In Chicago, Avodah’s Jewish Justice Fellows celebrated the completion of their 8-month program with a culminating siyyum (graduation) celebrating their year of learning, growth and community.
This year’s fellowship, which embraced the theme, Healing the Hurting Body: Environmental Justice in a World of Extraction, explored Jewish concepts as they relate to repairing our earth. Programs throughout the year included sessions on environmental racism, local government and politics as we work to combat pollution locally, spiritual resistance amidst environmental uncertainty, and more.
The final program was an opportunity for fellows and their loved ones to share presentations about their Jewish Leadership projects – a personal act or piece of work that represents their learning from the year and their ambitions moving forward in their Jewish identity, cultural or spiritual practice.
Lilli Gecker and Jonathan Horwitz reported back about a session on antisemitism that they taught at the Lakeview Tikkun Leil Shavuot, focused on the ways in which Jews are scapegoated for the world’s problems. Karl Malchut gave a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the Avodah community which supported him during uncertain times this year, and shared about his work and relationships with a community of LGBTQ+ Ugandans who are facing gender and sexuality based human rights violations.
Anna Chaya Giuliano and Zaq Rosen brought freshly printed copies of a beautifully constructed Zine, demonstrating the practice of Mussar – a Jewish spiritual practice focused on self-improvement and ethical development. The grounding practice has been life-affirming for Anna, and exciting for Zaq, as he explores ways to engage in spiritual Judaism. The Zine is titled “Mussar, Jewish Ethics, Caring for your soul during the revolution because we are tired”, and was made in hopes of offering an introduction to a low-barrier practice of self care. Anna shared, “I am worried about you and your being in the same way that you are worried about me, and that is how we do Jewish.”
We are so proud to welcome this year’s Chicago Justice Fellows into the Avodah alumni network, and grateful for another year creating meaningful relationships that help sustain us all in our fight for justice.
A special thank you to Roosevelt University and the Mansfield Institute for Social Change for donating space to host weeknight Justice Fellowship programs this year.
