Repairing The World

To access all lay leadership contact information, please log into your CBI ShulCloud account and use the CBI Member Directory (under the My Profile tab).  If you aren't yet a member, contact CBI Staff, Amy Stein, to connect with a Tikkun Olam team member.

Democracy Action Team
The Democracy Action Team seeks to protect and promote democracy in local, state and national politics. Its range of activities includes legislative advocacy, community-based organizing, fundraising to get out the vote, and additional actions that pertain to civic engagement and movement building. It also organizes CBI Tikkun Olam's annual Legislative Gathering with our region's state legislators to advocate for our social justice priorities. To learn more or get involved, please contact Susan Edelstein.

Immigration Justice Team
The Tikkun Olam Immigration Justice Team works at many levels to:

- Support local immigrants at risk for detention and deportation.
- Encourage the CBI community to reach out to our immigrant neighbors, consistent with the value Judaism puts on welcoming the stranger.
- Play an active role with community networks that advocate for policies and practices that promote safety and security for immigrants.
- Educate ourselves and the CBI community about challenges facing immigrants in our community in the current anti-immigrant climate.
- Offer volunteer opportunities for those wanting to support immigrants directly through Jewish Family Service, the Pioneer Valley Workers Center, and other organizations.
- Serve as a vehicle to share thoughts, frustrations, and ideas for responding to the increasing xenophobic atmosphere locally, statewide, and nationally.
- Organize the annual HIAS Refugee Shabbat program to raise awareness of the contributions and challenges of our immigrant neighbors.

To learn more or get involved, please contact Sara Weinberger or Jane Myers.

Reparations Team
The Reparations Working Group believes that doing repair (teshuvah) for the harmful effects of slavery and post-slavery racism is a racial justice priority for our Jewish community. Our current work has three prongs: (1) anti-racism and reparations education within our community, (2) collaboration with the Northampton Interfaith Reparations Roundtable to hold the city accountable to implementing racial repair, and (3) working with CBI’s board to build a culture of reparations within our institution. To learn more or get involved, contact Judi Wisch. 

Climate Action Team
The Climate Action Team of the Tikkun Olam Committee supports our congregation's efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and to advocate for effective climate legislation. We have also joined with national Dayenu--A Jewish Call to Climate Action to form a local Dayenu Circle in Western MA as a way to take effective action to confront the climate crisis with other Jews in our area on national Dayenu campaigns, and to engage with fellow Jews and other climate action allies on local/state concerns. We meet to coordinate and take actions monthly. To get involved, contact Joyce Samet.

Healthcare Team
The Tikkun Olam Healthcare Team's work has been focused on the cost and availability of healthcare for Massachusetts residents, especially legislative policies and corporate practices that disproportionately disadvantage the health of minority groups or persons with particular illnesses such as diabetes. Over the last several years we have been active in the cost of pharmaceuticals and the preservation of reproductive rights, working with groups such as the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action and the Drug Affordability Coalition. Going forward, we also hope to be active in improving public health services in response to the COVID pandemic. To learn more or get involved, contact Steve Arons or Norbert Goldfield.

Antisemitism Team
The Antisemitism Team of the Tikkun Olam Committee addresses concerns about antisemitism in our community and beyond through educational programming, action-oriented efforts, and building mutual alliances against many forms of bias and discrimination. To learn more or get involved, contact Amy Leos-Urbel.