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 how to bring about change on a systemic level. 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.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities and Events
Help replenish the blood supply in the DC metro area!
It’s safe, easy, confidential, and extremely rewarding. The EDCJCC partners with Inova Blood Services to bring skilled technicians and top-of-the-line equipment for our quarterly blood drives.
A few facts about donating blood:
- One blood donation can save four lives
- All donations stay in the Washington, DC area
- Every 17 seconds, someone in the DC area needs a blood donation
- One out of 10 people will need a donation before the age of 70
- The body quickly replaces the amount of blood given during the donation
For more information and to see eligibility requirements for donating, please click here. Please plan on your blood donation to take about an hour from start to finish.
BUY WITH CONFIDENCE: If your plans need to change due to COVID concerns or local ordinance changes, we will work with you to exchange or credit your ticket toward a comparable program or activity on a future date. We know life is unpredictable these days, and the EDCJCC is here for you!
MASK & VACCINATION POLICY: Effective September 1, all visitors entering the EDCJCC’s building are required to show proof of vaccination. Participants at outdoor events will not be checked for vaccination status, but it is our hope that regardless of where we gather, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our community. Additionally, mask wearing inside of the EDCJCC will also be always required by everyone, except while eating or drinking in designated locations.
For more information, visit edcjcc.org/covidsafety.
This drive will be by appointment only and no walk-ins are available, we apologize for the inconvenience. Please click on the “tickets” button to make an appointment.
What: Help us wrap hundreds of gifts that will go out to clients we serve on Christmas Eve through our December 25th Day of Service. With your help, we can ensure that everyone receives something special and warm this holiday season! No gift-wrapping skills required, since we use bags and stickers instead of traditional wrapping paper for most of our gifts. Children are welcome!
Where: This event will take place INSIDE the JCC building.
When: Wednesday, December 15, 7:00-8:30pm
Registration: Participation is free but registration is required. Please click on the red “Register” icon in order to proceed to registration.
Thank you in advance for making our December 25th Day of Service even more special for those we serve!
MASK & VACCINATION POLICY:
Effective September 1, all visitors entering the EDCJCC’s building are required to show proof of vaccination. Participants at outdoor events will not be checked for vaccination status, but it is our hope that regardless of where we gather, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our community. Additionally, mask wearing inside of the EDCJCC will also be always required by everyone, except while eating or drinking in designated locations. For more information, visit edcjcc.org/covidsafety.
What: Help us wrap hundreds of gifts that will go out to clients we serve on Christmas Eve through our December 25th Day of Service. With your help, we can ensure that everyone receives something special and warm this holiday season! No gift-wrapping skills required, since we use bags and stickers instead of traditional wrapping paper for most of our gifts. Children are welcome!
Where: This event will take place INSIDE the JCC building.
When: Sunday, December 19, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Registration: Participation is free but registration is required. Please click on the red “Register” icon in order to proceed to registration.
Thank you in advance for making our December 25th Day of Service even more special for those we serve!
MASK & VACCINATION POLICY:
Effective September 1, all visitors entering the EDCJCC’s building are required to show proof of vaccination. Participants at outdoor events will not be checked for vaccination status, but it is our hope that regardless of where we gather, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our community. Additionally, mask wearing inside of the EDCJCC will also be always required by everyone, except while eating or drinking in designated locations. For more information, visit edcjcc.org/covidsafety.
What: Join the Edlavitch DCJCC, Interfaith Power and Light, and the Jewish Earth Alliance for a very special Tu B’Shvat Seder where we’ll celebrate the holiday through the lens of the Jewish responsibility to be stewards of this planet. We will tackle the issue of methane gas use and why it’s environmentally harmful, we’ll eat some holiday treats and explore their symbolism, we’ll get inspired through music and song, and together, we’ll take direct action to fight climate change.
When: Monday, January 17, 2022, 7:00-8:00 PM
Registration: Participation is free but registration is required to receive the link to join the webinar. Please click on the red “Register” icon in order to proceed to registration.
Questions? Email Amanda at aherring@edcjcc.org.
Raising Anti-Racist Children
2 Thursdays, February 3 and 10, 8:00 PM
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.
This workshop is designed for anyone who wants to understand how white supremacy and white privilege affect all parts of our lives and how to bring these ideas into conversation and action in parenting. It is meant as a beginning to this work, rather than to be comprehensive or all-encompassing.
Although we understand that life is unpredictable, we request that you commit to both Part 1 and Part 2 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 (February 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 provide an important framework and context for race conscious parenting. This session will go over the basics of anti-racist thought and ideology, as well as challenge participants to explore their own biases and thought processes before they are able to address these ideas with their children. By the end of this session, participants will gain a deeper understanding of race, white supremacy, white privilege, and antiracism.
Part 2 (February 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 how to apply concepts learned in the first session to raising their children.
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.