Bema`aglei -Tzedek
About Us
Our Staff
Israel 2007 has the world record in two areas as sailboat Olympic
champions and in the largest increase in the rate of needy people per capita in the western world. As a result of this social crisis a relatively large number of social struggles have taken place in Israel over the past few years: handicapped activists protested in front of the Knesset for four months, students went on strike over the rise in tuition, and there were protests against the cutbacks in social security stipends for the elderly. Many opinions were expressed throughout all of these struggles, however, none of these opinions related to a central 3,000 year old line of reasoning based on Judaism. None of the parties involved made any claims based on Jewish sources that connect between Israel being a Jewish state and its approach to social affairs. This deficiency is especially glaring in light of the Jewish sources’ extensive attention to social issues, ranging from the words of the prophets demanding just treatment of weak elements in society as a basic moral requirement to complex halacha cases regarding the community’s responsibility for the poor living amongst it.
For many people, the concept of the “Jewish state” means the authorities’ attitude towards Jewish holidays, the Sabbath, the public that studies Torah; far too few feel that the concept of a “Jewish state” conveys a basic moral obligation for certain behavior between people and their peers and
between a state and its citizens.
Methods of Action
Widespread educational activities with teenagers
The aim is to create more awareness among teenagers to what is happening around them, enlightening them about the basic moral values of our rich heritage and instilling in them the ability to initiate and carry out projects. One example is a project that deals with" non-contract workers" and their terms of employment. Our belief is that it is intolerable that educational institutions that educate for values of justice and the dignity of human beings, allow for the daily exploitation of so many workers, i.e. cleaners and guards, within the schools themselves. The main activities of this project are carried out by youth within their own schools all over the country.
Creating awareness and deepening the publics` dialogue on the integration between social justice and Jewish heritage
The publication of a journal that takes a stand on social issues from a – Jewish point of view;
Initiating conventions on these topics for the general public on fast days.
Reacting publicly through the media to urgent social issues based on a Jewish point of view.
Projects on a national scale that enable the public by their everyday actions to change harmful and illegitimate social norms.
The main project in this area is the "social seal"- This certificate is given, free of charge to businesses that commit to basic social criteria: their conditions of employment and the accessibility of their business to people with disabilities. Correspondingly, the movement appeals to the public to patronize places that have the social seal.
We believe that a high level of social awareness is a very important tool in creating significant change in the everyday social reality in the state of Israel.
The overwhelming response to B’Maagalei Tzedek’s activities and the extensive media coverage that they have received indicates that the organization is filling a deep need in Israeli society in general . Aimed at religious and secular Jews alike, the activities of the organization are intended to create a better society in Israel by focusing on social justice, and to fill a void that has been created in Israeli society as a result of years of preoccupation with pressing existential issues and security concerns. While these concerns still exist, there is a clear need for national activities that focus on internal issues and social concerns, as these can be also a source of unity in a fragmented society.
to contact us:
pls e-mail to asaf@mtzedek.org.il
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