Below are AJWS’s resources for Global Hunger Shabbat 2011. Updated resources are forthcoming. Until then, enjoy and feel free to give feedback to hungershabbat@ajws.org or 212.792.2906.
- College, Home, Synagogue and School Guides
Use these guides to design tailored food justice education and activism programming for your community.
College Campus guide, School guide, Synagogue guide, Home Guide
- Sample Sermon / Speech on Hunger
The text of this speech is designed to be used either in full or as the basis for writing your own talk on global hunger. It includes multiple “introductions” to provide you with various entry points to the topic, including the week’s parshah. A Word version is also available if you would prefer to adapt this text to suit your own speaking style and needs. - On1Foot.org (Online Portal to Jewish Social Justice Texts)
Get inspired to write your own speech, article or session about the intersection of Jewish values and food justice by mining this resource bank of texts, sermons and lesson plans. Powered by On1Foot, your portal to Jewish texts for social justice. - Global Voices (AJWS’s Blog)
Use AJWS’s blog, Global Voices to learn more about current events related to food justice and communities in developing countries that are working every day to increase access to food and promote food sovereignty. The articles on the blog are full of information to use in a speech or article to distribute in your community.- D'var Tzedek (Weekly Torah Commentaries on Global Justice)
Click here for links to d'var tzedek commentaries specifically relating to food justice and hunger.
- Digging Deep into the Causes of Hunger: Activity and Discussion
- This interactive program is designed to engage youth and adults to learn about global hunger and what they can do to make an impact. It uses photography and story-telling to help make global hunger tangible for young people. The program includes a lesson plan and a Jewish framing guide to assist with implementation.
- Investigating Food Aid: Activity and Discussion
- Backgrouder, Lesson Plan, Character Cards, Text Study
This interactive program will educate advanced teens and adults about ways that U.S. policy (on food aid and agriculture) can have an unintended negative impact on developing countries. This program will also explain how the Farm Bill (expected to come before Congress in 2012) is an opportunity to effect positive change on these policies. The program includes a lesson plan and Jewish framing to assist with implementation. - Solidarity Plate and Readings
Use this interactive resource at the Shabbat table or at a meal (at home or in a communal setting) to tell the story of hunger through the eyes of individuals in developing countries who experience hunger every day and to encourage dialogue at the table.
- How Does Judaism View Food Aid? A Text Study.
This text study presents Jewish texts relating to hunger and food aid and challenges us to think critically about how we can work more effectively to alleviate global hunger- Joseph and Food Aid: Modern Meaning from an Ancient Food Crisis
- By exploring Joseph’s food aid system in Egypt during the years of famine, this text study sheds light on our contemporary food aid system and encourages us to think more critically about how we distribute food aid in times of need.
- Intention and Action: A Text Study and Facilitator’s Guide on Responding to Global Hunger
This text study is designed to facilitate chavruta (traditional “pairs” learning) and discussion about the role of intention in our pursuit of social justice. Using examples from the Torah, the Talmud and contemporary justice movements, the text study encourages participants to think critically about how to best respond to the needs of others. This resource is appropriate for the classroom and informal learning sessions. Please click here for the Facilitator’s Guide to “Intention and Action.
- A Prayer for People Living in Hunger around the World
This original prayer, written by Rabbi Shai Held, uses biblical verses to call on the Jewish community to listen to the cries of people living in hunger and to take action. The prayer can be used as part of the traditional Shabbat service or incorporated into kiddush or an educational program. Consider copying and distributing it so that the congregation or group can read together or responsively. Rabbi Held is Rosh Yeshiva of Mechon Hadar and a respected liturgist. His prayer in response to the 2004 Tsunami was used widely in American Jewish communities.- Gratitude and Responsibility: A Reading for the Thanksgiving Table
This reading highlights our gratitude for our blessings and acknowledges that even as our gratitude overflows, millions in the world continue to lack access to food. We pray that we may do our part to build a world without hunger, ensuring that all people have the gifts that we celebrate today—fullness and gratitude for our many blessings.
- The State of U.S. Food Aid: Key Advocacy Talking Points
The United States is the world’s largest donor of food aid to countries in need, providing help to people in countries suffering from famine, natural disaster and conflict. Simply put, food aid saves lives. However, the best way for food aid to reach these communities is a different story. The current process is not only inefficient and inflexible, but fails the “do no harm” test. Use this two-page fact sheet to learn more about the state of U.S. food aid and what you can do to help the U.S. do it better. - Reforming U.S. Food Aid: From Charity to Sustainability
An in-depth introduction and explanation of the U.S. food aid system that indicates why reforms are necessary to promote long-term food security.- Terms and Definitions
- What is food justice? Food aid? Biofuel? An NGO? This list of food justice-related terms and definitions will help inform you as you learn, teach and advocate about food justice issues.
- Reading List
This bibliography provides an extensive list of articles about food aid at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
Watch and share this short video to learn more about the famine in East Africa.
Watch and share this short video to gain a deeper understanding of AJWS's grassroots partner Association for Community Development of the Cienaga Grande (ASPROCIG) fighting for food justice along the Sinú River in Columbia.
Watch and share this short video to gain a deeper understanding of AJWS's grassroots partner Asociacion Cooperativa “Marta Gonzalez” (ACAMG) fighting for food justice in the Bajo Lempa region of El Salvador.
Watch and share this short video to gain a deeper understanding of AJWS's grassroots partner Kilili Self Help Project (KSHP) fighting for food justice in rural Kenya.
- Daily E-mails during the 18 Days of Action
For the 18 Days between Global Hunger Shabbat and Thanksgiving, commit to making a more just food system by signing up for the 18 Days of Action. Check out our calendar outlining 18 Days of quick and meaningful actions, and sign up here to receive a daily email alerting you each day to a new simple and easy ways to make a difference.- Advocacy Toolkit
This toolkit is a tactical guide to help you advocate and organize your community into a powerful constituency that can help drive progress on food justice, the Farm Bill or campaigns on any issue. In this toolkit you will find suggestions for becoming an effective advocate, ways to educate and energize the people in your community, tips on planning events and other actions, methods of engaging the media, and ways to maximize your impact by advocating to your elected officials. - AJWS’s Jewish Global Citizenship Star: The Six Forms of Activism
Photocopy and distribute this one-pager to educate people about ways that we can join the fight against hunger. - Serving Broader: A Guide to Connecting Local Service to Global Justice
- Though Hunger Shabbat is about hunger in developing countries, we acknowledge that service-learning around hunger is easier logistically for many communities when done on a local level. We invite you to use this guide as a resource to connect your local work (perhaps at a food bank or soup kitchen) with global issues. The guide, which can be used with youth and adults, provides a framework for pre- and post-programming discussion questions and text studies.
