TIKKUN OLAM COMMITTEE (formerly known as Social Action Committee)
For more information on any of our social action programs, please contact socialaction@bonaishalom.org.
HELPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED
We coordinate for CBS (with some exceptions since COVID-19) food, toiletries, clothing, and monetary collections with local organization to benefit those in need in our greater community including:
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Community Food Share. Kol Nidre Food Drive
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Crop Walk. Walk with our community to raise funds for Community Food Share and other agencies such as MAZON.
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Interfaith AIDS Coalition, Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP) - Pre-Pesach Collection. This has traditionally been a drive for toiletries and food, but in 2021 will be a fundraising drive.
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Bridge House, Community Table. NOTE: When COVID-19 restrictions end, we hope to continue volunteering monthly.
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Emergency Shelter Housing Needs. In the past, we have provided emergency overnight shelter and provided food for those in emergency housing. While we are not currently or prospectively providing emergency housing, we will likely continue to collect donations of essential items for homeless individuals during the course of the year.
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION
The Working Group on Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) was formed at CBS to develop our own response to this issue that so deeply affects us as Jews and Americans. Our goals are advocacy and education/dialogue.
(updated May 2022)
For our GVP response to the latest school shooting in Uvalde, Texas just 10 days after the racist mass shooting in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, read here.
We support the actions and activities of the following organizations in their work to prevent gun violence:
ENVIRONMENT
Adopt-a-Road Clean-up. Once in the fall and once in the spring, CBS is responsible for collecting trash along a one-mile stretch of South Boulder Road east of Cherryvale Road. This is a great time to spend time with friends while helping the community.
Tuv Ha’Aretz, Boulder’s Jewish CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). CBS, the BJCC, and other Boulder Jewish congregations partner with Red Wagon Farm as a subset of Red Wagon’s larger CSA. CSAs enable the community to support local, sustainable agriculture. Individuals pre-purchase a share of a farmer’s produce for an entire season. The CSA guarantees the farmer a secure income and gives members access to local, organic produce at competitive prices, while helping to preserve farmland and build community. Tuv Ha'Aretz is also a platform for innovative educational and community-building programs that explore the intersection of food and Jewish traditions. For more information, contact boulderjewishcsa@gmail.com.
Registration is now open for the 2021 CSA Season. You can sign up for up to 23 weeks of delicious, wholesome veggies from May 18th through October 21st. You can pick up 4-7 pm on Tuesdays at Congregation Nevei Kodesh or on Thursdays at the Boulder JCC.
Options include: Regular Veggie Share $896, Biweekly Veggie Share $467, Large Veggie Share $1,282. You can also sign up for fruit, eggs, coffee, or mushroom shares.
When you purchase a share (or even if you don't purchase a share!) you can give Tzedakah to various funds at Red Wagon: Sharing the Harvest, Farm Worker Support, and Red Wagon Supporter. To join, go to: https://redwagonfarmboulder.
com/csa/ For more information, please contact csa@redwagonorganicfarm.com.
RESPONSE TO RACISM
The Response to Racism formed in the fall of 2020. Information about the Committee’s work can be found here.
IMMIGRATION
Sudanese Scholarship Fund. With funds collected for our Sudanese Refugee Project, CBS has established a Sudanese Scholarship Fund. This Fund is an investment on the part of the CBS community in the future of three young Sudanese refugee women our congregation helped resettle to Boulder in 2006. The Fund is available for scholarships to help these women to complete their educational and career goals. The Fund may also provide for extraordinary medical expenses not otherwise covered by insurance.
Sanctuary. We support Ingrid Encalada Latorre who is living in sanctuary at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder through
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Volunteering
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Gift cards
Motus Theater. On September 10, 2020, the Social Action and First Friday Committees collaborated with Motus Theater to present Women of Resolution: We Were Strangers as part of Motus Theater’s Shoebox Stories project. In this program, Bonai Shalom community members share the stories of four undocumented immigrant women and demonstrate the moral courage of their journeys seeking sanctuary to avoid deportation and separation from their families. You can watch the program HERE.
SOCIAL ACTION VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
(or your own suggestion!)
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Contact socialaction@bonaishalom.org for any information.
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Participate as a Social Action Committee member – we typically meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 2:30 pm
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Volunteer for the semi-annual road clean-up (Fall and/or Spring)
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Website Development for Social Action Committee: Help keep our webpage information current.
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Current Events Coordinator: Help keep us informed about current events of interest to our CBS community and maintain a list of links to include on the website.
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Participate in Crop Walk
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Serve on the Tuv Ha'Aretz Core Committee