From the Director

Shalom!

Are you passionate about Judaism, politics and community service? If so, Summer JAM might be the program for you!

Summer JAM is a fantastic opportunity to spend the summer in Washington D.C., learning about critical moral concerns and debating political and social justice issues from a Jewish perspective. You will be part of a pluralistic community while volunteering in a variety of meaningful ways in the broader D.C. community.

At PANIM, we integrate study of Jewish texts and values with thought-provoking speakers from a spectrum of D.C.-based organizations to help you become an informed, educated activist. You will have the opportunity to lobby on Capitol Hill and meet representatives working on the issues you care about. You will form meaningful friendships and will know that your community is comprised of young adults who care about their society and are taking active steps to improve it.Summer JAM will inspire you to make a difference in the world and will give you the tools to do just that.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once said “To be is to stand for.” This summer as young American Jewish leaders, we will search for who we want to be in the world and develop the courage to stand for those convictions.

Shmuly

Director of Summer JAM

JAM 2008 Courses and Service Projects

While on JAM, you will focus on two topics of study. Each course will include: a direct service project, meeting with policy experts, Jewish study related to the issue, and a lobby visit on Capitol Hill. Our 2008 courses are:

Aizehu Ashir, Who is Rich?: A Jewish Understanding of Poverty
Will my parents’ income level dictate my SAT score? Why should the rich have to pay more taxes than other people? Why are some Americans who work full time unable to pull themselves out of poverty? How does supply and demand influence salaries and earning potential?
In this course we will explore questions of economic disparity through the lens of Judaism. As our service project we will be coordinating activities for homeless children at Bright Beginnings Child Development Center in DC’s Sursum Corda neighborhood. Our experiences in the field will inform our learning, which will focus on real-life scenarios, Jewish texts and values, current policy, and upcoming legislation as it affects one of our country’s most vulnerable populations: the poor.

Chonen Hada'at: Crisis in the American Classroom
Which is greater—study or action? If we look to the Talmud, we see that Rabbi Tarfon believed that action was superior, whereas Rabbi Akiva preferred study. After further discussion, they both agreed that study was better because it lead to action. (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Kiddushin 40b). Based on this and other texts, we can conclude that Judaism holds education in high esteem. How can we use our Jewish knowledge to improve education in this country?
In this class, we will couple study and action as we examine some of the deep questions facing the American education system. Many schools struggle with aging buildings, funding cuts, and violence. We will examine a variety of potential solutions—such as vouchers and magnet schools—to the socio-economic and racial problems our schools face. We will ground our inquiry in our hands-on experience tutoring students from low-income neighborhoods at the Washington Middle School for Girls. Throughout the course, we will reflect on the connections between Judaism and education, and how we can use each to deepen our understanding of the other.

Refuah Shelaimah: A Holistic Approach to Judaism and Healthcare
Runny nose? Cough? Headache? This may sound like a Nyquil commercial—but for Americans without health insurance, these minor problems could mean a lot more than a day or two of discomfort. If left untreated, these relatively innocent symptoms could turn into a prolonged illness, a lifetime of medical debt, or the untimely death of a loved one.

For our service project we will fulfill the mitzvah of bikkur cholim (visiting the sick) by volunteering with patients at the Lombardi Cancer Center. We will examine Jewish attitudes toward the sick by reading ancient texts, and we will look at public policy and healthcare initiatives to see what America has done for—and to—the infirm. With an eye to the 2008 presidential election, we will examine the current American healthcare system, the proposed alternatives, and the consequences of each.