2025 TOC Year-in-Review

The Tikkun Olam Committee is entering our 4th year as a forum for members to share, discuss, and educate each other about topical Social and Earth Justice issues that compel us to take action both as individuals and in collaboration within the AqM community. Most of our members belong to a range of outside local and global organizations. We find that Tikkun Olam is about doing what we can to help make meaningful change happen within the framework of our Jewish values.

1. From the start of the new Trump White House Administration and the war in Gaza, the TOC anticipated that 2025 would be a challenging year with a lot of need to support each other in doing our Tikkun Olam work. Outside of our meetings many of us Protested by making phone calls, writing letters, signing petitions, attending webinars, going to other meetings, joining rallies, and even by making music and singing songs.

1. To guide us through these particularly challenging times, the TOC helped put together a series of sessions we called, “Tikkun HaNefesh/Tikkun HaLev: Healing the Soul, Healing the Heart.” From February through June, Rachel Eryn Kalish and Claudia Miller facilitated 5 sessions of deep sharing and intentional community building. Each participant was encouraged to share and compassionately listen to feelings around topical, as well as personal, issues.

1. From the success of the Tikkun HaNefesh/Tikkun HaLev series, it naturally flowed for there to be a follow-up T’Shuvah retreat in preparation for the High Holy Days. This full day Zoom retreat paved the way for us to  renew our commitments to ethical living as individuals and in community.

1. Through our partnership with the Jewish Earth Alliance, we had great participation in both the Tu Bishvat and Tisha B’av Environmental Lobby Days in two different states – California & Washington. The AqM had the highest number of participants taking active roles when meeting with the staff of our two senators. Although Washington state had fewer participants, 3 of them were from the TOC.

1. The 2026 TuBishvat Lobby Day will be on Tuesday Feb 3rd. Registration to join the zooms with your state senators’ offices is open now and can be found in the newsletter. You do not have to participate, you can just be counted as another supportive face on the Zoom screen. The AqM continues to be a co-sponsor of these twice yearly Lobby Days.

1. We also post the Jewish Earth Alliance’s monthly environmental action items for individuals to take action.  As an organizational supporter of the JEA , the Council has given permission for me, as TOC chair, to sign interfaith organizational letters that are forwarded through the JEA. Advocating as a faith organization sends an even louder message to government agencies and big corporations.

1. The TOC also enjoys opportunities to inspire others through our rituals during Shabbat services. Once again, the TOC participated in an inspirational Earth Day Shabbat. Rabbi Devorah Lynn, co-founder of the JEA, gave a powerful drash. 

1. This year, the TOC got our own webpage on the new AqM website. Now you can be informed about how you can easily participate in advocacy issues through the weekly newsletter and through our new webpage that will be regularly updated.

1. Of course you all became familiar with the TOC’s partnership with MAZON for the Postcard Campaign to save the federal SNAP benefits from being cut. Go to our new webpage to see that there is still time to send digital postcards.

1. In October, on the last night of Sukkot and the evening before Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the TOC  held our most innovative program that we called, Anachnu po: We are Here! Being with the land within and around us. We explored the similarities between the Jews and Native Americans by celebrating with chanting, song, dance, food, drink, and ritual objects. Rabbi Jonathan Seidel led our beautiful Sukkot Rituals. Jewish Ethnobotany educator Naomi Stein presented some fascinating historical Jewish connections to Mother Earth, and Lakota/Dine Holy Person, Dr. Maria Michael, shared some sacred Native American rituals.

1. Last month, on the 5th Night of Hanukkah, the committee shared some of the many ways that we can bring light through acts of Tikkun Olam. In emphasizing that giving financial donations is a form of Tikkun Olam, we announced where the TOC voted to donate the money that we have raised through registration fees and through your direct donations to the Tikkun Olam Fund.

1.  2025 Donations have been sent to…
   1. The Jewish Family & Community Services of the East Bay to specifically help immigrants and refugees deal with resources and threats or actions from Immigration and Customs Enforcement — otherwise know as ICE.
   2. The AqM in honor of the HHDs
   3. MAZON, a Jewish Response to Hunger
   4. The Lakota/Dine Tribe
   5. Face to Face: A Jewish_Palestinian Reparations Alliance, run by the Kehilla Synagogue, that has built direct relationships and support for a hard-hit Palestinian community.
   6. The Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC): volunteers cook, pack, and distribute food to the unhoused and those experiencing food insecurity in Oakland.
   7. Feeding America: a national food aid organization where 99 cents out of every dollar goes to feeding those in need. 

1. There are always issues for the TOC to tackle. This year we are looking at how we can deal with our feelings and reactions to antisemitism. We will be asking: what can be done? We will keep you posted in the newsletter.

1. Finally, I want to invite you to get involved by coming to our monthly meetings (posted in the AqM Calendar), participating in the Action Items that we highlight in the newsletter and on our webpage, or by simply making a donation to the Tikkun Olam Fund. The committee discusses where we feel that significant donations collected in the Tikkun Olam Fund can have meaningful impacts. Your support is truly appreciated. Together, we focus on making the world a better place, 

1. Kein Yehi Ratzon — May it be God’s will!