Social Action
Be a part of our community’s ongoing work…
The Social Action Committee works to engage our CBI community in efforts to promote social justice. Our Jewish values guide us in education, inspiration and creating opportunities for action.
We are connected to the Religious Action Center (RAC) of the Union for Reform Judaism. The RAC’s vision of “a world overflowing with wholeness, justice and compassion” nurtures our Tikkun Olam partnership with Reform Congregations throughout North America.
All members of CBI are welcome to join the Social Action Committee.
Every Voice, Every Vote
Our Jewish tradition teaches: “A ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is
first consulted” (Babylonian Talmud Berachot55a)
Congregation Beth Israel (with the support of WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood and our Social Action Committee) is a part of the Reform Movement’s 2026 “Every Voice, Every Vote” Campaign! We invite you to join with others in our CBI community to ensure all have an equal say in decisions that impact their lives by sending out postcards to empower voters across the nation.
At the center of this non-partisan initiative is a partnership between the Reform Movement’s Religious Action Center (RAC), WRJ and the Center for Common Ground to reverse the voter suppression that has disproportionately affected people of color.
We’ll also be supporting campaigns for ballot measures that reflect our values.
At our Every Voice, Every Vote events (Thursday, August 6 and Thursday, August 20), we’ll be writing to voters in several states:
- Virginia voters in support of three ballot measures:
- Reproductive Freedom Constitutional Amendment- Provides a state constitutional right to make and effectuate one’s own decisions about all matters related to one’s pregnancy
- Freedom to Marry Constitutional Amendment- Repeals the state constitution’s ban on same-sex marriage
- Freedom to Vote Constitutional Amendment- Restores ability to vote to people with felony convictions who have been released from prison
- To Georgia and other states- Get out the vote postcards to BIPOC voters
Please RSVP for our postcard wrting events
Want to do more?
Order your own postcard kits from the RAC, write postcards on your own time, invite
family, friends and neighbors to join you.
The best way to protect our freedom to vote is to act on your right to vote and help others do the same!
Every Voice, Every Vote at CBI is co-sponsored by WRJ/BIS and CBI Social Action.
Start 5787 With a Mitzvah
The High Holidays—and with them, back-to-school—are rapidly approaching, and with them two CBI traditions of giving, community support, and starting the near year with a mitzvah.
- The Robert Peltz (z"l) High Holidays Funds for Food is part of our ongoing work to combat food insecurity. Through this annual drive, CBI partners with local organizations working every day to provide nourishment, dignity, and hope. Last year, thanks to the generosity of our community, we raised more than $70,000 (far exceeding our $40,000 goal) and distributed support to organizations including Lift UP PDX, Rose Haven, Urban Gleaners, Sunshine Division, and many others.
- Our Back to School Drive for Project Lemonade supports school age youth, ages five through eighteen, in the foster care system. This year’s focus is collecting much-needed new belts and wallets for youth aged five through eighteen, new socks for children aged five and up, and new sports bras in all sizes. If you have already purchased backpacks or underwear as we previously requested, these are also always needed. Collection bins will be in the Lipman Foyer and at the upcoming Shabbat on the Plaza Services.
Social Action Allocations
Robert Peltz (z"l) High Holidays Funds for Food
This year (2025/5786), 165 donors from the CBI Community raised over $76,000 for the Robert Peltz (z”l) High Holidays Funds for Food, greatly exceeding our goal of $40,000. We have allocated these funds to support the efforts of the following community partners:
5786 Robert Peltz (z”l) High Holidays Funds for Food Allocations
Lift UP: $11,500
NE Emergency Food Program: $7,000
Immigrant and Community Refugee Org (IRCO:) $5,000
Stone Soup PDX: $5,000
Native American Rehabilitation Assoc (NARA): $5,000
Sunshine Division: $5,000
Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center: $5,000
Urban Gleaners: $6,000
William Temple House Food Pantry: $6,500
Blanchet House: $5,000
PSU Smallwood Food Pantry? $3,000
Rose Haven: $6,000
Somali American Council of Oregon: $3,000
CBI/Lift UP Community Holiday Dinner: $3,107
Upcoming Meetings and Ongoing Projects
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Social Action Committee Meetings |
Interfaith Alliance on Poverty |
Tikkun Olam Together: a CBI Circle |
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CBI’s Social Action Committee meets virtually, generally on at 3:00 PM on the first Wednesday of each month. Our CBI calendar will have ongoing details. |
We play an active role in the Interfaith Alliance on Poverty, which holds their meetings online at 12:00 PM on the first Thursday of each month (with the exception of an August summer recess). |
For more direct action, our CBI Circle, Tikkun Olam Together, organizes monthly (and more) opportunities to pitch in for our community partners across the Portland area. |
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Support Our Work
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CBI’S Social Action Funds |
The Robert Peltz (z"l) High Holidays Funds for Food |
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Two CBI funds—the Social Action Food Fund, and the Social Action General Fund—support the work we do, and allow us to support our community partners in turn. If you are remembering a loved one or marking a special simcha with a donation to CBI, please consider ensuring that our efforts continue! |
Each year, we mark the High Holidays with a Robert Peltz (z"l) High Holidays Funds for Food drive. Contributions to this fund go toward the purchase of food (including culturally-appropriate foods and emergency support) for our Partners in combatting food insecurity. |
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Click here to make a Social Action contribution
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Click here to donate to the Robert Peltz (z"l) High Holidays Funds for Food |
Donation Requests
CBI’s Social Action Committee manages two funds—the Social Action General Fund and the Social Action Food Food Fund—which, along with the Seasonal Robert Peltz (z"l) High Holidays Funds for Food, provide grants averaging $1,000 to organizations addressing pressing needs like hunger. Requests are reviewed twice yearly, with time-sensitive needs considered as they arise. Funding requests may be submitted online.