Tikkun Olam
Time
Left
WHO
Tikkun Olam has been at the foundation of Judaism whose principles transcend relgious boundaries. My path into this work grew from a personal journey that moved from Catholicism toward Judaism, a transition that aligned deeply with my beliefs in recovery, responsibility, and continual growth. Recovery taught me that healing is not abstract or imposed. It is lived, practiced daily, and carried outward through accountability, humility, and service. Judaism, and the concept of Tikkun Olam in particular, resonated because it frames repair as ongoing work rather than moral perfection. It recognizes that brokenness is not a failure, but a condition of being human, and that responsibility begins with oneself before extending into relationship, community, and the world. This project reflects that understanding. While Tikkun Olam is rooted in my own journey, it is not confined to it. My role is not to define the limits of participation, but to model a way of engaging the work: starting inward, moving outward, and remaining committed to growth, recovery, and repair at every stage. Tikkun Olam begins with one person willing to do the work honestly. From there, it belongs to everyone willing to do the same.
WHAT
What I am doing with Tikkun Olam is bearing witness to my Judaism in the context of my own life and relationships. I am not teaching, instructing, or seeking to persuade. I am living my values openly and allowing those closest to me to see how Judaism, recovery, and the practice of repair shape how I move through the world. What I share is not a curriculum, but a life in progress. This witnessing happens through presence, accountability, and care. It shows up in how I listen, how I respond to harm, how I take responsibility, and how I continue to grow. Others are free to engage with this however they choose, to ask questions, to draw inspiration, or simply to observe. Tikkun Olam, as I practice it, is not something imposed on others. It is something made visible. It is an offering, not a requirement, grounded in respect for autonomy and the understanding that each person’s path is their own.
WHERE
Everywhere. Wherever we are. It is lived in our inner lives, in our homes, in our relationships, in our work, and in our communities. It crosses neighborhoods, cities, nations, and borders. There is no designated location and no special status required. Any place where a person is willing to act with responsibility, care, and integrity becomes a place of practice. Repair does not wait for permission or perfect conditions. It happens wherever people choose to live their values openly and consistently.
HOW ​
We will do this here through open, respectful, and solution-oriented dialogue. This space exists for sharing ideas, questions, lived experience, and visions for repair. We will engage with curiosity rather than dismissal, and with care rather than dominance. When disagreement arises, it will be approached as an opportunity to deepen understanding rather than to win or silence. We will assume good faith and meet people where they are. Not everyone arrives with the same language, background, or level of experience, and no one will be belittled for asking sincere questions. Those with greater capacity or experience are encouraged to share generously, offering insight and perspective in ways that support growth. We will add more than we take away. Contributions are expected to move the conversation forward by offering reflection, context, or constructive paths ahead. Critique is welcome when it is paired with responsibility and a willingness to participate in repair. We will practice accountability, beginning with ourselves. This includes acknowledging harm, correcting course when needed, and remaining open to learning. We will keep this space aligned with its purpose. Engagement that is dismissive, dehumanizing, or purely obstructive will not be centered here, so that the work of repair can continue. Above all, we will treat this space as a place of practice. What happens here is not separate from how we live elsewhere. The way we speak, listen, and respond here is part of how we repair the world.
WHY
I have lived in a world where hate existed, but where we were moving, however imperfectly, in the direction of reducing it. That movement has stalled, and in many places it has reversed. Hate is resurging. At its root, hate is fear. Fear grows when people feel threatened, unheard, or disposable. Today, too much of the world is living in fear driven by unnecessary scarcity, insecurity, and systems that leave people overwhelmed and isolated. We are doing this because fear paralyzes, and isolation convinces people they have nothing to offer. Many care deeply about the state of the world but do not know where to begin or how their individual efforts could possibly matter. This space exists to counter that paralysis. By coming together, we can name what is broken without becoming consumed by it. We can share ideas for how healing begins with ourselves, extends into our families, and grows outward into our communities. We can identify practical ways to reduce fear by increasing connection, stability, and shared responsibility. We are doing this because the moment calls for action rooted in care rather than panic, and because repair is still possible when people are willing to face fear together instead of allowing it to divide them.