Tzedek (charity)

Last updated
Tzedek
Type INGO
Purpose Judaism, charity, Education poverty reduction
Headquarters Golders Green, London, United Kingdom
Region served
Worldwide
Key people
Kira Blumer (CEO), Steve Miller (Founder)
Affiliations Make Poverty History
Website www.tzedek.org.uk

Tzedek is a UK-based registered charity [1] organisation which aims to provide a Jewish response to the problem of extreme global poverty. Registered as a charity in 1993, [2] Tzedek has a number of overseas development programmes, working closely with local NGOs to alleviate extreme poverty in Northern Ghana and Northeast & Southeast India. As well as supporting local NGOs within these regions, Tzedek aims to develop the leadership skills of young Jewish leaders within the community to provide a long-term, sustainable solution to global poverty. [3]

Contents

Vision and mission

Tsedek at Gaza-Lebanon ceasefire demonstration in 2024 Tsedek at ceasefire demonstration in 2024.jpg
Tsedek at Gaza-Lebanon ceasefire demonstration in 2024

Tzedek's framework is based on the concept of tzedek, a Hebrew linguistic root word for justice. The word does not merely indicate legal rights but also compassion and humanity. [4] That is why, in the Jewish tradition, the word for charity is tzedakah. The Jewish values reflected in Tzedek's work include Ahavtah et HaGer (you shall love the stranger), which teaches a view of a global world without racial or religious boundaries; and, Naaseh v'nishma (we will do and we will understand), which holds that awareness and knowledge lead to actions with deeper commitment. [5] It is because of this that Tzedek believes that the UK Jewish community can be at the forefront of the challenge to reduce extreme poverty abroad.

Tzedek seeks to provide a point of contact between the Jewish and non-Jewish worlds, by engaging the UK Jewish community with sustainable development projects overseas to non-Jewish beneficiaries. The charity's work particularly focuses on impacting the livelihoods of women and young people, as research suggests that this provides the longest lasting impact within communities.

Tzedek believes that poverty is a man-made problem and can only be solved by fighting for social justice. Tzedek's initiatives, therefore, are twofold:

  1. Developing strong, sustainable partnerships with local NGOs to empower communities and tackle poverty. These projects are predominantly focused in Northern Ghana and Northeast & Southeast India and focus on increasing access to education and improving vocational skills of the local population. [6]
  2. To raise awareness within the UK Jewish community of global poverty to increase a sense of global social responsibility. Through education and developing the leadership skills of young Jewish leaders, Tzedek can provide a platform for social responsibility ambassadors within the community to organise and create meaningful change. [7]

Present work

Ghana

Tzedek's primary work in Ghana involves reducing extreme poverty in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana. Their work within this region aims to create sustainable changes in livelihood, by improving the standards of education and youth empowerment within the communities. There is a strong emphasis on working in coordination with local individuals and organisations within the region in order to understand and to the most significant local issues

Examples of initiatives Tzedek have supported in Ghana include:

India

Tzedek's work in India focuses on four main regions: Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The majority of the charity's work within India consists of funding sustainable poverty relief by partnering with and supporting local NGOs. By empowering these local organisations with self-sustaining livelihood projects, this has a long-term impact on the communities.

The projects that Tzedek fund in India fall into the following categories:

Programmes

History

Tzedek's beginnings trace back to the spring of 1990, when a group of activists held a series of open seminars on global issues entitled 'Tzedek'. As a result of these seminars, in the autumn of 1990, Tzedek was launched as an organisation with a commitment to adhering to Jewish values and engaging with sustainable development work. In the early stages of Tzedek, projects were supported in South India, Zimbabwe, Sudan and Swaziland (now known as Eswatini) and a series of public seminars were held to improve awareness of these issues within the UK. [16]

Being officially recognised as a charity in 1993 [2] and continuing to expand, by 1995, Tzedek organised their inaugural volunteering expedition, where five volunteers travelled to Zimbabwe to co-ordinate and work alongside the local community. In the following years, the scope of Tzedek work's expanded to West Bengal, Kenya, Ghana, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Nigeria.

In 2007, Tzedek won a significant three-year grant from the Department of International Development (DFID) for their work in education, that was later matched by the Pears Foundation.

In 2017, Tzedek made the decision to solely focus their overseas work in Northern Ghana and Northeast & Southeast India, in order to provide more sophisticated and detailed sustainable development projects for local communities.

Tzedek's work has been widely recognised around the world. The charity's founder, Steve Miller, was nominated for the Charity Times Outstanding Individual Achievement Award in 2010 [17] for his work in setting up Tzedek and he was also quoted at a multifaith conference as part of the Jubilee Debt Campaign. [18] The Chair of Tzedek, Jonathan Middleburgh, was also awarded for outstanding leadership at the Jewish Volunteering Network's Heartbeat of the Community Awards in 2018. [19] The Jewish Chronicle [20] [21] have often recognised and applauded the work of Tzedek.

Tzedek also hold regular fundraising events, such as an annual comedy evening at the Arts Depot showcasing the best of UK Jewish comedy. [22] Tzedek is also a member of the Make Poverty History coalition. [23]

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References

  1. ↑ "Charity Overview". Charity Commission. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  2. 1 2 "Charity framework". apps.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  3. ↑ "Our Work". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  4. ↑ Elkins, Dov Peretz. (2013). Bible's top 50 ideas : the essential concepts everyone should know. [Place of publication not identified]: Wipf & Stock Publishers. ISBN   978-1625642592. OCLC   952547478.
  5. ↑ WJEC Eduqas GCSE religious studies. White, Joy, 1955-, Owens, Chris,, Pawson, Ed,, Ridley, Amanda. London. 28 October 2016. ISBN   9781471866340. OCLC   1062323100.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. ↑ "Partnerships". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  7. ↑ "Leadership Development". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  8. ↑ "The Ben Azzai Programme". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  9. ↑ "Social Responsibility Week to encourage charity outside the community". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  10. ↑ Reporter, Jewish News. "The young leader inspiring the community to look beyond its own backyard". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  11. ↑ "Go Develop". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  12. ↑ "The Overseas Project Team". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  13. ↑ "Schools Twinning Programme". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  14. ↑ "'Excellent' Naima impresses inspectors". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  15. ↑ "Schlep!". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  16. ↑ "Vision & Mission". Tzedek. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  17. ↑ "Charity Times Awards categories". www.charitytimes.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  18. ↑ "Jubilee Debt Campaign UK". Jubilee Debt Campaign UK. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  19. ↑ "Top volunteers enjoy night in the spotlight". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  20. ↑ "Where the Big Society happens". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  21. ↑ "Older kind of 'gap year'". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  22. ↑ "Tzedek's Comedy Evening 2019 | artsdepot". www.artsdepot.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  23. ↑ "MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY http". 2008-08-20. Archived from the original on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
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