The Need

The modern State of Israel suffers from a variety of societal ills:

·         804,600 Israeli children live under the poverty line

·         90% of Israeli schools are not accessible to people with disabilities

·         47% of Israeli families under the poverty line have at least one working parent

·         Approximately 3,000 women are bought and sold in the sex trade every year  

Our Vision

 
Imagine a State of Israel where:

·         parents would make enough money to support their families with dignity, rather than being denied their legally-mandated wages;

·         individuals with disabilities would have easy access to public spaces, instead of being relegated to the shadows of institutionalized life;

·         women would be treated with respect, not bought and sold by the thousands

Imagine a Jewish State worth its name.

Bema'aglei Tzedek believes in:

·         The importance of addressing the root causes of Israel 's socioeconomic issues

·         The ability of local movements to trigger lasting, sweeping and systemic change

·         The power of average Israelis to join together, turn to Jewish sources for inspiration, and create a better society

Our Mission

Bema'aglei Tzedek ("Circles of Justice") does more than just imagine a brighter future for Israel . It empowers the next generation of young Israelis to engage their Jewish identity and become powerful agents of social change.

Bema'aglei Tzedek uses cutting-edge educational tools and social action campaigns to create a more just Israeli society informed and inspired by Jewish values.

Our Audience

Bema'aglei Tzedek engages thousands of young Israelis, religious and secular alike, in both formal and informal educational settings, such as high schools, youth movements, and the army.

Our Initiatives

·         Biannual, large-scale conferences tied to specific dates in the Jewish calendar

·         A quarterly journal dealing with the intersection between Jewish thought, philosophy, and social justice

·         Ongoing educational programs incorporating Jewish text study, an in-depth understanding of current socioeconomic issues in Israeli society, and practical social activism

·         The Tav Chevrati, a certificate granted free of charge to restaurants that are accessible to people with disabilities and treat their workers ethically

·         "Employment Watchdogs," a project that empowers high school students to advocate on behalf of non-union custodial workers working in their schools

Our History

Bema'aglei Tzedek was established in 2004 by a group of young and dynamic social activists who strongly believe that Jewish tradition has much to say about and contribute to the current socioeconomic discourse in Israeli society. Since then, the organization has grown to include hundreds of committed volunteers and activists.

Fast Facts

Bema'aglei Tzedek boasts:

·         50 professionally-trained educators

·         60 graduates of our "Social Justice Beit Midrash," in partnership with Beit Morasha, which combines traditional Jewish text study with practical social activism

·         340 businesses bearing the Tav Chevrati, which certifies that businesses are handicapped-accessible and treat their employees ethically

·         16 journals

·         1,000 participants in each of our biannual conferences

·         18,000 high school students touched by our short and long-term educational seminars this year