Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom

Towards Peace, Freedom and Justice for All

Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, is a hallmark of Reform Judaism and one of the defining aspects of Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom’s mission.  We believe that human beings are God's partners in improving the world. That’s why Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom is so much more than just a house of worship.  It is also a community of dedicated individuals who are personally committed to taking an active role in working toward bringing peace, freedom and justice to all people.

Our many important social justice projects include the very active Temple Committee against Human Trafficking (TCAHT), which received the Irving J. Fain Award from the Religious Action Center of the Union of Reform Judaism in 2007.  TCAHT opposes all forms of sexual exploitation, the buying of sex and all attempts to legitimize and legalize the sale of others for so-called adult entertainment, prostitution and pornography. We believe that education and critical thinking will change the way society thinks of the sex industry. We advocate for vigilance to protect the vulnerable from becoming victims and to recognize signs of human trafficking. We are committed to creating a cultural shift in which society recognizes prostitution as abuse and we seek to end the pervasive sense of male entitlement to sex on demand.

Our objectives are to:

• create awareness within the Temple community and the general public about the human trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and slavery and its links to pornography and prostitution
• educate young people on the complex crime of human trafficking in order to create vigilance, curtail demand and promote gender equality
• work with other human rights groups that share our commitment and goals, as part of an interfaith coalition
• act as a coalition of citizens working with other NGOs, government officials and law enforcement
• address issues concerning the shared border between the U.S. and Canada by working with American NGOs and counterparts in government and law enforcement
• form a partnership with the ATZUM Task Force on Human Trafficking to end the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation and slavery in Israel
• build a partnership of synagogues working against human trafficking and establish the Jewish Abolitionist Network
• act as a resource center for others who wish to join the anti-trafficking network
• support safe houses and shelters in Montreal for female  victims
• host an annual conference on human trafficking prior to or during Passover

We partner with the ATZUM Task Force on Human Trafficking in Israel and are members of the Triple S (Stop Sex Slavery) network. TCAHT also works with other human rights organizations and an interfaith coalition on issues of human trafficking/sexual enslavement/prostitution. In collaboration with these groups, we press for better law enforcement, more severe punitive laws, youth education, and protection and recovery for victims.

If you are interested in taking on an active role in our social justice efforts, please contact us at human@templemontreal.ca.