Social Action

      The Temple Beth Israel Social Action Committee

“Whoever saves a single life, it’s as if they have saved the entire world,”

Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:5

The Temple Beth Israel Social Action Committee seeks to better our world through education and collective action, addressing issues related to the safety and well-being of people in Port Washington, the United States, Israel, and the world.  This committee, guided by Jewish values, is dedicated to pursuing justice, ensuring the human dignity of others, and protecting the environment.

Some of the issues which we are dedicated to addressing include the following: 

• Immigration & Refugees
• Supporting Civil Rights And Fair Treatment of All People
• Disaster Relief & Crisis Intervention
• Addressing Poverty & Hunger Issues
• Combating Antisemitism & Other Bigotry
• Gun safety
• Protecting the Environment
• Interfaith/Intercultural Understanding and Relationships

Join the TBI Social Action Committee:

If you are interested in joining the Social Action Committee and/or being added to the TBI Social Action Committee email list, please contact Social Action Committee Chairperson, Allison White at alliwhite@gmail.com or (917) 848-4861, or contact the synagogue office at jcheevers@tbiport.org or (516) 767-1708 x9.  All are welcome!

In recent years, TBI Social Action projects and activities have included:

• Organizing a community-wide forum on food insecurity that enabled service providers to join forces and benefit hungry families in our community.
• Hosting a forum on gun violence (with an audience of 200 people), which educated and engaged people on issues related to gun violence and its prevention.
• Built and sustained a garden at TBI to provide fresh produce donated to a local hunger-relief organization. Collaborated with three other Port Washington synagogues to become part of ADL’s Signature Synagogue program, which enables congregants and the community to fight the growing scourge of antisemitism.
• Hosted training sessions and informational forums for those advocating on behalf of immigrant populations. Raised $30,000 to cover transportation, housing, and application fees for a family of Syrian refugees applying for asylum in Canada.
• Partnered with HIAS to support a refugee family of seven people, who has successfully resettled on Long Island.
• Marching, protesting, and praying with our feet for racial justice and against antisemitism and other forms of bigotry.
• Joined with the TBI Library Committee in presenting speakers who have educated our community about the Civil Rights movement and the relationship between the African-American and Jewish communities in both historical and contemporary contexts.
• Kept the TBI community informed of volunteer opportunities, and other ways to engage in social justice causes in our local and Long Island community.