NSP launched its first Giving Circle in March 2021, seeking to provide one more way for our community to come together to act on our shared values and fulfill NSP’s mission of reflecting the world of justice, equity, and liberation for which we strive. For many of us, especially those who have wealth or class privilege, supporting nonprofits with our money is an important way to live our values. In Hebrew, the word tzedakah (righteous giving) shares a root with the word tzedek (justice), expressing how donating money isn’t just about generosity but points us towards the better world we want to bring about.
Once a month, over six months, a small group of us met virtually, engaging in meaningful and sometimes emotional and challenging discussions about our values, relationships with money, and the needs of our community. Through these sessions we built community and, using a thoughtful collective exploration and decision-making process modeled on Jews United for Justice (JUFJ)’s 2016 giving and learning circle, together we decided to give to ONE DC.
As we entered the shmita year in the Jewish calendar, the Giving Circle participants were inspired by the invitation to consider alternative economic models based on rest, sharing, abundance, and redistribution of power and wealth. ONE DC’s work provides a model of an alternative way to organize our community’s economic resources. We were impressed and excited by their successful campaigns to build worker-owned cooperatives, collective power through tenant organizing, and community-controlled spaces in DC. We invite you to join NSP in supporting ONE DC by making a contribution here.
If you’re interested in helping to lead or participating in a future Giving Circle, please reach out to Lauren Spokane at lauren@newsynagogueproject.org.