“Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof / Justice, justice, you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20)
Since its founding, Temple Beth Am has been firmly committed to tzedek (justice), chesed (acts of loving kindness), and tikkun olam (repairing the world) as a vital part of how we deepen our relationship to Judaism. We hope that in practicing these values, our community gains an actionable awareness of the issues we face today.
Temple Beth Am joins the Reform Movement in opposing Initiatives 001 and 683 that will appear on the Washington ballot in November.
In 2015, the Reform Movement adopted a resolution on the rights of transgender and gender diverse people(1), affirming a commitment to the full equality, inclusion and acceptance of people of all gender identities and gender expressions, and urging the adoption and implementation of legislation and policies that prevent discrimination based on gender identity and expression, and that require individuals to be treated equally under the law as the gender by which they identify.
This resolution is grounded in two biblical texts: Genesis 1:27 and Leviticus 19:16. In the first creation story in Genesis, we learn that not only are humans made b’tzelem elohim, in G!d’s image and therefore worthy of respect; we also learn that the first human was created both male and female. And in the part of Leviticus known as the holiness code, we are told not to stand idly by the blood of our neighbor. The Talmud takes this a step further:
כׇּל מִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לִמְחוֹת לְאַנְשֵׁי בֵיתוֹ וְלֹא מִיחָה — נִתְפָּס עַל אַנְשֵׁי בֵיתוֹ. בְּאַנְשֵׁי עִירוֹ — נִתְפָּס עַל אַנְשֵׁי עִירוֹ. בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ — נִתְפָּס עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ.
Anyone who can protest the actions of their household and does not, is held responsible for the actions of their household. Anyone who can protest the actions of their town and does not, is held responsible for the actions of their town. Anyone who can protest the actions of the whole world and does not, is held responsible for the actions of the whole world.
Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 54b
As Jews of any and all gender identities, we cannot stand idly by while the trans community is being targeted. We must take action, and we must help others see the injustice of these initiatives.
Professor Suzanne B. Goldberg of Columbia Law School describes the recent torrent of anti-trans legislation across the country (see below) as “legal scapegoating.”(2) She notes that, “These kinds of laws divert public attention away from real problems, like the persistent underfunding of girls’ and women’s school sports and pervasiveness of sexual abuse in sports, by directing fear and anger toward a minority group and then deploying that fear and anger to justify more restrictions.”
As Jews, we know what it means to be the target of scapegoating. For thousands of years, Jews have been blamed for everything from plagues to control of the international monetary system. We also know that while scapegoating doesn’t always start with us, it always ends with us: in other words, the same factors that fuel antisemitism also fuel other kinds of hate, including racism, misogyny, Islamophobia, and most recently, transphobia. Stoking fear through disinformation and misinformation serves the interests of those who favor uniformity over diversity. This enforced uniformity poses a direct threat to all marginalized and minority communities, including Jews, and is inconsistent with Jewish values.
The Rise of Anti-Trans Bills in the U.S.
Since 2016, when North Carolina’s bathroom bill went into effect, the number of anti-trans bills introduced in Congress and state legislatures has increased exponentially (3). That year, there were a total of 55 bills introduced, about half of them dealing with what bathroom trans people could use. In 2025, more than 1,000 bills were introduced on topics including bathrooms, sports, healthcare, and education. Not all of these bills have passed, but the constant drumbeat serves to create fear: fear among the majority of Americans that trans people are a threat to our children and our very way of life; and fear among trans people who are increasingly subjected to hostility and physical violence.
In addition, since the beginning of 2025, there have been numerous Executive Orders directly targeting trans people: defining gender as an immutable binary determined at birth; eliminating federal funding for K-12 schools that promote “gender ideology” and requiring schools to inform parents about their children’s gender identity; prohibiting trans women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports; banning trans people from the military; and withholding federal funding for gender affirming healthcare (4).
Sources
Immigrant Justice Resources
Many people have asked for ways to support and stand with immigrant communities by acting with our deeply held Jewish values: lo ta’amod al dam re’echa (do not stand idly by in the face of violence), pidyon sh’vuyim (the redemption of captives), and tikkun olam (the repair of the world).
There are many roles in moments of resistance:
Have an action or opportunity you would like other Beth Am members to join you in? Please let us know so that we can coordinate efforts and amplify our impact!
In addition to hundreds of hours of volunteer time, annually Temple Beth Am gives close to $150K in Tzedek through Gan, Seed, and Camp Kalsman scholarships as well as other to other partner non-profits. This ensures we uphold our sacred obligation to be Rodfei Tzedek, those who pursue justice, through action, advocacy and empowering education.
The majority of this funding comes from member’s generous designated restricted gifts. Members and outside donors can give to these causes directly through tribute funds and clergy discretionary funds. The other source of funding is corporate matching where 100% of matching contributions must legally be used for “non-religious purposes in support of local social justice causes and initiatives.” The remaining 10% of direct Tzedek funding comes from annual commitment and general annual donations and is used to support the food purchases for Teen Feed and Angelene’s Kitchen volunteers, HIAS, the RAC, mitzvah and Gan projects, JFS event partner/sponsorships, and the facilities costs for other social justice committee work that happens at Beth Am.
Please know that both your direct support of Tzedek and your general support of Beth Am allows our community to maximize your generosity by doing good, advocating for justice, aiding the wronged, upholding the rights of the marginalized, and taking up the cause of the vulnerable.
Our community supports many issues, but we have active lay-leader efforts in the following areas. We encourage you to reach out to these groups to join in their efforts as we all seek to live our values:
H2R is Changing – from Homeless 2 Renter to Home 2 Remain… and More!
Family traumas lead to the loss of a home due to job loss, medical bills, rent increases, or other issues. Since 2004, Temple Beth Am has helped families avoid homelessness.
H2R has helped over 500 families since 2004, including more than 650 adults and more than 1175 children. In FY 2024, we assisted 92 individuals among 27 families. Two of those families had move-in support, while 25 families received eviction prevention assistance to enable them to remain in their homes.
Due to increased housing costs and other inflationary trends, as well as increased needs for service within the Jewish community, we are now agreeing with JFS to significantly increase the amount of funding for individual families. This means that we will not continue to serve as many families, without increased support from our Beth Am community.
A high rate of 85% of program funds is used for actual assistance to families with just 15% to cover JFS staff and administrative costs. Temple Beth Am takes no administrative expense.
Reimagining Responses from the Temple Beth Am Community to Housing Issues
Now is the time to study anew the meaning of our traditions and teachings, of shelter and family, of personal and community responsibility. As we inspire our children to ask questions at Passover, we too should ask what is happening in our community that leads to loss of shelter and what can we do about that. Service? Advocacy? How can I make a difference? “If not now … when?”
One recent initiative has been to help Sound Foundations NW, which builds “Tiny Homes” used by the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) and others in Tiny Home villages across Washington. These homes and communities provide a bridge for people moving from the streets, to shelter and stability, then on to education, work and permanent housing. We had three “tiny home” builds and an Interfaith Habitat for Humanity Build in 2024, and we are presently planning two more “tiny home” builds. Contact Sue Covey to sign-up.
How Else Might We Respond?
Maimonides taught, “Anticipate charity by preventing poverty. . . This is the highest step and summit of charity’s golden ladder.” How might our community engage in sacred efforts to reach that step? We invite your participation to help educate our community and guide H2R’s future.
We are now looking to provide essential personal items for those moving into “tiny home villages.”
Please join us in the search for the best ways to involve our Temple Beth Am community in identifying and developing effective tools to relieve the pain of family homelessness. We look forward to your suggestions and participation in doing this. Want to get involved? Contact Sue Covey or Laura Strauss.
The Health Care for All Committee provides a Jewish voice in advocating for universal and equitable access to quality health care.
Contact: Ronnie Shure
I3 works to create opportunities for interfaith collaboration and relationships, be a voice of solidarity for faith communities, and provide educational resources about Judaism to our neighbors.
Contact: Diane Baer
The Immigrant Justice Action Team offers opportunities for learning, action and advocacy to foster the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger.
Contact: Diane Baer
Teen Feed cooks and serves hot, nutritious dinners to houseless youth, ages 13-25 in the University District. Specially trained advocates and support coordination staff help access resources and services. Email Maya to be added to the Teen Feed volunteer list. Contact: Maya Menon
Temple Beth Am members make sack lunches for the women of Angeline’s Day Center, where women can store their belongings, shower, clean their clothes, warm up, talk to counselors, get medical treatment, or simply sit and rest.
Contact: Julie Lyss
Inter-faith meal offerings with Temple Beth Am (TBA) and Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) on the 3rd Sunday of every month. For the past 14 years, TBA and CBS volunteers have served meals to the community. Since COVID we offer bags of walking foods — fruits, protein bars, cheese sticks, cookies, sandwiches, hot chicken, drinks, anything that would survive the winter elements. Folks drop off donations — small or large — at Lake City Lamb of God located at 12509 27th Ave NE main entrance by 4:30 PM. Volunteers sort and package the bags for give away starting at 5 PM. Student community service points are available with Jo Merrick.
Contact: Jo Merrick
The Temple Beth Am Board of Directors, in support of the URJ’s & Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s (RAC) efforts has passed a series of white papers that elucidate our congregational commitment to the following issues:
Temple Beth Am has a proud history of social justice advocacy. Our Rabbi Emeritus Norman Hirsh marched in the Freedom Protests of the 1960’s. In 1964, Rabbi Hirsh, and 16 of his colleagues went to St. Augustine at the invitation of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They were arrested and penned the powerful note, entitled Why We Went. Upon returning to Seattle, Rabbi Hirsh spoke about his motivations and values in the sermon Sacrifice and Freedom.
Senior Rabbi Ruth A. Zlotnick continues to live these values by taking public action on numerous issues, including homelessness, refugee resettlement, marriage equality, and more.
Our work in the past is prelude for today. We are committed to not rest on pretense, but to be actively engaged in the justice efforts of the present and the future.
Temple Beth Am proudly partners with many other organizations and groups to share in the sacred work that is needed throughout our city, country, and world.
There are a great many issues that burden our community, and much sacred work that is to be done. Even though Temple Beth Am has a limit on how much we can undertake as an organization, the joint work and passion of all of our members can make significant changes in our world. We encourage everyone to find the issue or project that is most meaningful to you and bring justice to all.
We also must be eternal learners, pushing ourselves (often out of our comfort zones), listening to new perspectives, and challenging our preconceived notions. We look forward to robust, heartfelt, and perhaps, at times, contentious dialogue within our community.
Below is a collection of resources on a number of current issues. Please explore them for yourself, and use them to inspire new conversations, learning, and action. Feel free to contact Beth Am staff for more resources.
Environmental Justice
Gun Violence Prevention
Housing Justice
Immigrant and Refugee Protection
Israel/Palestine
Reproductive Justice
Voting Protection
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