Social Justice Initiatives

Kavana is home to many people who care deeply about the world.  

Over the last few years, our Social Justice initiatives have emerged quite organically (pun intended!) from our involvement with the Oxbow Farm CSA. From there, folks in the Kavana community have become interested in causes including cleaning up/preserving the environment, protecting workers' rights, and working towards ethical eating (for ourselves) and food justice (for all).  

Area of Focus: Our Social Justice Team is meeting monthly this year, and is particularly excited about a new initiative we're undertaking: to raise awareness in the Jewish community about the unethical labor practices (modern day slavery) in the chocolate industry.  We're working with fair-trade chocolate makers in the hopes that they'll create a line of fair-trade Chanukah gelt; we're pulling together educational materials; and we're preparing to mobilize our community to take the message to other Jewish communities, local and national.  Join us as we help repair this little piece of the world!

Upcoming Social Justice Team Meetings: Tues, Nov. 15th
- All are welcome. 
- Please RVSP for location and other meeting details.

Quick & Easy Ways to Make a Difference:
- Like tomatoes? Join the Rabbis for Human Rights of North America in support of the Campaign for Fair Food.  
- Test your food justice knowledge by taking the AJWS Food Justice & The Farm Bill Quiz and then take action by contacting Congress.
- Sign the Jewish Petition for a Just Farm Bill.

Recent Gatherings:
- Learn about Food Justice with (Kavana participant) Tammy Morales - Sunday 9/25
- Working Towards Slave-Free Chocolate, with (Hillel staff-member and Jewish abolitionist) Robert Beiser - Sunday 10/23