Three movements join One Sabbath campaign

December 3, 2008

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Three Jewish movements are among the participants in the One Sabbath Campaign.

The Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist movements are part of a campaign that aims to bring attention to global poverty and disease through worship services and small group discussions in congregations. Materials and resources appropriate to each religious tradition are provided. For example, the campaign's Web site features a Shabbat Torah Guide outlining relevant texts in weekly Torah portions that speak to issues of poverty, hunger and injustice.

In addition to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, Hillel and Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger are also partners in the project.

In a conference call Wednesday about the campaign with representatives of the Muslim, Hindu and Christian communities, RAC director Rabbi David Saperstein said he believes there is a "growing consensus" in the Jewish community "about the need to engage in global poverty" issues, noting that such issues "resonate repeatedly in the Torah."

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