the Morris Cafritz Center for Social Responsibility
The Edlavitch DCJCC’s Morris Cafritz Center for Social Responsibility (MCCSR) offers both hands-on volunteer opportunities as well as learning about systemic inequality in our communities. At the core of our work is Judaism’s sacred mandate to create justice and repair the world.
Our volunteer opportunities are designed to be family-friendly, flexible, and accessible whether you can commit one hour a month or a few hours a week. We offer our volunteers the opportunity to build lasting relationships with agencies and clients over the span of years, or volunteer once and try a different project the next time. Come by yourself, with a friend, or bring a group of colleagues!
In order to affect true change, we must also correct the systemic injustices prevalent in many sectors of our society, so come learn with us about the root causes of inequality and what actions you can take to get rid of them. We focus on topics including racial equity, affordable housing, food security, climate change, immigration and refugees, and many other topics.
While we are neither a social service agency nor an advocacy organization, we hope to empower you and provide you with the tools to go out and make our city a more just, inclusive, and livable place for all.
Not sure where to start? Fill out this short form and we will provide you with one-on-one support to match you with options that best fit your interests, strengths, and availability.
Resources, projects, and learning to keep social responsibility a part of your routine while staying at home
To respond to the immediate needs of our social service partners, we’ve developed several different opportunities for you and our community to address their direct requests. If you’re looking to help others from home and learn more about systemic social justice issues facing our neighbors, we hope you’ll find these resources useful. Live, virtual events are listed below as well.
At-home mitzvot (good deeds):
Welcome messages for newly arrived refugees
Craft kits for Community of Hope
Toiletry kits for those experiencing homelessness
Food packages for Charlie’s Place
Face coverings for Catholic Charities
Start a JConnector Mutual Aid Group with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
Trail mix for So Others Might Eat
In-person volunteering (all safety precautions strictly followed):
So What Else Inc.
So Others Might Eat (SOME)
Martha’s Table
Donate blood at Children’s National Hospital
Donate blood at Inova Blood Services (NoVa)
Learning pieces:
Food insecurity
Homelessness in the DMV
Affordable housing in DC
The refugee crisis
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities and Events
Sasha Bruce Youthwork is one of the largest and most experienced providers of services to youth in Washington, DC. Their mission is to improve the lives of runaway, homeless, abused, and neglected at-risk youth and their families. They achieve this by providing shelter, counseling, life skills training and positive youth development activities to approximately 1,500 youth and 5,000 family members each year.
Covid19 has exacerbated the challenges of young people experiencing homelessness; opportunities for work and meaningful ways to occupy time have dried up and while many of us have our families to turn to for love and support in these difficult times, these young people unfortunately do not so we need your help to send them some love!
Sign up to write notes of encouragment for both the young clients of Sasha Bruce as well as the staff who work on the frontlines every day! Let them know that they are seen, valued, remembered, and loved. Remind them that they are brave, resilient, and strong. Help make them feel special and put a smile on their faces! Notes will be hung up on the walls of Sasha Bruce’s housing facilities and can be in the form of poems, drawings, letters, etc. They can be any size.
Click on the ticket icon to the right in order to register and receive more details.
**Please ignore the date set for the event below, this opportunity is ongoing**
For decades, Jews of Color have experienced the trauma of racism both outside and inside their Jewish communities. Change is long overdue. Hear the experiences of three individuals about what it is like to participate in Jewish life as Jews of Color. Afterwords, learn strategies and discuss how we can create a Jewish community that is open, loving, and anti-racist where each of us takes responsibility for our part in making it better.
Questions? Please email Stacy Miller at stacym@edcjcc.org
Co-presented with Mosaic Visions and the Manhattan JCC’s 20s and 30s program
Thousands of tons of trash filter their way into our rivers and tributaries each year, making them unsafe for wildlife and humans alike. Want to engage in some competitive trash pick-up to make our city’s green spaces safer for humans, animals, and birds?
Grab a trash bag and a pair of gloves during the week of August 17th by yourself or with friends/family and do some cleaning up! (Please remember to follow all COVID-19 safety guidelines during your outing). As you pick up trash, use the score card provided upon registration to rack up points for different items you find. Then, join us over zoom on Sunday, August 23 at 5:00 pm to share your scores and win awesome prizes as well as to hear from a local environmental organization on their efforts to keep DC clean. All trash collected should be disposed of in proper receptacles at the conclusion of your outing. We will be using an honor system for your score cards but please take a picture of your final trash haul to show it off via zoom!
Green spaces we recommend you visit: Rock Creek Park; Kingman and Heritage Islands; along the Northwest Branch Trail; your local neighborhood park
What you’ll need:
- Gloves— either gardening or one time use latex gloves
- Trash bags—bring several plastic grocery bags and some larger trash bags to consolidate them
- A grabber (optional)
- Scavenger hunt checklist
- Pen or pencil (to keep track of trash found)
- Hand sanitizer
- Hat/re-usable water bottle
You don’t have to join us on August 23rd in order to do the trash clean-up but we hope you will still register in order to receive the scavenger hunt score sheet and let us know you’ll be picking up trash!
In partnership with PJ Library and the DC Chapter of the Sierra Club
Join fellow knitters and crocheters over Zoom to make handmade goodies for a great cause! Our goal is to contribute as many warm winter items as possible to distribute to individuals experiencing homelessness in the DC area.
All levels of knitters and crocheters are welcome. Don’t know how to knit or crochet? We’ll teach you!
What should I have with me at home?
Please have your own needles/crochet hooks. If you are not already working on a warm winter item and are looking for a great project or just starting out, please have:
- #8 or #10 knitting needles (circular or straight) or a size H crochet hook
- Patterns you’re working on or want to start
What do you supply?
We provide lots of beautiful yarn, several patterns including hat patterns using #17 needles or a size N crochet hook, and experienced knitters and crocheters to teach anyone who would like to learn how to knit or crochet.
If you can’t join us over Zoom, join us in spirit by knitting or crocheting:
- Hats
- Scarves
- Gloves and Mittens
- Socks or slippers
- Other items to keep people warm during the cold winter months
Please hold onto finished items at this time. If you do not have the space to store finished items, please contact Sonya at sonyaw@edcjcc.org to make arrangements for a pick-up. Thank you!
Want to know more or join our virtual community? Like us on Facebook!
If you have any questions about this event contact Chana at chanaengel@gmail.com.
SOLD OUT
Email mszubin@edcjcc.org to be added to the Waitlist
Raising children to build a just world is a life-long process, as well as a difficult challenge for parents to navigate. Join us for a two-part series with expert educator Dr. Nabina Liebow, who will take us through the learning and practical steps necessary to raise anti-racist children and help us create a cohort of race conscious parents in our community.
Although we understand that life is unpredictable, we request that you commit to both parts of this workshop in order to honor the learning process and receive the full benefit of this workshop. Attendance will be capped in order to create an intimate cohort of parents.
Part 1 (September 3, 8:00-9:30 PM): Discussing race and racism with your children is a vital part of antiracist and race conscious parenting. But some people might feel a little rusty on the basics! In the first part of the workshop, Dr. Liebow will give a “Crash Course in Racial Literacy” to familiarize us with important concepts in practicing race-conscious parenting. By the end of this session, participants will gain a deeper understanding of race conscious parenting, race, white supremacy, white privilege, and antiracism.
Part 2 (September 10, 8:00-9:30 PM): In the second part of the workshop, parents will learn strategies for helping their child develop an antiracist consciousness and get a chance to role-play and practice talking about race with their kids.
This program is brought to you by the Edlavitch DCJCC Parenting Center and Morris Cafritz Center for Social Responsibility
The Edlavitch DCJCC embraces inclusion in all its programs and activities. We welcome and encourage the participation of all people, regardless of their background, sexual orientation, abilities, or religion, including interfaith couples and families.