Putting Faith into Practice

Jubilee Congregations
Jewish Edition DRAFT
Hi Kristin,

Attached is the Jewish version of Jubilee Congregations with my edits. I dont know how closely you were lanning on reading through it as well, but I have a cou le of suggestions!

"ost of the facts about debt are from #$$% or #$$&, which is when Im guessing the acket was first drafted. 'ou all are robably in a better osition to u date those than me, but (ust wanted to mention it. )here are several laces in the acket when the reader is referred to another age or section, e*ce t there is no age number or even table of contents. I inserted age numbers in a few laces, but its something to be checked if the ages change. I would also recommend inserting a table of contents. )he section that was most troublesome to me was +)he Jubilee ,ound in -ur )e*ts and )aught .y -ur )eachers/ 0 age &$!&#1. )heres a note in track changes at the beginning of the section, but it was a bit confusing in terms of both structure and te*t 2 there were a bunch of short te*t references, all with citations, and then a longer section that might have been meant to be read all together, but without citations or references. -verall, I tried to find as many citations as ossible throughout the acket, but its again something to look at before ublication. An +Introduction to the 3ebt Crisis/ is referenced twice 0 age 45 and #&1 but there is no section in the acket with that title. I think if its a se arate acket or brochure, it would be hel ful to know that. )here are notes throughout when I had 6uestions, comments, suggestions, etc. on certain smaller oints within the document 2 (ust something to be aware of.

I think thats about it 2 I ho e this hel s. 7lease let me know if you have any 6uestions about what I did 0many of my changes were things like making sure all of the formatting stayed consistent, s elling out +8od/ 2 we decided it would be fine for both 9eform and Conservative synagogues 2 and changing references from Church language to synagogue1 or if I can be of hel in any other way. )hanks: Allison 8. 8rossman ;egislative Assistant 9eligious Action Center of 9eform Judaism #$#< "assachusetts Avenue, => >ashington, 3C #$$%? #$#.%@<.#@$$ 0 1 #$#.??<.A$<$ 0f1 www.rac.org

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, asher kidshanu bmitzvotav vtzivanu lirdof tzedakah.
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Blessed are you Eternal Go-d, Ruler o the !ni"erse, who has hallowed us with the mitzvot and co##anded us to $ursue %ustice&

Coming together for a holy purpose... When people of faith oin together for a holy purpose, !e can turn the tides of economic in ustice, challenge harmful policies and advance a prophetic vision of fairness, e"uality and hope for the !orlds poor.

Ac'nowledge#ents (e than' the Religious Action )enter o Re or# Judais# or their guidance in de"elo$#ent o this hand*oo'&
Program and Vision

Welcome!
The $hrase ,-et #y $eo$le go. is an incredi*ly co#$elling one to those struggling or reedo#& These words, which /oses s$o'e to Pharaoh as he led the 0sraelites ro# sla"ery in Egy$t, still ring true today to #illions o $eo$le across the world& /en, wo#en and children, each created b#tselem Elohim Btzelem Elohim 1in the i#age o God2, are held in *ondage *y the chains o international de*t& The Jewish co##unity, with its *elie in and $ractice o tikkun olam and tzedakah, can *e i#$ortant and "alua*le ad"ocates or those ensnared *y de*t sla"ery& A dee$er understanding, $rayer, and action in su$$ort o de*t cancellation or the world3s #ost i#$o"erished countries are what Ju*ilee !4A is as'ing o religious co##unities& 0n the Jewish tradition, learning is a*out li"ing& The "alues taught in our the te5ts $ro"ide the *asis or our long history o co##it#ent to social action and social %ustice& The Tal#ud tells the story o a de*ate *etween two #a%or ra**inic acade#ies, the school o 6illel and the school o 4ha##ai& They struggled to resol"e the ollowing 7uestion8 0 a $erson had to choose *etween studying Torah and $er or#ing good deeds, what should he or she do9 A ter years o argu#ent, they concluded that i a $erson could only choose one thing, they should study Torah& Their logic was as ollows8 0 you only $er or#ed good deeds, you would *e a good $erson, *ut you #ight ne"er understand the richness and co#$le5ity o our tradition& :n the other hand, e"eryone agreed that it was i#$ossi*le to study Torah and not *e #oti"ated to $er or# good deeds and $ursue %ustice& The ra**is ound it inconcei"a*le that study would not lead to action& :"er ;<< years o colonialis#, sla"ery, and e5$loitation ha"e led to a situation in which the countries o the Glo*al 4outh are econo#ically indentured to the =orth& Joining the Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' in the struggle against this glo*al econo#ic in%ustice is a $ractical way or congregations and indi"iduals to li"e out their aith and con"ictions& The Ju*ilee )ongregations $rogra# $ro"ides resources and #aterials to hel$ aith co##unities educate the#sel"es a*out the roots and current #ani estations o the international de*t crisis while $ro"iding congregations with tools to create change while wor'ing in colla*oration with other $eo$le o aith& At the #ost *asic le"el, the de*t crisis aced *y $oor countries $re"ents $eo$le ro# accessing the #ost *asic li e necessities& De*t 'ee$s children ro# getting the ood and education that they need& De*t 'ee$s a#ilies ro# recei"ing health care& De*t 'ee$s #illions o $eo$le *ound to $o"erty& Funds reed *y de*t cancellation $ro"ide des$erately needed resources or hunger relie , #edical care or children, clean water and sa e roads, as well as 60>?A0D4 $re"ention, education, care and treat#ent& This $ac'et is an urgent in"itation to your congregation to %oin the growing nu#*er o aith co##unities across the country who are wor'ing together to *rea' the chains o de*t or the world3s #ost i#$o"erished $eo$le& 6o$e ully, the $ages that ollow will ser"e as a resource tool or you and your congregation so that the Jewish co##unity can

ha"e a strong "oice in what is *eco#ing one o the largest glo*al social %ustice #o"e#ents in history&

Economic Justice and Jewish Values

$eprinted in full te%t !ith permission of the $eligious Action Center of $eform &udaism. 'he $AC pursues social ustice and religious liberty by mobilizing the (orth American &e!ish Community and serving as its advocate in the nations capitol. 6e*rew scri$ture details or us one o the worldAs earliest social wel are syste#& (e are taught to lea"e the corners o our ields and the gleanings o our har"est to the $oor 1*ased on -e"iticus 1B8B2, and to o$en our hands and lend to $eo$le whate"er it is they need 1*ased on Deuterono#y C-112& (e learn that hel$ing ellow hu#an *eings in need, tzedakah, is not si#$ly a #atter o charity, *ut o res$onsi*ility, righteousness, and %ustice& The Bi*le does not #erely tell us to gi"e to the $oor, *ut to ad"ocate on their *ehal & (e are told in Pro"er*s +18B, to Ds$ea' u$, %udge righteously, cha#$ion the $oor and the needy&D Jewish history also $ro"ides us with an e5a#$le or hel$ing the needy& During Tal#udic ti#es, #uch o tzedakah was done though ta5- inanced, co##unity-run $rogra#s that $ro"ided or the $oor, the hungry, the ill, and the childrenEa close $arallel to the entitle#ent security we ought, and continue to ight, to $erse"ere in our society today&

Judaism and Jubilee: The Power of Debt Cancellation to Fight Hunger Po!ert" and #n$ustice
Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' is a coalition o o"er C< religious, la*or and en"iron#ental grou$s that wor' or de*t cancellation or i#$o"erished countries& De*t is one o the $ri#ary stu#*ling *loc's i#$eding de"elo$#ent or $oor countries that #ust s$end li#ited resources on oreign de*t $ay#ents rather than on healthcare and education& Because Ju*ilee has a "ested interest in re$airing the world, tikkun olam, we would li'e to in"ite your Jewish co##unity to *eco#e in"ol"ed in our e orts& De*t Facts8

/ore than hal o A rican countries s$end a greater a#ount on de*t $ay#ents than on health care or their citiFens 4u*-4aharan A rican countries s$end G1@&; *illion e"ery year ser"icing oreign de*ts that are decades oldH an a#ount greater than that recei"ed in oreign aid and greater than what is needed to alle"iate the A0D4 e$ide#ic The !nited =ations esti#ates that the li"es o 1B,<<< children could *e sa"ed e"ery day i oreign de*t $ay#ents were redirected to clean water, nutrition and *asic healthcare ser"ices 0n cases where de*t relie has *een $ro"ided, countries ha"e used the sa"ings to dra#atically increase health and education *udgets, resulting in #illions o 'ids ;

returning to school, #ore "accinations, stronger resources to ight the A0D4 e$ide#ic and increased access to health care (hy %oin Ju*ilee9 Although the Ju*ilee ca#$aign has #ade great $rogress, de*t loads continue to *e o$$ressi"e in #any countries, and there is still a great deal o wor' to do& Fighting or de*t relie is a way to #a'e a signi icant i#$act in the li"es o #illions o $eo$le in $oor countries& Jewish te5ts, co##entary and tradition are aware o the necessity o $ro"iding relie or those in need& The great scholar /ai#onides, or e5a#$le, wrote that it is the greatest #itF"ah to $ro"ide a #eans o sel su iciency& (or'ing or de*t relie is a way to hel$ i#$o"erished nations *rea' ree ro# de$endence on oreign nations and $ro"ide or the#sel"es& There is te5tual su$$ort in the Torah or the cancellation o de*t8 ,And ye shall hallow the i tieth year, and $roclai# li*erty throughout the land unto all the inha*itants thereo H it shall *e a %u*ilee unto youH and ye shall return e"ery #an unto his $ossession, and ye shall return e"ery #an unto his a#ily,. -e"iticus 2;81<& ,At the end o e"ery se"en years thou shalt #a'e a release& And this is the #anner o the release8 e"ery creditor shall release that which he hath lent unto his neigh*or8 he shall not e5act it o his neigh*or and his *rotherH *ecause the lords release hath *een $roclai#ed&,. Deuterono#y 1;& Ju*ilee )ongregations Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' is launching the Ju*ilee )ongregations inter- aith $rogra# or religious co##unities across the country to learn a*out Ju*ilee and do #ore or li esa"ing de*t relie & Ju*ilee )ongregations $artici$ate through raising awareness and ta'ing action through acti"ities such as letter writing ca#$aigns to go"ern#ent o icials& (e in"ite you to learn #ore a*out *eco#ing a Ju*ilee )ongregation& For #ore in or#ation a*out how to *eco#e in"ol"ed with Ju*ilee, $lease contact our o ice in (ashington D) at 2<2-CI+-+;JJ or "isit our we*site at www&%u*ileeusa&org&

Jubilee Congregations Commitments

0n the guidelines we3"e outlined, we as' Ju*ilee )ongregations to $ray, act, undraise and write letters to su$$ort with the cause o Ju*ilee worldwide& (e welco#e your ideas or other ways to e5$ress your co##it#ent to Ju*ilee& Pra" The first commitment for a Jubilee Congregation is prayer. As Jews, we(e *elie"e in the $ower o $rayer and how it i#$acts our $ersonal li"es& (e in"ite you and your congregation to acti"ely $ray or Ju*ilee, an end to the econo#ic *ondage o de*t and glo*al in%ustice& 6ere are so#e ideas on how to incor$orate $rayer into your wor' or Ju*ilee8 Begin and end your #eetings and acti"ities with $rayer& As' s#all grou$sETorah study grou$s, #en3s and wo#en3s grou$s and youth grou$s Ein your synagogue to ta'e turns $raying or Ju*ilee&

Hold a Jubilee %habbat %er!ice )ontact the Ju*ilee national o ice to ind out a*out our national Ju*ilee 4ha**at& 0 your congregation ollows the liturgical calendar, choose a 4ha**at when a Ju*ilee related parasha will *e read& A ter selecting $otential dates or a Ju*ilee 4ha**at, *e in touch with your ra**i or cantor and go through the $lanning $rocess with their hel$& !se the theological notes in this hand*oo' to get you started& 4hare these resources with others $lanning the ser"ice& 0 your synagogue has decided to *eco#e a Ju*ilee )ongregation, we reco##end including a *anner dedication as $art o your worshi$ ser"ice& A Ju*ilee 4ha**at is a great ti#e to hold letter writing ca#$aigns& )all the national sta as o ten as you need or su$$ort in holding a Ju*ilee 4ha**at&

'our Pra"ers A Ju*ilee )ongregation o 4isters o the 6u#ility o /ary in )le"eland 6eights, :hio, writes liturgies on the the#e o %u*ilee they use during their religious co##unity3s $rayer ser"ices&

&ct
Another essential commitment is designating a contact person who will be a liaison between your synagogue and Jubilee USA.

Kour contact $erson is the linch$in to *uilding a thri"ing and success ul Ju*ilee #o"e#ent& (hen we see' to call your congregation into action at crucial #o#ents in our ca#$aign, such as when we are ha"ing a national grassroots tour or when legislation is u$ or a "ote, we will *e in touch with the contact $erson& This $erson also ser"es as a liaison to the growing nationwide networ' o Ju*ilee congregations& (e want to acilitate co##unication a#ong Ju*ilee )ongregations so that we can learn ro# each other, su$$ort each other and dee$en our aith while we $roclai# Ju*ilee& The contact $erson will recei"e u$dates "ia e-#ail, as well as Ju*ilee newsletters and s$ecial #ailings& Characteristics of a good Jubilee contact (erson: - 4so#eone who is, or has the $otential to *e, a leader in the congregation& - 4so#eone who su$$orts canceling $oor countries3 de*t and 'nows the !&4& $olitical $rocess& - 4so#eone who is a*le and interested in doing so#e research on the to$ic o de*t& - 4so#eone who can teach others and creati"ely engage the congregation in Ju*ilee& Designate contact $erson or $ersons on the Ju*ilee )ongregations registration or#& 4ince the role o this contact $erson is so crucial, $lease let us 'now how we can *est su$$ort you& The Ju*ilee contact $erson needs to ha"e internet access to recei"e e#ail u$dates, action alerts and resources on our (e* site& ,Kou are #y ser"ant through who# 0 show #y glory&. 0saiah @B8+ LLLL 'our &ction Ju*ilee )ongregations can $artici$ate in actions organiFed *y the national o ice at s$eci ic ti#es, or $lan gatherings at any ti#e o the year& Elain 6ic'#an, contact $erson or a /ennonite Ju*ilee )ongregation in 4eattle, (ash&, has *een acti"e in the Ju*ilee =orthwest )oalition& At their church *uildingE once an Art Deco style #o"ie theaterEthey showed the il# )ife and *ebt, a*out Ja#aica, and had a s#all grou$ discussion&

For the June 2<<@ Grou$ o Eight 4u##it in Georgia, Ju*ilee encouraged congregations to ta'e $ictures o the#sel"es with *anners calling on the G-I to dro$ the de*t& At a $ress con erence Ju*ilee held during the su##it with national and local acti"ists and $astors, 2<< $hotogra$hs o Ju*ilee grassroots #e#*ers ro# across the country were dis$layed&

)ne Dollar
Jubilee Congregations also commit to financially supporting Jubilee USA. Each congregation #a'es a inancial co##it#ent o one dollar $er #e#*er or one o ering or Ju*ilee !4A annually& This is a guideline to hel$ 'ee$ the Ju*ilee "ision ali"eEand $ro"ide the sta and resources to 'ee$ the Ju*ilee )ongregations $rogra# running& 0 your congregation is a*le to gi"e #ore, Ju*ilee will welco#e your additional donation, $utting it towards the e5$ansion o our $rogra#&
There are a number of (laces that donations can come from to fulfill the Jubilee Congregation commitment:

ro# the general synagogue *udgetH ro# the outreach *udget, or a s$ecial needs und your congregation ad#inistersH ro# an tzedakah *o5 or Ju*ileeH and ro# a s$ecial undraising or education e"ent&

As'ing your congregational leaders to #a'e a donation to Ju*ilee is another way to in"ol"e your co##unity& 0t $ro"ides an o$$ortunity to tal' a*out an issue you *elie"e in with your leaders& 0 it is the irst ti#e you ha"e as'ed or #oney ro# your congregation, or i you are not co# orta*le as'ing or #oney, or i you would si#$ly li'e #ore ideas a*out how to ta'e this ste$ eel ree to *e in touch with the Ju*ilee sta to see' su$$ort and guidance in this $rocess& 0 your are a*le to get your congregation is a*le to agree to inancially su$$ort Ju*ilee, as' your leadershi$ to write the Ju*ilee co##it#ent into the annual *udget, so that you don3t need to a$$eal or the unds each year& 0nstead you can si#$ly chec' annually to #a'e sure that the Ju*ilee co##it#ent stays within the *udget or as' each year or the a#ount to *e increased& /any o our congregations gi"e #oney to s$onsor a child to go to school or su$$ort *uilding $ro%ects in other countries& Re#e#*er that Ju*ilee de*t relie has reed u$ #illions o dollars that has $ut tens o #illions o children *ac' in school and has $ro"ided #oney or *asic health, in rastructure and %o*s in doFens o countries& 6ow #uch would that *e worth to your aith co##unity9 Fundraising can also ta'e $lace outside a congregation3s *udget, such as at awareness raising e"ents& By irst educating your congregations a*out international $o"erty, your co##unity can *eco#e #ore 'nowledgea*le a*out Ju*ilee, gi"ing their ti#e and co##it#ent *e ore gi"ing inancial resources&

Where does "our donation to Jubilee *%& go+ Ju*ilee !4A relies hea"ily on donations ro# the Ju*ilee )ongregation $rogra#, as well as our networ' #e#*ers and oundation grants to und our $rogra#& (e are a non-$ro it ;<11c2 +, so all gi ts are ta5-deducti*le& Kour donations go to 'ee$ Ju*ilee3s *i*lical #ission or de*t cancellation and econo#ic %ustice running& Kour gi ts hel$ us sustain the congregational $rogra#, so we can create the resources you need and $ay our sta to 'ee$ you u$ to date on ti#ely actions to $ro"ide de*t cancellation or the world3s i#$o"erished countries& ,a-e chec-s (a"able to: Jubilee *%& .etwor- /// East Ca(itol %treet .E Washington DC /0001 Kou #ay also donate "ia credit card online at www&%u*ileeusa&org or *y contacting the Ju*ilee o ice&

)ne 2etter
The inal co##it#ent or Ju*ilee congregations is to send one letter $er #e#*er e"ery year& -etter writing is one o the easiest and #ost e ecti"e #ethods o ca#$aigning or de*t cancellation& 0t shows decision #a'ers and elected o icials we care enough to sit down, thin' a*out the issue and contact the#& -etter writing is a si#$le and direct action that #e#*ers o your congregation can ta'e to e5$ress their concern or Ju*ilee& The one letter $er #e#*er co##it#ent does not #ean each $erson at your synagogue #ust write a letter, *ut rather should *e seen as a target or how #any letters you would li'e to ha"e written o"er the course o one year&

Dont underestimate the power of a handwritten letterit can ha e a huge impact! "any decision ma#ers calculate e ery handwritten letter they recei e represents $%% who support the cause and $&%%% who rate it as important.
+o! to organize letter,!riting in your congregation- Plan in ad!ance 0t is always #ost e ecti"e to $lan your letter writing e orts in ad"ance& )onnect the# to a Ju*ilee 4ha**at worshi$ ser"ice or a series o adult education classes, i $ossi*le& )ontact the Ju*ilee o ice or "isit the Ju*ilee w(e* site to ind out who is the #ost a$$ro$riate decision #a'er to send letters to and when #ight *e the #ost e ecti"e ti#e to write letters& (e can also hel$ you dra t a sa#$le letter& - %ee- su((ort of others Build a co##ittee o $eo$le around you to hel$ the letter writing *e a success& A core tea# o three to our co##itted $eo$le is usually enough to #a'e the wor'load light on e"eryone& - 3et the word out!

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Ad"ertise your $lans to do letter writing or Ju*ilee in your synagogue newsletter and *ulletins a nu#*er o wee's in ad"ance& Announce the letter writing ta*le during your ser"ice and encourage $eo$le to $artici$ate, or ha"e the a$$ro$riate $erson #a'e the announce#ent and identi y contact $eo$le& - ,a-e it sim(le and direct /a'e the letter writing easy or those who co#e *y your ta*le& 6a"e color ul gra$hics and educational #aterials out or $eo$le, ha"e greeting cards or $a$er and $ens a"aila*le& (rite a sa#$le letterEa ew sentences in *ig *old ont on a large $iece o $a$erEand $lace se"eral co$ies on the ta*le as re erences& : ten Ju*ilee will ha"e a sa#$le letter on our (e* site or we will send you one *y e#ail& - Twice is nice but three times can be the charm Try holding your letter writing ta*le or a nu#*er o wee's a ter ser"ices& Three to our wee's in a row is usually the *est& 0 $eo$le want to ta'e literature and learn #ore, they still ha"e a chance to write letters the ollowing wee'& -i'ewise i $eo$le are out o town or lea"e early, you can catch the# on another occasion& - Don4t Forget5 :n the day1s2 o your letter-writing ta*le re#e#*er to ta'e8 lots o $ens and $a$er?cards, sa#$le letters, a *o5 or donations to co"er the $ostage, in or#ational #aterial and a color ul or ethnic cloth to s$read underneath e"erything& /a'e sure each $erson signs her or his ull address on the inside o the letter or card as the en"elo$es are o ten discarded& - Tell us about it /ail the letters, and let the Ju*ilee o ice 'now how #any there were and how the e"ent went& A few tips to help get your message across' 4start *y than'ing the decision #a'er or ste$s ta'en in the $astEthis $ositi"e eed*ac' can not *e underesti#ated& Ee5$ress two or three $oints only& B*e $olite and $ositi"e where"er $ossi*le& 4state what you want the decision #a'er to do& -let your /e#*er o )ongress 'now i you "oted or hi# or her& Aalways include your ull na#e and address and the na#e o your congregation&hurch aAs' or a re$ly& 6handwrite your letters&

6ead the re(lies! Feel ree to res$ond to the re$ly& 4hare the res$onses with the Ju*ilee o ice& Post re$lies on your congregational *ulletin *oard or in another o*"ious $lace in the *uilding so that other letter writers can *e encouraged that their "oices were heard& Contacting ,embers of Congress and Decision ,a-ers

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)onsider sending your letter as a handwritten a5 or as an e-#ail& Kou can also #a'e $hone calls to congressional sta who wor' on de*t& Another o$tion is sending letters to the congressional district o ices and as'ing they *e $assed on to the a$$ro$riate (ashington sta $erson& Re$resentati"e --!nited 4tates 6ouse o Re$resentati"es (ashington, D) 2<;1; >isit www&house&go" to ind out who your Re$resentati"e is and learn their contact in or#ation& 4enator --!nited 4tates 4enate (ashington, D) 2<;1< >isit www&senate&go" to ind out who your 4enators are and learn their contact in or#ation& The President o the !nited 4tates 1J<< Pennsyl"ania A"enue, =( (ashington, D) 2<;<< 4ecretary o the TreasuryL !4 Treasury De$art#ent 1;<< Pennsyl"ania A"enue, =( (ashington, D) 2<22<
7The Treasur" De(artment is the (art of the &dministration that wor-s on World 8anand #,F issues including debt cancellation9 The" are !er" influential in setting (olicies at the World 8an- and #,F9

/anaging Director 0nternational /onetary Fund C<< 1Bth 4treet, =( (ashington, D) 2<@++ President o the (orld Ban' (orld Ban' 1I1I 6 4treet, =( (ashington, D) 2<@++

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'our 2etter Writing 0n A$ril 2<<@, the J<th anni"ersary o the (orld Ban' and 0nternational /onetary Fund, Ju*ilee su$$orters worldwide #ar'ed the year with unha$$y *irthday cards& Ju*ilee sta deli"ered their cards, along with o"er 11,<<< others, during an unha$$y *irthday $arty in ront o the (orld Ban' and 0/F& Josie )hrosnia' and her congregation o 4isters o 6u#ility o /ary in )le"eland 6eights, :hio, signed 1;< unha$$y *irthday cards during a co##unity day, a gathering o wo#en in their co##unity, a ter holding a $rayer ser"ice&

&cti!it" #deas
6ere are so#e ideas or additional acti"ities to *uild the Ju*ilee #o"e#ent and in luence 'ey decision #a'ers on de*t cancellation and glo*al econo#ic %ustice& 4ha$e these suggestions to it your congregation3s needs& Fostering the Jubilee %(irit in 'our Congregation 4et u$ a $rayer corner in your congregation or de*t relie and econo#ic %ustice& Put u$ $osters, $ictures and news articles a*out i#$o"erished countries& 6a"e $rayer cards or $eo$le to ta'e with the# to re#e#*er to $ray or an end to de*t and econo#ic in%ustice& 6old an education hour or #e#*ers o your congregation& 4ee 4a#$le Presentation :utline& As' $eo$le to write letters or ta'e other 'inds o actions at the end& Do a series o adult education classes or Torah studies or #e#*ers o your congregation& For# a Ju*ilee co##ittee at your congregation to oster ongoing education, outreach and action or Ju*ilee& Partici$ate in the Ju*ilee #onthly actions listed on our we*site& Pic' a country or sister city and learn #ore a*out that area3s s$eci ic de*t situation& Post in or#ation such as a#ily stories, news articles or de*t statistics& !se country de*t sheets on Ju*ilee3s w(e* site to #a'e it concrete and $ersonal& Also see ,The 6u#an 0#$acts o De*t. on $age 1@& : er $rayers during worshi$ ser"ice on a regular *asis or Ju*ilee and an end to $o"erty& Bring a s$ea'er ro# the glo*al 4outh or a re$resentati"e o Ju*ilee !4A to s$ea' to your adult education classes or during 4ha**at ser"ices& )ontact the Ju*ilee o ice to consider $ossi*ilities& :ne Ju*ilee )ongregation created a s$ecial cele*ration around their o ering o letters and dollars& Another had their #e#*er o )ongress $resent as they did a *anner dedication& 0n"ite your /e#*er o )ongress to a Ju*ilee 4unday 4ha**at or to an e"ent at your congregation where you can as' the# a*out their su$$ort or Ju*ilee&

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&d!ocac" /eet with your #e#*er o )ongress on the de*t issue& All you need is a ew $eo$le ro# your congregation to ha"e a $ower ul "isit& As' your ra**i to %oin you on the "isit& /eet with your city council #e#*ers and as' the# to $ass a state#ent in su$$ort o Ju*ilee& and as' the# to $artici$ate in the (orld Ban' Bonds *oycott& -earn #ore at www&econ%ustice&net?w*** /eet with the editorial writers at your local news$a$er& Ad"ocate that they write a a"ora*le editorial on de*t cancellation and econo#ic %ustice& Tal' to the Ju*ilee o ice a*out #ore ideas and ,$ress hoo's. or tal'ing to these i#$ortant o$inion setters in your co##unity&

6eaching )ut - 0 your congregation s$onsors tri$s or international delegations, encourage these tri$s to address econo#ic %ustice issues and #eet with Ju*ilee3s international $artners while tra"eling a*road& - :ccasionally Ju*ilee or our $artner organiFations s$onsor international tri$s& Encourage #e#*ers o your congregation to %oin these delegations& - 4et u$ an inter aith Ju*ilee coalition in your co##unity& (or' with other contact $eo$le ro# near*y Ju*ilee congregations, or contact the Ju*ilee o ice to see who is already acti"e& - Encourage other congregations in your aith tradition or region to %oin Ju*ilee )ongregations& - /eet with your deno#ination or religious order3sregional leaders to as' or their su$$ort on a regional le"el& 6el$ the# i#$le#ent a deno#ination-wideregional $rogra# on Ju*ilee congregations& As' the# to s$ea' out on the issue o de*t and econo#ic %ustice& The !nion or Re or# Judais#3s regional o ices can *e ound at htt$8??ur%&org?o ices?& The regions o the !nited 4ynagogue o )onser"ati"e Judais# can *e ound at htt$8??www&usc%&org& Find your local Jewish )o##unity Relations )ouncil at www&%ewish$u*lica airs&org& - (rite articles, letters to the editor and o$-eds& Kou can su*#it the# to your congregation3s newsletter, deno#inational $u*lications or a local news$a$er& )ontact the Ju*ilee o ice or hel$ in doing #edia wor' to get your $ieces get $rinted& - 6ost a $u*lic witness e"ent in your co##unityEa candlelight "igil, a hu#an chain or other creati"e actions to draw attention to the goals o de*t cancellation and econo#ic %ustice& ,ore ideas for Jubilee $ustice 5 "isit our (e* we*site 1www&%u*ileeusa&org2 or a list o organiFations wor'ing on Ju*ilee related issues li'e air trade, the A0D4 crisis and challenging the $olicies o the (orld Ban' and 0/F& )all the national o ice to stay in touch with actions we are doing&

1@

%am(le Presentation )utline

Human #m(act of Debt 4tart with $ersonal story or use a short "ideo to connect to the hu#an ace o the de*t issue& Kou can use the $ersonal stories in this $ac'et, stories ro# your own tra"els or as' so#eone in your congregation who has tra"eled to a highly inde*ted country to share stories a*out the reality o $o"erty and de*t in $eo$le3s li"es& )!er!iew of Debt and 3lobal Po!ert" Gi"e *asic statistics on glo*al $o"erty8 - /ore than 1&1 *illion $eo$leEone in e"ery si5 on EarthEsur"i"e on less than G1 a day& - E"ery day I+1 #illion $eo$le in de"elo$ing countriesE1+ $ercent o the world3s $o$ulationEgo hungry& :"er hal o these are in 4u* 4aharan A rica or 4outh Asia& - E"ery year a*out 1< #illion children die o $re"enta*le illnessesEnearly +<,<<< a day& - 2&C *illion $eo$le do not ha"e access to ade7uate sanitation& - E"ery day I,<<< $eo$le die ro# 60>?A0D4E+; #illion ha"e already, C< $ercent o the# in A rican countries&

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Gi"e *asic statistics o the $ro*le# o de*t8 - De"elo$ing countries owe around G2 trillion dollars in oreign de*ts& - /ore than hal o A rican countries s$end #ore on de*t ser"ice than on health care or their citiFens& 0n 2<<2 the De#ocratic Re$u*lic o )ongo s$ent 1&; $ercent o its Gross Do#estic Product on health care and 1J&2 $ercent on de*t ser"ice& - )ountries in su*-4aharan A rica recei"e G1B *illion in o icial aid e"ery year, while $aying *ac' al#ost G1+ *illion in oreign de*t $ay#ents&
4ources8 !nited =ations 6u#an De"elo$#ent Re$ort 2<<@H ,De*t 4ustaina*ility8 :asis or /irage9. !nited =ations Re$ort on Econo#ic De"elo$#ent in A rica 2<<@H (orld Ban' (orld De"elo$#ent 0ndicators 2<<@H (orld 6ealth :rganiFation 1BBI annual re$ortH !=A0D4

Connect to 8iblical Jubilee scri(tures !se the theological notes in the $ac'et, *eginning on $age +C, to a$$ly the Torah3s #essage a*out Ju*ilee to the glo*al econo#y and crisis o de*t sla"ery or the world3s $oorest $eo$le&

3i!e histor" of how countries got into debt 4ee ,0ntroduction to the De*t )risis. on $age to gi"e an o"er"iew o how countries got into de*t& Kou can also order Eeducation and aAction $ac'ets on the /aterials :rder For# on $age +; that gi"e #ore in de$th in or#ation sheets& Debt relief success stories 4hare e5a#$les and statistics ro# the enclosed ,De*t Relie (or's. section 1$age 2I2& 0t is crucial to highlight what de*t relie is doing to *ene it #illions o a#ilies in i#$o"erished countries& 6es(ond b" becoming a Jubilee Congregation 4hare the "ision *ehind the Ju*ilee )ongregations $rogra#& 4hare the our co##it#ents to *eco#ing a Ju*ilee congregation and $ro$ose that your church congregation res$ond to the in or#ation they are learning a*out the de*t crisis *y *eco#ing a Ju*ilee )ongregation& :uestion and &nswer section 4ee ,Muestions and Answers on De*t )ancellation,. $age 2+, to hel$ antici$ate 7uestions that #ight co#e u$ during your $resentation& -ea"e at least ten #inutes or 7uestions and answersEit is always great to engage $eo$le in con"ersation and res$ond to concerns& 1J

End tal- with (ersonal stor" or ins(iring ;uote and call to action /a'e it $ersonalEconnect to what ins$ires you a*out Ju*ilee %ustice& This is the ti#e to s$ea' ro# your heart and your aith& Re#ind $eo$le how $ower ul they are in see'ing change, what ordinary $eo$le ha"e already done and how #uch #ore we can do together& 2etter writing End the session *y writing letters to /e#*er o )ongress, other decision #a'ers, a local news$a$er or deno#inational $u*lication& Pass around a sign-u$ sheet or those who want to stay connected or get #ore in"ol"ed&

/ai#onedes3 ladder o tzedakah re#inds us that it is good to gi"e a $erson a ish *ecause he will *e a*le to eat or a day& Better, howe"er is teaching hi# to ish so that he can eat inde initely& Ju*ilee recogniFes that de*t and har# ul econo#ic $olicies ha"e ta'en the ishing $oles and nets that would allow our *rothers and sisters in i#$o"erished countries to use their resources and gain sel -su iciency&

)!er!iew of Jubilee *%& .etworJu*ilee !4A =etwor' is $art o the worldwide #o"e#ent o concerned citiFens see'ing to cancel the international de*ts o i#$o"erished countries& The successor organiFation to the Ju*ilee 2<<< ca#$aign in the !nited 4tates, Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' has *een instru#ental in $assing de*t relie legislation o"er the last ew years& The =etwor' *elie"es that #uch o the international de*t is unda#entally illegiti#ate and should *e cancelled without conditions that deny *asic hu#an rights or har# the en"iron#ent& Ju*ilee !4A enco#$asses a *road range o *oth religious and secular organiFations, as well as thousands o indi"iduals who share a #oral co##it#ent to inding a de initi"e solution to the international de*t crisis and achie"ing glo*al econo#ic %ustice& The =etwor' )ouncilEreligious, social %ustice, en"iron#ental and de"elo$#ent organiFations, national and localEser"es as the go"erning *ody or the Ju*ilee !4A =etwor'& Ju*ilee !4A is a ;<11c2 + not or $ro it organiFation, and all donations are ully ta5deducti*le& Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' )ouncil #e#*ers, as o early 2<<;8 AF--)0: A rica Action A rica Faith and Justice =etwor' 1C

A rican 4er"ices )o##ittee A#erican Friends 4er"ice )o##ittee Augustinian Justice N Peace : ice Bay Area Ju*ilee De*t )ancellation )oalition )enter or Econo#ic Justice )enter or Econo#ic and Policy Research )enter o )oncern )hurch o the Brethren (ashington : ice )hurch (orld 4er"ice )olu#*an Justice and Peace : ice )on erence o /a%or 4u$eriors o /en East Ti#or Action =etwor' E"angelical Association or the Pro#otion o Education Ecu#enical Progra# on )entral A#erica and the )ari**ean 1EP0)A2 En"iron#ental De ense E$isco$al )hurch !4A E$isco$al Peace Fellowshi$ E"angelical -utheran )hurch in A#erica 4outhern A rica =etwor' E-)A ;< Kears 0s Enough =etwor' Friends o the Earth Glo*al A0D4 Alliance Glo*al Justice Glo*al /inistries !nited )hurch o )hrist and )hristian )hurch 1Disci$les o )hrist2 6aiti Re*orn?Mui5ote )enter 6ealth GAP )oalition?Act !$ Philadel$hia 0nter-Religious Tas' Force on )entral A#erica 0nternational De"elo$#ent E5change Ju*ilee Kor' )ounty Ju*ilee )hicago Ju*ilee )olorado =etwor' Ju*ilee -A?:) Ju*ilee /issoula )oalition Ju*ilee =etwor' :regon Ju*ilee >irginia -eadershi$ )on erence o (o#en Religious -utheran (orld Relie /ary'noll : ice or Glo*al )oncerns /edical /ission 4isters /ennonite )entral )o##ittee /ichigan Ju*ilee )oalition /issionary :*lates o /ary 0##aculate =ational )ouncil o )hurches =etwor' or En"iron#ental and Econo#ic Res$onsi*ility?!)) =icaragua =etwor' =icaragua?!4 Friendshi$ : ice

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Ju*ilee =orthwest )oalition :5 a# A#erica Pan A rican )hildren3s Fund 1PA)F2 Pa5 )hristi !4A Pres*yterian )hurch !4A Priority A rica =etwor' Muest or Peace?Mui5ote )enter Religious Action )enter, !nion o A#erican 6e*rew )ongregations!nion or Re or# Judais# Religious Tas' Force on )entral A#erica and /e5ico RE4!-T4 4chool 4isters o =otre Da#e, 4halo# =orth A#erica 4isters o =otre Da#e de =a#ur 4isters o the 6oly )ross 4isters o 4t& Francis o Philadel$hia 4o%ourners TransA rica Foru# !nited )hurch o )hrist, Pu*lic -i e and 4ocial Policy : ice !nited /ethodist )hurch, General Board o )hurch and 4ociety !nited /ethodist )hurch =ew England )on erence Ju*ilee )o##ittee !nited /ethodist (o#en (ashington : ice on A rica (itness or Peace (orld >ision

(es& our faith community wants to become a Jubilee Congregation!

=a#e o )ongregation8OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO =a#e o Ra**i?-eader8 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Deno#ination8 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO /e#*ers?Fa#ilies8OOOOOOOOOOOOO =u#*er o

Address8OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Phone8 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Fa58 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (e* site8 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Contact (erson8OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Role?Title in )ongregation, i any8 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Address 1i di erent ro# a*o"e28OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Phone8OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO E#ail 1re7uired28OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Fa5 8OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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Financial Commitment to Jubilee

Enclosed is our Ju*ilee )ongregation annual co##it#ent o G1 $er #e#*er8 GOOOOOOOOOO Enclosed is the donation recei"ed or Ju*ilee as our annual co##it#ent8 GOOOOOOOOOOO (e $ledge to send in the $roceeds o a s$ecial o ering or Ju*ilee8 OOOOO Enclosed is an additional donation to Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' o GOOOOOOOOOO Tell us about "our (lans to (romote Jubilee in "our congregation through (ra"er education and letter writing: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________ %end registration form and donation to: Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' 222 E& )a$itol 4treet, =E (ashington, D) 2<<<+

Than- "ou for becoming a Jubilee Congregation and $oining us to restore right relationshi(s and economic $ustice through (roclaiming Jubilee! 'our Jubilee banner and welcome letter will arri!e within /<= wee-s9

8ac-ground and #nformation The )uman *mpact +f Debt' ,ersonal Stories

3hana Clinic .ees 0llness orced @+-year-old :'oso to lea"e his %o* at a Ghanaian gold #ining co#$any& Just three #onths later, his a#ily3s unds e5hausted, he sto$$ed going to the local clinic& ,0 0 went to the clinic,. he said, ,they would #a'e #e $ay this new ee which, ran'ly, #y a#ily and 0 cannot a ord& 0 ha"e no wor', no salary& (e li"e day to day on what #y wi e can #a'e selling "egeta*les in the local #ar'et or what #y sons can *ring ho#e ro# selling things on the streets& 4o#e days we eat only one #eal and we o ten go to *ed hungry&.
4ource8 Ji# Kong Pi#, ,Dying or Growth,. )o##on )ourage Press, 2<<<

+ospitals Become &ails 2<

0n the (est A rican country o Ghana hos$itals can *eco#e $risons i you are a $atient una*le to $ay the *ills& 0n the town o Tar'wa located in the Ashanti gold #ining region, a young wo#an waited or wee's, detained in the hos$ital nursing her new*orn *a*y, while her hus*and tried to *orrow #oney ro# relati"es to $ay the hos$ital ees& The Ashanti region sits on a #ountain o gold, *ut the local $eo$le are not *ene iting ro# this wealth& E"en (orld Ban' o icials recogniFe that user ees are an o*stacle to $eo$le recei"ing needed health care ser"ices& Ban' loan docu#ents or Ghana state that ,a ter user ees were initially introduced in 1BI;, utiliFation o health ser"ices at $u*lic clinics ell #ar'edly&. Ket neither the Go"ern#ent o Ghana nor the (orld Ban' a$$ear ready to ta'e the *old and courageous ste$ o conde#ning their $ast $olicies and a*olishing the user ee syste#& !ntil this ha$$ens, innocent $eo$le will *e detained in hos$itals #erely *ecause they cannot a ord the ee& And countless others in need o health care will ne"er see' ser"ices&
4ource8 4ara Grus'y, ,6os$ital Beco#e Jails&. Grus'y wor's at Pu*lic )itiFen3s )ritical /ass Energy and En"iron#ent Progra# and with the 0nternational (ater (or'ing Grou$H 4ta A$$raisal Re$ort, 6ealth 4ector Progra#, (orld Ban', 1BBC, I&

Haiti E"erywhere you loo' you can see the i#$act o de*t and structural ad%ust#ent& Pids are out o school *ecause they cannot a ord the user ees& 0 ha"e doFens o $ictures o e#$ty *eds in $u*lic clinics and the $ri#ary hos$itals *ecause the #a%ority o the $eo$le li"e on less than a dollar a day and they cannot a ord to $ay a 7uarter o their wage to get into the door o the hos$ital, #uch less $ay or 5-rays and $rescri$tions& (e $assed a #an sitting on a dusty *ench outside one hos$ital, holding on to his catheter& A wo#an at a clinic in a s#all town was lying na'ed on a hard #etal $lat or#, stra$$ed down in $re$aration or a c-section& 4he was ully awa'e and alone as she waited or her surgery& 0 a 6aitian goes to an e#ergency roo# and recei"es care, *ut cannot $ay the ee, he or she is held in the hos$ital until a a#ily or co##unity #e#*er is a*le to raise the #oney or the release o the $atient& This has led to so#e wo#en ha"ing their new*orns ,'idna$$ed. to get the# out o the hos$ital& (hile we were there the go"ern#ent *uc'led to creditor $ressure and li ted the gas su*sidies causing a shar$ increase in gas $rices& 0t suddenly cost #ore or the a"erage 6aitian wor'er to get to wor' than the $erson would #a'e in a day& /ore than @< $ercent o the $o$ulation does not ha"e access to clean water at the *est o ti#es, and so#e areas ha"e no access at all& The #ost horri ying i#age that 0 ca#e away with ro# the tri$ is o wo#en *athing their children in the o$en sewer as it was the only running water they could ind&
4ource8 /arie )lar'e Brill, then Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' national coordinator, 2<<+

,e>ico

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:n a hot su##er day 6onesi#o Franco sca#$ers u$ and down Ta*asco 4treet lagging down "ehicles and leading the# to $ar'ing s$aces& 6e o$ens doors or seQoritas and watches the cars while their owners eat or sho$& 0t is not what he would call a %o* *ut it is a way o sur"i"ing& ,-oo'ing a ter cars is what 0 do,. said the grey-haired ;I-year-old& ,0 get one or two $esos a ti#e& 0t is di icult to sur"i"e on that&. Franco e5$lains that he lost his %o* as a car$enter a ew years ago, one o an esti#ated 1&; #illion $eo$le thrown out o wor' when go"ern#ent inancial *ungling led to $esos crash& That worst crisis, the second #a%or de"aluation in se"en years, orced /e5ico to go ca$ in hand to international donors, who coughed u$ G ;1 *illion in shortter# loans& The go"ern#ent $aid o ahead o schedule *ut still owes G1@B *illion in other de*t& 0t is indeed $eo$le li'e Franco who eel they are $aying the $rice&
4ource8 Ji# Kong Pi#, ,Dying or Growth,. )o##on )ourage Press, 2<<<

%enegal De#*a D%e#ay is a nurse in an understa ed and under-e7ui$$ed clinic in 4enegal& ,!nder these conditions,. he said, ,0 si#$ly cannot $ro"ide #y $atients the 'ind o care they urgently need&. 6e can write a $rescri$tion, he said, *ut, ,/ost $atients would ha"e to trade away the a#ily3s ood su$$ly to $urchase the #edicines& /any ha"e already sold li"estoc' to $ay or their trans$ortation to town and hos$ital ad#ission ee& 4o o ten a ter losing a day or #ore o wor', $atients go ho#e e#$ty-handed&.
4ource8 Ji# Kong Pi#, ,Dying or Growth,. )o##on )ourage Press, 2<<<

%outh &frica Jonah lost his wi e to A0D4& 6e has reco"ered through critical antiretro"iral drugs, so he can loo' a ter his two 'ids& 6owe"er, Jonah aces a gra"e dile##a& 6is girl riend is also 60> $ositi"e, and they cannot a ord the antiretro"iral drugs& Jonah only can a ord enough or hi#sel , so his dile##a is, should he share, or watch her die9 Agnes also li"es in 4outh A rica, and is an 60> #other& 4he li"es with the act that she has $assed on 60> to her children& Agnes has created a #e#ory *oo' or her children that is illed with thoughts and $ictures o Agnes so that her children #ight re#e#*er her when she dies, or want o G1 a day antiretro"iral treat#ent&
4ource8 Bono, DATA ounder

?ambia A *umping /round ,Ra#*ia once had a thri"ing clothing industry& But when go"ern#ent o icials *egan o$ening Ra#*ia3s econo#y to oreign trade 1< years ago in e5change or loans ro# international donors, tons o chea$, secondhand clothing *egan to $our into the country, "irtually duty ree& =ot es$ecially e icient, Ra#*ia3s te5tile actories were o"er#atched *y the wholesalers, who could deli"er a orda*le, $assa*le clothing without $aying

22

$roduction or la*or costs or the tari s that once $rotected local #anu acturers ro# oreign co#$etition& 4o, Ra#*ia3s clothing industry all *ut "anished& (ithin eight years, a*out +<,<<< %o*s disa$$eared, re$laced *y a loose *ut crowded networ' o roadside and lea #ar'et "endors *ec'oning sho$$ers to Sru##age through the $ile,3 or Ssalaula3 in the language o Ra#*ia3s Be#*a tri*e& The e5$ansion o glo*al trade ollowing the end o the )old (ar has trans or#ed A rica into a du#$ing ground or what the industrialiFed world no longer needs or wants, a deluge o secondhand clothes, used cars, old urniture and tools and wea$ons&.
4ource8 ,The Du#$ing Ground8 As Ra#*ia )ourts (estern /ar'ets, !sed Goods Arri"e at a 6ea"y Price,. Jon Jeter, The (ashington Post, 22 A$ril 2<<2, A1

$ural community school :ne o the days on the Ju*ilee wo#en3s delegation to Ra#*ia, we went to "isit a co##unity school in a rural area outside o -usa'a& (hen we arri"ed, we dro"e u$ onto a ield o grass towards a structure that 0 couldn3t *elie"e was what we had co#e to "isit& 0t was in the sha$e o a *arn with *ric' walls on the ar ends and $lastic sheeting on the to$ and sides o the structure& The hail season had %ust co#e through so the $lastic was torn and *lowing in the wind li'e sheets on a line to dry& (e #et the teachers there, "ery serious and 7uiet& The co##unity school recei"es no go"ern#ent #oney& They set the#sel"es u$ to ser"e the children that are so ar re#o"ed they can3t wal' to any go"ern#ent schools& This school ser"es #ore than @<< students and there is one teacher or each grade 1-J1-Jth& =one o the teachers are $aid, they are all "olunteers& (e as'ed the# how they sur"i"e and they said that #any o the# had land *y their houses where they grew corn and greens or ood& 4o#eti#es a#ily #e#*ers or riends will gi"e the# a little #oney or soa$ or tooth$aste& (e saw a series o roc's on the red dirt earth& The little roc's were to sit on, the *ig roc's were the des's& :ne o the teachers showed us how they taught the students their AB)s *y drawing the# in the dirt on the loor& (e were told that they taught the -ord3s $rayer and the cha$ters in the Bi*le& ,Then we teach the# to share e"erything you ha"e with your riends,. continued /r& )haunca& ,(e teach the# to not *e stingy&&&.
4ource8 /ara >anderslice, written on a Ju*ilee s$onsored wo#en3s delegation to Ra#*ia, 2<<+

0autis 0tory /y na#e is -ewis 4auti, 0 was enrolled as irst grader in 1BI; in =orthern Ra#*ia at Re##y )hisu$a Pri#ary 4chool& 0 was one o the ;< $u$ils in #y class that year& (e en%oyed going to school& The Go"ern#ent distri*uted the #aterials we needed, including te5t*oo's, wor'-*oo's and chal'& This go"ern#ent3s $riority o su*sidiFing the #inistry o education sector i#$ro"ed the 7uantity and 7uality o education& For those irst i"e years, things went well, there was high rate o enroll#ent and #any continued to secondary school& 6owe"er, in 1BB<, so#ething new e#erged, the introduction o ees or grade eight 7uali ying e5a#s& The $arents who could not a ord

2+

to $ay or their children3s e5a#s too' the# out o school and those who wrote the e5a#s without $aying had their results withheld until they could $ay& The ne5t year the go"ern#ent started charging ees or *asic school attendance& The ee was set at 1,;<< Pawacha, the Ra#*ian currency& /ost o the $arents de$ended on su*sistence ishing or their source o inco#e& Their a"erage inco#e $er year was P;,<<<& Fishing is a seasonal occu$ation and #any a#ilies did not ha"e enough to $ay the ees and there ore were orced to ta'e their children out o school or at the "ery least choose *etween their youngsters as to who would continue& By the ti#e 0 was writing #y inal e5a#s in 1BB@, the ees went u$ to P2J,<<<& That stee$ increase a ected #any a#ilies who had sacri iced or their children or so#e years, only at last to ind the#sel"es in a situation that inca$acitated the#& /y class siFe had already dro$$ed ro# +<< to 1JI& : these only 1C $u$ils were a*le to #a'e it to grade ten& ,)ost sharing. as these school ees are called, were su$$osed to hel$ i#$ro"e the 7uality o education and e#$ower the co##unity to get in"ol"ed in education& 0 the econo#ic constraints re#ain intolera*le in a country that has I< $ercent o its $o$ulation li"ing *elow $o"erty line, #ost o the# li"ing on less than a dollar $er day, how does charging ees they can3t a ord or education hel$ the#9 0 graduated ro# secondary school al#ost si5 years ago, the nu#*er o $u$ils at secondary school continues to decrease as ees continue to riseH the rate o illiteracy 'ee$s on increasing and the 7uestions $eo$le 'ee$ as'ing are, ,how will the $oor *e educated, how will they a ord9. - -ewis 4auti )hile#*we, :*late no"ice ro# Ra#*ia, June 2<<2

2@

-uestions and Answers on Debt Cancellation

#ndi!iduals ha!e to (a" bac- their debts wh" should we see- debt cancellation for countries+

=or#ally each $erson should $ay his or her de*ts& Ket, de*t re$ay#ents should not co#e at the cost o *asic hu#an dignity and sur"i"al& /any societies currently and throughout history ha"e recogniFed the $rudence o *an'ru$tcy $roceedings, in order to a"oid dri"ing indi"iduals and a#ilies into $o"erty in order to $ay *ac' de*t& Forgi"eness is the central tenet o Ju*ilee& The conce$t, irst e5$ressed in the Torah, declares the #oral con"iction that de*ts should *e orgi"en *e ore $eo$le are dri"en to #isery and ho$elessness& 0n recent decades, lenders hel$ed create the de*t crisis o $oor countries *y gi"ing loans without concern or how they would *e used, or to achie"e $olitical goals& Today, those who hold the least res$onsi*ility, i#$o"erished $eo$le in i#$o"erished countries, ha"e su ered #ost& They should no longer sacri ice their ho$e or the uture to re$ay old de*ts they ne"er chose to *orrow&
Will debt relief benefit the (oor+

De*t cancellation could sa"e #illions o li"es *y allowing go"ern#ents to 'ee$ their resources and in"est the# in health, education, clean water and the ight against 60>?A0D4& The (orld 6ealth :rganiFation re$orted in 1BBI that nearly 1< #illion children a year die o $re"enta*le diseases& The li"es o al#ost +<,<<< children a day could *e sa"ed i current de*t $ay#ents were redirected to health and *asic ser"ices in i#$o"erished countries& De*t cancellation will not sol"e all the $ro*le#s o glo*al $o"erty& 6owe"er, unless there is su*stantial de*t cancellation, $rogress or #ost $oor countries will *e i#$ossi*le& There is also e"idence that de*ts ha"e led to insta*ility and con lict, and ha"e reduced countries3 a*ility to co$e with natural disasters& De*t cancellation is the irst ste$ in creating an en"iron#ent where countries can #a'e $rogress towards de"elo$#ent goals and generate econo#ic growth&
How much do de!elo(ing countries owe and to whom+

De"elo$ing countries owe around G2 trillion dollars in oreign de*ts& /any o the countries with the largest de*ts, li'e BraFil and /e5ico, are called ,#iddle inco#e countries,. according to the (orld Ban'& They are considered ineligi*le or de*t cancellation& Ju*ilee ca#$aigns ha"e ocused their attention on the world3s #ost i#$o"erished countries, #any o the# in su*-4aharan A rica, )entral A#erica and 4outheast Asia& 6owe"er, de*t ca#$aigns also o$$ose the odious and illegiti#ate de*ts Ethose contracted *y a dictatorial regi#e which nations are not orced to $ay under international lawEo #iddle inco#e countries, #any o which ha"e large i#$o"erished $o$ulations& There are o"er ;< "ery $oor and highly inde*ted countries in need o ull de*t cancellation as a irst ste$ toward ul illing Ju*ilee3s "ision& These countries co#*ined owe around G+<< *illion dollars to oreign creditors& 0#$o"erished countries owe little to 2;

$ri"ate *an'sH rather, they owe international inancial institutions li'e the (orld Ban' and 0nternational /onetary Fund and the go"ern#ents o wealthy countries& Although the *rea'-down is di erent or e"ery country, the current a"erages are8 Around ;< $ercent is owed to international inancial institutions, such as the (orld Ban', 0/F and regional de"elo$#ent *an's, called #ultilateral de*tH Around @< $ercent owed to creditor go"ern#ents, 'now as *ilateral de*tH and -ess than 1< $ercent to $ri"ate lenders, such as $ri"ate *an's, 'now as $ri"ate de*t

#s it (ossible to cancel this much debt+ Where would the mone" come from+

The cost o canceling the de*ts would *e shared *y #any countries and institutions and could *e s$read o"er #any years& The cost to indi"idual ta5$ayers in creditor countries would *e al#ost i#$erce$ti*le& 0n 2<<< and 2<<1, the !nited 4tates has canceled 1<< $ercent o the de*ts owed directly to our Treasury or countries that 7uali ied or the 60P) initiati"e& The i#$act was so s#all on ordinary ta5$ayers that you $ro*a*ly did not notice it at all& =ow the largest creditors to i#$o"erished countries are the (orld Ban' and 0/F, as well as other rich countries& The !&4& go"ern#ent #ust negotiate at with these institutions and with other rich countriesEsuch as the Grou$s o 4e"en and EightEto su$$ly ull de*t cancellation& These institutions can *ear the cost o de*t cancellation through 0/F gold sales and ro# reducing their $ro its o"er #any years& Pee$ in #ind the de*t or i#$o"erished countries is de*ilitating *ecause they are so $oor, *ut the su#s we are tal'ing a*out are relati"ely s#all in ter#s o the glo*al econo#y& Just thin-: The esti#ated cost to cancel the de*ts o the world3s i#$o"erished countries is G1<< *illion, e7ual to one hundredth o the annual !&4& econo#y, one third o the current !&4& #ilitary *udget or the sa#e a#ount !&4& citiFens s$end annually on weight loss $roducts and ser"ices&

How did (oor countries get into debt in the first (lace+

The current de*t crisis ca#e a*out or a "ariety o reasons, de$ending on the country concerned& But in al#ost e"ery case, the lender, as well as the *orrower, carries res$onsi*ility& 4ee ,0ntroduction to the De*t )risis. or #ore in or#ation&
How much debt relief has been (ro!ided and what are the im(acts of debt relief so far+

The Ju*ilee #o"e#ent has won li#ited de*t relie or #any o i#$o"erished countries& Around G+J *illion in de*t relie has *een o ered so ar through the 6ea"ily 0nde*ted Poor )ountries 0nitiati"e& This is only 12 $ercent o what the $oorest and #ost inde*ted countries owe& Through 60P) close to +< countries ha"e recei"ed de*t relie , reducing their annual $ay#ents *y one third on a"erage& A study o 1< countries recei"ing de*t relie

2J

done *y Ju*ilee Research in the !nited Pingdo# showed in e"ery case health and education *udgets increased dra#atically, while s$ending on #ilitary re#ained unchanged& 4ee ,De*t Relie (or's. on $age 2I or e5a#$les& 6owe"er, not enough de*t relie has *een $ro"ided and #any o i#$o"erished countries, li'e 6aiti and Bangladesh, do not 7uali y& /any countries will see their de*t $ay#ents increase in co#ing years and *ecause o new *orrowing, #any will ind the#sel"es *ac' in unsustaina*le de*t *y the end o the decade&
How do we assure that debt relief funds are not si(honed off into corru(tion+

Today an increasing nu#*er o go"ern#ents are #ore de#ocratic& Also, ordinary citiFens and non-go"ern#ental organiFations are #ore acti"e in holding go"ern#ents accounta*le& (hile corru$tion re#ains a $ro*le# in #any $laces, the solution is not to deny de*t cancellation, $enaliFing ordinary $eo$le not corru$t leaders& The real answer is to ind waysEthrough $artici$atory $rocessesEto ensure that the resources newly a"aila*le ro# de*t relie are used or $o"erty reduction and other socially use ul e5$enditures& Another way is to su$$ort ci"il societies in i#$o"erished countries to ena*le the# to hold their go"ern#ents accounta*le& 4ince 60P) was e5$anded in 1BBB, $o"erty-reducing e5$enditures ha"e dou*led in countries that ha"e recei"ed relie while there has *een to increase in #ilitary s$ending& 4ince de*t relie has *een $ro"ided to doFens o countries o"er nu#erous years, we now ha"e e"idence to $ro"e in country a ter country the reed u$ resources are indeed *eing used towards $o"erty reduction $rogra#s&
Will debt cancellation undermine countries4 abilit" to attract new loans and in!estment in the future+

0n act the e"idence $oints to the o$$osite& )anceling de*ts would actually increase in"est#ent in i#$o"erished countries& This is *ecause o a $ro*le# called ,de*t o"erhang.Eenor#ous de*ts hanging o"er a country3s econo#y which create uncertainty a*out uture $ros$ects, and deter in"estors& 0t is easier to de"elo$ without de*t& For e5a#$le, a ter ((00 Ger#any was gi"en generous de*t reduction, #uch #ore than is o ered to i#$o"erished countries today& =ow Ger#any3s econo#y is one o the strongest in the world& The great #a%ority o highly inde*ted $oor countries will ne"er *e a*le to $ay o their oreign de*ts& 0n this condition they cannot attract $ri"ate in"est#ent& A de initi"e de*t cancellation could hardly #a'e the# less creditworthy& 0n act, it is li'ely to #a'e the# #ore a*le to attract $ri"ate sector in"est#ent and loans& Econo#ies no longer dragged down *y a crushing de*t *urden can grow and de"elo$& )anceling this de*t will also ree their trained go"ern#ent $ersonnel ro# endless de*t renegotiating and allow the# to engage in long-ter# $lanning and de"elo$#ent wor'&
How can countries be (re!ented from getting into a debt crisis again+

)reditors as well as de*tors need to ta'e res$onsi*ility or uture *orrowing and #a'e sure countries don3t all *ac' into de*ilitating de*t& E"en i all the de*t were cancelled to#orrow, the world3s #ost i#$o"erished countries would continue to need de"elo$#ent 2C

assistance and new resources& -enders and *orrowers need to ta'e #ore res$onsi*ility or the loans they #a'e, ensuring the #oney will *e in"ested sensi*ly in de"elo$#ent& -enders are in the $osition o $ower, and should *ear so#e o the costs o irres$onsi*le lending as a recogniFed $art o the loan syste#& That is their incenti"e to *eha"e res$onsi*ly& 4o#e rich country go"ern#ents, such as the !nited 4tates, ha"e su$$orted gi"ing grants to $oor countries or $o"erty reduction and de"elo$#ent goals instead o loans& Grants $ro"ide resources or health, education and the ight again 60>?A0D4, without accruing #ore de*t& 6ar# ul, discredited econo#ic conditions that ha"e *een tied to loans and de*t relie #ust end i##ediately& 4tructural ad%ust#ent, or neo-li*eral econo#ic $olicies, ha"e *een en orced *y the international inancial institutions or decades and ha"e thoroughly ailed to sti#ulate econo#ic growth and *ring countries out o $o"erty& =ew $olicies #ust *e $ursued with the $artici$ation o ci"il society and go"ern#ent leaders in the countries the#sel"es& /a'ing sure that countries sustain econo#ic growth and $rioritiFe $o"erty reduction will *e the *est way to #a'e sure they don3t all *ac' into de*t again&
Wh" should (eo(le of faith (ut effort into debt cancellation when we ha!e social (roblems and (o!ert" in our own countr"+

)anceling the crushing de*t *urden o $oor countries is a #atter o %ustice and co#$assion& Peo$le o aith ha"e always sought to address in%ustice and $o"erty in the !nited 4tates and a*road& Ju*ilee !4A salutes the wor' o the #any ca$a*le organiFations ighting do#estic hunger and $o"ertyH in act, #any #e#*ers o our coalition are leading this wor'& (e also 'now that the !nited 4tates is the world3s #ost $ower ul country in de ining international econo#ic $olicy& The $ower and wealth we ha"e as a nation also *rings a certain res$onsi*ility& As citiFens o the !nited 4tates, our actions ha"e an increased i#$act in generating the will to cancel the de*t and creating a #ore %ust and e7uita*le world& (e #ust not turn our *ac' on the in luence we can ha"e to sha$e %ust and res$onsi*le econo#ic $olicies that ulti#ately i#$act #illions o $eo$le3s li"es& 4ince our world is increasingly interconnected, econo#ic, social and en"iron#ental $ro*le#s in so#e countries a ect $eo$le e"erywhere& 0n today3s world, none o us can $ros$er or long unless all o us ha"e the things we need to li"e ully& The de*t *urden carried *y $eo$le in $oor countries har#s us all, and its cancellation will *ene it us all& As $eo$le o aith, we 'now God is concerned a*out the well-*eing o all $eo$le& God3s lo"e crosses all *orders& There ore, we are called to act where and how we can or *rothers and sisters regardless o where they li"e&
#f debt cancellation is the right thing to do wh" aren4t more go!ernments and international financial institutions su((orting it+

Rich country go"ern#ents and international inancial institutions #a'e #any argu#ents against $ro"iding de*t cancellation& 4o#e co##on argu#ents we hear8 , *ebt relief has already been provided to impoverished countries. /any argue that the a#ount o de*t relie already gi"en to i#$o"erished countries will *e enough to #a'e 2I

their de*t *urdens ,sustaina*le,. or $aya*le ar into the uture& 6owe"er, only ull de*t cancellation, not %ust relie , will sto$ the loss o hu#an li e and o*stacles to de"elo$#ent caused *y de*t now, es$ecially with the glo*al e$ide#ic o A0D4& 0n order to #eet the !nited =ations /illenniu# De"elo$#ent Goals *y 2<1;, i#$o"erished countries #ust recei"e ull de*t cancellation, as well as increased oreign aid& , *ebt cancellation !ill cost money and no one is !illing to foot the bill. /ultilateral institutions can a ord to $ro"ide 1<< $ercent de*t cancellation& Re$orts *y British accounting ir#s and a Fall 2<<@ study *y Ju*ilee Research in the !nited Pingdo# show that the (orld Ban' and 0/F can inance de*t cancellation through selling o 0/F gold reser"es and acce$ting a decrease in annual $ro its to the (orld Ban'& The re$orts also showed de*t cancellation would ha"e no i#$act on their credit rating& , *ebt provides incentives for countries to enact sound economic policies& : icials in our Treasury De$art#ent, as well as at the (orld Ban' and 0/F ha"e used de*t relie to le"erage $olicy re or#s in i#$o"erished countries& :"erall these $olicies, 'nown as structural ad%ust#ent, ha"e *een har# ul to the econo#ies, industries and citiFens in i#$o"erished countries, while *ene iting (estern *usinesses and consu#ers& (ith 1<< $ercent cancellation, go"ern#ents will ha"e the right to #a'e econo#ic $olices *ene iting their own $eo$le through de#ocratic decision #a'ing, without the control o inancial institutions in (ashington, D)& , Countries need to sho! responsibility and pay back their debts. Both creditors and de*tors need to ta'e res$onsi*ility or the de*t crisis& 0 creditors are ne"er $enaliFed or rec'less lending and ailed $olicies, then they also will not learn to ha"e *etter ha*its& , We !ould love to do more, but the American people ust dont care about the fate of poor countries. (e hear this ro# $oliticians all the ti#e& A#erican $eo$le are $ercei"ed to not care our *rothers and sisters around the world& Kou can hel$ con"ince our elected o icials that this is not true& 6el$ Ju*ilee *uild a #o"e#ent o concerned $eo$le o aith willing to stand u$ or the needs o the $oor and "ulnera*le and de#and %u*ilee %ustice or i#$o"erished nations&
What are Jubilee *%& .etwor-4s goals+

Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' %oins with #illions around the world in *uilding a grassroots #o"e#ent calling or de initi"e de*t cancellation8 - F or countries *urdened with high le"els o hu#an need and en"iron#ental distress which are una*le to #eet the *asic needs o their $eo$le or achie"e a le"el o sustaina*le de"elo$#ent that ensures a decent 7uality o li eH - :o all illegiti#ate and odious de*ts through a %ust $rocess not controlled *y the creditorsH - F or the *ene it o countries3 i#$o"erished #a%orities, accounta*le to the# and ad"ancing their $artici$ation in directing their econo#ies and societiesH - =not conditioned on econo#ic $olicy $rescri$tions, such as structural ad%ust#entH - Aac'nowledging the res$onsi*ility o *oth lenders and *orrowers, and reco"ering resources di"erted *y corru$t and unde#ocratic regi#es, institutions and indi"idualsH and - Tto $ro#ote glo*al econo#ic $olicies and trade rules that eradicate $o"erty, $ro#ote hu#an de"elo$#ent and $re"ent recurring, destructi"e cycles o inde*tedness&

2B

Debt .elief /or#s

The international Ju*ilee #o"e#ent calls or ull de*t cancellation or i#$o"erished nations throughout A rica, Asia and -atin A#erica& (hile this goal has not *een #et, li#ited de*t relie has *een $ro"ided in res$onse to the Ju*ilee call& 0n countries that ha"e had #ore access to their own resources through de*t relie , $o"erty reduction initiati"es dou*led *etween 1BBB and 2<<@, according to a 2<<@ (orld Ban'?0/F study& 0nitial de*t relie has *ene ited #illions o $eo$le& 0#agine the i#$act o ull de*t cancellation& 6ere are %ust a ew e5a#$les o the i#$act de*t relie can ha"e8 Tan@ania: 8ac- to %chool Da"s TanFania is one o 11 countries to co#$lete the current de*t relie $rogra#& According to the (orld Ban', TanFania recei"ed G+ *illion in de*t relie & TanFania has increased unding or $o"erty reduction *y 1+< $ercent o"er the last si5 years& TanFania has ocused the sa"ings to increase education s$ending and eli#inate school ees or ele#entary school education& Al#ost o"ernight, an esti#ated 1&J #illion 'ids returned to school& By 2<<+, +&1 #illion children were *ac' in school& The net enroll#ent ratio has risen ro# ;I&I $ercent in 2<<< to II&; $ercent in 2<<+& TanFania e5$ects to attain uni"ersal *asic education *y 2<<J& (ith de*t relie sa"ings in 2<<2 and 2<<+, TanFania *uilt +1,I2; classroo#s and the nu#*er o $ri#ary schools increased ro# 11,J<I in 2<<< to 12,JIB in 2<<+, a net increase o 1,<I1 schools& Also in these two years, 1C,I;1 new Grade A teachers were recruited and B,1<< science-teaching 'its were su$$lied& The $ass rate in $ri#ary school e5a#s rose ro# 1B&+ $ercent in 1BBB to @<&1 $ercent in 2<<+& This rate would ha"e *een higher i the $ass rate standard had not *een raised&
4ource8 President3s : ice, The !nited Re$u*lic o TanFania, in letter dated Fe*& 1C, 2<<@

8ur-ina Faso: ,eeting 8asic .eeds with %er!ices Bur'ina Faso has ocused de*t relie sa"ings on ighting A0D4, education and access to sa e water& 0n 2<<2, #oney reed u$ ro# de*t ser"ice $ay#ents went to %oint go"ern#ent and ci"il society initiati"es to ight A0D4& These initiati"es ha"e *een success ul in controlling the s$read o the "irus and sta*iliFing the 60>T share o the $o$ulation which at J&; $ercent is signi icant or (est A rican standards& Two clinics were *uilt and the cost o drugs decreased *y *etween +I $ercent and BJ $ercent& De*t relie sa"ings ha"e *een used to *uild C@J schools, 2<,2;1 classroo#s and $ut o"er 11<,<<< children *ac' in school o"er the last three years& Access to clean water, an essential ingredient in good healthEes$ecially or childrenEhas increased *y 2J $ercent or a#ilies& This #eans that o"er one #illion $eo$le now access sa e drin'ing water&
4ource8 0/F )ountry Re$ort =o& <@?CB and <@?CI o /arch 2<<@

+<

,o@ambi;ue: Combating H#VA&#D% De*t relie has ena*led /oFa#*i7ue to #a'e strides in co#*ating 60>?A0D4& 0n 2<<1 a national $lan to ight 60>?A0D4 was launched& The $rogra#s will slow in ection rates and #itigate e ects through education, $re"ention, su$$ort and care& By early 2<<2, 2@ testing and counseling o ices had o$enedH ;< o ices will *e o$erating *y 2<<C& /ore than 2@,<<< $eo$le were tested in 2<<2 alone&
4ource8 0/F )ountry Re$ort =o& <+?2<1, July 2<<+

*ganda: Doubled %chool Enrollment De*t ser"ice $ay#ents in !ganda ha"e dro$$ed ro# G1;1 #illion a year to GII #illion& The e5tra resources are channeled through the Po"erty Action Fund, which is o"erseen *y re$resentati"es ro# go"ern#ent, national nongo"ern#ental organiFations, churches, unions and international organiFations& The *ul' o de*t relie in !ganda has hel$ed und uni"ersal $ri#ary educationEthe nu#*er o young children attending school has increased ro# 2&+ #illion at the start o 1BBC to J&; #illion *y /arch 1BBB, #ore than dou*ling the enrol#ent rate to B@ $ercent&
4ource8 Reality )hec' Re$ort, Dro$ the De*t, A$ril 2<<1

)!erall Health and Education %(ending #ncreases -i e-sa"ing de*t relie is allowing or increases in s$ending on health and education in the countries that ha"e started to recei"e relie & 0n 1< A rican countries studied *y Ju*ilee Research 1!P2, all o which had started to recei"e so#e de*t ser"ice relie *y the end o 2<<<, the ollowing has *een docu#ented8 Education s$ending had risen ro# only GB2B #illion in 1BBI, or less than the a#ount s$ent on de*t ser"ice, to G1&+ *illion in 2<<2, #ore than twice the a#ount s$ent on de*t ser"ice& 6ealth s$ending had risen ro# G@JJ #illion, or ;< $ercent o de*t ser"ice s$ending, to GCBJ #illion, or one third #ore than s$ending on de*t ser"ice& :"er the sa#e $eriod there had *een no increase in s$ending on the #ilitary&
4ource8 (orld Ban'?0nternational /onetary Fund 4tatus o 0#$le#entation Re$ort or 60P), 2<<@

Full Debt Cancellation Would Do E!en ,ore 0 i#$o"erished country go"ern#ents in"ested in hu#an de"elo$#ent rather than de*t $ay#ents an esti#ated8 - Three #illion #ore children would li"e *eyond their i th *irthday& - :ne #illion cases o #alnutrition would *e $re"ented&
4ource8 ,-i e o"er De*t,. A#erican Friends 4er"ice )o##ittee re$ort, 2<<@

+1

Debt and 0lobal *ssues

(e en"ision a world in which e5ternal de*t no longer i#$o"erishes nations and $eo$les *y di"erting resources ro# health, education, and en"iron#ent to $ay rich countries and inancial institutions& A world in which a#ilies and co##unities ha"e a "oice in econo#ic $olicies and decisions that a ect their li"es& A world where right relationshi$s are restored *etween nations& (e res$ond to the call or Ju*ilee ound in Judeo-)hristian scri$tureH where those ensla"ed *ecause o de*ts are reed, lands lost *ecause o de*t are returned, and co##unities torn *y ine7uality are restored& - Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' >ision 4tate#ent

The "ision o Ju*ilee is, #ost unda#entally, a*out the need or right relationshi$sE*etween $eo$le and a#ong nations& The crushing de*t o i#$o"erished nations re$resents a set o *ro'en relationshi$s *etween nations& But de*t cancellation alone will not *e su icientEin order to restore relations o %ustice in the glo*al co##unity, *roader issues #ust *e addressed and ar-reaching changes #ust *e enacted& Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' and the Ju*ilee )ongregations $rogra# are co##itted to lin'ing to and addressing these *roader issues o Ju*ilee %ustice& 0n today3s glo*al econo#y, $o"erty is all too $re"alent& (hile #illions li"e in a*undant wealth, *illions li"e on less than G2 a day& The crushing de*t *urden e5acer*ates $o"erty *y di"erting resources i#$o"erished nations need to ight $o"erty& -i'ewise, un%ust trade $olicies and $ractices deny countries3 a*ilities to sell their $roducts in a digni ied #anner& The 60>?A0D4 $ande#ic has de"astated a#ilies, li"elihoods and econo#ies, es$ecially in su*-4aharan A rica, 4outheast Asia and the )ari**ean& /eanwhile, $olicies and $ro%ects o institutions li'e the 0/F and (orld Ban' o ten ha"e dis$ro$ortionate i#$acts on wo#en, and har# our natural en"iron#ent& 0n the Ju*ilee "ision o restoring right relationshi$s a#ong $eo$les and nations, we #ust ta'e a holistic, #ulti-issue a$$roach to challenging $o"erty and in%ustice& As !&4&-*ased organiFations and citiFens, we ha"e a s$ecial o*ligation to wor' or our *road "ision o %ustice and e7uality& As the !nited 4tates e5ercises a do#inant role in international organiFations li'e the 0/F, (orld Ban' and (orld Trade :rganiFation, decisions #ade *y our go"ern#ent ha"e tre#endous i#$acts around the world& 0t is our res$onsi*ility and our challenge to $ressure our go"ern#ent to wor' coo$erati"ely with the international co##unity to su$$ort #o"es towards glo*al %ustice and sustaina*ility& The ollowing section e5$lores in greater de$th connections *etween de*t and related glo*al issues8 60>?A0D4, trade, the en"iron#ent, and the struggle or wo#en3s rights and dignity& Feel ree to #a'e co$ies and share these resources at $resentations, #eetings, con erences, and rallies& Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' also has in or#ation sheets a"aila*le on other glo*al issuesH contact the national o ice to re7uest additional educational resources on glo*al issues&

+2

Debt and the 1n ironment

The (orld Ban' and 0nternational /onetary Fund, two o the largest creditors o i#$o"erished country de*t, ha"e co#e under criticis# or #any years or the i#$acts o their $olicies on the en"iron#ent& )ritics argue that (orld Ban' $ro%ects and 0/F?(orld Ban' structural ad%ust#ent $rogra#s orce inde*ted countries to wea'en en"iron#ental sa eguards and $ro#ote e5$ort industries, such as e5traction o oil, #etals and #inerals& E>(loiting .atural 6esources+ (hile the (orld Ban' and 0/F tal' o sustaina*le de"elo$#ent, their $olicies and loans ha"e encouraged countries to wea'en or eli#inate en"iron#ental $rotections to #a'e their econo#ies #ore attracti"e to oreign in"est#ent& The results are de orestation, soil erosion, $ollution and dislocation o #illions o $eo$le& 0n 0ndonesia, +&J #illion $eo$le were orced ro# their ho#es *y a G;<< #illion (orld Ban'- inanced logging $ro%ect& The (orld Ban' and 0/F ha"e also su$$orted to5ic #ining $ro%ects in inde*ted countries with la5 sa ety regulations& The (orld Ban' has set no li#its or har# ul che#icals released *y #ining such as arsenic, dissol"ed a##onia, or sul ates& The Ban' has hel$ed inance so#e o the world3s #ost en"iron#entally da#aging $ro%ectsEsuch as the )had-)a#eroon oil $i$eline& During their li eti#e o$eration, (orld Ban'- inanced ossil uel $ro%ects will release @J&C *illion tons o car*on dio5ide, a greenhouse gas, into the at#os$here& By co#$arison, total worldwide car*on dio5ide e#issions in 2<<< were 2+&J *illion tons& The 0/F $ushes countries to increase oil e5$orts to generate re"enue to re$ay de*ts while lowering en"iron#ental and la*or standards& Renewa*le and clean energy alternati"es such as wind and solar $ower are $ro"ing a *etter way to *ring electricity to rural co##unities in i#$o"erished nations& 0n rural areas o the Phili$$ines and Bengal, s#all hydro$ower and $hoto"oltaic $lants are $ro"iding $ower to thousands o households and $u*lic *uildings& (hile the (orld Ban' has lent G2; *illion or ossil uel $ro%ects since 1BB2, it has $ro"ided G1&+; *illion in inancing or renewa*le energy and energy e iciency $ro%ects in the sa#e $eriod& 0n res$onse to wides$read criticis# or its lending or e5tracti"e industries, the (orld Ban' initiated the E5tracti"e 0ndustries Re"iew in 2<<< to e"aluate whether su$$ort or oil, #ining and gas $ro%ects reduces $o"erty& Released in January 2<<@, the inal dra t called or the (orld Ban' to end su$$ort or coal #ining and re7uire co#$anies see'ing (orld Ban' su$$ort to ollow hu#an rights standards& The re"iew also reco##ended the (orld Ban' to $hase out lending or oil $roduction *y 2<<I and instead de"ote its resources to alternati"e energy sources& /ost i#$ortantly, the re"iew ound unding oil, #ining and gas $ro%ects does not achie"e the $ri#ary goal o the (orld Ban'3s #andate8 alle"iating $o"erty& 0n July 2<<@, the (orld Ban'3s e5ecuti"e *oard considered the re"iew, *ut re used to i#$le#ent its reco##endations and ailed to #a'e concrete co##it#ents to do so in the uture& Through de*t cancellation, an end to structural ad%ust#ent and increased en"iron#ental regulation, i#$o"erished nations could $ro#ote the health o en"iron#ents and $eo$le in the#&
4ources8 >inod Raina, ,De*t, De"elo$#ent, and the En"iron#entH. Ju*ilee Research, ,De orestationH. Friends o the Earth 0nternational, ,The )itiFens3 Guide to Trade, En"iron#ent and 4ustaina*ilityH. Ji# >allette and 4te"e PretF#ann, ,The Energy Tug o (ar8 The (inners and -osers o (orld Ban' Fossil Fuel Finance,. 4ustaina*le Energy and Econo#y =etwor' 9

++

Debt and )*23A*DS

0#agine a town where you only see grand$arents and young children and e"eryone else is #issing& A0D4 is creating this situation in i#$o"erished countries *y 'illing I,<<< $eo$le e"ery day, C< $ercent o the# in A rica& But $eo$le all o"er the world are ighting *ac' *y calling or de*t cancellation and signi icantly increased unding or $rogra#s or education, care and treat#ent& Debt %er!ice and %tructural &d$ustment Policies 4u*-4aharan A rica $ays al#ost G1+ *illion each year in de*t ser"ice $ay#ents to wealthy creditors, according to a 2<<@ !nited =ations re$ort& E"ery dollar s$ent on ser"icing the de*t is a dollar not s$ent on 60>?A0D4 treat#ent and $re"ention& /eanwhile, the != has esti#ated in"esting G1<-1; *illion a year could ste# the tide o 60>?A0D4 in A rica& The 0nternational /onetary Fund and (orld Ban' o ten de#and structural ad%ust#ent re or#s as a condition on de*t relie and new loans& These $olicies under#ine the ight against glo*al A0D4 in a nu#*er o ways& Budget ceilings i#$osed *y the 0/F #ay orce nations to cut the nu#*er o clinics they su$$ortH while charging user ees or #edical care #eans ar too #any $eo$le do not go to a clinic *ecause they can not a ord the ees& This has se"ere re$ercussions or the A0D4 crisis& For e5a#$le, i $eo$le with se5ually trans#itted diseases, who ha"e an increased ris' o 60> in ection, were gi"en treat#ents costing as little as G2&11 $er $erson, the rate o 60> in ection could *e cut *y around @< $ercent& But when Penya, ollowing a reco##endation *y the (orld Ban', instituted a user ee o G2&1; to "isit 4TD clinics, attendance ell *y +;-J< $ercent, $utting an increased nu#*er o $eo$le at ris'& (hole a#ilies are $otentially e5$osed to 60> in ection in $art through the lac' o $ri#ary education and dis$lace#ent o rural wor'ers caused *y structural ad%ust#ent $olicies& )hildren dro$ out o school *ecause o user ees and are not ade7uately educated a*out how the "irus is s$read& /any wo#en are widowedEnot in re7uently *y A0D4Eand turn to high-ris' se5 wor' to su$$ort the#sel"es and their children& Dis$laced rural wor'ers in ur*an areas o ten *eco#e in ected with the "irus a ter ha"ing intercourse with se5 wor'ers and s$read it to their s$ouses and children& Debt Cancellation is Part of the %olution to the &#D% Crisis Partial de*t cancellation has allowed #any nations to de"ote resources to the ight against A0D4& A ter a +< $ercent cut in its de*t ser"ice $ay#ents /alawi $urchased critical drugs, hired e5tra sta and trained new nurses or hos$itals and health centers& !ganda increased s$ending on $ri#ary health care *y 2C< $ercent as a result o de*t relie , ear#ar'ing G1&+ #illion or its national 60>?A0D4 $lan& )a#eroon used its G11@ #illion cut in de*t ser"ice to und se"eral e#ergency actions in their national 60>?A0D4 $lan, including $ro#oting *eha"ior change, #a'ing "oluntary testing and counseling widely a"aila*le and $re"enting 60> trans#ission ro# $regnant wo#en to their *a*ies& The A0D4 crisis in A rica and #any other regions is un$aralleled in its de"astating e ects on co##unities& De*t cancellation or the world3s i#$o"erished countries and an end to structural ad%ust#ent $olicies will not, *y the#sel"es, sol"e the $ro*le#, *ut they will go a long way toward addressing the challenges o 60>?A0D4 $re"ention and treat#ent& Beco#e $art o the solution, and call or de*t cancellation and increased resources to ight glo*al A0D4&

+@

Debt and Trade

!n%ust glo*al trade rules e5acer*ate the crisis aced *y i#$o"erished and inde*ted nations& As )harles A*ugre o the Third (orld =etwor', an inde$endent grou$ o de"elo$#ent organiFations, said8 ,De*t and trade are ine5trica*ly lin'ed& !n air trade rules le t A rica in de*t and de*t has allowed creditors to i#$ose urther un air trade rules on A rica&. Trade and the Debt Crisis Declining co##odity $rices in the 1BC<s #eant #any de"elo$ing countries were not earning enough through e5$orts to $ay or i#$ortsEor to $ay o de*t accu#ulated when interest rates were low& By the late 1BC<s and early 1BI<s de"elo$ing nations had to *orrow e"en #ore to $ay or $re"ious loans& 4ince then, co##odity $rices ha"e re#ained on a decline, and the de*ts o $oor nations ha"e grown e5$onentially& Free Trade or Fair Trade+ The (orld Ban' and 0nternational /onetary Fund3s structural ad%ust#ent $rogra#s $ro#ote ree #ar'et $oliciesEincluding $ro#oting e5$orts, re#o"ing i#$ort *arriers and $ri"atiFing $u*lic ser"icesEthat ha"e led to a decreased standard o li"ing or the $oor in hea"ily inde*ted countries& As )hristian Aid $oints out, ,De*tor countries were e5$ected to di"e head irst into the international trading syste#& The theory was that they would there ore *e a*le to earn enough dollars to re$ay their de*ts&. The result is the o$$osite, with #any countries growing and selling the sa#e cro$s& )o##odity $rices are still low, and $oor ar#ers cannot su$$ort their a#ilies on the wages they recei"e& 0n addition, the current glo*al trading sche#e is designed in a way that *ene its the richest countries and $enaliFes the #ost i#$o"erished& The (orld Trade :rganiFation 1(T:2, which sets glo*al rules, continues to ignore the serious $ro*le# o low $rices or the #ain e5$orts o $oor countries, while re7uiring that $oor country #ar'ets *e o$en or oreign i#$orts& The (T:, along with the 0/F and (orld Ban', also $ushes $ri"atiFation o ser"ices li'e water, health, and education& 0n countries li'e Boli"ia the $ri"atiFation o water caused costs or ordinary $eo$le to shoot u$& :nly wides$read $rotests ha"e led to the canceling o contracts with oreign co#$anies& & .ew 8eginning By #o*iliFing $eo$le across the !nited 4tatesEand around the worldE or de*t cancellation and trade %ustice $eo$le o aith and conscience can hel$ ree de"elo$ing nations ro# a we* o glo*al econo#ic ine7uity& Poor ar#ers and wor'ers deser"e a new start, without ro# the *urden o de*t and in a glo*al #ar'et that $ro#otes air $rices or their $roducts&
4ources8 (orld De"elo$#ent /o"e#ent, -ondonH )hristian Aid, www&christian-aid&org&u' 0nter aith (or'ing Grou$ on Trade and 0n"est#ent, htt$8??www&trade%usticeusa&org?

+;

Debt and /omen

Glo*ally, #any wo#en *ear the res$onsi*ility o *eing the $ri#ary caregi"er or their a#ilies& As #others, wi"es, daughters, and grand#others, wo#en care or a#ily #e#*ers through illness, gather water, $roduce ood, and educate children& (o#en *ear the *runt o econo#ic $olicies re7uired or new loans and de*t relie & )uts to social ser"ices, $ri"atiFation and other re or#s $ush wo#en urther into $o"erty and increase their wor'loads, %eo$ardiFing the health and well *eing o their a#ilies& The Effects of %tructural &d$ustment Programs on Women 4tructural Ad%ust#ent $rogra#sEecono#ic re or#s i#$osed on i#$o"erished countries as a condition o new loans and de*t relie ro# the 0/F and (orld Ban'E re7uire countries to #a'e drastic changes in trade and social s$ending& :ne #a%or change re7uired *y these $olicies is o$ening agricultural #ar'ets to hea"ily su*sidiFed goods, o ten ro# the !nited 4tates& 0n su*-4aharan A rica, 4outheast Asia and -atin A#erica, where wo#en $roduce *etween J< and I< $ercent o ood, s#all ar#ers cannot co#$ete with chea$ i#$orts ro# rich nations& Trade li*eraliFation has also caused #en to #igrate at higher rates to ur*an centers or other countries in search o wor'& (o#en are le t as sole $ro"iders or their a#ilies& (hen aced with the ina*ility to $roduce ood or su*sistence and inco#e, wo#en turn to wor' in actories in ree trade Fones& (o#en in these actories o ten ace se5ual harass#ent, inti#idation, unsa e wor' conditions, #eager $ay and re$etiti"e stress in%uries& 0n addition, when go"ern#ents cut social s$ending to #eet *udget re7uire#ents set *y the 0/F, wo#en o ten ha"e to #a'e u$ or the loss to social ser"ices& )uts to education s$ending and the increasing cost o education to the student3s a#ily o ten #ean that girls lose out& 0n countries where there are ees or education two thirds o the children who don3t attend school are girls& (o#en are also disad"antaged *y the $ri"atiFation o health care ser"ices, and #any watch their children die o $re"enta*le diseases li'e diarrhea and #alaria while their countries send #oney instead or de*t ser"ice& /others in the glo*al 4outh also lose #uch needed $renatal care without access to health ser"ices& 0n )ongo, where the go"ern#ent s$ends 1J ti#es #ore or de*t ser"ice than health care, ;1; out o 1<<< children die *e ore they turn ;& :ne #other, =si#enya Pinya#a, +J, has lost si5 children, #ost to treata*le diseases& %tanding in %olidarit" with the Women of the World The *urden o de*t rests dis$ro$ortionately on the shoulders o wo#en& By *eco#ing $art o the Ju*ilee #o"e#ent, wo#en and #en in de"elo$ed countries can hel$ *uild a *etter world or wo#en and their a#ilies e"erywhere&
4ources8 !nited =ations 6u#an De"elo$#ent Re$ort 2<<@H )raig Ti#*erg, ,For )ongoAs /others, !nceasing -oss8 (ar, Though Ended, 4till )lai#ing )hildren,. The (ashington Post, Fe*& 12, 2<<<

+J

"aterials +rder 4orm

Please $rint this or#, ill it out and #ail with your $ay#ent to Ju*ilee !4A =etwor'& )hec's or #oney orders acce$ted& )redit cards acce$ted online or *y $hone& Please allow two wee's or deli"ery& )ontact us i you need ite#s e5$ress shi$$ed& Jubilee *%& .etwor- 8rochure A concise introduction to the Ju*ilee #o"e#ent and how one can get in"ol"ed& Pro"ides a *rie o"er"iew o the current situation in inde*ted countries& First is ree, additional co$ies G <&2; each& 4end #e OOOOOO *rochure1s2 U G<&2; each 1incl& shi$$ing2 )all or *ul' order $rices& Jubilee Congregation 8rochure 0ntroduction on how your )ongregation can hel$, with s$eci ic ste$s how to *eco#e acti"e& Pro"ides a *rie o"er"iew o the current situation in inde*ted countries& First is ree, additional co$ies G <&2< each& 4end #e OOOOOO *rochure1s2 U G<&2< each 1incl& shi$$ing2 )all or *ul' order $rices& Jubilee Congregations Handboo-: Fall /00BC Jewish Edition The three sections include in or#ation on the Ju*ilee )ongregations $rogra#, acts on international de*t and glo*al econo#ic in%ustice, $rayer, holiday and learning #aterials& Each Ju*ilee )ongregation recei"es a co#$li#entary co$y a ter %oining the $rogra#& )all the Ju*ilee o ice to ind out the cost o additional co$ies, or to $lace orders& Jubilee Congregations Handboo-: %(ring /00C Christian Edition The three sections include in or#ation on the Ju*ilee )ongregations $rogra#, acts on international de*t and glo*al econo#ic in%ustice, worshi$, $rayer and study #aterials& Each Ju*ilee )ongregation recei"es a co#$li#entary co$y a ter %oining the $rogra#& )all the Ju*ilee o ice to ind out the cost o additional co$ies, or to $lace orders& .ewsletter -atest news a*out the Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' and the de*t situation o i#$o"erished countries& )urrent newsletters or select *ac' issues are a"aila*le& First is ree, additional co$ies G <&2; each& 4end #e OOOOOO *rochure1s2 U G<&2; each 1incl& shi$$ing2 )all or *ul' order $rices& DCancel the Debt .owE Jubilee Video A 2@-#inute >64 ta$e narrated *y Julie 6arris& Gi"es a *ac'ground to the origin o today3s de*t crises and highlights the glo*al Ju*ilee #o"e#ent& This is a "isually

+C

$ower ul resource, use ul or *oth secular and aith-*ased audiences& >ideos are G1<&<< each, and can *e ordered ro# the $roducers8 John An'ele and Anne /acsoud, :ld Dog Docu#entaries htt$8??www&olddogdocu#entaries&co# ; (& 1Bth 4t&, +rd loor =ew Kor', =K 1<<11 Jubilee Education Pac-et A color ul $oc'et older with o"er 2< $hotoco$y-ready inserts including in or#ation on the de*t *urden, #oral, action ideas, and a list o resources& G;&<< each& 4end #e OOOOOO $ac'et1s2 U G;&<< each 1incl& shi$$ing2 )all or *ul' order $rices& Em(t" Promises 8oo-let The 0/F, the (orld Ban' and the Planned Failures o Glo*al )a$italis#& Pu*lished *y ;< Kears is Enough =etwor'& G;&<< each& 4end #e OOOOOO *oo'let1s2 U G;&<< each 1incl& shi$$ing2 )all or *ul' order $rices& D2ife not DebtE Jubilee T<%hirt Blac'?(hite lettering T-4hirts in 4, /, - N V-H A7ua itted?Kellow lettering T-4hirts in 4, /, 4end #e OOOOOO Blac' shirts1s2 4iFeOOOOOO U G12&<< each 1incl& shi$$ing2 4end #e OOOOOO A7ua itted tee1s2 4iFeOOOOOO U G12&<< each )all or *ul' order $rices& =a#e OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Address OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO )ity OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 4tateOOOOOOOO Ri$ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Phone OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO E#ail OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 4end order or# and chec' or #oney order to8 Ju*ilee !4A =etwor' 222 East )a$itol 4treet, =E (ashington, D) 2<<<+ To order with a credit card, call8 2<2-CI+-+;JJ&

+I

2earning and 6eflection

Justice Found in )ur Te>ts and Taught b" )ur Teachers
Kou shall not $er"ert %usticeH you shall not show $artialityH and you shall not ta'e a *ri*e W 'zedek, 'zedek tirdof W Justice, and only %ustice, you shall ollow, that you #ay li"e and inherit the land which the -ord your Go-d gi"es to you& 1Deuterono#y 1J81B-2<2 0 your *rother *eco#es $oorW you shall u$hold hi#& Ta'e no interest or increase, *ut you shall ear your G-od and your *rother shall li"e with you& 1-e"iticus 2;8+J2 1interest $rohi*itions also in E5odus 228@@ and Deuterono#y 2+82<-212 And the wor' o tzedakah shall *ring $eace& 10saiah +281C2 -et %ustice roll down li'e water, righteousness li'e a #ighty strea#& 1A#os ;821-2@2 4$ea' u$, %udge righteously, cha#$ion the $oor and the needy& 1Pro"er*s +18B2 Go-d has shown you what is goodH And what the -ord re7uires o you8 :nly to do %ustice and to lo"e #ercy And to wal' hu#*ly with your G-od& 1/icah J8I2 0t is not your duty to co#$lete the wor'& =either are you ree to desist ro# it& 1Pir'ei A"ot 281J2 0 there is a#ong you a $oor $erson, one o your neigh*ors, in any o your towns within your land which the -ord your Go-d gi"es you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your $oor neigh*ors& But you shall o$en your hand to the#, and lend the# su icient or their needs, whate"er they #ay *e& Kou shall gi"e to the# reely and your heart shall not *e grudging when you gi"e to the#, *ecause or this the -ord your Go-d will *less you in all your wor' and in all that you underta'e& For the $oor will ne"er cease out o the landH there ore 0 co##and you, you shall o$en wide your hand to your neigh*or, to the needy and to the $oor in the land& 1Deuterono#y 1;8C-112 Po"erty is considered the #ost de"astating o all $ossi*le a lictionsH there ore, alle"iating it is a holy #issionW-et thy house *e o$en wideH let the $oor *e #e#*ers o thy household& 1Pir'e A"ot 18;2 0 all a lictions in the world were asse#*led on one side o the scale and $o"erty on the other, $o"erty would outweigh the# all& 1E5odus Ra**ah, /ish$ati# +181@2 +B

'zedakah is clearly considered a duty and not an o$tion& 0t is the $ath to rede#$tion o the Jewish $eo$le& 1/attanot Aniyi# 1<812 (hen you ha"e eaten your ill and ha"e *uilt ine houses to li"e in, and your herds and loc's ha"e #ulti$lied, and your sil"er and gold ha"e increased, and e"erything you own has $ros$ered, *eware lest your heart grow haughty and you orget the -ord your G-od, who reed you ro# the land o Egy$t, the house o *ondageW and you say to yoursel"es, ,/y own $ower and the #ight o #y hand ha"e won this wealth or #e&. Re#e#*er that it is the -ord your Go-d who gi"es you $ower to get wealthW 1Deuterono#y I812-1I2 The Torah, in Deuterono#y 1;8I, says8 Dv#ha#a#vet ta#a#vee#tenu day mach#saro asher yech#sar lo,D *Be sure to gi"e the $oor $erson su iciently, according to his or her needs& The Tal#ud, in Petu*ot JC*, says that 6illel the Elder, elt $articularly o*liged to care or a wealthy $erson who had lost his ortune and was now $oor& 0n order to ul ill the *i*lical o*ligation o caring or his *rother Daccording to his need,D he #ade sure that the or#er wealthy $erson was $ro$erly cared or, e"en to the e5tent that he had a horse to ride and a ser"ant to run *e ore hi#& :nce when 6illel could not ind a ser"ant, 6illel the Elder, hi#sel ran *e ore the $oor #an or three #iles& 1aimonides Eight *egrees of 'zedakah:ne o the #any great contri*utions o /ai#onides, the 4$anish $hiloso$her and halachist, 11+;-12<@, was his listing o the se7uential degrees o charity in his )ode o Jewish -aw, the /ishneh Torah, in the 1<th cha$ter o the section dealing with gi ts to the $oor& The lowest le"el o gi"ing, says /ai#onides, is to gi"e to the $oor *egrudgingly& The second le"el is to gi"e insu iciently to the needy, *ut at least $leasantly& The third le"el is to gi"e to the needy when they re7uest& The ourth le"el is to "oluntarily gi"e to the needy *e ore they as'& The i th le"el is when the donor is aware o the reci$ient, *ut the reci$ient, the $oor $erson, is unaware o the donor& The si5th le"el the reci$ient, the $oor $erson, is aware o the donor, *ut the donor is unaware o the reci$ient& The se"enth le"el neither the donor nor the reci$ient is aware o each otherAs identity& The highest le"el, says /ai#onides, is to gi"e a gi t or loan or esta*lish a *usiness $artnershi$ with the $oor $erson so that the $oor will no longer *e in need o charity& 'he highest level of tFeda'ah, e%ceeded by none, is that of the person !ho assists a poor person by providing her2him !ith a gift or loan or by accepting her2him into a business partnership or by helping her2him to find employment3in a !ord, by putting her2him !here s2he can dispense !ith other people#s aid. 1/ishne Torah 1<8C-1@2 6illel said8 Do not se$arate yoursel ro# the co##unity& 1Pir'e A"ot, 22 0 0 a# not or #ysel , who will *e or #e9 0 0 a# only or #ysel , what a# 09 0 not now, when9 1Ra**i 6illel2

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0 you want to raise a #an ro# #ud and ilth, do not thin' it is enough to 'ee$ standing on to$ and reaching a hel$ing hand down to hi#& Kou #ust go all the way down yoursel , down into #ud and ilth& Then ta'e hold o hi# with strong hands and $ull hi# and yoursel out into the light& 1Ra**i 4helo#o o Parlin, Eighteenth )entury2 :ur Ra**is teach8 :ne $erson was created to teach us the i#$ortance o the actions o e"ery indi"idual, or we should treat the whole world as hal good and hal *ad, so that i we do one good deed, it will ti$ the whole world to the side o goodness& 1Based on /ishna 4anhedrin @8;2&

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The Jubilee Found in )ur Te>ts and Taught 8" )ur Teachers
Kou shall hallow the ;<th year and $roclai# li*erty throughout the land and to all its inha*itants8 it shall *e a %u*ilee or you, $ro$erty and $erson returning to their ancestral a#ilies& Further#ore the land #ust not *e sold *eyond reclai#, or the land is #ine, you are *ut resident aliens under #y authority& There ore, throughout the land you hold, you #ust $ro"ide rede#$tion or the land& 1-e"iticus, 2;81-2@, es$ "ss& 1< and 2+-2@2 At the end o e"ery se"enth year you are to cancel the de*ts o those who owe you #oney W the -ord hi#sel has declared the de*t canceled& 1Deuterono#y 1;81-22 E"ery se"enth year you shall $ractice re#ission o de*ts& This shall *e the nature o the re#ission8 e"ery creditor shall re#it the due that he clai#s ro# his neigh*or 1reah2 he shall not dun his relati"e or his neigh*or, *ecause this re#ission is or the Eternal& 1Deuterono#y 1;81-1I es$& "ss& 1-2 and 1+-1@2 Kou shall count se"en 4a**atical years, that is, se"en ti#es se"en years& The $eriod o the se"en 4a**atical cycles shall thus *e @B years& Then on the l<th day o the se"enth #onth, you shall #a'e a $rocla#ation with the ra#As horn& This $rocla#ation with the ra#As horn is thus to *e #ade on Ko# Pi$$ur& Kou shall sancti y the ;<th year, declaring e#anci$ation in the land or all its inha*itants& This is your %u*ilee year, when each #an shall return to his hereditary $ro$erty and to his a#ily& 1-e"iticus 2;8I-1<2 The Torah teaches us the laws o the %u*ilee, 4ovel in 6e*rew& The Torah tells us that we #ust count se"en 4a**atical years& The %u*ilee *egins on the tenth day o the se"enth #onth o the i tieth year& The se"enth #onth here is Tishrei and the tenth o Tishrei is Ko# Pi$$ur& :n Ko# Pi$$ur o the i tieth year the sho ar is sounded& This is an announce#ent that it is the %u*ilee, a year o li*erty and e#anci$ation& Anyone who has 6e*rew sla"es, whether #ale or e#ale, #ust ree the#& 4i#ilarly, i anyone has *ought a ield, he #ust return the ield to its hereditary owner& 0n order to enhance co##erce without "iolating $rohi*itions on interest the Ra**inic authorities inno"ated the heter iskah X setting u$ a $artnershi$ so that the lender would su$$ly a su# to the *orrower or a %oint "enture& This indicates the #anner in which loans #ight *e #ade in order that lenders ha"e a %oint interest in the success o *orrowers& The fiftieth year shall be a 5ubilee to you insofar as you may not sow& har est crops growing of their own accord& or gather grapes from unpruned ines during that 6year7. The 5ubilee shall thus be holy to you. (ou shall eat the crops from the field that 68year7. *n the 5ubilee year& e ery man shall return to his hereditary property. 89e iticus :;'$$< $=> The %u*ilee year is li'e the 4a**atical year, when it is or*idden to $Plow, $lant, har"est, or $rune trees& All cro$s #ust *e le t as $u*lic $ro$erty& Just as on Rosh 6ashanah we

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#ust sound the ra#As horn or sho ar, we #ust do so on the %u*ilee& The sho ar is sounded in e5actly the sa#e #anner with the sa#e *lessings recited& 0nitially, this is a co##and#ent incu#*ent u$on the court& A ter that, e"ery Jew #ust sound the ra#As horn& Fro# Rosh 6ashanah until Ko# Pi$$ur o the i tieth year, sla"es would not return ho#e *ut would not wor' either& The ields would not return to their hereditary owners, *ut the owners would eat, drin' and re%oice with their crowns u$on their heads& Then, when Ko# Pi$$ur arri"ed, the sla"es would return ho#e and the ields would re"ert to their hereditary owners& The %u*ilee in 6e*rew is 4ovel& This co#es ro# the word ho"el which #eans to trans$ort& 0t is thus written, DBring a gi t to he who is to *e reed&D 1Psal#s CJ8122 0t is called yovel *ecause during this year each thing is Dtrans$ortedD to its owner and e"erything re"erts to what it was in the *eginning& :thers say that yovel denotes a sho ar or ra#As horn& 0t is thus written, D(hen the yovel *lows the loud *last, they #ay cli#* the #ountain&D 1E5odus 1B81+2 :*"iously, the %u*ilee entails great #ysteries that the hu#an intellect cannot atho#& 6owe"er, there is also a reason that we can understand& Go-d wants to show 6is God3s nation that 6e God is the /aster o the uni"erse& Go-d said, DTo /e is the land&D 1-e"iticus 2;82+2 There ore, in the end e"erything re"erts to the owners who# Go-d wants& (hen a $erson sees this, he will re rain ro# stealing& 6e will not desire or reach out his hand or so#ething that is not his& 6e 'nows that nothing will re#ain with hi# in the endH he will e"entually ha"e to return e"erything to its right ul owner& 0 a $erson ta'es so#ething illegally ro# his riend, Go-d will *ring a*out a chain o e"ents so that he will gi"e it *ac'& There ore, a $erson has no gain stealing ro# others& The only thing that will re#ain ro# it is the sin& The 4a**atical year and the %u*ilee also teach a $erson how he #ust direct his li e& The se"en years o the 4a**atical cycle allude to the se"enty years that a $erson li"es& A $erson sows and har"ests or si5 years& 0n the se"enth year he withdraws ro# his ields and lea"es e"erything or the $u*lic& 4i#ilarly, a $erson can s$end the irst si5ty years o his li e studying and wor'ing to earn a li"ing, *ut in the Dse"enth year,D as he enters the se"enth decade o his li e, he should $ut aside his *usiness and se$arate hi#sel ro# the worldly& 6e should start concentrating on the (orld to )o#e& 6e should study Torah as #uch as $ossi*le and 'ee$ as #any mitzvot and good deeds as he can& During the se"enth year a $erson a*andons his ields, "ineyards and all their ruit so that other $eo$le will *e a*le to eat o the#& 4i#ilarly, a $erson #ust lea"e all his goods and $ro$erty to others so that they can en%oy the#& (hen a $erson goes to the (orld to )o#e it is as the 4a**ath& =either gold nor sil"er will acco#$any hi#, only the mitzvot and good deeds that he has done in this world& The %u*ilee has a si#ilar teaching& A#ong the se"enty years allotted to #an, the irst ten do not count& A $erson is still i##ature and does not understand what li e is all a*out&

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There ore, ro# his tenth until his si5tieth year a $erson has i ty years during which he unctions in this world& These i ty years are alluded to in the i ty years o the %u*ilee cycle& The Torah literally says, DKou shall sancti y the i ty years&&&D 1-e"iticus 2;81<2& This teaches that when a $erson reaches his si5tieth year and his i ty years o toil are o"er, he should stri"e to lea"e e"erything aside& 6e should try to orget all worldly #atters and sancti y the i tieth year& These are the years o the se"enth decade& A $erson should thin' only o the uture world& The Torah says De#anci$ationD shall *e declared& A $erson should e#anci$ate his *ody o all worldly conce$ts& This is the ti#e when DA #an shall return to his hereditary $ro$erty and to his a#ily&D The soul is ready to go to its original a*ode under the Throne o Glory& 0t has no #ore ti#e or the te#$oral li e& There ore, a $erson should $re$are his needs or the uture li e so that his soul will ind re$ose&

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Justice and the Jubilee in the ,arasha

Gleanings ro# 5arshat Behar
E>cer(ts from 2earn Torah with Professor Jacob ,ilgrom )ancellation o de*ts and return o orti ied land was also 'nown in the ancient =ear East& 0t usually occurred when a 'ing acceded to the throne& 0ts $ur$ose was to ,$re"ent the colla$se o the econo#y under too great a weight o $ri"ate inde*tedness&. 6owe"er, it was generally li#ited to the 'ing3s retainers and su*%ect to his whi#& The Bi*lical Ju*ilee, in contrast, was ine5ora*ly $eriodic and incu#*ent on e"ery 0sraelite& The Ju*ilee has *eco#e the rallying cry or o$$ressed $eo$le today, as did the E5odus the#e or their counter$arts in $re"ious decades& This ti#e, howe"er, they are not ensla"ed $olitically 1e5ce$t where colonial rulers ha"e *een re$laced *y their own2, *ut shac'led econo#ically& The glo*al #ar'et econo#y has generated un$recedented growth and $ros$erity, *ut not to Ythe $oorZ& As a result the de*tor 1third2 world has issued the ollowing de#ands to the creditor nations 1who o$erate through the 0nternational /onetary Fund, the (orld Ban', and si#ilar agencies28 1& )ancellation o their de*tsH 2& Restitution o land and resources to their original ownersH +& )essation ro# $il ering natural resources and $olluting the#H and @& Ter#ination o econo#ic sla"ery *y uni"ersally raising wages to a su*sistence le"el& The Ju*ilee, $rescri*ing re#ission o de*ts, restoration o land, 4a**ath rest or land and $erson, and release ro# econo#ic ser"itude corres$onds to all our de#ands& 4ources8 www&%ewishgates&org, Torah, /ishnah 1 and 2, Petu*ah JC*&, www&%ewishgates&co#

Gleanings ro# 5arashat 0hoftim

8" 6abbi 8radle" %ha!it &rtson Full article at /y Jewish -earning we* site& 1www&#y%ewishlearning&co#2& This article is re$rinted with $er#ission ro# !ni"ersity o Judais#& The 6e*rew Bi*le $ossesses in uni7ue #easure8 a $assion or %ustice or the $oor, the wea', and the des$ised&W :ne cannot clai# to lo"e Go-d and not *e $assionate a*out %ustice& That is the $ri#ary Jewish contri*ution to the hu#an s$irit&W (e *etray the *road heritage o Torah when we ail to recogniFe %ustice and righteousness as $ri#ary religious categories o Judais#&W The #idrash a ir#s the centrality o %ustice as a Jewish calling&W 6ow we treat the wea'est in our #idst 1the DwidowD and Dor$han,D to use the TorahAs language2 is still the irre$lacea*le core o our identity&

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& 6ising Tide 2ifts &ll %ouls:

The %(iritualit" of Economic Justice &cti!ism 8" &le> %ugerman<8ro@en Full article originally ound at 4ocial Action, on-line Jewish #agaFine 1www&socialaction&co# 2& 0ugerman,Brozen discusses ho! follo!ing the !ords of the 'orah in regard to ho! activism can build greater community for the &e!ish people and provoke a higher e%perience of &e!ish spirituality. +e connects these themes to the !orld!ide &ubilee movement and emphasizes the importance of !orking together to!ard ustice for all. Y-e"iticus 2;Z has or o*"ious reasons *een e5tre#ely i#$ortant to Jewish and other aith-*ased econo#ic %ustice acti"ists& Judais# is a co##unal culture and a co##unal religion& (e $ractice our s$irituality and our ritual li"es in co##unity, not in #onastic solitude& 4i#ilarly, the strength and $ower o our $rayer is dee$ened *y o ering the# together, in a grou$& (e are res$onsi*le or each otherAs s$irituality& Each o us indi"idually de$ends on the grou$ to reach a certain s$iritual state and le"el& And each o us is res$onsi*le or hel$ing others reach those higher le"els as well& Judais# createsW a co##unal #oral accounta*ility& Reaching any 'ind o true s$iritual ul ill#ent re7uires wor'ing or changes that will ena*le others to #eet their *asic sur"i"al needs& :nly then can they too *egin to address their own sa ety needs, their needs or lo"e and a ection, and so on& As long as they are $re"ented ro# #eeting those higher needs, so a# 0& 0t is e5$ressed well *y the u*i7uitous *u#$er stic'er, D=o one is ree while others are o$$ressed,D and *y the words o /artin -uther Ping, Jr&, D0n%ustice anywhere is a threat to %Justice e"erywhere&D Today, a huge $ortion o hu#anity is su ering ro# econo#ic o$$ression and in%ustice o one 'ind or another& Econo#ic %ustice #o"e#ents such as those to cancel Third (orld de*t, to end sweatsho$s and child la*or, to $rotect hu#an rights, to narrow the huge ga$ o wealth ine7uality, and countless others all see' to hel$ others to #eet their *asic needs& By wor'ing to re$air the world, we #a'e our own connection to the Di"ine $ossi*le&

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,it@!ah of T?eda#ah:
The ,it@!ah of 3i!ing to the .eed" Full article at Gates to Jewish 6eritage site 1www&%ewishgates&co#2& E%planations of te%tual references that point to the #itF"otahs involved in an active a!areness of and response to those in need in our communities are found in this article. 'he article also takes the reader, step by step, through the process of giving tFeda'ah. As Jews, we do not gi"e out o the goodness o our heartsH we gi"e *ecause it is a mitzvah& Failure to $ro"ide or the $oor is tanta#ount to stealing ro# the#, since the #oney originally had *een gi"en to the# *y Go-d& E"en the $oor $erson recei"ing tzedakah is re7uired to gi"e tzedakah to a $erson e"en $oorer& Gi"ing a twentieth o oneAs earnings was considered stingy& There are nu#erous stories in the Tal#ud a*out Jews *eing generous to the $oor and recei"ing di"ine rewards or their goodness& 0t is a recurring the#e in our te5ts& Traditionally, the $rotector o the $oor was Eli%ah the $ro$het and, in Jewish literature, he returns to test the goodness o Jews to see i they gi"e tzedakah generously& Jews elt a inancial res$onsi*ility to e5tended a#ily #e#*ers and tried to ensure that e"en distant relati"es were ta'en care o &

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#ssues of Conscience: There %hall 8e .o Poor 5

8" 6abbi 6ichard 39 Hirsch Commission on 0ocial Action of $eform &udaism, 6nion of American +ebre! Congregations, 789:. E%cerpts from the Chapter entitled- &udaism in 5ursuit of Economic &ustice& YTheZ two e#$hases X all wealth co#es ro# G-odH hu#an li e is sacred X *eca#e the oundation stones or Jewish treat#ent o the less $ri"ileged #e#*ers o society W (ealth, $ro$erly used, is a #eans o $reser"ing and sancti ying li e& 0#$ro$erly used, it is a $ro anation o Go-d and the *eing created in 6is i#age& !nli'e so#e religions, Judais# does not encourage the ascetic li e& Po"erty is not the way to $iety& 4carcity does not lead to sanctity& The search or holiness is not #ade easier *y insu iciency o *asic necessities& (ithout the necessary #aterial goods o li e, #an cannot attain the $ersonal growth and satis action essential to hu#an ul ill#ent& ,All the days o the $oor are e"il&. 1Pro"er*s 1<81;2& 'zedakah is not an act o condescension ro# one $erson to another who is in a lower social and econo#ic status& 'zedakah is the ul ill#ent o an o*ligation to a ellow-*eing with e7ual status *e ore Go-d& 0t is an act o %ustice to which the reci$ient is entitled *y right, *y "irtue o *eing hu#an& Throughout the Bi*le, the $oor #an is not called ,$oor. *ut ,thy *rother,. thus esta*lishing a relationshi$ o e7uality *etween $oor and rich& The reci$ient o charity is a ,*rother. to the donor& The $oor #an3s needs are s$iritual as well as #aterial& Because the $oor #an lac's #aterial *lessings, he is li'ely to eel in erior& There ore, treat hi# li'e a *rother& 4$are his eelings& Realously guard his dignity& Res$ect ro# others is $o"erty3s #ost hel$ ul counter*alance& 4el -res$ect is $o"erty3s #ost e ecti"e antidote& 0n the Tal#udic Period the e5istence o the $oor was an indication o social ine7uity, which had to *e recti ied *y society itsel &

6ambam4s 2adder: & ,editation on 3enerosit" and Wh" #t #s .ecessar" to 3i!e

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8" Julie %alamon Workman 5ublishing Company, ;nc., <==> Gi"ing should not *e an a terthought, what nations do to re$air the da#age they3"e in licted on one another, what indi"iduals do to assuage their guilt or their e5cesses or indi erence& But the *uilding #aterial or e"ery ste$ o Ra#*a#3s -adder is conscientiousness X and consciousness& Anony#ity, sel -su iciency, a*sence o reluctance, not in licting sha#e8 All o these ideas #andate an awareness o our co##on hu#anity& They re#ind us that in the end we are not #easured *y what we ha"e, *ut *y what we gi"e to one another&

TheWorld in 8alance
8" Howard Wit-in Full article at Aish site& 1www&aish&co#2& Witkins article reflects on the balance found in focusing on Teshu"a ?$eturn@, Te illah ?5rayer@ and TFeda'ah ?$ighteousness@. 'hese elements allo! us to Aact, react, and interactB for the betterment of ourselves and for others. +e also discusses the role of the three &e!ish patriarchs in setting the stage for perpetuating the pillars upon !hich the !orld supposedly stands. 4hi#on 6aTFaddi' was ro# the re#nants o the Great Asse#*ly& 6e used to say8 :n three things the world stands& :n Torah, :n ser"ice Yo Go-dZ, And on acts o hu#an 'indness& 6u#an *eings interact with the world on three le"els8 thought, s$eech and action& Each o these three is the 'ey to the three *asic relationshi$s8 Kou act on yoursel through thought or will& Kou interact with Go-d through s$eech& And you relate to others through actions& W (e are re7uired to loo' at other hu#an *eings, try to understand what they are lac'ing, and endea"or to hel$ the#& :ne o the worst #ista'es is to turn a *lind eye and *eco#e insensiti"e to the su ering o others&W At its highest le"el, tFeda'ah re7uires us to DunderstandD another hu#an *eing8 (ho is he9 (hat does he lac'9 6ow can 0 hel$ hi# ul ill his role in li e9 Then 0 need to act&W The irst $illar o creation is 'nowing your identity and your #ission W A"odah, the second $illar, is ser"ice o Go-d&W Chesed, the third $illar, is a co##it#ent to

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$er or#ing acts o hu#an 'indness& -i e is not a Fero su# ga#e& The success o others is your *oon not your *ane& Go-d created us in order to gi"e us good& The world was designed such that the greatest good is to gi"e to others and to *e other-centered& A $erson totally ocused on hi#sel and o*li"ious to the needs o others has, al#ost *y de inition, ailed in the irst two $illars& The third $illar o creation is to 'now that you are not in it alone& Kou are your *rotherAs 'ee$er&

Words ,atter: Ti--un )lam

8" &rthur 3reen Full article at 4ocial Action, on-line Jewish #agaFine& 1www&socialaction&co#2& 'ikkun olam, which #eans D#ending the world,D is an ancient 6e*rew $hrase that has ta'en on new li e in the $ast ew decades& 0ts "er*al or# is ound in the aleinu $rayer, which concludes e"ery ser"ice in the traditional synagogue& There le,takken olam #eans Dto esta*lish the world in the 'ingdo# o the Al#ighty 1shaddai2,D or to *ring a*out GodAs rule on earth& 0n conte#$orary usage it re ers to the *etter#ent o the world, including the relie o hu#an su ering, the achie"e#ent o $eace and #utual res$ect a#ong $eo$les, and the $rotection o the $lanet itsel ro# destruction& (hile associating these ideals with tikkun olam #ay *e a recent inno"ation, the "alues the#sel"es are dee$ly rooted in Jewish tradition& 4$reading our #ost *asic #oral #essage--that e"ery $erson is the di"ine i#age 1tselem elohim2--re7uires that Jews *e concerned with the wel are, including the eeding, housing, and health, o all& The TorahAs call that we D$ursue %ustice, only %usticeD 1Deuterono#y 1J82<2 de#ands that we wor' toward closing the terri*le ga$s, es$ecially in learning and o$$ortunity, that e5ist within our society and under#ine our #oral right to the relati"e wealth and co# ort #ost o us en%oy& The "ery $lacing o hu#ans on earth Dto wor' and guardD 1Genesis 281;2 GodAs garden, as well as the halakhah or*idding wanton destruction o resources, tells us that $rotecting the natural order is also a $art o that %ustice& The redisco"ery o ancient s$iritual or#s in recent decades has $aralleled an age o acti"is# or $olitical and social change& 0n so#e cases these ha"e *een 7uite se$arate ro#, or e"en o$$osed to, one another& /any o those attracted to see'ing s$irituality ha"e gi"en u$ on the $ossi*ility o any serious i#$ro"e#ent in the hu#an condition altogether& 0n the case o Judais#, such a *i urcation o s$iritual and socio$olitical concerns is hardly $ossi*le& Anyone who tries to underta'e it ulti#ately has to deal with the $ro$hets o ancient 0srael, still the strongest and #ost unco#$ro#ising ad"ocates or social %ustice our world has 'nown& 0 you try to create a closed world o lo"ely Jewish $iety and *uild it on oundations o in%ustice and the degradation o others, 0saiah and A#os will not let you slee$&

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%earching the Pro(hets for Values

Cha(ter #V: Justice By Bal our Bric'ner and Al*ert >ors$an (e! 4ork, 6A+C 78C7. 'his chapter asks the thought provoking "uestion, AWhat !ould happen if !e could con ure up an unlikely +ebre! prophet in our midstDB ;n a !orld !here there is no trusted source is speaking to the ustice that /o,d re"uests, !here can !e look to ans!ersD Brickner and Eorspan take us on an imaginary trip in !hich an ordinary man becomes a prophet and attempts to preach ustice, the !ord of /o,d. 'his ne! prophet takes a trip around present day America and e%amines all the current in ustices and issuesFpoverty, suburbia, the rise of industries, and environmental degradation. 'his chapter "uestions the reader as to ho! !e can change the course of our lives and come up !ith a ust solution to the !orlds issues. 4aying so#ething is not your $ro*le# is li'e drilling a hole in your end o a *oat& 0t #ay *e ,your. end o the *oat *ut a hole so drilled will sin' the entire cra t& -ac' o e#$athy or another3s $ain is the ga$ing hole in the hu#an *oat& 0n our tradition, sa"ing one $erson is e7ui"alent o sa"ing the entire world&

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Proclaiming Jubilee throughout the 2and

8" 6abbi &rthur Was-ow Fro# his *oo' 3odwrestling << 6ound / 1Jewish -ights, 1BBJ2& Copyright ?c@ 7889 by Arthur Wasko!. $eprinted !ith the author#s permission& The *oo' can *e ordered ro# htt$8??www&shalo#ctr&org?node?1<11& www9shalomctr9orgAhtmlAboo-s0/9html 4ince the Torah is rooted in the -and o 0srael and the Peo$le o 0srael, that is the $olitics, econo#ics, and ecology it e5$lores in de$th& (hen it does, a#aFingly enough, it $uts orward the "ision o a social rhyth#E the Ju*ilee cycle E that has s$o'en to indi"iduals and $eo$les thousands o years later and thousands o #iles away& 6ere the Torah whirls ti#e into its lo tiest s$iral8 the i ty-year rhyth# o the Ju*ilee& The Ju*ilee $assage 1-e"& 2; and 2J2 teaches a*out ti#e and ti#elessness, a*out the rhyth#s o doing and *eing, wealth and sharing, wor' u$on the earth and healing with the earth, inward ritual and outward action& 0n it is the "erse 1-e"& 2;8 1<2 that ound an echo in the -i*erty Bell8 DProclai# li*erty throughout the land, to all the inha*itants thereo &D For se"eral years, as 0 disco"ered the Torah, 0 read and ad#ired this $assage in a rather acade#ic way& Then three e"ents in 1BC; and 1BCJ lit u$ the $assage with intensity& Ta'e :ne8 Early on July @, 1BCJ, $eo$le *egan gathering on the ste$s o the Je erson /e#orial in (ashington, D&)&8 A choir o children and teenagers ro# a Blac' church& Fiddlers and guitarists wearing 'nitted yar#ul'es& 4e"eral doFen slee$y-eyed wo#en and #en de*ar'ing ro# a *atch o *attered truc's, lightweight ca#$ing $ac's u$on their *ac's& An old #an in a long white ro*e, carrying a cur"ed and con"oluted ra#As horn al#ost as tall as he was& A *and o wo#en setting u$ the sound e7ui$#ent or a $u*lic address syste#& :ther wo#en $utting u$ an array o glowing *anners& :ne o the *anners read, DProclai# Ju*ilee Throughout the -and&D As the nu#*er o $eo$le grew to a*out ;,<<<, the #an with the ra#As horn cli#*ed to the to$ o the /e#orial stairs& 6e raised the horn and *lew a long and eerie *last& 4o#eone else read ro# -e"iticus8 DKou shall count o se"en sa**aths o years, se"en ti#es se"en years& &&& Then you shall #a'e $rocla#ation with the *last o the horn&&&& :n the day o atone#ent you shall #a'e $rocla#ation with the horn throughout all your land& And you shall #a'e holy the i tieth year, and $roclai# li*erty throughout the land to all the inha*itants thereo & D0t shall *e a %u*ilee to you, and youEe"ery one o youE shall return to his own ancestral holding, e"ery one o you, to his a#ily&&&& Kou shall not sow, nor rea$ what grows, nor gather the gra$es o the un$runed "ines& &&& And the land shall not *e $er#anently sold -DFor the land is /ine& Kou are strangers and "isitors with /e&D The energy intensi ied& Peo$le sang& Peo$le $ledged the#sel"es to wor' toward sharing wealth and $ower in A#erica& Peo$le s$o'e with $assion a*out #oney and %usticeEa Blac' wo#an ro# )hicago, a ra**i ro# the /aryland su*ur*s, an E$isco$alian wo#an who had %ust *een ordained a $riest o her )hurch& The Bi*le s$o'eE0saiah, Jere#iah E and *e ore each $assage was heard the "oice o the ra#As horn& E"en the dead s$o'e8 ro# audiota$es ca#e Phil :chs, singing a*out the

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*ells o reedo#, and /artin -uther Ping, Jr&, drea#ing aloud so that we would awa'en& The ra#As horn s$o'e again, and this ti#e a li*erty *ell rang out with it& The ;,<<< #o"ed into a $rocession, heading or 0nde$endence /all to *e %oined *y thousands #ore& The #ood shi ted ro# ser"ice and cele*ration, to rally and ree5a#ination& D-iturgyD #eans Dthe $eo$leAs wor'&D That A#erican liturgy or the Bicentennial Fourth o July at /r& Je ersonAs #e#orial, had actually *egun hal a world away, in the -and o 0srael& Begun there twiceEonce in its de e$est origin in the Bi*le days @,<<< years ago, which inscri*ed the line ro# -e"iticus on the -i*erty BellH and again %ust a year *e ore the liturgy itsel & Ta'e Two8 :ne year earlier, 0 was "isiting a 'i**utF in the 0sraeli =ege" desert8 Pere# 4halo#, D>ineyard o Peace&D 0 was sitting in a circle, 7uietly tal'ing with two other "isiting A#erican Jews, eight or nine sa*ras, a ew 'i**utFni's who grew u$ in Euro$e or A#erica& The 'i**utFni's were worried E and angry& :ne o their co#rades was in %ail or hurting a $olice#an during a sit-in& Between #y s$arse 6e*rew and their staccato English, 0 had trou*le understanding& 0 as' the# to re$eat& D0t ha$$ened when the Gush E#uni#, the Band o the Faith ul, were #arching onto Palestinian land to set u$ Jewish settle#ents& The Gush E#uni# were *rea'ing the law& But worse, they were #a'ing it harder to achie"e $eace with the Palestinians& They were clai#ing Jews needed #ore land so that #ore Jews could settle in the -and o 0srael& They were stirring the *lood o #any 0sraelis& (e decided we #ust show how oolish this idea was& D(e decided to act, not %ust to s$ea'& Their act was stirringH our act #ust *e stirring& D 4o we went to the ranch o General 4haron& 6e is one o their heroes, he wants to anne5 the Palestinian lands& 6e is also "ery rich& 6e has $lenty o land& D(e set u$ tents on his land, as they had set u$ tents in the occu$ied territories& A0sraelis[A we said& AKou need #ore land9 General 4haron has #ore than he needs, #ore than any one $erson needs& (e do not need to ta'e Palestinian land, we can share our own land& )o#e share[A D(e were arrested and dragged away& :ur cha"er 'ic'ed a co$ when they gra**ed hi# =ow he is going to %ail& The Gush E#uni# does not go to %ail& The go"ern#ent criticiFes the#, *ut goes along&D 0 interru$ted& DDid you do anything else a*out 4haronAs land9D D=o,D they said& D(e #ade our $oint& That was all we #eant to do&D 0 $ressed a little #ore& 4haring the land, ta'ing *ac' a rich #anAs land, #ay*e there were 0sraelis who would ha"e li'ed this idea9 0 had heard so #uch a*out the Dsocial ga$D *etween 0sraeli Jews o (estern and Eastern origin, a*out the $oor and downcast Eastern Jews& They "oted or the rightwing $arties *ecause they got no ho$e ro# the -a*or go"ern#ent& /ay*e this notion o sharing the land would a$$eal to the#9 DKou donAt understand,D the 'i**utFni's said& DThe real issue we #ust sol"e *e ore we can deal with the social ga$ is the issue o the Palestinians& First $eace, then the social ga$&D DBut & & & ,D 0 #uttered, a little e#*arrassedH a ter all, it #ay *e #y -and, *ut it is their country& D/ay*e you ha"e $ressed the Palestinian issue as ar as it can go right now& /ay*e you should tal' a*out what 0srael could *e li'e i there were $eace& 0 ha"e heard you tal' a*out creating an 0sraeli or# o socialis#, *ut you ne"er say what it #eans& 0 li'e this land thing& 0t re#inds #e o the Ju*ilee&D D(hat9D DThe Ju*ilee& Kou 'now, ro# the Torah& /ay*e it3s a Jewish 'ind o socialis#, #ay*e it3s e"en where socialis# co#es ro#& But it3s an odd 'ind o socialis#& The Torah doesn3t see# to #ind i

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$eo$le get rich or awhile& But e"ery i ty years the land #ust *e shared, with e"ery a#ily getting an e7ual share, a#ily *y a#ily, clan *y clan& The rich gi"e u$ their e5tra land and the $oor get *ac' their share& And then there3s another odd thing8 no one is allowed to wor' the land at the "ery #o#ent they get the chance again& /ay*e you should call a Ju*ilee[D They $uFFle out the English, realiFe what 0 #ean8 DAha, the yovel&D They grin at #e& Torah& Religion& (hat can you e5$ect ro# an A#erican Jew9 D=o,D they say, not so $atiently any #ore& DThe $ri#ary $ro*le# is the Palestinian 7uestion& ThatAs what we need to wor' on&D 0 'ee$ 7uiet& 0t is their country& The Ju*ilee loats to the *ac' o #y head& Ta'e Three8 A wee' later, *ac' in (ashington& 0t is late in the su##er o 1BC;, and two sets o $eo$le are $lanning Bicentennial cele*rations or the co#ing year8 o icials, who $lan irewor's and galasH and $o$ulists, #odern e7ui"alents o 4a# Ada#s, who see the glo*al cor$orations as #odern e7ui"alents o George the Third& :ne grou$ o these new $o$ulists, the Peo$leAs Bicentennial )o##ission, is #eeting at the research center where 0 wor'& As they tal' a*out anti-cor$orate Dtea $artiesD and Decono#ic de#ocracy,D a $iece o arith#etic lea$s out at #e8 @ 5 ;< \ 2<<& The A#erican Bicentennial should really *e the ourth A#erican Ju*ilee, *ut there has ne"er *een e"en one& (ait, yes there wasED6oo-rah, hoo-rah, we *ring the Ju*ilee & & &6oo-rah, hoo-rah, the lag that #a'es you ree[ & & & And so we sang the anthe# ro# Atlanta to the sea, aAs we were #arching through Georgia[D Freeing the sla"es, that was our one A#erican Ju*ileeH yes, that was $art o the ancient Ju*ilee too, all the sla"es were to *e reed when the Ju*ilee year ca#e& But in 1IJ;, A#erica ne"er did the other $art, ne"er shared the land& That was what D orty acres and a #uleD #eant8 0t was the sla"es3 de#and that the land *e shared& 0t was their $ro$osal or a Ju*ilee& (e ne"er did it, and now loo' where we are& 0 returned to the $resent with a %er'& The $o$ulists want a $rotest? cele*ration in (ashington on the Bicentennial Fourth o July& They are calling together the la*or unions, ood co-o$ organiFers, en"iron#ental acti"ists, e#inists, antiwar $eo$le, Blac's, 6is$anics, the religious who *elie"e in social %ustice E to de#and the end o the cor$orate oligarchy and the *eginnings o an econo#ic de#ocracy& They are *rainstor#ing a*out the early #orning o July @, 1BCJ& 4hould there *e a sunrise ser"ice9 A #e#orial ser"ice or those who died in the Re"olution and those who ought or reedo# since then9 0 s$o'e u$8 (hat a*out the Ju*ilee9 The religious traditions not only #ourn the dead, they co##and us to do what the dead had in #ind8 Free the sla"es and share our wealth& They call on us to #a'e a Ju*ilee[ Fro# that #o#ent to the cele*ration at /r& Je ersonAs #e#orial was no straight and si#$le road& There were #any twists and turns and disa$$oint#ents& And since July @, 1BCJ, there ha"e *een e"en #ore disa$$oint#ents& (e ha"e not yet ound a way to sound the ra#As horn that will call orth Dli*erty throughout the land, or all the inha*itants thereo &D (ho o:wns the Earth9 0ndeed, the years that ollowed the Bicentennial saw the #ost swee$ing redistri*ution o wealth in all o A#erican history -- *ut in the o$$osite direction ro# what the Torah called or& Far #ore wealth was concentrated into the hands o ar ewer $eo$le, lea"ing the rest o us to *eco#e either :"erwor'ed or Dise#$loyed 1so#e actually %o*less, others wor'ing at ar lower le"els than our a*ility and education #ade $ossi*le2&

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Ket, the dee$er our dis$arities in wealth, the #ore shattered our a#ilies and neigh*orhoods, the #ore we ear alling o the career ladder, the #ore des$oiled our earth and water, the #ore 0 a# con"inced that the Ju*ilee has #uch to teach us& 0n 1BCJ, we as'ed religious o icials to %oin our call or an A#erican Ju*ilee& :ne rue ully wrote *ac' that the church laity were not Dwell enough schooled in the Bi*le to #a'e the Ju*ilee ali"e or the#&D Another wrote that it see#ed li'e a great idea, *ut his was the wrong organiFation8 D:ur lay trustees are e5actly the actory owners whose $ro$erty would *e shared out in the Ju*ilee& KouAd *etter start so#ewhere else&D But we also got so#e une5$ected a ir#ations8 9 A Blac' $reacher re#e#*ered his granddaddy3s telling hi# there was a Ju*ilee in 1IJ;& 6e had already organiFed his own con erence on a$$lying the Ju*ilee to A#erican society& 9 A ra**i $ro$osed that in honor o the Bicentennial? Ju*ilee e"ery a#ily in A#erica *e o ered a s#all ho#estead o country land to garden and $reser"e& 9 The sa#e ra**i suggested as'ing grou$s o ten or a doFen to do DJu*ilee drea#ingD as a way to wor' out what 'ind o co##unity they would li'e to li"e inEat the neigh*orhood or e"en the continental le"el& 9 A )atholic $riest told us that in the 6oly Kears that used to co#e e"ery i ty years, each diocese orga"e the de*ts owed it *y the $oorer $arishes& 9 A Re or#ed )hurch#an was organiFing a church education $ro%ect or the Bicentennial year, with the Ju*ilee at its heart& 9 A /ennonite wrote that when Jesus 7uoted 0saiah on Dthe acce$ta*le year o our -ord,D he was $roclai#ing the Ju*ileeEand was run out o town not or clai#ing to *e /essiah *ut or de#anding that the rich gi"e u$ their wealth& This was a new 'ind o long-distance Godwrestling, not ace-to- ace li'e Fa*rangen *ut %ust as real& And 0 *egan to hear the Ju*ilee in a dee$er way, as a great 4ha**at& By now 0 had *een #a'ing 4ha**at or a*out our years& 0 disco"ered it was not %ust a set o rules a*out what 0 couldn3t do, as #y neigh*or u$ the street had yelled at #e when 0 was growing u$ in Balti#ore& 0t was not e"en %ust a chance to slee$ late, ta'e a na$, rest ro# #y wor'& A ter all, 0 lo"ed #y wor'8 wor'ing or %ustice and $eaceH healing the ractured hu#an race& (hy rest ro# wor' li'e that9 0 disco"ered that was %ust the $oint& E"en ro# the *est wor' in the world, 0 needed rest& 4ha**at had *rought #e a new 'ind o reedo#8 li*eration ro# an5iety, sorrow, guilt that 0 was not doing e"en #ore to heal the wounded world& 4ha**at *rought not #erely slee$, *ut $eace ulness& For on one day o e"ery se"en, the world was already healed, already $er ect& That day was a day o song and neigh*ors, $lay ul reading and unhurried eating, eeling lo"ed and #a'ing lo"e& 0t was a return to the ho#e o #y soul& 0 *egan to see that the Ju*ilee was a*out #ore than redistri*uting land or #oney& 0t was a*out a longer, dee$er 4ha**at in which e"eryone would share& Just as Jewish co##unities ha"e always 'nown that on 4ha**at there #ust *e ood or the hungry -- otherwise, how could they sto$ wor'ing9 -- so on this Great 4ha**at there #ust *e land or the $oor& And there #ust also *e rest or the land& :dd& >ery odd& =o re or#er or radical 0 had e"er heard o said that i land and wealth were redistri*uted, the $oor should wait a year *e ore *eginning to wor'& 0 recalled that the ice-s'ating rin' at Roc'e eller )enter was shut one day a year& (hy9 Because under co##on law, i land is totally de"oted to $u*lic use, the owner #ay lose legal title to it& )losing the rin' or a single day esta*lished that its owners were still the owners, with $ower to control the $ro$erty& 6ow to assert Di"ine :wnershi$ o the earth in the ace o all the hu#an uses o it9 4hut down the rin'& )lose down the har"est and the sowing-season& The :wner re#inds us8 All the earth is /ine& But what does it #ean or God to own the earth9

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0t #eans that the s$iritual and the $olitical, the ritual and the $ractical, are used& 6ow di erent this is ro# our D#ulti$le choiceD way o thin'ing a*out the world[ Tongue in chee', 0 *egan to i#agine an e5a# in Anthro$ology 1<1, with a #ulti$le-choice 7uestion8 )hec' o the category o cultural *eha"ior 1$riestly ritualH $ro$hetic $ursuit o social %usticeH go"ern#ental econo#ic $lanningH #on'ish conte#$lati"e #editation2 that is e5e#$li ied *y the ollowing $ractice8 9 Rhyth#ic se"en-year e"ent, ollowed *y se"en-ti#es-se"en year e"ent, initiated *y *lowing a ra#3s horn& ----------- Answer8 Ritual& 9 Redistri*ution o land& --------------------------- Answer8 4ocial Justice& 9 /oratoriu# on organiFed agriculture& ----- Answer8 Econo#ic Planning& 9 )ele*ration, study o sacred te5ts& ----- Answer8 )onte#$lation, /editation& Muestion 28 0 all these $ractices were the sa#e e"ent, under what category would you $lace the#9 That is the Ju*ilee& Resting, redistri*uting, and re lecting are $ro oundly the sa#e act, and that one act is in used with cele*ration o the 4$irit& The Ju*ilee tradition says to us8 Kou cannot achie"e e7uality unless you acce$t that no hu#an really owns the wealth, not the *oss, not the $roletariat, not e"en the $eo$le as a whole8 only God, (ho is Beyond& 0t says8 Kou cannot achie"e s$iritual transcendence, you cannot ree yoursel ro# Dattach#entD and addiction to #aterial "alues, unless you 'now that e"eryone needs and #ust share the wealth& 0t says8 Kou cannot heal the earth i you are dri"en *y greed, or ear, or en"y& And the Ju*ilee is not static& 0t does not i#agine that we can achie"e a Great Plateau o social $eace or s$iritual $eace, and then %ust sit there& 0t s$ea's o a rhyth#, a cycle o change& 0t does not i#agine that the land can *e shared and %ustice achie"ed once and or all, and it does not i#agine that a little change, year a ter year, can #a'e or real %ustice& The Ju*ilee says that in e"ery year the $oor #ust *e allowed to glean in the corners o the ield, that in e"ery se"enth year loans #ust *e orgi"en and the $oor li ted ro# the des$eration o de*t, that or si5 years o e"ery se"en it is all right or so#e to accu#ulate wealth and so#e to lose it, and or the earth to *e orced to wor' under hu#an co##and -- *ut that once in e"ery generation there #ust *e a great trans or#ation& And that each generation #ust 'now it will ha"e to *e done again, in the ne5t generation& This rhyth# is not what we ha"e co#e to 'now as conser"ati"e or li*eral or radical& 0t carries a #ore su*tle sense o hu#an *eha"ior than any one o the#& Rhyth#s o Rest And the Ju*ilee says that there is a connection *etween the cycle o nature and the cycle o hu#an li e& For the Ju*ilee is rooted in a set o s#aller rhyth#s, the rhyth#s o earth and sun and #oon8 There is irst the rhyth# o the earth3s s$in u$on its a5is& )ount se"en sunsets, and we dance our way into 4ha**at& And there is the dance o earth and #oon& )ount se"en new #oons, and we reach a #onth o 4ha**at& Begin counting with the #onth the Torah teaches is Dthe irst o #onths,D the #onth o s$ring and Passo"er, and our se"enth #onth is Tishri, the #onth o holy esti"als or e"ery $hase o the #oon8 Rosh 6ashanah 1the new #oon2, Ko# Pi$$ur 1the wa5ing #oon2, 4u''ot 1the ull #oon2 and 4h3#ini AtFeret?4i#chat Torah 1the waning #oon2& And then i we *egin counting again ro# the 4ha**at #onth o Tishri, we reach the se"enth new #oon in the s$ringH =isan, the #onth o Passo"er& Tishri and =isan8 #onths o rest, renewal, sharingEsharing the rail hut o the su''ah in the all, sharing the lat *read o the #atFah in the s$ring&

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/onths o 4ha**at& And then we count the circlings o the earth around the sun& )ount se"en autu#n e7uino5es, and we reach the 4a**atical Kear, the year o 4ha**at& The year when all de*ts were to *e orgi"en and the land was to lie allow& :nly then, in the year ollowing the se"enth se"enth year, in the i tieth year, could the rhyth# whirl u$ the inal s$iral to the Ju*ilee& 0n each 4ha**at, a whi o the Ju*ilee to co#e& 0n e"ery Ju*ilee, the delight o a dee$er 4ha**at& And how does the cycle eel when the Ju*ilee itsel co#es round at last9 There stands the land untilled as it stood the year *e ore, the se"enth se"enth year& Two years in a row untilled[ Picture a ar#ing society where twice in a row the land had gone unsown, the trees and "ines un$runed& (here the ree growth o the soil was or e"ery a#ily to $luc', not or the owners to har"est syste#atically& 0#agine how strange the land would loo'8 #ore than a touch o wilderness, a i th DseasonD o the year& =ature itsel would *e trans or#ed along with the societyH e"eryone would ha"e a sense that doing so#ething so *asic as sharing the wealth could change so#ething so *asic as how the $lants grew& E"eryone would learn that the D*iggestD action o all was to not act& =ot acting[ E 6ow ear ul the ar#ers who tried to li"e *y this teaching[ The ar#er #ight ear that waiting two years in a row would *ring ruin& But the Torah asserts, and #odern science con ir#s, that letting the land lie allow is a crucial $art o its restoration& (hat loo's li'e a a#ine in the short run is necessary to $ros$erity in the long run& Perha$s it was she$herds who taught this lesson to ar#ers& 4he$herds 'new they #ust #o"e their loc's ro# $asture to $asture, to allow each ield to reco"er its nutrient $ower& Far#ers could not #o"e ro# $lace to $laceH or the#, rotation in ti#e would ta'e the $lace o rotation in s$ace& Fro# the wisdo# o rest ulness in the technological era *e ore us, can we learn the wisdo# o rest ulness or our own generation9 -et us i#agine the ar#er who stands on his a#ily $lot o land, thin'ing8 6ere, right here, is where #y grand$arents stood i ty years ago, and here, right here, is where #y grandchildren will stand i ty years hence& )o#e what #ay, in i ty years here #y seed will stand, 'nowing this hill and this wells$ring, this roc' and this oli"e tree& Between the renewed health o #y s#all a#ily and the renewed health o #y whole country, land and $eo$le, there is a clear unity& For it is only *y restoring each a#ily that our country is restored8 no 'ing, no $riest can acco#$lish this renewal& :nly #y a#ilyEand e"ery other a#ily& All this we do not learn ro# #odern secular $olitics& Today conser"ati"es who de#and that the a#ily *e strengthened turn urious at the idea o a*olishing all wealth and $ri"ilege& Radicals who de#and that the rich *e e5$ro$riated are *a led at the ideas that the land *e le t un$roducti"e or the Dregressi"eD institution o the a#ily *e cele*rated& The Ju*ilee stands *eyond the $olitics o guilt and rage& 0t does not as' or the rich to gi"e their land away in ear or guiltH it does not as' the wretched o the earth and the $risoners o star"ation to rise in rage to ta'e *ac' the land ro# the swollen rich& 0nstead, the Ju*ilee $roclai#s a Drelease,D a 4ha**at, or e"eryone& A release or the rich as well as the $oor& The rich are released ro# wor'ing, *ossing, increasing $roductionEand ro# othersA en"y o the#& The $oor are released ro# wor'ing, ro# hunger, ro# hu#iliation and des$air E and ro# others3 $ity o the#& Both the rich and the $oor are seen as ully hu#an, as counter$arts to *e encounteredEnot as ene#ies or "icti#s to *e eared or hated&

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4o the Ju*ilee Kear *egins not at Rosh 6ashanah when the i tieth year itsel *egins, *ut ten days laterEon Ko# Pi$$ur, when the co##unity has already $urged itsel o guilt and rage& :nly when the Days o Awe and Turning ha"e already acco#$lished atone#ent can the Ju*ilee *e $roclai#ed& Thus it is *oth the inal healing gi t o the $eo$le to God to co#$lete the old cycle, and GodAs irst *lessing to the $eo$le in the new cycle& But the Ju*ilee was not *ased only on recogniFing GodAs i#age in e"ery hu#an *eing& 0t #ay ha"e a$$ealed to the class interests o a large grou$ o inde$endent s#all ar#ers who wanted to $re"ent the e#ergence o a $er#anent, e"er attening class o large landholders who could lord it o"er the#, on the one hand, and a class o $er#anent sla"es or de*tors who would undercut their inco#e, on the other& Toward a Techno-%u*ilee 4o let us i#agine that the Ju*ilee could *e or us not 7uite a #odel *ut a $ointer, a hint& A $ointer to what the #iddling classes o A#erica could say in the search or a decent societyE *eyond their own greed, *eyond their own guilt& 0#agine a$$lying the Ju*ilee a$$roach to the des$air, "iolence, ano#ie, alienation o our cities& To drug a*use, the disintegration o a#ilies, "iolence not only on the streets *ut within a#ilies, the a*use o children, the a*andon#ent o old $eo$le& (hat would it say9 That e"eryone #ust 'now or sure that neither $o"erty nor charity, neither des$air nor greed, neither en"y nor largesse, will last ore"erH that econo#ic inde$endence and res$onsi*ility are co#ing to e"eryone& That there #ust *e ho$eEnot the ho$e o antasy, *ut the ho$e o sure 'nowledge& That in oneAs own a#ily, neigh*orhood, co##unity is where cultural roots and econo#ic inde$endence *egin& That indi"idual rest is not enoughH whole co##unities #ust ta'e their rest together, or that rest to *e truly re reshing& That %ust as co##unal rest is necessary or the renewal o wor', a rhyth# o co##unal return to the songs, stories, cra ts, and oods o co##unal roots is necessary to healthy cultural growth& That a rhyth#ical co##unal cele*ration o earth and air and water, $lants and ani#als, is necessary or a healthy return to contact with other hu#an *eings& That we #ust recreate the rhyth#s o rest, roots, and natureEto recreate these rhyth#s in the "ery #idst o the cities where they are now a*andoned& 6ow would we translate such wist ul state#ents into $olicy and $rogra#9 (hen $eo$le in 1BCJ *egan to Dthin' Ju*ilee,D econo#ic sharing elt #ost i#$ortant& (hen 0 read the Ju*ilee $assage in 1BB2 with a grou$ o $eo$le at a national con"ention o Jewish Federations and !nited Jewish A$$eals, the Ju*ilee3s i#$lications or the healing o the earth lea$ed out at us& (e noticed a dar'er side o the Ju*ilee tradition 1-e"& 2J8 +@-+;2 that in the #ore o$ti#istic SC<s we had not e"en noticed8 0 the co##unity does not let the land rest in the 4a**atical and Ju*ilee years, DThen shall the land #a'e u$ or its 4ha**at years through ti#e that it is desolate& & & Through the ti#e that it is desolate, it shall o*ser"e the rest ulness that it did not rest in the rest ul-4ha**at years while you were dwelling on it&D 4uddenly these Jewish leaders saw encoded in this ancient teaching what they had thought an ultra#odern ecological assertion8 D0t3s li'e the law o gra"ity& The earth will rest, and i we don3t get it, i we don3t let it rest, and e"en cele*rate *y resting too, then the entire $lanet will DrestD all right -u$on our heads& 4ounds li'e what #y eighteen-year-old daughter 'ee$s telling #e&D Recently, 0 ha"e *een as'ing scientists, *usiness-$eo$le, ra**is, econo#ists with who# 0 study the Ju*ilee te5ts to sus$end or a #o#ent their own s'e$ticis# o"er what would *e $ossi*le to get

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society to do, and instead %ust i#agine what would *e a #odern way o carrying out the sa**atical year or the Ju*ilee& 4o#e interesting ideas ha"e e#erged8 Fro# a *usiness#an8 D0 could set aside one year o e"ery se"en when 0 'e$t selling #y old $roducts *ut didn3t $roduce any new ones& That would gi"e the whole co#$any a chance to $ause and thin' a*out where we3re going& And it would reduce the strain on the earth a little&D Fro# an engineer8 D4u$$ose e"ery se"enth year we sto$$ed all technological research and de"elo$#ent, e5ce$t #ay*e R N D on #ortal diseases& 1A ter all, %ust as Torah teaches, we3re su$$osed to "iolate the 4ha**at rules in order to sa"e a li e&2 4u$$ose the whole society ga"e us a year o at so#e reasona*le salary, to thin' and tal' a*out what technology is good or anyway& (hat we do now is the e5act o$$osite o 4ha**at8 we3re iguring out how to #a'e the earth wor' harder& Produce #ore& (ith a year o , the earth would get to rest a little right away, and we could see' a 'ind o technology that in the long run would let the earth and hu#an *eings rest #ore dee$ly&D Fro# a ra**i8 D4u$$ose we *rought the idea o 4ha**at or e"en a wee'-long esti"al li'e 4u''ot to the $u*lic at large8 a wee'-long cele*ration o co##unal roots, neigh*orhood, and $lay ulness& /ay*e the wee' o the Fourth o July& (e would close down not %ust actories and o ices, *ut gas stations, air$lanes, and trains& E"en news$a$ers and T>& 0nstead o using "acation ti#e to get as ar away ro# our neigh*ors as $ossi*le, we "isit& (e ha"e street airs, with #usic and stories and ood and cra ts& And neigh*orhood town #eetings where $eo$le tal' a*out $u*lic issues, $rotecting the earth, #a'ing our neigh*orhoods ali"e again, what wor' is li'e, why %o*s are so hard to get, and what to do a*out it&D An en"iron#ental *iologist8 D=owadays we insist on Sen"iron#ental i#$act3 assess#ents *e ore #a'ing any #a%or changes in land use& But we don3t do this when a cor$oration is a*out to introduce a #a%or new $roduct& (hat i any cor$oration or agency that was $lanning to in"est #ore than one *illion dollars in $roducing a new auto#o*ile, say, or a new co#$uter, a new wea$on -- were re7uired to wait or a Dsa**aticalD year while its i#$act on the earth was assessed *y inde$endent e5a#iners9D An econo#ist8 D4u$$ose we had a $ool o loan #oney in e"ery state& /oney we could lend to *usinesses that were owned and run *y ace-to- ace co##unities8 Fa#ily *usinesses where at least I<] o the wor'ers were in the a#ily& )o-o$ grocery stores housed in a synagogue& Bi'e actories owned *y a cou$le o doFen wor'ers& PTA3s, unions, a cha$ter o the =AA)P -- they could all start *usinesses&D D(here would you get the startu$ ca$ital9D D(ell, i we too' the Ju*ilee seriously, the way they di"ide u$ the land e"ery i ty years -- or us, 0 guess we3d $ut a s$ecial ta5 on, say, any cor$oration worth #ore than one *illion dollars that has *een around #ore than orty-nine years&D 6e laughs& D(ouldn3t *e so easy to $ass that ta5& =o wonder it was hard or the# to actually do the Ju*ilee&D A )atholic nun ro# an ur*an #inistry8 D(hat 0 li'e is "ery earthy,D she laughsH D0 #ean literally& (e could wor' in #y neigh*orhood to de"elo$ "egeta*le gardens and isheries, #ay*e e"en chic'en ar#s& /a'e us less de$endent on the su$er#ar'ets& E"en canneries, ood stores, restaurants&D The Pulsating 4ociety Fro# all these res$onses and #y own wrestling, 0 realiFe that the Torah is en"isioning an econo#y $ro oundly di erent ro# the one we3re used to& :urs is *ased on constant e5$losi"e econo#ic growth& But now it3s not so clear that the world econo#y can 'ee$ on DgrowingD in the way we3re

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used to& Put as #any )hinese, $er ca$ita, in auto#o*iles as there are A#ericans, and the whole $lanet would su ocate& (hat is the Torah3s econo#ic "ision9 (e #ight call it a D$ulsatingD rather than an e5$anding or e5$loding syste#& And it #ay *e rele"ant to us in ways we would not ha"e oreseen, one generation ago& Today, econo#ists are *eginning to tal' a*out Dsustaina*leD econo#ies, which can #eet their $eo$les3 needs year a ter year, generation a ter generation, *y restoring the earth to the sa#e degree that they de$lete it& =ot the sa#e as econo#ic growth& And the Torah3s "ision o social %ustice also di ers ro# our #odern notion& At its heart is not e7uality *ut Dresting,D not only ro# the $hysical wor' o tilling the land, *ut ro# the $olitical and social wor' o *uilding institutions and concentrating ca$ital& E"en "ery use ul institutions #ust *e $eriodically dissol"ed& That way the whole rigid $attern o society E so#e on to$, so#e on the *otto#, so#e assigned to this role, so#e to that Eall dissol"es& Peo$le are reed u$, the i#agination is reed u$& 6ow could we win the *ene its o that, without *ringing on a ti#e o social chaos9 6ow would we deal with s$iritual hunger9 (e ha"e o ten encouraged $eo$le to *uy #ore goodies, go**le u$ the world, as a su*stitute or s$iritual nourish#ent& :ur churches, synagogues, schools, a#ilies, e"en our $sychothera$ists, ha"e gotten slo$$y and ine ecti"e in hel$ing us to grow in s$iritual de$th& 0 *uying new #aterial goods has its li#its, will de#ands or s$irituality get stronger9 :r, to thin' o it the other way round, i we need to restrain our #aterial consu#$tion or the $lanet3s sa'e, do we need to create #ore s$iritual sustenance9 6ow would we deal with healing the earth9 /ost o icial Den"iron#entalD $rogra#s ha"e ocused on cleanu$ and recycling& There has *een "ery little ree5a#ination o the $roduction end o the $rocess -- where destruction is actually li'ely to *egin& The 4a**atical?Ju*ilee cycle teaches that we #ust ace issues o $roduction i the earth is to *e $rotected& The #ore 0 a*sor* all this, the #ore 0 eel *oth e5hilarated and e5hausted& (hat a tas'[ And what a $ossi*ility[ Pursuing such changes would renew our roots, redirect our history, and release our creati"ity& =o dou*t it would ta'e a great $olitical struggle -- since those who hold $ower rarely gi"e it u$ or share it without a struggle& 0 as' #ysel , how could we *egin9 4u$$ose that in a $articular city or nine days, ro# a Jewish 4ha**at through a )hristian 4a**ath 1 ro# Friday night through 4unday2, a grou$ o synagogues and churches held a Ju*ilee Festi"al& 4uch a Ju*ilee Festi"al would address the econo#ic renewal o the city and its neigh*orhoods *y in"iting co-o$s and wor'er-#anaged ir#s, inno"ati"e s#all *usinesses, etc&, to e5$lain their wor'H *y de#onstrating e7ui$#ent or energy conser"ation and the local generation o solar?renewa*le energyH *y turning e#$ty lots or $art o the church or synagogue grounds into co##unal "egeta*le gardensH *y holding wor'sho$s on how tenants can *uy a$art#ent houses and turn the# into co-o$sH *y setting u$ a te#$orary ood co-o$ and hel$ing $eo$le organiFe a #ore $er#anent one& 0t would address the s$iritual and cultural renewal o the neigh*orhood through song, dance, storytelling, sharing ood& 0t would address the $olitical e#$ower#ent o the neigh*orhood *y gathering $eo$le to discuss in o$en town #eetings so#e o the #a%or issues o our society -- energy, %o*s, en"iron#ent, $rices, a#ilies& (here do we ind the energy to start9 The Ju*ilee $assages in the Torah teach us8 The #ost e ecti"e $olitics has a $ower ul ritual ele#ent in it, engaging not only #aterial interests *ut dee$ e#otional, intellectual, and s$iritual energies& And when ritual is #ade ully co##unal and ocused on reality, it *eco#es $recisely $olitics8 Blac'

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churches in the 4outh& 4o"iet Jews dancing and singing, carrying the Torah into the $u*lic streets& Gandhi, asting& (hen 0 *egan #y %ourney into 4$irit, what eru$ted in #e was a usion o DritualD and D$olitics&D The Ju*ilee is *oth& The "olcano is still ali"e& OOOOOOOO Ra**i Arthur (as'ow is director o The 4halo# )enter 1^www&shalo#ctr&org2_H author o 0easons of Gur &oy, *o!n,to,Earth &udaism and /od!restling ,, $ound <, H co-editor o 'rees, Earth, H 'orah- A 'u B#0hvat AnthologyH editor o 'orah of the Earth- E%ploring I,=== 4ears of Ecology in &e!ish 'houghtH co-author o 'ales of 'ikkun- (e! &e!ish 0tories to +eal the Wounded WorldH and co-author with Phyllis Ber#an o A 'ime for Every 5urpose 6nder +eaven& OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO These co##ents low ro# the wor' o The 4halo# )enter& 0t is a di"ision o A-EP68 Alliance or Jewish Renewal, *ut these thoughts do not necessarily re lect those o A-EP6 as a whole&

Justice during the Holida"s

The Jewish calendar has #ulti$le holidays that easily lend the#sel"es to a concentration on ethical 7uestions and $ro"ide a ti#e to stri"e toward greater %ustice in our glo*al co##unity& Es$ecially tThe holidays o Passo"er, 4u''ot, Rosh 6ashanah, and Ko# Pi$$ur are itting ti#es or re#e#*rance o and thoughts on *ringing %ustice to those who# are currently less ortunate than oursel"es& Those in the Glo*al 4outh are engaged in a ty$e o sla"ery to the Glo*al =orth through the econo#ic in%ustice o the chains o de*t& (hat ollows are e5a#$les o ser#on #aterials and urther te5t study re lection& There are #ulti$le 6aggadah su$$le#ents or Passo"er and #odern co##entary or ser#on suggestions or age oldthese holidays& 0n addition to the introductory #aterials ound in this *inder, $lease see the section entitled ,-in's or Further -earning and 0n or#ation. ound on our #ain Jewish Resources $age&

Passo!er
A)et my people goJB (hat $hrase could *e #ore co#$elling in a struggle or reedo#9 These words, which /oses s$o'e to Pharaoh as he led the 0sraelites ro# sla"ery in Egy$t still rings true today to #illions o $eo$le across the world& /en, wo#en and children each created bBtszelem Elohim, 1in the i#age o Go-d2, are held in *ondage *y the chains o international de*ts& :"erwhel#ing oreign de*ts i#$o"erish nations, di"erting resources ro# nutrition, health care, education and sustaina*le de"elo$#ent& )redited with no*le intentions, these loans were su$$osed to hel$ $oor nations *uild in rastructure, de"elo$ inancial resources, and increase econo#ic growth& But $olitics, recession and, in so#e cases,

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corru$tion inter"ened& =ow countries are caught in a cycle o inde*tedness that they can ne"er get out ro# under& Jewish te5ts, co##entary and tradition are aware o the necessity o $ro"iding relie or those in need& Because o this we o ten donate ti#e and #oney to a#eliorate hunger and $o"erty& But these donations only alle"iate sy#$to#s o what is a #uch dee$er issue& The great scholar /ai#onides, wrote that it is the greatest #itF"ah to $ro"ide a #eans o sel -su iciency to those who are in ti#es o su ering or discord& (or'ing or de*t cancellation is a way to hel$ i#$o"erished nations *rea' ree ro# de$endence on oreign nations and hel$ the# $ro"ide or the#sel"es& As Jews, we #ust e#*race the tradition o /oses and our ancestors *y *rea'ing the chains o de*t and crying out ,let these nations go&. De*t relie is hunger relie & De*t cancellation is #oney or health care, schools and clean water& /oney sa"ed ro# de*t re$ay#ents uels the *attle against 60>?A0D4& Release ro# de*t is release ro# *ondage& E"ery year during the Passo"er 4eder, we recall the day when we le t Egy$t& Today we #ust not turn our *ac's on $eo$le who are still ensla"ed *y the weight o un$aya*le de*ts& 4u$$ort Ju*ilee !4A in our Bi*lically ins$ired wor' towards the eli#ination o de*t, o sla"ery, in i#$o"erished nations around the world& Comments from 6abbi Da!id %a(erstein Director of the 6eligious &ction Center for 6eform Judaism &(ril /000 /y Friends, nine days ro# now we Jews will sit at 4eder ta*les, as we ha"e ro# generation to generation to tell the story o our reedo# ro# *ondage and our $assage into the Pro#ised -and& The story o Passo"er re#inds e"ery Jew in e"ery ti#e and e"ery $lace, what it is to *e ensla"ed& 0t uels our $assion or %ustice, our lo"e o reedo# and our disdain or o$$ression E and it is why #illions o Jews %oin all o us here today in as'ing )ongress and the international co##unity to cancel the international de*t o so#e o the $oorest nations on the glo*e& For this de*t is a or# o *ondage, i#$o"erishing nations, di"erting resources ro# nutrition, health care, education and sustaina*le de"elo$#ent E de$ri"ing children and a#ilies the #ost *asic o hu#an needs& Ket, it is an es$ecially *itter *ondage, or today3s hea"y chains o de*t were yesterday3s su$$osed ladders o de"elo$#ent& /ade in good aith, o ten with no*le intentions, these de*ts were su$$osed to hel$ these nations *uild in rastructure, de"elo$ inancial resources, and get a leg u$ in international trade& But, $olitics, recession and in so#e cases corru$tion inter"ened& And, now these tools o de"elo$#ent ha"e *eco#e the shac'les o endless un$aya*le de*t& 0t is ti#e, #y riends, to do as /oses de#anded o Pharaoh and let these nations go& For e"ery child denied an education *ecause o unending de*t ser"ice to us, let these nations go& For e"ery a#ily *ere t o health care *ecause our de*t $ay#ents #ust *e

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#ade, let these nations go& For e"ery unit o G=P consu#ed *y un$aya*le de*t to us, let these nations go& For e"ery dro$ o sweat shed *y A ricans during #ore than our hundred years o ensla"ed la*or and centuries o colonial rule, let these nations go& And inally, #y riends, or the #oral i*er o this great nation a nation that wishes to hel$, not har#, to aid, not to assault, to de"elo$, not to destroy, let these nations go& -et the# go ro# de*t *urdens they cannot ho$e to re$ay, *urdens that creditors ne"er intended to *eco#e so un*eara*le& At our *est, A#ericans o all aiths are great $eo$le& (e %oined together to re*uild Euro$e a ter the war& (e res$ond in a#aFing nu#*ers to hu#anitarian crises around the glo*e& (e hel$ without *eing as'ed where"er and whene"er natural disasters stri'e& 0nternational de*t is a hu#anitarian crisis and a #an-#ade disaster& (e can relie"e it *y the si#$le, co#$assionate, decent act o cancellation& -et us co#e together as a nation, as a $eo$le, as the wealthiest #ost a luent country in the history o the world and orgi"e this de*t in the Ju*ilee year& -et us wor' with our *rothers and sisters in de*tor nations to de"elo$ econo#ies that do not return to de*t E educational syste#s that $re$are or the uture and health care syste#s that sa"e li"es& The na#e o this #o"e#ent is *i*lical in its origins& And, while scholars #ay de*ate whether the Ju*ilee was e"er o*ser"ed in ancient ti#es, together we can #a'e sure it is o*ser"ed in our ti#es, or our reasons and on *ehal o our *rothers and sisters& The Passo"er 4eder instructs ,-et all who are hungry, co#e eat&. Today let us declare that all who su er ro# the $o"erty and the *urdens o de*t shall *e welco#e at our ta*le as we wor' together to *rea' these chains o o$$ression&

%u--ot
When celebrating the harvest, !e can think, pray and act on behalf of those !ithout bounty Shemini At?eret )o##entary *y Ra**i /elissa )res$y Full article at Jewish Theological 4e#inary o A#erica we*site 1www&%tsa&edu2& 0t is re#ar'a*le that on one o our #ost %oyous esti"als - 0hemini Atzeret - in so#e ways the ulti#ate day o 4u''ot - we are instructed to read ro# Deuterono#y 1@ and 1;& Just as we are easting on the *ounty o the earth, and cele*rating with song and ood and wine, we are re$eatedly re#inded not to neglect the $oor, the needy and the -e"ite, and to cancel de*ts and set ree indentured ser"ants e"ery se"enth year& Deuterono#y 1;8C and I stri'e a $articularly strong note8 D0 , howe"er, there is a needy $erson a#ong you, one o your 'ins#en in any o your settle#ents in the land that the -ord you Go-d is gi"ing you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy 'ins#an& Rather, you #ust o$en your hand and lend hi# su icient or whate"er he needs&D DonAt harden your hearts, we are told& Gi"e your needy 'ins#an su icient or whate"er he needs& DonAt let the %oy and esti"ities o the holiday *e #arred *y your insensiti"ity to

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those who #ost need your hel$& The Tal#ud 1Petu*ot JC*2 records %ust how ar we #ight go in $ro"iding or our 'ins#an8 D:ur #asters taught8 0 an or$han a$$lies or assistance to #arry, a house #ust *e rented or hi# and a *ed laid out or hi#, as well as all the household e ects he would need, and then he is to *e wed to his *ride, as is said8 A4u icient or whate"er he needs&AD This $assage #ay see# li'e a stretch, *ut its #essage is clear8 we who are the *ene iciaries o Go-dAs *ounty, o the ood, drin', clothing, urnishings and ho#es with which Go-d has *lessed us - cannot en%oy those *lessings unless we #a'e sure that the needy a#ong us ha"e at least the *are #ini#u# or their needs& A *ridegroo# needs a ho#e into which to *ring his *ride, and household e ects to *egin a new li e& ThatAs the *are #ini#u# - and *y reading this section o Torah on our %oyous holiday we are *eing re#inded that we canAt ully cele*rate until we ha"e $ro"ided or the needy& This has ne"er *een a theoretical issue or our $eo$le, and it certainly is not theoretical today& (hen 0 thin' a*out the thousands o our $eo$le in 0srael who ha"e *een trau#atiFed and #ai#ed *y terrorists, or a*out the thousands in Argentina who canAt $ut ood on their ta*les, 0 canAt hel$ *ut thin' o these $assages in the Torah& 0 'now that #y cele*ration o 0hemini Atzeret will not *e right, will not *e %ust, will not *e ull, unless 0 do what 0 can to *etter their situation& 0 $ray that we can all thin' dee$ly a*out these "erses on our %oyous holiday o 0hemini Atzeret, and o$en our hearts to our *rothers and sisters in need - where"er they are&

The High Hol" Da"s

0n cele*rating Rosh 6ashanah, the start o a new year, one can cele*rate #any as$ects that they eel ortunate or in their daily li"es& Es$ecially when we are aware o those in the world that are su ering, we are a*le to eel ortunate in a di erent way& (hen we indi"idually and collecti"ely re$ent or our sins during Ko# Pi$$ur, we can ac'nowledge the $art that we as indi"iduals or as a nation #ay ha"e had in causing or ena*ling the $er$etuation o the su ering o others or o our en"iron#ent in the glo*al co##unity&

6osh Hashanah: Creating the world 6e(airing the world

By Jonathan 4$ira-4a"ett www&socialaction&co# 0n Jewish tradition, Rosh 6ashanah is considered the anni"ersary o the creation o the world& 0n all cultures, stories and cele*rations o creation e#*ody a grou$As understanding o the #oral and s$iritual order-what is certain and uncertain in the world, what hu#an nature is li'e, what 'ind o $artnershi$ there is or should *e *etween $eo$le and their God or gods& 4o it is with Judais#& The Torah *egins, o course, with a creation story& The ra**is o the midrashim and the kabbalah 1the Jewish #ystical tradition2 ha"e not only co##ented on the TorahAs story, *ut so#eti#es written what a#ount to new Jewish creation stories& 0t is a hall#ar' o the J@

richness and strength o Jewish tradition that there is roo# or creation stories that see# to contradict Genesis& 0ndeed, so#e say that the Torah itsel has two creation stories-the orderly and $er ect creation o Genesis 1, and the #ore a#*iguous story o the Garden o Eden& =o single story or set o answers can *e co#$lete& 6ere are $arts o two Jewish creation stories& :ne is the a#iliar story ro# Genesis& The other co#es ro# the #ystical teachings o Ra**i KitFcha' -uria, the DAriD o si5teenthcentury TF at& The -urianic creation story is at the core o )hasidis#, and has in luenced #odern Jews o all $hiloso$hies& Bear in #ind that the Ari s$ea's entirely in sy#*ols and #eta$hors-- or instance, the light o Genesis is $hysical light, while in the -urianic kabbalah DlightD is a #eta$hor or a hint& Genesis 181-;, +1H 281-+ At the *eginning o GodAs creating o the hea"ens and the earth--when the earth was wild and waste, dar'ness o"er the ace o :cean, rushing-s$irit o God ho"ering o"er the ace o the watersGod said, D-et there *e light[D and there was light& God saw the light8 that it was good& God se$arated the light ro# the dar'ness& God called the light DDayD, and the dar'ness he called D=ight&D There was setting, there was dawning8 one day& & & & =ow God saw all that he had #ade, and here8 it was e5ceedingly good[ There was setting, there was dawning8 the si5th day& Thus were inished the hea"ens and the earth, with all o their array& God had inished, on the se"enth day, his wor' that he had #ade, and then he ceased, on the se"enth day, ro# all his wor' that he had #ade& God ga"e the se"enth day his *lessing, and he hallowed it, or on it he ceased ro# all his wor', that *y creating, God had #ade& To $ara$hrase *ased on the teachings o the Ari8 :riginally, there was only Ayn 0of, the 0n inite--all o reality was God& 0n order or the uni"erse to e5ist, God had to withdraw ro# so#e $art o that reality& This #eta$horical withdrawal 1tzimtzum2 le t a D$laceD de"oid o GodAs $resence, where the cos#os could co#e into *eing& God did not a*andon this e#$ty s$ace, *ut $ro%ected a *ea# o light, which *eca#e a #ass without or# inside that s$ace& Fro# that #ass, all le"els o reality ca#e into e5istence& God at that $oint in%ected another ray o light, which *egan to create D"esselsDH these re$resent acets o GodAs acti"ity and GodAs 7ualities, and each contains a $ortion o that light ro# Ayn 0of& This $rocess was interru$ted, howe"er, *e ore it was co#$lete& 4o#e o the "essels were not strong enough to contain the di"ine light& The "essels shattered into *its 1shvirat hakelim2& The ray o light returned to Ayn 0of, while the "essels ell and *eca#e the world o reality, including the #aterial word& 4o#e o the di"ine light adhered to the shattered "essels, #uch as oil re#ains on an earthen "essel e"en a ter it is $oured out& Thus there are s$ar's o GodAs light tra$$ed in e"ery $iece o reality& God is unwhole, se$arated

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ro# so#e o GodAs own light& Through $rayer and action, a $erson can li*erate and raise these s$ar's and re$air GodAs unity& That $rocess is 'nown as tikkun--re$air o God, re$air o the world, re$air o the uni"erse& As you read the creation stories, thin' a*out these 7uestions8 ` (hat attitude does each story e5$ress toward the world9 ` According to each story, is the world good9 0s it co#$lete9 (hy do e"il or su ering re#ain9 ` (hat is the signi icance o hu#an *eings in each story9 (hat role do we ha"e in #a'ing things good or co#$lete9 ` (hen Jews use the ter# tikkun olam today, we are using a ter# ta'en ro# the AriAs story& (hy do you thin' the AriAs account o creation has *eco#e such a $o$ular way a#ong Jews today or thin'ing a*out creation9 ` (hat can you ta'e ro# *oth o these stories or your own theology, your own "iew o the world and your role in it9

& 'om Fi((ur %ermon

www&coe%l&org Ko# Pi$$ur $resents us with a thesis and an antithesis, *oth o which are trans#itted to us *y so#e o our te5ts& First, the thesis& 0t is con"eyed to us #ost elo7uently in the words o Resh -a'ish, a third century tal#udic sage, as ound in the Ba*ylonian Tal#ud, Tractate Ko#a IJ*8 DGreat is re$entance, or the deli*erate sins o one who re$ents *eco#e as inad"ertent ones&D !ndou*tedly, this was #eant 7uite literally& For when a $erson has a change o heart, is illed with re#orse, and resol"es truly to #o"e in a new direction, it indicates that the actions or inactions o the $ast were *orn o a state o #ind and a set o "alues that were not the $ersonAs real choice& (e learn, retroacti"ely, who the real $erson is, and always was, *y the act o teshuvah 1return2& And inad"ertent sins, o course, $roduce no #oral censure& 0t is a lo"ely theology& 1-egend e"en has it that Resh -a'ish had a $ersonal sta'e in this theology o clean, new *eginnings, or he, too, was said to *e a wayward son who ound his way *ac' into the ra**inic circle&2 But it is #ore than a lo"ely and o$ti#istic theology& (e consider it to *e the #ost central the#e o Ko# Pi$$ur& This day is cele*rated *ecause o the $ower o return, o teshuvah, to clear the slate, and to create a clean record& The $ower o return is a #iraculous $ower, and it is the disco"ery and the legacy o our latter $ro$hets& They taught the doctrine, and the Ra**is--Resh -a'ish and so #any others--ran with it& And so Ko# Pi$$ur has a s$ell*inding hold on us& For it *rings the good news that renewal is $ossi*le, it $ro#otes o$ti#is# and sel -con idence,

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and it counteracts guilt and des$air *y releasing us ro# ensla"e#ent to our *ad choices, and *y assuring us that correct intentions or the uture redee# and atone or the $ast& And thus each Jew can *egin again on this day, *y resol"ing to do another act o hesed in the co#ing year, to study a traditional te5t in translation, to learn 6e*rew, and to re$air inter$ersonal relations that ha"e soured& That is the thesis a*out Ko# Pi$$ur& >iewed in this traditional way, this holy day has all o the wonder ul char#s o *ase*all& 0t is ne"er too late, and errors can always *e redee#edH indeed, in the inal rec'oning, errors can, or all $ractical $ur$oses, *e erased& This is what we e5$ect to hear on Ko# Pi$$ur& 0t is the Do icial ideologyD, i you will& But, as the young lo"ers in The Fantastic's had to learn, Ddes$ite what $retty $oets say, the night is only hal the day&D And the ro#antic thesis o teshuvah as a re*irth, and as an a#nesty, #ust *e %oined *y the searching light o a so#ewhat harsher, *ut e7ually real, antithesis& =othing can *e so si#$le as a neat clearing o the slate& And it isnAt& There should *e an urgency, and not %ust a ro#anticis# a*out Ko# Pi$$ur& (hy an urgency9 Because it is a terri*le #ista'e to i#agine that all things can *e #ade new again& 4o, to *orrow once #ore ro# that record-*rea'ing #usical, Dwe #ust *e *urned a *it and *urnished *y the sunD o the conse7uences that our actions ha"e& 4o here is a second te5t& =early twenty years ago, a #inor la$ *ro'e out a#ong the liturgists in the E$isco$alian )hurch, *ecause o a decision to eli#inate a long-standing hy#n that contained the ollowing 'ey line8 D:nce to e"ery #an and nation co#es the #o#ent to decide, in the stri e o truth with alsehood, or the good or e"il side&D That hy#n atte#$ted to a ir# the signi icance o choices that #ay co#e our way once, or only *rie ly, *ut not linger ore"er& 0t asserted that we ha"e to ta'e res$onsi*ility or those choices *ecause choosing $oorly #ay not ully recti ia*le& But the decision was #ade to eli#inate it *ecause it i#$lied that we are gi"en only one chance to turn to God& The $ro$hets would, $erha$s, ha"e nodded their assent that we can always turn to God& But a dee$er 7uestion lur's here& 4hould our thesis, that is the doctrine o teshuvah, lead us to i#agine that all o our #ista'es are re"oca*le9 The truth is that the world o$erates according to laws& That is the true #eaning o the second $aragra$h o the 0hma 1Di you o*ey the co##and#ents&&&& 0 will grant the rain or your landD2& )onse7uences ollow u$on certain acts, and those conse7uences can *e enduring& 'eshuvah is $ower ul, *ut it is not o#ni$otent& 0t #ay change intentional sins into inad"ertent ones& But it #ay not erase the e ects o those sins, those ailings& This is our antithesis, this see#ingly un-Ko# Pi$$urdig #essage that we donAt #uch li'e to hear8 Re$entance cannot *e #ade into a su*stitute or res$onsi*ility& :ur tradition understood this well& 6ere is a third te5t, ro# one o the #ost $ro oundly ethical $assages in all o religious literature& 0t co#es ro# the Ba*ylonian Tal#ud,

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Tractate Ba"a /etFia ;I*8 the tal#udic discussion here s$ea's o the s$ecially de"astating $ower o angry and slanderous words& 0t notes that these are worse than stealing another $ersonAs *elongings outright& And why is that9 D:ne is recti ia*le, and one is notD& (ords are not dollars& They cannot si#$ly *e returned, or trans erred& The #ischie is done& And, although it goes without saying, we are re#inded that there are other such irre"oca*le cri#es as well, including, o course, such things as se5ual "iolations and #urder& This antithesis shouldnAt *e sur$rising& As Ecclesiastes says, the croo'ed so#eti#es cannot *e #ade straight& !nli'e *ase*all, li e is not unli#ited in ti#e& And certain decisions, *y their "ery nature, do co#e *y only once, or or a *rie $eriod& En"iron#ental issues are surely a#ong these, and they ha"e not only the #ost enduring, *ut also the #ost glo*al o conse7uences& 4ins against the earth also go to the "ery heart o what it #eans to re*el against the )reator *y threatening unrecti ia*le da#age to creation& A ourth te5t, ro# the /idrash Ra**ah on Ecclesiastes C81+, descri*es God ta'ing Ada# around the Garden o Eden or an orientation, as it were, to the real# o nature& D4ee how *eauti ul all /y creations are,D, says God in this legend, adding that Dall has *een created or your sa'e& 4o re lect on this, and ta'e care not to oul or destroy #y world& For i you do, there will *e none to re$air it a ter you& And what is worse, you will *ring death e"en to righteous $eo$le in the uture&D 6ow rich and how wise this ancient legend is& )onsider its essential #essage8 6u#an *eings are the crown o creation, a*le to i#$ro"e u$on, or else re"erse and destroy creation, and thus our license to e5$loit nature is li#ited *y the ter#s o our tenancy, and our ulti#ate res$onsi*ility to the landlord& A*o"e all, it tells us, as God told Ada#, that so#e intrusions into the natural world ha"e irre"ersi*le e ects, and can, in the aggregate, doo# e"en innocent uture generations& (hat generation e"er needed this /idrash #ore than ours, in which the hu#an $ower to create, and $er#anently to destroy, ha"e reached un$recedented heights9 DKou will *ring death e"en to righteous $eo$le in the utureD, says our te5t& 0t goes on to gi"e the ollowing analogy8 A wo#an co##itted a cri#e and went to $rison, and *ore a child there& The child grew u$ there, and one day $etitioned the 'ing, as'ing why he was there, since he had not co##itted any cri#e& The 'ing, howe"er, res$onded #atter-o actly that he was there not *ecause o his own cri#e, *ut *ecause o his #otherAs& 4o it is that the sins o earlier generations doo# those that co#e a ter, i we donAt heed the warning not to oul creation& (e rail against this notion, that the sins o the $arents are "isited on the children& Although the Torah states this rather orce ully, we #eticulously e5cise it ro# our liturgy& All day on Ko# Pi$$ur, we recite, o"er and o"er, the list o di"ine attri*utes ro# E5odus +@8 DGod is gracious, co#$assionate, long-su ering, a*undant in 'indness, etc&D& But the doctrine o intergenerational retri*ution at the end o that "erse does not

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a$$ear in our /ahFor& (e $re er the thesis o re$entance creating a clean slate to the antithesis o ine5ora*le conse7uences and intergenerational %ustice& But we cannot a"oid it& 0s it %ust or God to $roclai# that the sins o the $arents will *e "isited on the children9 That Dthe athers ha"e eaten sour gra$es, and the childrenAs teeth are set on edgeD9 A re#ar'a*ly $ointed a*le 1a$$arently, *ut not conclusi"ely, the wor' o Ra" 6ai Gaon2 gi"es us the dis7uieting answer8 There once was a hungry lion who was eyeing a o5 with desire& The o5 said to hi#8 D(hat do you want with a scrawny little o5 li'e #e9 4tanding yonder is a well-rounded gentle#an, who will #a'e a #uch #ore satis ying dinner or you&D The lion re$lied8 DDonAt you 'now that ani#als are or*idden to 'ill and eat hu#an *eings9 0 could *e se"erely $unished or that[D 4aid the o58 D=ot to worry--the $unish#ent will not o"erta'e you, *ut rather your childrenH as you 'now, Athe athers eat sour gra$es and the childrenAs teeth are set on edge&A&D The lion was seduced *y this argu#ent and ran towards the #an to tear and eat hi#& As he was running, howe"er, he was caught *y a tra$ and ound hi#sel at the *otto# o a dee$ $it& The o5 glee ully ran o"er and loo'ed into the $it& The lion cried ro# the *otto#8 D-iar[ Kou said that only #y children would *e $unished or #y sin[D The o5 then said8 DFool[ This $unish#ent is not or what you %ust did, *ut rather or that which your ather did& 6e once ate a hu#an *eing hi#sel & D The lion cried out8 DBut thatAs not air[ (hy should 0 ha"e to su er ro# #y atherAs sins9D The o5 answered with a sardonic laugh8 DKou yoursel were %ust $re$ared to sin e"en though you 'new that your children would su er or it& 6ow, then, do you dare to co#$lain a*out whatAs air[D Translate this a*le as ollows8 those who wish to co#$lain in the di"ine court o e7uity a*out their lot in li e #ay ind that they lac' standing in that court, i their own actions #a'e it clear that they are willing to #a'e their children su er or their sins& The #ore that we show oursel"es to *e insensiti"e to the ate o our children and grandchildren, the less right we ha"e to $rotest the un orgi"ing nature o reality& 4o how ha"e we done9 (e are a society that is #uch #ore readily distressed *y an a ront to the nationAs lag than *y an o ense against its ri"ers& (e 'now what the record is8 !nrenewa*le resources wasted and de$letedH orests that su$$ort whole li e syste#s destroyed or re#o"ed in order to #a'e $ossi*le e"erything ro# de"elo$#ent to the raising o *ee H s$ecies which or all we 'now were long ago $ainsta'ingly and lo"ingly s$ared *y God ro# the Flood ha"e inally *een #ade to disa$$earH waterways and air ha"e *een ouledH and critical ele#ents o the at#os$here ha"e *een destroyed& The second $aragra$h o the 0hma has a new #eaning to us8 Di0 you o*ey the rules o tenancy in this world, then you will ha"e li e-gi"ing rainH i you do not o*ey those rules, *ut *eha"e as i you were the creators and landlords, then the rain will turn acidic and no longer gi"e li e&D 0t is easy to conde#n the large cor$orations that cut orests and create oil s$ins& 0t is #uch harder to ace the act--the incontro"erti*le act--that so #uch o this unrecti ia*le

JB

da#age to GodAs world goes on *ecause all o us ha"e i#*i*ed the $oisonous delusion o #astery, and *ecause we ha"e all, to one e5tent or another, *ought into a li estyle that ine5ora*ly leads to e5$loitation& 0s there a synthesis that *inds our thesis to our antithesis9 0t is, $erha$s, this8 we #ust *elie"e in the $ower o re$entance, and ind the courage to change $recisely in the ho$e that it is ne"er too late& But we #ust also understand that one o GodAs greatest gi ts to us is the "ery law-li'e 7uality o the world, or it #a'es us into true #oral agents, a*le to antici$ate conse7uences, and #a'e ree and res$onsi*le choices& Ko# Pi$$ur is a day on which e"ery #o#ent is high noon& (e wear the 'allit at night, as i it were day& Each tefillah contains the Kedushah o 1usaf--the Kedushah o #idday& This is the day in which we stand in the light o scrutiny, and we cannot a"oid the irre"oca*le conse7uences o what we do with GodAs #ost *asic gi ts& This, too X this, a*o"e all X is a Jewish issue& And i we cannot see the %ustice in $aring or the wonders o nature, let us at least do it or our children and grandchildren, who #ay otherwise *e *orn into a $rison they cannot esca$e&

Jewish Justice Pra"er and %tor" %elections

There was once a #usician who, with great care, $racticed her tru#$et #any hours each day& E"ery e"ening, she dressed, dro"e down to the concert hall, too' her $lace on the stage, arranged her #usic on the stand, and set her instru#ent care ully u$on her 'nees& But as the rest o the orchestra $layed, she would sit #otionless& The "iolins carried the #elody through the hallH the o*oes, lutes, and horns ga"e de$th to the rich co#$osition, and the dru#s ga"e it rhyth#& But this wo#an sat with her tru#$et on her la$ and $layed nothing& 4uddenly, the #o#ent or which she had $re$ared arri"ed& 4he straightened hersel , $laced the instru#ent to her li$s, and when the conductor *rought her in, clear and true, the tru#$et note rang out X %ust one note, and no #ore& Then she rela5ed& 6er contri*ution had *een #ade& 4he3d rendered her one note X in ti#e and in tone& (hen the conductor had called on her, she had *een ready& Adonai Eloheinu, our #elodies are ne"er %ust #elodies, and our songs are ne"er %ust songs& A ti#e will arri"eEit always doesEwhen Kou will call u$on us to sound our note W to do the wor' Kou ha"e as'ed us to $er or#& Pee$ o$en our eyes, our ears, and our heartsW that we #ight always 'now when that #o#ent has co#e W the #o#ent or us to reach out to anotherWto eed, to clothe, or to shelterWto *ring war#th, understanding, or lo"e W to dry a tear or draw a s#ile& These are the notes that *ring endless har#ony and glory to Kour creation& /ay we *e worthy o singing Kour song& LLL A ra**i and a soa$-#a'er once went or a wal' together& The soa$-#a'er said to the ra**i8 ,(hat good is Judais#9 A ter thousands o years o teaching a*out goodness, truth, %ustice, and $eace, a ter all the study o Torah, and all the ine ideals o the

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Pro$hets, loo' at all the trou*le and #isery in the world[ 0 Judais# is so wonder ul and true, why should all this *e so9. The ra**i said nothing& They continued wal'ing, until he noticed a child $laying in the gutter& The child was ilthy with soot and gri#e& ,-oo' at that child,. said the ra**i& ,Kou say that soa$ #a'es $eo$le clean, *ut see the dirt on that youngster& (hat good is soa$9 (ith all the soa$ in the world, that child is still ilthy& 0 wonder i soa$ is o any use at all&. The soa$-#a'er $rotested, and said, ,But Ra**i, soa$ can3t do any good unless it is used[. ,E5actly[. cried the Ra**i& ,4o it is with Judais#& 0t isn3t e ecti"e unless it is a$$lied in daily li e and used[. LLL A story is told a*out a $ious Jew who *oasts to his ra**i that he sa"ed another Jew3s soul& A *eggar had as'ed hi# or a #eal and he agreed, *ut insisted that irst they #ust $ray the a ternoon minchah $rayers& And *e ore ser"ing hi# a #eal, he ordered the *eggar to wash his hands and recite the a$$ro$riate *lessing, and therea ter to recite the motzi $rayer o"er the *read& The ra**i showed his annoyance with his $ious disci$le& ,There are ti#es, #y son, when you #ust act as i there were no Go-d&. The disci$le, ta'en a*ac' *y this counsel, $rotested, ,6ow could 0, a #an o aith, act as i no Go-d e5isted9. The ra**i re$lied, ,(hen so#eone co#es to you in need, as this *eggar ca#e, act as i there were no Go-d in the uni"erse, as i you alone are in the world and that there is no one to hel$ hi#, e5ce$t yoursel &. The disci$le as'ed aloud, ,And ha"e 0 no res$onsi*ility or his soul9. The ra**i re$lied, ,Ta'e care o your soul and his *ody, not "isa "ersa&. LLL Pray as i e"erything de$ended on Go-dH Act as i e"erything de$ended on you& (ho rise ro# $rayer *etter $ersons, Their $rayer is answered&
1Gates o Prayer2

LLL

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(e cannot #erely $ray to you, : God, to end star"ationH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us the resources with which to eed the entire world, i we would only use the# wisely& (e cannot #erely $ray to Kou, : God, to root out $re%udiceH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us eyes with which to see the good in all $eo$le, i we would only use the# rightly& (e cannot #erely $ray to Kou, : God, to end des$airH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us the $ower to clear away slu#s and to gi"e ho$e, i only we would use our $ower %ustly& (e cannot #erely $ray to Kou, : God, to end diseaseH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us great #inds with which to search out cures and healings, i we would only use the# constructi"ely& There ore, we $ray to Kou instead, : God, or strength, deter#ination, and will$ower a to do as well as to $ray, to *eco#e as well as to wish&(e cannot #erely $ray to Kou, : G-d, to end warH or we 'now that Kou ha"e #ade the world so that all o us #ust ind our own $ath to $eace within oursel"es and with our neigh*ors& (e cannot #erely $ray to you, : G-d, to end star"ationH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us the resources with which to eed the entire world, i we would only use the# wisely& (e cannot #erely $ray to Kou, : G-d, to root our $re%udiceH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us eyes with which to see the good in all $eo$le, i we would only use the# rightly& (e cannot #erely $ray to Kou, : G-d, to end des$airH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us the $ower to clear away slu#s and to i"e ho$e, i only we would use our $ower %ustly& (e cannot #erely $ray to Kou, : G-d, to end diseaseH or Kou ha"e already gi"en us great #inds with which to search out cures and healings, i we would only use the# constructi"ely& There ore, we $ray to Kou instead, : G-d, or strength, deter#ination, and will$ower X to do as well as to $ray, to *eco#e as well as to wish& For Kour sa'e and or ours, s$eedily and soon, that our land #ay *e sa e, and our li"es #ay *e *lessed, Praised are Kou, : G-dH Kou *less Kour $eo$le 0srael, and all hu#an'ind, with $eace&
1Ra**i Jac' Rie#er, 7uoted in )ikrat 0habbat, *y 4idney Green*erg YBridge$ort8 /edia Judaica, 1BI;Z, $& 12+2 1Ra**i Jac' Rie#er2

LLL There was a young #an wal'ing down a deserted *each %ust *e ore dawn& 0n the distance, he saw a rail old #an& As he a$$roached the old #an, he saw hi# $ic'ing u$ stranded star ish and throwing the# *ac' into the sea& The young #an gaFed in wonder as the old #an again and again threw the s#all star ish ro# the sand to the water& 6e as'ed, ,:ld #an, why do you s$end so #uch energy doing what see#s to *e a waste o ti#e9. The old #an e5$lained that the stranded star ish would die i le t in the #orning sun&

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,But there #ust *e thousands o *eaches and #illions o star ish[. e5clai#ed the young #an& ,6ow can you #a'e any di erence9. The old #an loo'ed down at the s#all star ish in his hand and as he threw it to the sa ety o the sea, he said, ,0 #ade a di erence to this one&.
1-auren Eiseley2

LLL E#$eror 6adrian saw an old #an cutting down shru*s in order to $lant sa$lings& 6e said to hi#, ,:ld #an[ (hat is your age9. 6e answered, ,:ne hundred&. ,Kou are 1<< years old and you stand here cutting down trees in order to $lant sa$lings9 Do you thin' you will eat any o their ruits9. 6e re$lied, ,0i 0 a# worthy, 0 shall eat& 0 not, %ust as #y $arents toiled or #e, so shall 0 toil or #y children&.
1- Pohelet Ra**ah 2

LLL Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu, melech ha,olam, Asher kidshanu bmitzvotav vitzivanu lirdof tzedakah. Blessed are you, Eternal our Go-d, Ruler o the !ni"erse, who has hallowed us with miztvot and co##anded us to $ursue %ustice& Adonai Eloheinu, our melodies are never ust melodies, and our songs are never ust songs. A time !ill arrive3it al!ays does3!hen 4ou !ill call upon us to sound our noteF to do the !ork 4ou have asked us to perform. Keep open our eyes, our ears, and our heartsF that !e might al!ays kno! !hen that moment has comeFthe moment for us to reach out to anotherFto feed, to clothe, or to shelterFto bring !armth, understanding, or loveFto dry a tear or dra! a smile. 'hese are the notes that bring endless harmony and glory to 4our creation. 1ay !e be !orthy of singing 4our song.

%uggested 8oo-s &rticles and 2in-s for Further 2earning and #nformation
The *oo's are #ore general sources on the relationshi$ *etween Judais# and 4ocial Justice whereas the we*site lin's are a wide "ariety including those with Torah, Pir'e C+

A"ot, /ishnah, and Tal#ud co##entary as well as those o leading Jewish 4social %Justice organiFations& Pey lin's on in using Jewish holidays with %ustice the#es ha"e also *een added& The de*t lin's are $ro"ided as a tool to answer urther 7uestions you #ay ha"e regarding de*t and glo*al %ustice& 8oo-s 1oral /randeur and 0piritual Audacity, A*raha# Joshua 6eschel &udaism and /lobal $esponsibility, Richard 6& 4chwartF, Ph&D& 'he 'ikkun Anthology, /ichael -erner /o,d!restling, Arthur (as'ow &e!ish *imensions of 0ocial &ustice- 'ough 1oral Choices of Gur 'ime, Al*ert >ors$an and Da"id 4a$erstein 'ikkun Glam- 0ocial $esponsibility in &e!ish 'hought and )a!, Da"id 4hatF 1ed&2 $ambams )adder- A 1editation on /enerosity and Why ;t ;s (ecessary to /ive, Julie 4ala#on +igher and +igher- 1aking &e!ish 5rayer a 5art of 6s, 4te"en /& Brown, Edited *y 4te$hen Gar un'el 1Disse#inated *y the !nited 4ynagogue o )onser"ati"e Judais#, De$art#ent o Kouth Acti"ities2 0acred 0easons- A 0ourcebook for the &e!ish +olidays, Ra**i Donald 6& 0saacs ;ssues of Conscience- 'here 0hall Be (o 5oor, Richard G& 6irsch 0earching the 5rophets for Ealues, Bal our Bric'ner and Al*ert >ors$an 1es$& )h 0>, Justice2 Web 6esources A>:DA68 The Jewish 4er"ice )or$s8 www&a"odah&net A#erican Jewish (orld 4er"ice8 www&a%ws&org Jewish )oalition or 4er"ice8 www&%ewishser"ice&org Jewish Funds or Justice8 www&%ewish%ustice&org Jewish :rganiFing 0nitiati"e8 www&%ewishorganiFing&org

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Jews or Racial and Econo#ic Justice8 www&% re%&org Religious Action )enter o Re or# Judais#8 www&rac&org 4ocialAction8 www&4ocialaction&co#4ocialAction&co# Aish8 www&aish&co# 4he a Fund TFede'8 Jewish Action or a Just (orld8 www&tFede'&org&u' Ti''un /agaFine8 www&ti''un&org /other Jones /agaFine Jewish Gates )oalition on the En"iron#ent and Jewish -i e8 www&coe%l&org Passo!er A Holida" %ources Religious Action )enter8 htt$8??rac&org?$u*s?holidayguides? The 4halo# )enter8 www&shalo#ctr&org Ra**is or 6u#an Rights8 htt$8??www&rhr-na&org?resources?$esach&ht#lPesach 6aggadah Jewish 4ocial Justice =etwor'8 Passo"er Guide8 htt$8??www&%s%n&org?11;COPasso"erGuideOc&$d 0acred 0easons- A 0ourcebook for the &e!ish +olidays, Ra**i Donald 6& 0saacs Web 6esources on Debt (orld De"elo$#ent /o"e#ent8 www&wd#&org&u' Ju*ilee Research8 www&%u*ileeresearch&org Ju*ilee !4A8 www&%u*ileeusa&org Ju*ilee De*t )a#$aign8 www&%u*ileede*tca#$aign&org&u'

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