JUST CONGREGATIONS

What is Just Congregations?
Just Congregations is an exciting effort that builds upon Temple Emanu-El’s long tradition of Social Justice.

The process starts with conversations. In individual and small group meetings (house meetings) we listen to our members stories of their past, their present, and their hopes for the future. We hear the concerns that are keeping us up at night. As we tell our stories, we discover the issues that are widely and deeply felt among the members of Temple Emanu-El.

This process will also identify new leaders for Temple Emanu-El. These are leaders who feel passionate about Social Justice and who want to work for change. These individuals will engage in a deliberative process of researching the issues that are identified through our conversations. The leaders will explore possible solutions. However, we don’t just concentrate on ourselves.

The power of Just Congregations is that the same listening process that is occurring at Temple Emanu-El – is simultaneously occurring at 50 other faith-institutions in the Dallas area through Temple Emanu-El’s membership in the Dallas Area Interfaith. There are Protestant, Catholic, non-denominational churches, mosques, and Zen Buddhist centers of every race and ethnicity. Our Temple leaders will work with the leaders from the other faith communities to advocate for solutions to the issues of which there is shared concern.

The Just Congregations initiative provides us with a way to build community within our congregation. It helps us understand which issues matter to our members and to find new leaders who are interested in taking action. Furthermore, the initiative develops strong connections of cooperation, communication, and coalition across lines of race, class, and faith.

CLICK HERE to read a sermon about Just Congregations by Rabbi Asher Knight.
CLICK HERE to listen to the sermon as an MP3

Just Congregations
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