ATZUM was established in 2002 to remedy injustices in Israeli society, and encourage individuals to become social activists and agents of change. The organization was founded on the belief that Israel should serve as an example for the rest of the world in regards to combatting and resolving social problems and social justice crises.
ATZUM’s current projects include:
- Task Force on Human Trafficking – A joint initiative with Kabiri-Nevo-Keidar (www.knklaw.com) that aims to engage the public and government agencies to confront and eradicate modern slavery in Israel, and lobbies for reform in the areas of prevention, border closure, protection of escaped women, and prosecution of traffickers and pimps.
- Roberta Project for Survivors of Terror – Developed by ATZUM and social worker Roberta Bernstein (z”l), the project distributes funds and provides educational resources and dental care to the families of survivors of terror attacks in Israel, specifically victims of older attacks who are overlooked by programs of assistance focused on more recent cases.
- Righteous Among the Nations – This initiative ensures that “Righteous Gentiles” who saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust are provided with basic necessities not provided by Israeli social welfare, including professional caretakers; geriatric, dental, ophthalmic and auditory treatments and aids; and visits by Israeli “adoptive grandchildren.”
- TAKUM Beit Midrash – (Tikun u’Mishpat/restoring justice) is a ten-month, international service learning program integrating in-depth Jewish study with social activism. In the beit midrash, students access biblical, rabbinic and contemporary teachings to better understand religious, legal, or moral dilemmas embedded in classic Jewish narrative. TAKUM brings together individuals eager to engage in intensive partnered and group study of Jewish texts as a means of informing and directing their own serious activist efforts in their communities and/or on a global level.
- Project Abrah – Now under the auspices of the Joint Distribution Committee.
An innovative oral history film project that empowers Ethiopian high school students and bridges the generation gap in Israel’s Ethiopian community by shedding light on the heroic struggle of Ethiopian “Prisoners of Zion.”
Our Promise
By drastically reducing administrative and general overhead costs, ATZUM ensures that every dollar donated significantly benefits social action in Israel.
Methods employed to reduce costs include:
- Utilization of home office space / no “brick and mortar” offices;
- Reliance on website content for informational purposes in lieu of expensive promotional materials;
- Extensive use of volunteers for project and administrative work in Israel as well as the management of ATZUM’s office in the United States.
