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Tikkun Olam (Repair of the World) Committee

Dorshei Tzedek is committed to the value of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world.

Starting in 2003, after engaging in dozens of one-on-one conversations and group meetings, the members of the Tikkun Olam Committee recommended to the Board that the primary avenue for community action in support of Tikkun Olam should come through the synagogue's becoming a member of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO). GBIO is a broad-based organization of area churches, synagogues, unions and community development corporations that have built a loving and action-oriented community on the basis of shared values and a strong commitment to economic justice. GBIO is one of the only organizations in the area that brings people together across racial, ethnic and religious lines in relationships of equality to work together toward a common vision of justice. Although largely comprised of spiritual communities, GBIO has its feet planted firmly on the ground in terms of what it will take to realize it's vision of greater economic opportunity and equality in the Commonwealth. The organization knows that numbers count and focuses on building a large and powerful network of organized people in the service of a more just society.

After a series of membership events and community discussions, the Dorshei Tzedek board voted to join GBIO and so the community's commitment to GBIO was launched. Our institutional commitment to GBIO includes: a significant annual financial commitment (1% of our annual operating budget) and an agreement to send significant membership representation to GBIO actions at which key elected officials and leaders of important financial institutions are asked to listen to our leadership and make concrete and specific commitments to our agenda.

To date around 50 members of Dorshei Tzedek have taken part in one or more GBIO activities. At present, GBIO is working with its 80 Boston area synagogue and Church members--including Dorshei Tzedek--on the issues of:

Improving the care environment in nursing homes with a special emphasis on assuring that front line nurse asssistants are treated with dignity and respect so that they can care for people in a quality fashion; and
Creation of an organized money campaign whereby the collective financial power of GBIO member institutions and individual members of these groups can be harnessed to obtain important finanical benefits for people--especially for those with low and moderate incomes.

There is much to do! This vibrant committee is always looking to expand its membership and leadership team. For more information, contact us at tikkun@dorsheitzedek.org.