DJJ leader/water team member Rabbi Moshe Givental wrote a beautiful op-ed for Detroit Jewish News about our "Illuminating Water Justice" Hanukkah gathering on Sunday. In an excerpt, Moshe writes:

On Dec. 2, more than 70 young Jewish people and other concerned Detroiters gathered Downtown to shine the light of Chanukah on the struggles of Detroiters for access to affordable drinking water at “Illuminating Water Justice,” which took place following Menorah in the D...the people gathered drew on the history of Chanukah, when a small band of Israelites fought back a corrupt empire to reclaim their own sovereignty and dignity. The celebration that first year was a belated commemoration of Sukkot, which centered a grand water-drawing ceremony, honoring the necessity of abundant water for human life.

Read the rest of the article, and a compilation of photos from the action, here.

More on “Illuminating Water Justice” and ways to support our work:

--Find on online-version of the zine, "Water: Issues, Facts & Figures" produced by DJJ leader Hannah Lewis here.

--View more photos from the action on Facebook here.

--View video of comments by Rabbi Alana, Rev. Roslyn & more footage from the action.

--On Sunday we launched "8 Days of Water Justice," a social media campaign that ties the story of Hanukkah to our struggle for water justice. Follow the videos on Facebook and Instagram. Not on social media? Click here to sign up to receive daily emails and see the videos we've posted so far.

Rabbi Moshe Givental spent this past summer walking a Pilgrimage from Boston to Detroit, to prepare him for the work of this city. A former psychotherapist, he is dedicated to deep listening, the healing potential of relationship with the Earth and all life, and the transformative power of difficult conversations. He is spending this year finding his place in our city, volunteering with DJJ, teaching, networking, researching, and writing. Rabbi Moshe was ordained at Hebrew College Rabbinical School in Boston, MA.