Maryland Youth Justice Shabbat and Solidarity Week
January 24 - February 2
Welcome to Maryland Youth Justice Shabbat and Solidarity Week with Jews United for Justice (JUFJ)!
During Youth Justice Shabbat and Solidarity week, dozens of congregations and organizations across the state take action on youth justice and engaging in collective conversations about Jewish texts, how they connect to youth justice, and the ways that we can build a more just and safe Maryland for children and adults alike.
If your congregation would like to participate or you would like to organize an event as an individual, please fill out the program interest form and a JUFJ staff member will be in touch soon!
Thank you to JUFJ’s Youth Justice Working Group members for leading the creation of this program.
To get involved in our youth justice work, please contact Elianna at elianna@jufj.org.
Participating Organizations and Related Events
Columbia Jewish Congregation
5885 Robert Oliver Place
Columbia, MD 21045
Nate Balis of the Annie E. Casey Foundation will be speaking about youth justice during Friday night services. Services begin at 7:30 PM.
You can attend in-person or virtually at this link.
Oseh Shalom
7515 Olive Branch Way
Laurel, MD 20707
This is a Shabbat during which congregations and organizations across the state take action on youth justice. The event will feature a speaker from the Sentencing Project, and will engage congregants during the oneg in a collective conversations about Jewish texts, how they connect to youth justice, and the ways that we can build a more just and safe Maryland for children and adults alike.
Josh Rovner, Director of Youth Justice at The Sentencing Project, will share his expertise on the failures of Maryland’s laws to treat our youth as youth and other closely related issues, such as voting rights, racial justice, and the school-to-prison pipeline. We will have Q&A at the Oneg and learn about JUFJ’s Youth Justice campaign.
B’nai Israel Congregation
6301 Montrose Road
Rockville, MD 20852
Teen Shabbat and Social Action Shabbat
Saturday, January 25
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
JUFJ staff and volunteer leaders have been leading a series of education programs about Youth Justice with teens from B’nai Israel, which will be highlighted during this service. There will be a community lunch following the service.
If you cannot attend in Rockville, join the livestream at: https://www.bnaiisraelcong.org/livestream
More info: https://www.bnaiisraelcong.org/event/teenshabbatjanuary2025
Am Kolel Jewish Renewal Community
1729 Wilmart Street
Rockville, MD 20852
Janeane Marks will be sharing a youth justice d’var. Services start at 10:00 AM, with Torah discussion at 11:30 AM. There is a potluck vegetarian dairy kiddush afterwards.
To join the services via Zoom, email admin@amkolel.org.
Chevrei Tzedek
3101 Fallstaff Road (at the Edward A. Myerberg Center)
Baltimore, MD 21209
At Chvrei Tzedek’s Shabbat Services, the d’var will feature youth justice.
Washington Hebrew Congregation
3935 Macomb Street NW
Washington, DC 20016
Dr. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” Guided by this question, volunteers of all ages will join forces to make a tangible impact in our community. Through acts of service, we will honor Dr. King’s legacy and strive to bring his dream of equality and compassion closer to reality.
Adat Shalom Congregation
on Zoom
Register for the Zoom link here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bY2JQqL1RqOMHOYnPUyTGg#/registration.
Beth Am Synagogue
2501 Eutaw Place
Baltimore, MD 21217
Tikvat Israel Congregation
2200 Baltimore Road
Rockville, MD 20851
Following Tikvat Israel’s morning events on January 26 and February 2, youth justice postcards and postcard writing guides will be available in the lobby.
