Naming the spiritual: The hidden dimension of helping

Graham, Mari Ann; Kaiser, Tamara L.; Garrett, Kendra J.

doi:10.1080/15426432.1998.9960243

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 12 publications

(11 reference statements)

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“…The gratitude and awareness expressed by Jordana and "Rebecca" of the importance of honouring Jewish tradition as a response to the Shoah is a manifestation of cultural resilience: the teaching of tikkun olam both provides and is evidence of the necessity of continuing the practice of Jewish culture in the post-Shoah world. Graham et al (1998) statement, that social workers often engage people in a spiritual search while lacking a "professional language" for this practice, is relevant to the findings of this study. The participants in this study discussed tikkun olam as a motivating underlying principle in their work, whether that work is carried out in Jewish or in secular spaces.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Tikkun Olam: Collectivity, Responsibility, History

Leslie¹

2017

cswr

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This paper presents findings from qualitative interviews with five Jewish people — two Rabbis and three workers in various community service capacities — about their understandings and practices of the Jewish principle of tikkun olam. Tikkun olam is a Hebrew phrase that means “the repair of the world,” has its roots in Rabbinic law, the Kabbalah and the ‘Aleinu prayer, and became a mainstream term for Jewish social justice work and community contribution in North America following the Shoah (Holocaust). In this study, participants spoke to the imperative to act and responsibility; external tikkun and internal tikkun; collectivity and interconnectedness; the presence of Jewish history in their work, particularly in the case of the Holocaust; and the spiritual dimension of working with people. This study was undertaken with a narrative approach, to honour and preserve understandings of tikkun olam across Jewish communities. This study indicates the continuing influence of tikkun olam in settings both within and outside the Jewish community. Potential future areas of research are the role of spirituality in social workers’ commitment to social justice and the commitment expressed by several participants to work with Aboriginal people based on a shared history of cultural genocide.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%