Tzedek DC

Inspired by the words in last week’s Torah portion, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof” (“Justice, justice we shall pursue”), Righteous Crowd is supporting Tzedek DC. The Washington, D.C.-based organization provides free legal services to low-income and working-poor individuals suffering from debt-related and other consumer protection legal crises.

Building on the positive and inspiring examples of the Jewish community’s historical participation in advancing racial equity, Tzedek DC utilizes a 3-part strategy to support their mission:

  1. Free legal representation and advice and financial counseling

  2. Working in coalition to make systemic change

  3. Providing community legal education on debt collection, identity theft, and credit management

Tzedek DC reports that “since 2017, Tzedek DC has served over 2,500 DC client households in legal matters, saving an average of $2,151 per full representation case… and has helped catalyze systemic reforms benefiting hundreds of thousands of DC residents.”

Here is a one-minute video explaining Tzedek DC's important work.

For those in the DC area, please consider attending Tzedek DC's Sixth Annual Chef Competition - Soup for the Soul on October 3, 2022. 

Please see a snippet of our 2019  interview with Tzedek DC's founder, Ariel Levinson-Waldman, when Righteous Crowd first supported Tzedek DC. 
 

Why did you decide to start Tzedek DC?

In 2015, community leaders, service providers, and residents in the District of Columbia, backed by a fellowship from The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, pinpointed an area of acute unmet need in the nation’s capital: legal help for low-income families with often life-altering problems arising from debt. By all accounts, debt-related problems were widespread and severe; 95% of low-income residents received no legal help in such cases -- though the help was highly effective for those who did obtain it -- and predatory lending and debt collection lawsuits were disproportionately targeted at communities of color. A group of determined volunteers from the Greater Washington Jewish community, including several with consumer protection and debt-related legal experience, decided to take steps towards closing this persistent justice gap.

For our 2019 full interview with Ariel, click here.

To learn more about Tzedek DC visit https://www.tzedekdc.org
Please join Righteous Crowd in supporting Tzedek DC.

To see all organizations that Righteous Crowd has supported, click here.

OrganizationsAmy Benarroch