social action/Tikkun Olam
Temple Akiba brings light and goodness into the world.
Temple Akiba is deeply committed to supporting our community at home and abroad. The congregation partners with various local organizations including The Westside Coalition, comprised of different religious and non-profit groups assisting those in need. Our annual Mitzvah Day, and other long and short term projects go year round, such as: donation drives for the local food pantry, school supplies, collection of warm clothing for the underserved, and yes, even pet supplies. We work with national and state advocacy organizations such as the Reform movement’s Religious Action Center (RAC-CA) and California Jewish Political Action Committee (JPAC) to promote social justice. If you are interested in joining our Tikun Olam Committee, contact Anita Markowitz, Engagement Trustee, at engagementtrustee@templeakiba.net Tikkun Olam meetings generally are held on the fourth Thursday of the month, start at 7:00 PM, and are on Zoom.
YOU ARE INVITED TO GET INVOLVED IN A SOCIAL ACTION SUBCOMMITTEE:
Are you concerned about current events? Join a subcommittee that resonates with you. Simply contact Anita Markowitz, Engagement Trustee, at engagementtrustee@templeakiba.net You are not required to serve on the Tikkun Olam Committee to participate in a sub-committee.
ANTISEMITISM: We are starting by concentrating on educational programs aimed at all levels in schools, interfaith groups, and other synagogues.
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS: We are exploring a range of options including: voting registration, access to broadcast TV shows, and restrictions on libraries.
HOMELESSNESS: We are making various plans for helping our homeless community members.
IMMIGRATION: We are focusing on two levels of concern: policy and practical.
Action Item: Our sub-committee supports donating food for immigrants afraid to leave their homes: We recommend donations to The Culver City YMCA at 4500 Sepulveda Blvd. They are collecting the following items:
● Non-perishable food including canned goods, bread and cereals. (No refrigerated perishables like fresh vegetables and meat.)
● Hygiene items like soap, toothpaste, diapers, toothbrushes, etc.
● Cleaning items for the household.
● Pet food for dogs and cats.
The YMCA is open on weekdays from 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM & weekends 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. You can drop the items off at the front desk inside.
SOVA DONATION BIN
The SOVA Community Food & Resource Program of Jewish Family Services, is dedicated to alleviating hunger and poverty in the community. They offer free, nutritious groceries to people experiencing food insecurity. "SOVA" translates to "eat and be satisfied" in Hebrew. You can help by contributing canned food simply by using the donation bin at the synagogue entry.
Political Advocacy in Washington D.C.
Every year, the 10th grade confirmation class travels to Washington D.C. to attend the Reform Movement's L'Taken seminar. The program introduces our teens to the lobbying process and some of the important social justice issues of our time. At the end of the weekend, all of the teens write a lobby speech to deliver to congress on a topic of their choice, enabling them to say and see first-hand the type of impact their opinions and actions can have in the world. This year, our students wrote speeches advocating for reproductive justice, economic justice, gun violence prevention, and Israel.
Temple Akiba works closely with RAC and HIAS:
The Religious Action Center (RAC-CA), is the advocacy arm of the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ), For more information go to their website at: https://rac.org/take-action
HIAS provide vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives. For more information go to their website at: https://hias.org/
