Social Justice
The Jewish Student Association involves itself in many social justice and charity activities. Our membership is very responsive to this sort of program and if you have a cause or suggestion for such a program, we would be happy to hear about it.
Remembering Dachau to Defend Darfur
Launch Remembering Dachau to Defend Darfur Video
To stay informed about Social Justice initiatives Press here.
The JSA has a special attachment to Save A Child's Heart, a charity based in Israel which brings children there from third world countries to receive free life-saving heart surgery. To learn more about SACH.
Social Justice programs we have been involved in:
- Fashion for Passion: Fashion show fundraiser for SACH
- Bathtub project: Raising money and collecting toiletries for Women's shelters
- Yom Kippur food bank drive: Fees from Meal plans donated to a Food bank in Halifax during Yom Kippur
- Shabbat Unplugged: Party raising money for Save A Child's Heart
- Holocaust Week:
- Stephen Lewis: Principal organizer with the Dalhousie Student Union and SHOUT (Students helping Other's understand Tolerance)
- Paul Rusesabagina Partner in Organizing lecture by the Hero of the Hotel Rwanda story.
- Darfur Have participated in programs to raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur.
- Water Can Project
Social Justice in Judiasm: Tikkun olam (Healing the World)
Tikkun Olam is an old and ever-evolving theme in Judiasm which means literally "Healing the World" and describes an obligation to participate in helping the world in general, beyond the boundries of any particular Jewish Community. Judiasm's relationship to non-Jews is defined by the 7 Noachied laws, which are 7 laws which a non-Jewish person must live by to be considered a good person. They are basically the 10 commandments minus the 3 which demand the recognition of G-d, his worship, and keeping his Sabbath. Judiasm does not expect that non-Jews become Jews to be "good," but that whaterver their religion, they must simply behave decently towards other human beings.
Tikkun Olam as a concept is also heavily influenced by the line of the Torah which states that " he who saves a single life saves the World."
Remembering Dachau to Defend Darfur
Some of the links referenced in the Remembering Dachau to Defend Darfur presentation:
STAND Canada – excellent analysis and current info
Stand
Canada
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – excellent info and Google Earth
imagery of devastation.
http://www.ushmm.org/googleearth/
Amnesty International: Eyes on Darfur – Satellite evidence and villages
at risk.
http://www.eyesondarfur.org/
Save Darfur
http://www.savedarfur.org/content?splash=yes
Brookings Institute: Global effort is needed in Darfur
http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2005/0206darfur_cohen.aspx
China’s changing stance
The
New York Times: Darfur collides with Olympics
United Nations Security Council:
http://www.espionageinfo.com/Ul-Vo/United-Nations-Security-Council.html
United States Security Council – Wikepedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council
Security Council Darfur: The crisis in Sudan:
http://www.cowac.org/studyguidesc1nov2004.html
Actions you can Take to Defend Darfur:
Contact the Canadian Government
House of Parliament Party Leaderss mailing addresses (letters sent to Members of Parliament do not require postage stamps).
Personalized letters are more effective then form letters.
It only takes a few phone calls to an MP’s office for them to be notified of the calls and their subject (leaving messages is just as effective).
Sample letter To Party Leaders in the House of Commons
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2
November 15, 2007
Dear Prime Minister Harper,
I am a Canadian university student deeply concerned about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. I have just finished listening to the tragic and inspiring story of a Survivor of a Holocaust, Mr. Elly Gotz, who now lives in Toronto.
It is e that we live up to the world’s obligation of ‘Never Again’ and end the genocide in slow-motion in Darfur. Canada can help:
- Raise in the House of Commons what actions the Canadian Government intends to take to pressure China to stop supporting the government of Sudan in its genocide against the people of Darfur,
- Begin supplying equipment and personal to the AU UN Peace Keeping Force immediately so that it is able to intervene immediately once the diplomatic roadblocks are lifted. Let’s not begin preparing then for what we could have been preparing for now.
- Use our diplomatic influence to loby the UN Security Council to alter the nature of the mission to highlight civilian protection and the recommendations of General Romeo Delaires.
The United Nations has called this the worst humanitarian crisis of our time,
and I am asking you to take action to help end it. As Canadians, we have an
obligation to honour the legacy of Holocaust Survivors like Mr. Gotz and end
this genocide before more lives are lost or ruined.
Thank you for reading my comments.
Yours sincerely,
Joe Student
CC. The Honourable Stephane Dion, Leader of The Opposition
The Honourable Jack Layton, Leader of Canada’s NDP
Sending you letter to the leaders of each party is even more effective. The “CC” tells the leaders that their counterparts and opposition leaders are also receiving the letter and the same message
Prime Minister and Party Leader Addresses - Local MP’s addresses.
|
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper |
The Honourable Stephane Dion Leader of the Opposition House of Commons Ottawa ON K1A 0A6 |
The Honourable Jack Layton Leader of the NDP House of Commons Ottawa ON K1A 0A6 |
|
Sackville, NB Dominic LeBlanc, MP Telephone: (613) 992-1020 Fax: (613) 992-3053 EMail: Leblanc.D@parl.gc.ca Web Site:* www.dominicleblanc.ca/ Preferred Language: French / English |
Telephone: |
Hill Office House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Telephone: (506) 533-5700 Fax: (506) 533-5888 |
|
Fredericton, NB Telephone: |
Hill Office House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 |
Constituency Offices 412 Queen Street, Suite 100 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 1B6 Telephone: (506) 452- 4110 Fax: (506) 452-4076 |
|
Charlottetown, PEI Telephone: |
Hill Office |
Telephone: |
Remember:
• Letters sent to Members of Parliament do not require postage stamps).
• Personalized letters are more effective then form letters.
• It only takes a few phone calls to an MP’s office for them to be notified of the calls and their subject (leaving messages is just as effective).