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Bringing Justice to Georgia TZEDEKGEORGIA’S FIGHT FOR EQUALITY BY ELIZABETH FRIEDLY Assistant Editor
Simply put, tzedek means “justice.” Called by the words of Proverbs 31:9 – “Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy” – members of Georgia’s 18 Reform congregations will arrive early on the morning of Feb. 27 to meet one-on-one with state representatives. “I think that there are several parts to fulfilling the mitzvah of tikkun olam [repairing the world],” said TzedekGeorgia Co-Chair Jeff Willard. “One of them certainly is giving charity, another is actually directly helping the poor, but then the third is [what] the Torah tells us in Proverbs 31:9. “So it’s definitely telling us to speak up, not just to do charity and not just to work in soup kitchens, but really to do all three.” Although currently promoting political progress in Georgia, Willard began his career in New Jersey; it was there that he worked as regional co-chair for the URJ’s social action committee. Willard decided to continue his work after moving to Georgia in the form of TzedekGeorgia.
such as gun control, healthcare or environmental rights – will remain central focuses in future efforts by TzedekGeorgia. “Really what the national [movement] is doing on that level, we’re doing on a state level,” explained Willard. “All of the bills we’re lobbying on, we’re lobbying for something. The only one that we’re lobbying against is being able to bring guns into a house of worship.”
As a new group, Willard hopes to
see TzedekGeorgia continue to grow over the years. Individuals can join for free, and no experience is required. “We are a Reform group, but we are open to all Jews who have a passion for social justice,” said Willard. “Bringing social justice to Georgia, that’s our goal. That’s what our mission is.” Editor’s note: To join TzedekGeorgia, please send your name, address, phone number and e-mail address to tzedekgeorgia@yahoo.com.
Jeff Willard
Imagine if the Georgia Dome was a flooring store. That’s us.
“I think it’s very important that there is a Reform Jewish voice at our state capital and that that voice expresses the positions of the URJ,” said Willard. Willard is quick to point out that, while advocates operate under the umbrella of the URJ and TzedekGeorgia, they are all acting as individuals. This means to say that each member will represent themselves, not their congregations.
Hot-topic issues for the URJ –
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FEBRUARY 22 ▪ 2013
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ong have religiously affiliated organizations dedicated time to helping the underprivileged, but this time TzedekGeorgia is taking their efforts directly to the state capital. One of Georgia’s newest activist groups and a project of The Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) Southern Region Social Action Committee, these inspired individuals seek to lobby Georgia legislature on behalf of human rights.
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