had it right all along…
The “to-do”: Support organizations – like AJWS grantees AJEDI-Ka/Project Enfants Soldats and Friends of Orphans that are doing the vital work of rehabilitating children affected by war, throughout the world.
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.
Top photo courtesy of Brian Arya Khorshad. Bottom photo courtesy of Heather Gutentag.
Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Repair the World? Here’s your chance to find out. Last week, Repair the World held an orientation for a new group of young changemakers – student leaders who will represent Repair the World and our grantee-partner organization, Hillel, on their college campuses next year.
The students travelled to Seattle for an intense but FUN few days of learning, service, and getting to know one another. Highlights included an eye-opening, social justice-focused trip to downtown Seattle, visiting with some of the city’s best non-profit organizations including City Year, and lots of brainstorming sessions about how to bring service and social justice to campus.
We dug behind the scenes (okay, maybe it wasn’t THAT hard) to speak with two orientation participants: Brian Arya Khorshad, who will serve as a Repair the World student fellow at UCLA Hillel this coming year and Heather Gutentag, who will serve as a Repair the World intern at University of Texas Hillel. Read on to hear their personal highlights, goals for the coming year, and what it’s really like to chill with Repair the World’s staff.
What was the most inspiring part about orientation? Brian: The discussions Rabbi Will [Berkovitz] conducted challenged my previous conceptions of social justice and service work. His impassioned speeches compelled me to expand my efforts to affect social change. I now believe that my actions can and will impact the UCLA and greater Los Angeles community.
Heather: I was really inspired when we discussed what a vow or oath was. It made me think beyond social justice about my life. When we got to write our own vows, I realized that I was putting a lot of emphasis on parts of my life that aren’t that important. This weekend in Seattle really made me think about how I want to make a difference.
What surprised you about the orientation? Brian: My favorite part of the orientation was our excursion into downtown Seattle. The Repair organizers pushed us to converse with locals in various corners of the city. Locals’ willingness to share their experiences and hardships proved to me that even a simple conversation can provide catharsis for those who are suffering.
Heather: I wasn’t expecting this weekend to be so inspiring. I was expecting a focus on social justice with explanations about what my new job description would be, but nothing so thought-provoking. I’m not only motivated about being an intern, but about social justice and service as well.
What will you be doing during your Repair the World student internship? Brian: In the coming year I plan to address the rampant homelessness which plagues the city of Los Angeles. Specifically, I’d like to understand the local problems which lead to homelessness by conversing with paupers and shelters. Ideally my program would assist the Los Angeles community in getting homeless teens and preteens off of the streets.
Heather: This year, the UT interns will be focusing on all aspects of social justice regarding children. We’re planning to partner up with a few local organizations that work with kids in need. Special needs, literacy, and mentorship are what we’re excited to be working on. I’m also really excited to help plan and attend my first immersive break and/or weekend.
What are you looking forward to most about the fellowship? Brian: I’m looking forward to expanding the service identity of the UCLA campus community. As citizens of the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, we all must recognize the power our efforts can have to effect change not only in our own nation, but also in the far reaches of the globe.
Heather: I’m really excited to be getting involved with service and education. I was very involved in high school and always found it rewarding and inspiring and this is a great way to continue it. Helping children is a passion of mine, which is how I chose my major, so I’m pumped to be working with and helping kids in need. I’m excited to learn and help establish a legacy of social justice at UT through Hillel.
Are you repairing the world on campus or otherwise? Let us know! Tweet us @RepairtheWorld or comment on our Facebook page.
Top photo courtesy of Brian Arya Khorshad. Bottom photo courtesy of Heather Gutentag.
Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Repair the World? Here’s your chance to find out. Last week, Repair the World held an orientation for a new group of young changemakers – student leaders who will represent Repair the World and our grantee-partner organization, Hillel, on their college campuses next year.
The students travelled to Seattle for an intense but FUN few days of learning, service, and getting to know one another. Highlights included an eye-opening, social justice-focused trip to downtown Seattle, visiting with some of the city’s best non-profit organizations including City Year, and lots of brainstorming sessions about how to bring service and social justice to campus.
We dug behind the scenes (okay, maybe it wasn’t THAT hard) to speak with two orientation participants: Brian Arya Khorshad, who will serve as a Repair the World student fellow at UCLA Hillel this coming year and Heather Gutentag, who will serve as a Repair the World intern at University of Texas Hillel. Read on to hear their personal highlights, goals for the coming year, and what it’s really like to chill with Repair the World’s staff.
What was the most inspiring part about orientation? Brian: The discussions Rabbi Will [Berkovitz] conducted challenged my previous conceptions of social justice and service work. His impassioned speeches compelled me to expand my efforts to affect social change. I now believe that my actions can and will impact the UCLA and greater Los Angeles community.
Heather: I was really inspired when we discussed what a vow or oath was. It made me think beyond social justice about my life. When we got to write our own vows, I realized that I was putting a lot of emphasis on parts of my life that aren’t that important. This weekend in Seattle really made me think about how I want to make a difference.
What surprised you about the orientation? Brian: My favorite part of the orientation was our excursion into downtown Seattle. The Repair organizers pushed us to converse with locals in various corners of the city. Locals’ willingness to share their experiences and hardships proved to me that even a simple conversation can provide catharsis for those who are suffering.
Heather: I wasn’t expecting this weekend to be so inspiring. I was expecting a focus on social justice with explanations about what my new job description would be, but nothing so thought-provoking. I’m not only motivated about being an intern, but about social justice and service as well.
What will you be doing during your Repair the World student internship? Brian: In the coming year I plan to address the rampant homelessness which plagues the city of Los Angeles. Specifically, I’d like to understand the local problems which lead to homelessness by conversing with paupers and shelters. Ideally my program would assist the Los Angeles community in getting homeless teens and preteens off of the streets.
Heather: This year, the UT interns will be focusing on all aspects of social justice regarding children. We’re planning to partner up with a few local organizations that work with kids in need. Special needs, literacy, and mentorship are what we’re excited to be working on. I’m also really excited to help plan and attend my first immersive break and/or weekend.
What are you looking forward to most about the fellowship? Brian: I’m looking forward to expanding the service identity of the UCLA campus community. As citizens of the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, we all must recognize the power our efforts can have to effect change not only in our own nation, but also in the far reaches of the globe.
Heather: I’m really excited to be getting involved with service and education. I was very involved in high school and always found it rewarding and inspiring and this is a great way to continue it. Helping children is a passion of mine, which is how I chose my major, so I’m pumped to be working with and helping kids in need. I’m excited to learn and help establish a legacy of social justice at UT through Hillel.
Are you repairing the world on campus or otherwise? Let us know! Tweet us @RepairtheWorld or comment on our Facebook page.
Do good while staying cool. Photo by: Brian Gurola via cc
With record-breaking temperatures continuing to hit cities across the country, spending unnecessary time outside is unpleasant, and can even be dangerous. But there are some fantastic ways to stay out of the sun – like through volunteering! (You thought we’d say that, right?)
Here are five ideas for fun indoor volunteering opportunities to keep you serving in sweat-free style all summer long. You were planning on waiting out the heat in the AC anyway…why not have some fun and make a difference while you’re at it?
The library Volunteer at your local public library. When it’s this hot out, shelving books definitely beats baking in the sun!
The school Help summer school students brush up on their algebra or biology by serving as a tutor.
The museum Play docent for the summer: volunteer at a local museum. You’ll learn cool things, and stay nice and chilly.
The non-profit Many non-profits rely on volunteers all year round for a variety of tasts. Bonus: their offices are so cold, you often need a sweater. Find a volunteer opportunity over at VolunteerMatch.
The swimming pool Sign up to coach swim lessons (or teach other indoor sports) at your local YMCA.
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: This week’s parsha (Torah portion), Pinchas, begins in true soap opera style. The Israelite men have just slept with women from neighboring tribes. Outraged by the scandal of it all, Pinchas kills an Israelite prince and a Midianite princess with a spear. Then God rewards Pinchas for his deed with a brit shalom, a covenant of peace and a warning that the Israelites need to tone it down with all the sleeping around and wage war with the Midianites instead. Seriously.
The takeaway: When it comes to biblical drama, this story packs a punch. But there is more to the story than first meets the eye. According to this week’s dvar tzedek author, Adina Roth, “The text offers us clues as to why…this particular encounter requires a harsh display.” According to a closer reading of the text, “the Midianites are seducing the Israelites not for connection but for ownership, not for relationship but for ideological conquest—to undermine the Israelites’ core value: Monotheism.” In other words, by falling for the Midianite’s charm and seemingly good intentions, the Israelites stand to lose everything they believe in. “Perhaps this is why,” Roth writes, “God describes the Midianites’ actions as a “crafty attack” and insists that this is a time for asserting boundaries.”
Believe it or not, this story has a modern day social justice lesson to teach. As Roth writes, “There are relationships motivated by chessed [loving kindness] and others motivated by self-interest, and it is important to recognize the difference and set boundaries against the latter.” This is particularly true when evaluating political relationships. Roth points to the United States food aid policy in Haiti as an example. “Sharing food with hungry people appears to be the consummate expression of chessed; however, many of the regulations that dictate U.S. food aid are primarily motivated by self-interest. Rules that restrict food aid to grain grown in the United States and shipped on American boats boost the American shipping and commercial agriculture sectors, but distributing food this way costs more and takes far longer than if the same funds were spent to purchase food locally in the developing world.”
The “to-do”: Support farmers and small business owners in developing nations and help them attain self-sufficiency and strong economies. Make a micro-loan through Kiva and check out the Haiti Advocacy Platform for an Alternative Development (PAPDA) – an AJWS grantee – that advocates for building sustainable and independent food systems in Haiti.
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.
Earlier this summer, Colorado was on fire. Not the whole state of course, but a shocking amount of it was damaged by drought-induced wildfires. Tens of thousands of acres blazed, thousands of people were evacuated and hundreds lost their homes.
Does this story sound familiar? Increasingly it is. As an op-ed in last Sunday’s New York Times writes: “Summer is barely two weeks old and two-thirds of the country is in the grip of a severe drought. More crops will die. More forests will burn.”
In other words, as scientists have predicted for decades, the impacts of climate change are beginning to rear their ugly heads. And as that happens, the risk of weather-related disasters increases.
Become a key part of the global movement to curb climate change. Check out climate-focused organizations like 350.org and The Environmental Defense Fund, and plug into the solution. In the meantime, find out how you can help Colorado recover from the most recent fire on the website HelpColoradoNow.org. The Jewish Federation of Colorado and The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) are also collecting funds to assist those affected.
Last fall, the world’s population hit a record 7 billion people. Today, approximately 8 months later, we’re up to 7,025,433,781 (and growing). At an abstract level, all those new babies being brought into the world is a beautiful thought. Be fruitful and multiply, right?
But the world’s quickly expanding population has its challenges too – putting a stress on ecological and community resources, and a strain on many families – and particularly women. That’s why today, World Population Day aims to raise awareness about population issues across the world.
The focus of this year’s celebration is family planing and reproductive health. According to the UN: “Reproductive health problems remain the leading cause of ill health and death for women of childbearing age worldwide. Some 222 million women who would like to avoid or delay pregnancy lack access to effective family planning. Nearly 800 women die every day in the process of giving life. About 1.8 billion young people are entering their reproductive years, often without the knowledge, skills and services they need to protect themselves.”
The UN has organized lots of initiatives to support women’s reproductive health in the coming years – like working with the Gates Foundation to increase women’s access to family planning. But you can get involved too by supporting like-minded organizations like Repair the World grantee-partner AJWS, the International Women’s Health Coaltion, Population Action International, and others, (Check out a great, user-generated round up of organizations here.)
Learn more about World Population Day at the video below:
Last fall, the world’s population hit a record 7 billion people. Today, approximately 8 months later, we’re up to 7,025,433,781 (and growing). At an abstract level, all those new babies being brought into the world is a beautiful thought. Be fruitful and multiply, right?
But the world’s quickly expanding population has its challenges too – putting a stress on ecological and community resources, and a strain on many families – and particularly women. That’s why today, World Population Day aims to raise awareness about population issues across the world.
The focus of this year’s celebration is family planing and reproductive health. According to the UN: “Reproductive health problems remain the leading cause of ill health and death for women of childbearing age worldwide. Some 222 million women who would like to avoid or delay pregnancy lack access to effective family planning. Nearly 800 women die every day in the process of giving life. About 1.8 billion young people are entering their reproductive years, often without the knowledge, skills and services they need to protect themselves.”
The UN has organized lots of initiatives to support women’s reproductive health in the coming years – like working with the Gates Foundation to increase women’s access to family planning. But you can get involved too by supporting like-minded organizations like Repair the World grantee-partner AJWS, the International Women’s Health Coaltion, Population Action International, and others, (Check out a great, user-generated round up of organizations here.)
Learn more about World Population Day at the video below:
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.
