The work of social justice, absent text study and ritual practice as a foundation, is inauthentic and will not sustain itself. Indeed, I have found that the work of "tikkun olam," for all its rewards, is lonely and discouraging work, and only by absorbing the light of the Shabbat candles and by studying and worshiping with a strong, dynamic Jewish community can I immunize myself against the cynicism and alienation that surround me.
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/08/01/3088799/op-ed-judaism-is-always-tikkun-olam-and-more
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What is tikkun olam? What isn’t it?
2. How does ritual practice complement social justice work? Why are both important?
Time Period: Contemporary (The Yom Kippur War until the present-day)