Rabbi Namath: "The next generation of activists will, through their actions and leadership, bring about a world that is more whole and just."
Contact: Max Rosenblum or Alexa Broida
202.387.2800 | news@rac.org
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 17, 2014 - This week, more than 25 Jewish high school students from coast to coast arrived in Washington, D.C. for the first summer of Mitzvah Corps DC, an experiential justice program for teens presented by the Union for Reform Judaism in partnership with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Reform Movement's social justice body. This weeklong intensive summer experience enables young activists the opportunity to do hands-on volunteering, learn about social justice, and lobby Congress on a slate of important issues that echo modern Jewish values.
The summer Mitzvah Corps experience gives young advocates and social justice seekers the opportunity to build a community together in Washington, D.C., learn about the connection between Jewish teaching and contemporary public policy, participate in experiential justice work, and speak with their elected officials on Capitol Hill. The Mitzvah Corps program is a complement to the numerous youth programs and opportunities available each year to Reform Jewish young people, such as the Bernard and Audre Repoport L'Taken Social Justice Seminars for High School Students and the Machon Kaplan Summer Social Action Internship.
Judaism teaches righteousness as a universal edict and an ongoing journey: "Tzedek, tzedek tirdof" (Deut. 16:20), meaning "Justice, justice, you shall pursue." As Program Director Rabbi Michael Namath said in welcoming the students to the historic Religious Action Center building:
"We are so excited to welcome with open arms the Mitzvah Corps students. We know that the participants and alumni of this program are the next generation of activists who will, through their actions and leadership, bring about a world that is more whole and just."
Rabbi Bradley Solmsen, Director of Youth Engagement at the URJ, noted:
"Students will be able to take their newfound skills and relationships back to their hometowns and apply them in their communities and schools. Having had the opportunity to see firsthand the challenges in the community, put it in the context of Jewish social justice values, and given the chance to speak with lawmakers, participants will come away empowered and inspired to continue the work they have begun."
The Mitzvah Corps program in Washington, D.C. is an expansion of the Reform Movement's popular Mitzvah Corps programs for teens, which include several opportunities throughout the year in places like Costa Rica, New Orleans, Nicaragua, Israel, and at the URJ Kutz Camp in Warwick, NY. Alongside a group of committed peers and our dedicated staff, students volunteer with grassroots organizations offering unique hands-on experiences to nurture a deeper understanding of the major issues facing their communities.
