“And what does God require of you: Only to do justice, to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God…”
— Micah 6:8
Part of what it means to be Jewish is to act on behalf of what is just and right. When we do so, we walk in the footsteps of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel who, marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., declared that he was “praying with his feet.” We invite you to bring your whole self to the justice work of the Rothschild Social Justice Institute at The Temple.
At-A-Glance: Pillars, Chairs & Partners
Quick directory of committee leaders, clergy liaisons, and key partner organizations.
“When God created Adam, God led him around all of the trees in the Garden of Eden and said: ‘See how beautiful and praiseworthy are all of My works. Everything I created, I created for your sake. Take care not to corrupt and destroy My world; for if you corrupt it, there will be no one to repair it after you.’”
— Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13
Mission & Overview
The Green Team works to affect climate change through campus sustainability, community education, and environmental advocacy. Recognized with the 2022 Fulton County Citizen’s Commission Environmental Award, the committee focuses on decreasing The Temple's carbon footprint while inspiring congregants to take sustainable actions at home and in our city.
How You Can Plug In:
Participate in Reverse Tashlich cleanups and Tu B’Shevat community plantings
Hands-on riverway restoration and tree planting across Atlanta
Advocacy to preserve protected public parklands and clean energy policies in Georgia
Green team facility audits to make our campus even more energy-efficient
Recent Accomplishments & Wins:
Planting hundreds of native canopy trees across metropolitan Atlanta for Tu B’Shevat
Pulling tons of trash and pollutants out of urban riverways and watersheds
Hosting Atlanta’s premier community vegan Tu B’Shevat Seder celebrating sustainability
“You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord.”
— Leviticus 19:16
Mission & Overview
The Gun Violence Prevention group is committed to moving the needle on firearm safety through advocacy for sensible gun legislation, community education, and the Safe Homes Initiative. We treat gun violence as a public health epidemic that requires moral courage, education, and steadfast legislative presence.
How You Can Plug In:
Participate in educational and legislative advocacy days at the Georgia State Capitol
Attend and host Be SMART safe firearm storage workshops for parents and neighbors
Join our annual Wear Orange Shabbat in June honoring victims and survivors
Engage in community canvassing and voter education on firearm safety
Goals & Strategic Actions:
Partnering with medical professionals to elevate the public health perspective on gun safety
Maintaining an active presence from GMGS in the entrance of the Georgia State Capitol every single day of the legislative session
Promoting secure gun storage in homes to eliminate preventable child injuries and suicides
“It is a positive commandment to give charity to the poor… as it says: ‘You shall open your hand to him, and you shall strengthen the stranger that dwells with you, and your brother shall live with you.’”
— Rambam (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah, Matanot Ani’im 7:1
Mission & Overview
This committee educates our congregation about housing insecurity while partnering with frontline organizations across Atlanta to provide emergency assistance, shelter, and direct relief. We support couples and families experiencing homelessness while working systemically to build long-term pathways to affordable housing.
How You Can Plug In:
Zaban Paradies Center (ZPC): Cook and serve hot dinners for couples staying at Atlanta's only shelter dedicated to married and domestic couples
Midtown Assistance Center (MAC): Serve as an intake caseworker or participate in urgent food drives
Faith Rooted ATL: Join community direct actions advocating for tenants' rights and housing justice
Recent Accomplishments & Goals:
Hosting community bagel rescue programs saving hundreds of pounds of food multiple times a year
Advocating alongside Faith Rooted ATL to end exploitative practices in extended-stay motels
Expanding ZPC’s pioneering initiative with Atlanta Public Schools to prevent homelessness among school-age children and their families
“…and teach them to your children—reciting them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up…”
— Deuteronomy 11:19
Mission & Overview
We believe that every child deserves access to a thriving, equitable public education. We direct resources directly to neighborhood students and schools—providing school supplies, mentorship, reading buddies, and essential weekend food assistance so that education, not hunger or hardship, is at the center of each child’s life.
How You Can Plug In:
Backpack Buddies: Pack weekend food packs each month at The Temple for neighborhood elementary students
Horizons Atlanta: Volunteer as classroom helpers, reading coaches, and mentors during the 6-week summer learning program
Toomer Elementary: Fulfill classroom wish lists, holiday gifts, and teacher appreciation support
Recent Accomplishments:
Feeding approximately 250 families every single week through Backpack Buddies
Horizons Atlanta scholars gaining months of reading and math advancement through Temple-supported summer instruction
Creating impactful, hands-on service learning opportunities for Temple middle and high school students
“Let justice well up like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
Mission & Overview
This group confronts systemic racism through education, legislative advocacy, and faithful action. Our efforts center on reforming the criminal legal system, dismantling mass incarceration, supporting returning citizens, and examining unconscious and implicit bias within our own community.
How You Can Plug In:
Record Restriction & Pardon Clinics: Volunteer alongside Georgia Justice Project (GJP) attorneys to help neighbors restrict criminal records and open employment opportunities
Court Watch Programs: Observe municipal court proceedings to ensure transparency and fairness
Educational Series: Participate in dialogues on anti-racism and our "Raising Race-Conscious Children" workshops
Recent Milestones:
Leading over 100 congregants on a pilgrimage to Montgomery, AL to the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice
Championing bipartisan legislation with Georgia Justice Project to allow criminal record expungement for individuals with rehabilitated records
Community film screenings and panel discussions on Bryan Stevenson's "True Justice" with returning citizens
“A woman's life, health, and dignity take precedence over all else.”
— Jewish Legal Tradition (Mishnah Ohalot 7:6)
Mission & Overview
This group champions gender equity, bodily autonomy, and comprehensive healthcare access at a pivotal moment for reproductive justice in Georgia and the nation. Grounded in Jewish values that prioritize life and well-being, we work to protect reproductive rights and maternal healthcare access for all women.
How You Can Plug In:
Roses for Roe: Participate in or sponsor our landmark annual fundraiser for reproductive health clinics
Join legislative advocacy visits at the Georgia State Capitol on women's healthcare access
Educational salons and community forums on maternal mortality and reproductive health equity in the South
Major Wins:
Our signature annual Roses for Roe campaign has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund safe, comprehensive, science-based reproductive care
Providing direct supplies and support for community women's shelters and healthcare clinics
“You shall not oppress the stranger, for you know the heart of the stranger, seeing you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
— Exodus 23:9
Mission & Overview
This group puts the ancient Jewish commandment to “welcome the stranger” into living practice. We sponsor and walk alongside refugee families—including Afghan and Ukrainian arrivals—furnishing apartments, tutoring youth, navigating enrollment, and advocating for humane, compassionate immigration policies.
How You Can Plug In:
Help furnish and set up welcoming apartments for newly arrived refugee families
Provide ESL conversation practice and youth academic tutoring
Patronize and promote refugee-owned small businesses across Clarkston and metro Atlanta
Participate in prayer vigils and legislative advocacy for border justice and family reunification
Recent Milestones:
Hosting rights forums for immigrant neighbors alongside Georgia Lawyers for the Rule of Law
Organizing multi-faith prayer vigils remembering those detained or impacted by border policies
Providing direct resettlement assistance and ongoing mentorship to newly arrived families
“Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness…”
— Genesis 1:26
Mission & Overview
We affirm the sacred dignity (Kavod) and Divine image in every individual regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Our committee works to ensure that The Temple is a deeply welcoming spiritual home while actively organizing to defend LGBTQIA+ equality, trans healthcare, and civil rights across Georgia.
How You Can Plug In:
March with The Temple and SOJOURN delegation in the annual Atlanta Pride Parade
Advocate at the Georgia State Capitol against discriminatory legislation targeting LGBTQ+ youth
Engage in queer Torah study and help curate The Temple’s dedicated LGBTQIA+ library collection
Recent Accomplishments:
Establishing an extensive, circulating LGBTQIA+ library at The Temple
Regular educational salons exploring Torah and Jewish tradition through an inclusive queer lens
Co-sponsoring regional pride observances with SOJOURN and Jewish organizations across the Southeast
“A community whose leaders are not chosen by the consensus of the public is not a legitimate leadership.”
— Talmud (Berakhot 55a)
Mission & Overview
This committee partners across diverse faith traditions and civic coalitions to safeguard the democratic process, protect the sacred right to vote, and ensure calm, peaceful polling places. We organize non-partisan registration drives and election protection so that every eligible citizen can cast their ballot free of intimidation.
How You Can Plug In:
Join non-partisan voter registration drives across metro Atlanta
Train as a poll chaplain, election monitor, or de-escalation representative
Participate in voter education phone banks helping congregants check their voter registration status on Georgia’s My Voter Page (MVP)
Key Initiatives & Wins:
Created a cross-faith coalition in metro Atlanta for peaceful polling places and conflict de-escalation
Protecting democratic norms against harmful rhetoric and election-related violence
Educating voters on key deadlines, absentee ballot rules, and early voting dates
