February 3, 2026 -

Machar

Social Action Committee

The Social Action Committee’s Mission

The Social Action Committee (SAC) helps Machar members turn their values into action.

Inspired by the spirit and Jewish tradition of tikkun olam (repair of the world), and through advocacy and community service, we support laws, policies, and activities to improve the world and strengthen the bonds within our community.

Do you have a question about one of our activities, or want to learn more? Please use our contact form to reach out.

How Machar Delivers the SAC Mission

Social activism involves both advocacy and community service. Advocacy aims to improve laws, policies and practices affecting people’s lives. Community service directly supports those in need, one of the most important mitzvot (good deeds) we can perform. Both provide our members with opportunities to strengthen bonds of friendship within our Machar community, and to engage and connect our Machar community with the broader community.

We approach our activities through a secular humanistic lens that emphasizes:

  • Independent and critical thinking
  • The power of human beings to effect change
  • Respect for the dignity of all people and for the environment
  • Our responsibilities to others
  • A strong sense of community
  • Deep satisfaction from helping others

Harnessing our own power to make a positive difference, our members volunteer their time, raise funds, and work for worthy causes and organizations.

To maximize our effectiveness, we work with other congregations and national, state, and local groups in the Washington, D.C., metro area; Maryland; and Virginia. The SAC Committee facilitates and encourages involvement of the whole Machar community, including children and youth, in our activities.

Advocacy

We think it best to focus our community efforts on a few prioritized issues that fit well with Machar’s values and policy statements. We are currently engaged in those below, but we’re open to considering others.

  • Anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Immigration and refugee concerns
  • Reproductive justice
  • Israeli-Palestinian peace, security, coexistence, justice and humanitarian issues
  • Climate change
  • Gun violence prevention

Machar Position Statements

* Machar’s procedures related to advocacy and community actions may be found here.

* Social Actions that may be controversial will be brought to the Board’s attention before implementation.

* Anyone in Machar is welcome to reach out to others to encourage engagement on issues for which Machar does or does not have a formal position by emailing the community listserv.

Partner Organizations

We partner with organizations whose mission fits well with ours and that have well-developed social action activities. Current partners are:

Recent SAC Activities

Machar Social Action Committee-led activities during 2025 included:

  • Promoting and engaging in more than a dozen major demonstrations
  • Providing immigrant support – e.g., helping Homes Not Borders with apartment set-ups for refugee families, and compiling an extensive resource list of volunteer opportunities
  • Constructing a children’s playhouse with Habitat for Humanity on MLK Day
  • Advocating on environmental issues, including climate change and Montgomery County’s “Bring Your Own Bag” bill that passed
  • Cleaning up litter at a local park
  • Helping Jews United for Justice support MD legislation on renter’s rights/eviction protection, youth justice/ending auto-charging of children as adults, economic justice, and immigrant justice
  • Raising funds to help Yachad make a D.C. family’s home livable
  • Food drives and collections of personal items at JCS/Adult Ed sessions
  • Participating in Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival
  • Publicizing talks on Israeli-Palestinian peace issues
  • Writing postcards encouraging Virginians to vote

SAC Members

Mimi Brody (chair), Cathy Bergmann, Susan Kahn, Susan Morawetz, Marlene Cohen, Howard Dubowitz, and Laura Broitman.

Please contact anyone on the Committee if you’re interested in joining us or in discussing ideas for social action.