Tikkun ha'olam is a phrase that drives legal decisions. It reflects an understanding that part of the law's purpose is to create a more just society, rather than a perfect one... Tikkun Ha'olam may be translated and understood as a recalibration of the world, a recognition that the world is out of balance and that legal remedies are needed in order to readjust the world to a better balance. The focus is not so much on the power of an individual to effect change, but rather on the power of law to correct systematic injustice.
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. Why is advocacy such an important aspect of social justice work?
2. According to Rabbi Kanarek, how can I as an individual fulfill the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam?
Time Period: Contemporary (The Yom Kippur War until the present-day)