Social Action

The vibrant and growing Social Justice Team at BJBE works to address the root causes of injustice. The Team works across lines of faith, race, class, and against all forms of hate and discrimination. Our goal is to identify our shared values and  build relationships  that strengthen the power of our collective actions in the name of justice, compassion, and peace.

Illinois Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC-IL)

BJBE was honored to be one of the inaugural congregations at the launch of the Illinois Religious Action Center (RAC-IL). Together, with Reform congregations across Illinois, RAC-IL seeks to build a more just and compassionate Land of Lincoln for all. Partnering with local not-for-profit and community organizations, the organization’s efforts will focus on racial justice, including criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, and immigrant and refugee rights. Be on the lookout for upcoming educational programs, trainings, and action items around these critical issues of moral importance. For more information, contact: Melanie Berkowitz or Joel Newton.

BJBE Refugee Welcome and Resettlement Campaigns

The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Leviticus 19:34)

BJBE has participated in a couple recent efforts to co-sponsor refugees who moved to our area. 

In 2022, we partnered with HIAS Immigration & Citizenship and JCFS Chicago to co-sponsor a young Afghan man. We helped him get settled in a home in Rogers Park and get registered in classes to learn English. We raised over $10,000 to support him for the first three months here and provided weekly tutoring and mentoring. We also collected furniture and household goods.

In 2023, we partnered with Dale and Bob Truding to co-sponsor a Ukrainian family who moved here so the daughter could receive medical treatment. We furnished an apartment in Glencoe and provided groceries, rent, and - most importantly - friendship to the woman and her two children. Tragically, the daughter passed away in the fall of 2023. We have continued to support the woman and her son as they plan to remain here and she is looking for work.

These efforts to support refugees have had a huge impact on the BJBE community. They have excited and engaged many of our congregants (both recently-joined and long-time members), and shown what a generous, compassionate, and resourceful community we have.

For questions about this work and to get involved in future efforts, please contact Joel Newton.

Abortion Access Task Force

Our Reproductive Rights and Abortion Access Task Force seeks to support Reproductive Freedom as a Jewish value.

The mission of our Reproductive Rights and Abortion Access Task Force is to bring education, service projects and political action about Reproduction Rights and Abortion Access to BJBE Members and the broader community in order to continue to solidify rights and access to health care for all.  

Our task force has sponsored events that include: post card writing campaigns reaching out to voters educating them on the important issues on the ballot related to Reproductive Rights; assembling comfort care kits for abortion patients; learning opportunities with knowledgeable guest speakers who share information and calls to action.  Our events are primarily hosted in person to promote our sense of community, although there are remote opportunities to get engaged.  We are currently hard at work planning a remote work session to inform people online about so-called "Crisis Pregnancy Centers" that provide harmful misinformation to unsuspecting individuals seeking abortions.

Antisemitism Task Force

BJBE’s task force to combat antisemitism formed prior to the tragic events of October 7, 2023 and since then has worked on programming focused both on the repercussions of that event specifically as well as on a wider campaign of education and action to fight antisemitism wherever it arises.  From hosting discussions with concerned parents of college-aged children to presenting programming on recognizing and responding to inaccurate propaganda to learning the proper ways to engage in civil discourse, BJBE remains committed to fighting antisemitism with facts, compassion, and action.  For more information and to get involved, see the separate drop down section on Combating Antisemitism. 

Emergent Issues

In addition to our ongoing social justice task forces, BJBE is constantly staying aware and informed about issues and topics that need immediate attention and action.  In the past we’ve hosted forums and other programs on school safety and gun violence, voter engagement, racial justice, mental health, and support for formerly incarcerated individuals, among others.  If there is a cause or issue you’d like to see addressed, please do not hesitate to speak up.

We are always looking for people to join us in this work! If you aren’t already receiving regular (but not too many) emails about programs, let us know, and we’ll add your name to the social justice mailing list. 

Contact: Melanie Berkowitz, Tracey Horwich, or Joel Newton if you’re interested in helping with these efforts

Annual High Holy Days Food Drive
For 37,000 Chicago area Jews, the Yom Kippur fast is not always a voluntary activity. Please help us end the pain and shame of hunger. During Rosh Hashanah, bags are distributed for our congregants to fill with non-perishable food items and paper goods to be returned to BJBE on Yom Kippur. Items will be donated to The ARK for distribution.

Maot Chitim: Feeding the Hungry
Twice a year, at Rosh Hashanah and Pesach, we partner with Maot Chitim to pack and deliver boxes of food to people in the Chicago area who are in need. Participants must be at least 12 years old to participate in warehouse activities.
Contact: Brian Aronson

Fall & Spring Blood Drives
The Social Action Network coordinates a blood drive for LifeSource to help those Chicagoans in need of blood and blood products. Committee members and donors are always needed. 
Contacts: Rachel Tzinberg and Richard Goldberg

Annual MLK Day of Service
Make Martin Luther King Day a day on instead of a day off. We provide various off- and on-site social action opportunities to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition to participating, opportunities for planning and “day-of” leadership are available.
Contact: Melanie Berkowitz

Social Action Programs for Families with Young Children
Getting our children involved in Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and G'milut Chasadim (acts of kindness) at a young age is a primary goal of our programming. Making connections and growing friendships with other young families is another. Join us once or on an ongoing basis for multi-generational programming as we bake cookies for Project Nourish, collect food for the ARK, participate in a “food stamp shopping challenge,” create “charity chests” for the home, fill activity bags for local children’s hospitals, and much more. 
Contact: Melanie Berkowitz 

Sisterhood Social Action
Sisterhood organizes social action projects throughout the year, such as collections for the Deerfield Food Pantry, creating pillows for Breast Cancer Survivors, and sending notes to the Lone Soldiers in the Israeli Army. Please visit the Sisterhood page for more information and contact details.

ConTextos
ConTextos is a Chicago-based non-governmental organization led by Debra Gittler (Susie Wexler's sister) that "uses the power of literary and art education to promote healing and reflection, and to foster critical thinking and dialogue through personal storytelling. We seek to lift up the voices and insights of people affected by trauma, to challenge assumptions, and to provoke change." For more information visit contextos.org or email chicago@contextos.org.

Curt's Café
Curt's Café is a more than just a café – it’s an environment bringing about positive change. Their mission is “to improve outcomes for young adults living in at-risk situations through work and life skills training.” Please consider vising either the Highland Park or Evanston location. They are great spots for a casual meeting, relaxing with a cup, or getting some work done. For more information visit curtscafe.org or call 847-748-8086.

Emergency Disaster Relief Trips
Make lasting connections, learn about Jewish life and culture, and lend your hands to help in communities that experience devastation through natural disaster. Together, we will have the opportunity to travel to rebuild and support affected communities with the hope of revisiting whenever necessary. Previous trips have included Joplin, MO, Moore, OK, and Washington, IL. If you would like to get involved contact Melanie Berkowitz.