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Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

SWFS

Social Action Committee

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The Social Action Committee offers a range of opportunities to take action to make our society and our world more just and equitable. Recent areas of focus include environmental and food justice and responses to COVID-19.

If you’d like to get involved, please reach out! To learn more about the committee or for any questions, please contact the committee chair, Beth Gelfond, at bgelfond@nyc.rr.com or contact Rabbi Samantha Natov at (212) 877-4050, ext. 244 or socialjustice@swfs.org.

The climate crisis is the biggest existential threat we face, yet it is routinely relegated to second place. As a congregation and a group of concerned congregants, the Social Action Committee seeks to not only increase awareness, but also sustain attention. We are concentrating on the effects our food system has on the environment and how we can use this understanding to fight climate change.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we’ve seen huge changes to our way of life. As part of our response, we’ve encouraged congregants to join us and other organizations in reaching out to our neighbors who’ve been hit the hardest by the social and economic consequences of the disease.  

Upcoming Social Justice Programs

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Meet Rabbi Sam Natov

Rabbi Samantha Natov grew up in Dundas, Ontario. She holds a bachelor’s from McGill University and a master’s in musicology and ethnomusicology from the University of Virginia. Following her time as a cantorial soloist in Toronto, Rabbi Natov came to New York to earn her degree in sacred music from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. After working as a cantor at congregations in New Jersey and Brooklyn, she decided to become a rabbi. Rabbi Natov was ordained by HUC-JIR in 2015 and joined Stephen Wise Free Synagogue a few months later in July 2015.

As associate rabbi at Stephen Wise, she oversees the congregation’s adult education programming and social justice work.

Ways To Act

Social Justice
Next Step Men’s Shelter
Emergency Food Program
Caring Community Outreach
Musical Mitzvah

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