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Shomeret Shalom is a sevenfold nonviolent pathway which incorporates noncooperation with systemic violence and war as matters of religious observance.
A commitment to nonviolence distinguishes Shomeret Shalom from communities of practice which espouse love and the pursuit of social justice but believe that war and militarism are necessary evils in order to protect Jewish people from harm. A ‘Shomeret Shalom’ chooses to follow the sevenfold pathway of Jewish revolutionary nonviolence as the best method for keeping all of us safe and opening channels of Loving Presence in our lives.
A commitment to nonviolence distinguishes Shomeret Shalom from communities of practice which espouse love and the pursuit of social justice but believe that war and militarism are necessary evils in order to protect Jewish people from harm. A ‘Shomeret Shalom’ chooses to follow the sevenfold pathway of Jewish revolutionary nonviolence as the best method for keeping all of us safe and opening channels of Loving Presence in our lives.
THE SEVEN MIDOT OF SHOMERET SHALOM1) Hit-yakh-dut (Harmonious interconnectivity): awareness of the interconnection of all life in a single web of existence.
2) Ahava (Love): Treat ourselves and others in ways that cause people to feel fully welcome and valued. The Baal Shem Tov’s instruction to love your neighbor goes handin hand with the many protocols for preventing harm. He said, “Love your neighbor. Why? Because every human being has a root in the Unity of Creation. When you harm one aspect, you harm the whole.” (Tanya Chapter 32) 3) Gadol kavod habriot (Great is human dignity): The mitzvah to uphold human dignity abrogates Torah prohibitions. The absolute sanctity of human dignity is introduced in the Torah with the creation of humanity as a non-binary divine image molded from the soils of the earth. 4) Tzedek tzedek tirdof (Justice justice pursue!): Justice is mentioned twice. Once for the instruction to immediately intervene to stop harm and a second time to remind us to remain steadfast for the long haul in pursuit of justice. 5) Teshuvah (Repair harm): a five step system for ‘creating a culture of repair’. The steps include acknowledgement, accountability, truth telling, reparations and guarantees of non-repeat. 6) Al tikneh (Noncooperation with systemic violence): How do we prevent and actively obstruct violence? How do we build a culture of peace? Our response requires creative collective and introspective work and tactical experimentation, along with observance of Shomeret Shalom kashrut. 7) Lo b’hayil (Active resistance to militarism and war): A Shomeret Shalom practices conscientious objection to militarism and war while building a culture of peace. |
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Past Shomeret Shalom Classes
March 7, 14 Shomeret Shalom Class: Prep for Purim with Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb Thursday 4:30 - 5:30p PST
March 7, 14 Sliding Scale covers both sessions: $25 - $36
March 7: What shall we do with Haman? How do we tell the Purim tale without weaponizing it against others?
March 14: Womyn and Trans people on the front line.
An exploration of Esther the Protester and Vashti the Resister in the Palace of Patriarchy.
What lessons about activism can we draw from the story?
Register at paypal.me/RabbiLynn Include your email so I can send you a zoom link!
March 7, 14 Sliding Scale covers both sessions: $25 - $36
March 7: What shall we do with Haman? How do we tell the Purim tale without weaponizing it against others?
March 14: Womyn and Trans people on the front line.
An exploration of Esther the Protester and Vashti the Resister in the Palace of Patriarchy.
What lessons about activism can we draw from the story?
Register at paypal.me/RabbiLynn Include your email so I can send you a zoom link!
Want to learn more? Read the book!
