Leicester Progressive Synagogue didn't forget the campaign for global justice at Sukkot!
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY JEWISH COALITION
Fairtrade Synagogues are here!
The Fairtrade Synagogue initiative was very successfully launched at the MPHJC Jewish Community Fair at Birmingham Central Synagogue on March 9th with speeches from Mango producers from Burkino Faso, a banana producer from the Windward Islands and a spokesperson from the Co-operative Movement speaking about how the Co-op monitor their ethically sourced products. Birmingham Progressive Synagogue and Birmingham Central Synagogue received the very first Fairtrade Synagogue Certificates from Ian Bretman, Deputy Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, who spoke personally about how his Jewish upbringing influenced his work for Fairtrade.
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| Rabbi Margaret Jacobi (left) of Birmingham Progressive Synagogue and Ruth Jacobs, (right) chair of Central Synagogue Birmingham receive the first Fairtrade Synagogue Certificates from Ian Bretman, Deputy Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, at the MPHJC Fairtrade Fair held at Central Synagogue, Birmingham, 9 March 2006. | Leicester Progressive Synagogue didn't forget the campaign for global justice at Sukkot! |
All synagogues are invited to follow the lead of Birmingham. Find out about about Fairtrade Synagogue certification, read the Fairtrade Synagogue Action Guide (pdf, 1.2MB, opens in new window) and download an application form (pdf, opens in new window).
WHERE NEXT?
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY JEWISH COALITION was formed for the actions around the G8 meeting in July. But that was only the beginning. The Jewish tradition has much to say on issues of fair trade, ethical investment, debt relief, development aid - in two words, on social justice. The Jewish Coalition will be meeting again soon to carry forward the discussion on bringing these issues to the forefront in our community, and to making our voice heard outside of it. Watch this space!
In the meantime, read the MPHJC education pack (1000k) - the background you need to understand the issues, no-graphics version (500k)
| Useful links (newest first) | |
| Page of MPHJC logos to download | |
Papers for the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY assembly meeting on Tuesday 31 January:
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| Very useful PowerPoint presentation (big; 5MB) and accompanying notes from MPH drawing up a balance sheet for the year. (Both in Microsoft Office formats. If you don't have PowerPoint or Word, free viewers are available on the Microsoft website.) | |
| The verdict on 2005 from MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY (PDF, opens in new window) | |
| Images of the MPHJC stall at the Encounter Conference, and an album of pictures by year 3 pupils at Rosh Pinah School Edgware, which have brightened our stand at the G8 in Edinburgh, the Encounter Conference and at Limmud. | |
| Flyer for White Band Day 3 (10th December) | |
| Jane Drapkin's speech at the Trade Justice Lobby on November 2nd, 2005 | |
| The Difference between Life and Death, by Ruth Jacobs | |
| Report of the 9th October Birmingham workshop (PDF, opens in new window) | |
| World Bankers And Oil Barons Loot Africa (ZNet) | |
| MPHJC has produced a new Sukkot Education Pack (PDF, opens in new window) | |
| A depressing assessment by George Monbiot of the outcome of the campaign: "almost everything has turned to ashes" | |
| Clive Lawton's piece in the London Jewish News following the rally | |
| Rabbi Julia Neuberger's speech at the rally | |
| African Poverty Surging on Communal Agenda; an American perspective (in the Forward). Reference to the UK Jewish situation at the end of the piece | |
| The coffee is moral, the chocolate is green; fair trade in Israel (from Ha'aretz). If Israelis can buy fairly-traded Palestinian olive oil, why can't we? | |
| Fair Trade and Jewish Ethics (from Rabbi Tony Bayfield, RSGB chief executive) | |
| Dvar Torah on MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY by Rabbi Margaret Jacobi | |
| Experience of the the Jewish Coalition (by Danny Casson, Director of World Jewish Aid) | |
| Some alternative viewpoints on the G8 debt relief plan: | |
| The G8 debt relief plan is far less generous than it looks ( Alex Wilks, on OpenDemocracy) | |
| George Monbiot on why the current debt cancellation terms are so bad for the recipient countries | |
| Are mainstream NGOs failing Africa? (Patrick Bond, on ZNet) | |
| A Fraud And A Circus (John Pilger, on ZNet) | |
The Edinburgh Jewish communities (the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation and the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community) are proud to be part of this initiative.
click here to contact us, or phone 07891 439 646