Day 1 | Recognize Human Need February | Adar

Watering Our
Tzedek Gardens

When we speak of straightening the bent, who do we mean? In this video and activity, Jordan Daniels from The Hive at Leichtag Commons helps us interpret “the bent” as those who are sidelined and marginalized in our societies: women, LGBTQ+ folks, specifically trans women of color, Black, Indigenous, and People of color, people of differing abilities, and more. As Jordan notes, some of us may find ourselves at the intersection of these identities.

Isaiah 58 calls us to live out the value of tzedek (justice) by noting, “When the people do justice, then they are ‘watered’ like a garden.” As Jordan shares, we can use the gratitude we feel for our own privileges to help inspire us to promote and work toward justice for all. When we pursue social justice, we are “watered,” our lives enriched through our service; we also have the opportunity to inspire others to act similarly by setting an example.

Watch the video below, and then use this Padlet (an online bulletin board) to pin your location and share (or show in a video!) how your gratitude can grow your tzedek garden, and how growing your garden can help others grow theirs. 

We are grateful to The Hive at Leichtag Commons for contributing this activity.