Tikkun Olam
Congregation Agudath Achim started Backpack Buddies in 2010 to provide supplemental food for school children in Title 1 food programs who may have little or nothing to eat on weekends. They started with 25 children and 1 school. Now in 2014 they have over 440 children and assist 3 schools. They have many volunteers who buy food from Second Harvest (food bank) and local stores, which is then transported to Agudath Achim. Other volunteers, sort, package and evaluate existing stock. Then another group delivers to the schools. This process repeats weekly. We also have volunteers involved in fundraising and communicating with our congregation.
Helping Hands was established to assist congregants who are struggling financially and need assistance to support their families. Requests will go through Motti and the Rabbi and then will be presented to the committee for action. Member names will be kept anonymous to the committee and the congregation.
JUSTICE UNITES SAVANNAH TOGETHER
Congregation Agudath Achim is proud to be a founding member of Justice Unites Savannah Together (JUST). JUST is an inter-faith alliance of 22 Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faith communities that encourages local officials to make changes that advance justice in Savannah and Chatham County. JUST is an affiliate of a broader national movement of local inter-faith alliances.
JUST is based on the commandment in Micah 6:8 to “…do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God” and on Nehemiah, Chapter 5, where the people confront the nobles to do justice. The focus on is on justice, not charity, so that the conditions that make charity necessary are changed.
JUST operates through a four-phase annual cycle: (1) Listening and connecting within and across the faith communities to identify priorities for action through a democratic process; (2) Community-led research to deepen our understanding of the injustices identified and potential solutions; (3) Direct action that engages with local officials, including an annual Nehemiah Action that brings together the faith communities; and (4) Monitoring for impact to track progress.
During the 2021-2022 cycle, JUST focused on the issues of affordable housing/homelessness and fairness in the criminal justice system.
AA members are encouraged and welcomed to engage with JUST at all stages of the annual cycle.