The Purpose of the Center for Jewish Alternatives is to provide support and guidance for individuals and small groups alienated from, or dissatisfied with, their local Jewish institutions. We hope that you will use these resources: as an entry to the wealth of guidance and wisdom contained in Jewish ethical and moral teachings; as a vehicle to become aware of the wide range of options you have; and as encouragement to create meaningful alternatives which incorporate Jewish ideals and values while addressing your personal, professional and social concerns.  

First some clarification is in order. While we have delineated our consultation and resources into the areas of focus of our programs, we recognize that there is substantial overlap between them; i.e., a havurah might be formed to plan a joint bat mitzvah.  A group might also want to develop an educational program for their children and include a Tzedakah component. A third group might want to form a Havurah which becomes socially active on some domestic issue. 

In the same way, some of the resources listed here provide information in many of these categories, especially Tikkun and socialaction.com and the books of Michael Strassfeld. They can be kept in mind as resources for all program areas and options.    

Ron has been a reader of Tikkun Magazine “A Bimonthly Jewish and Interfaith Critique of Politics, Culture, & Society” and a member of a Tikkun Study Group since 1990 and, from 2002 to 2005, was on the Tikkun Community Leaders Committee. Over the years, articles have appeared in the magazine and the website on family, housing, intermarriage, education, globalization, as well as the conflict in Israel/Palestine so visitors to this site should consider going to www.tikkun.org and, for an annual fee of $10, be able to access articles in all the back issues. In addition, Michael Lerner, the editor of Tikkun Magazine and the driving force of the Tikkun Community has written a number of books about Judaism and social justice including “Spirit Matters”, “Jewish Renewal”, “The Politics of Meaning”, “Healing Israel/Palestine”, with Cornel West, “Jews & Blacks: A Dialogue on Race, Religion and Culture in America” and "The Left Hand of God.

We recently discovered www.socialaction.com “An On-Line Jewish Magazine Dedicated to Pursuing Justice, Building Community and Repairing the World”. We continue to be amazed at the vast knowledge it has gathered in one website – simply look at the hyperlink tabs on the top of its home page; i.e., teachings, Jewish holidays, change makers, lifecycle events, issues, resources, communities and curriculum. Socialaction.com is a project of  Jewish Family and Life as are www.myjewishlearning.com, www.Jewz.com, www.shma.com, www.interfaithfamily.com, and www.babaganewz.com    

Michael Strassfeld, Richard Siegel and Sharon Strassfeld vigorously stimulated thinking about Judaism in 1973 with the publication of “The Jewish Catalogue – a Do-It-Yourself Kit”.  This book arose out of the countercultural activity of the 60’s, the Havurah movement, and was meant to be a guide or manual to the range of contemporary Jewish life covering Jewish symbols, holidays and Jewish writings. Michael’s next two books (with Sharon Strassfeld) were “The Second Jewish Catalogue: Sources and Resources” (life cycle, study, prayer and the Arts – a book that we cherish because on page 336 is a picture of the matzah cover crocheted by our daughter Lesley and used at the Seder of our Alternate Religious Community of Marblehead (MA), and "The Third Jewish Catalogue: Creating Community (justice, Tzedakah, community, the Holocaust, intermarriage, ecology and Israel)". Since then he has written "Jewish Holidays and A Book of Life: Embracing Judaism as a Spiritual Practice".  

With that caveat in mind here are some suggestions of useful resources. We welcome and invite you to e-mail us at  ron@ronfox-joanfox.com your suggestions for additional resources that others might find useful.