t a meeting of my synagogue's board of trustees, the discussion turned to social justice. At which local food cupboard, the president asked, should our members volunteer to make sandwiches? While the talk dragged on, I looked around the room: By my count, twelve board members owned their own businesses. Providing free food to the hungry is certainly a good thing, but if we really wanted to help the poor, why not also pool resources and commit to training and hiring people who need good jobs?
My synagogue is not alone in largely following a "safety net" approach to social concerns—most do the same: food cupboards, clothing drives, furniture donations, etc. My current temple even conducts an annual underwear drive.
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