Herer are some views of the DC Jewish Community Center's annual December 25th volunteer effort. Many hundreds of volunteers serve serve food, cheer the aged, young, the homeless and the bereft.
I have been documenting the effort for about 17 consecutive years or so.
For more info visit: www.washingtondcjcc.org/volunteer
Thank you to Erica Steen, Randy Bacon, and Rose Cranna of the DCJCC for their leadership and help.
I was ably assisted, again, by Ruth Stromberg.
Pictured sites include Mother Dear's, DC Central Kitchen, Dream Academy, Change, Inc., and the DCJCC blood drive.
"Tzedek tzedek tirdof l’maan tichyeh— justice, pursue justice, that you may live" (Deut. 16:20).
What is it to pursue justice, and why is the word tzedek repeated?
Medieval commentators offered some ideas:
Saadyah Gaon — pursue absolute justice.
Rashi and others — your courts should be exemplary.
Ramban — the word tzedek is repeated to teach that justice is paramount, whether the judgment is in your favor or not.
The Etz Hayyim bible commentary quotes Abraham Joshua Heschel, "You must actively pursue justice" and
Simcha Bunem, "The means you use to pursue justice must also be just." - from a commentary by Jonathan Kremer in the Philadelphia Jewish Voice
http://www.pjvoice.com/v4/4202justice.html
