Tikkun olam (social activism, or literally “world repair”) is an attempt to repair breaches of justice in our world. Tikkun olam is a central wellspring of spirituality and meaning for many contemporary Jews. The Reconstructionist movement has helped define the vanguard of social justice in the Jewish community, advancing causes from equality for women and LGBTQIA folks, to policy-shifting advocacy work in multi-racial, interfaith coalitions. The centrality of working for social justice was part of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan’s earliest vision for Reconstructionism. Tikkun olam continues to be a central pillar for our work to build a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive world and in our approach to Jewish life.
The Jewish protagonists of social idealism should realize that the Jewish religion came into being as a result of the first attempt to conceive of God as the defender of the weak against the strong and that it can therefore continue to serve as the inspiration in the present struggle.
Responding to Racial Harm Within Your Jewish Community
When harm happens in our community, we need tools to respond with honesty, care and accountability. This resource, developed by the Tikkun Olam Commission of the Reconstructionist Movement, offers guidance for navigating racial harm within Jewish communal spaces and for building the kind of community we aspire to be.
