What I’ve learned about tikkun olam  

Here are ten things I’ve learned, leading a local organization focused on tikkun olam 

It has been a truly great honor to lead Tikkun Ha-Ir as the executive director for close to ten years. I know I have grown a lot, and I still love to continue to learn about new ideas and new stories of amazing Milwaukeeans doing their part. Here’s some of what I’ve learned, some of which might be helpful to others, as I’ve worked to do tikkun olam through Tikkun Ha-Ir for nearly a decade. Let’s all keep working to repair our world, our city, together. 

1. You don’t have to do it alone. 
   There are moments this work feels like the little engine that could. But when you surround yourself with people who bring expertise in their own right, so much more becomes possible. This means staff, partners and volunteers. There is no doubt our amazing staff, board and leadership council have shaped me into the leader I am today, and the way that Tikkun Ha-Ir extends its impact.  
2. Being a mom shapes how I lead. 
   I was already a parent when I stepped into this role, but motherhood has continued to deepen my perspective. I work for the kind of world we all want for our children. 
3. Jewish identity is lived through action. 
   We’ve seen more and more people connect to Jewish life through hands-on acts of justice, service and community care. With programs like Good Deeds Days, Veggie Chop Shop, and Getting Out the Vote work, we create space for people to do their Judaism. I always knew that Jewish identity is lived through a combination of study, spirituality and action, but these last ten years have really driven that point home.
4. Creativity matters. So does failure. 
   Some of our most meaningful programs grew from experimentation: Tu’BiShvat Seders, the food justice learning series, and “Veggie Chop Shop on the Go.” Not everything worked the first time, and that’s part of the process. 
5. We have to move beyond transactions. 
   It’s not just about how many meals we serve or volunteers we mobilize. It’s about belonging. At events like our Sukkot Food Justice Farm Party or the community Interfaith and Freedom seders, we’ve seen what happens when people feel part of something deeper. 
6. Collaboration is essential. 
   Our partnerships, whether through Veggie Chop Shop or community programs, only work when we listen deeply. The strongest collaborations have come when we build with others and create something together that is bigger than any one of us could have imagined. 
7. The work of racial justice is ongoing. 
   Milwaukee remains one of the most segregated cities in the country and as a Jewish community, we have a responsibility to not just look inward but continue to build relationships across lines. This work asks us to stay, even when it’s hard. 
8. Go to every part of Milwaukee. 
   “I don’t go to that neighborhood” is a mindset we have to unlearn. Over ten years, I’ve seen how much opens up when we approach the city with new eyes, new understanding, and a fuller sense of community.  
9. We have to hold both internal and external conversations about antisemitism. 
   Antisemitism is real and rising in the broader community, and we must be clear in confronting it. We don’t always agree on how to name or respond to it. Yet tikkun olam requires us to stand firmly against hate while engaging thoughtfully with one another. 
10. Gratitude sustains everything. 
    For the founders who imagined this organization. For the “keepers” who carried it forward. And for every volunteer, donor, and partner who show up again and again, this work exists because of you. 

After ten years, I don’t have a neat conclusion. Tikkun olam isn’t something we finish. It’s something we practice, together, imperfectly, and with hope.