What is the difference between social justice and direct service such as helping at a soup kitchen?
Social justice is an end. Social justice means there is equality across society in terms of opportunities. Social justice activism and organizing are efforts toward systemic social change to create more racial, economic and gender equality and often has to do with economic or political freedoms. Social justice work and organizing are related talmudically to the concept of tikkun olam, repairing the world through systemic social change, and thinks into the future about consequences of our present-day actions. Direct service corresponds with the concept of gemilut chasidim, acts of loving-kindness, which responds to the immediate needs of individuals in the here and now. Both are very important but often gemilut chasidim doesn’t solve a problem, but alleviates symptoms of a problem. That’s very important but it’s not enough to serve someone soup, you need to finish the job by helping that person learn to provide for himself so he or she won’t need your generosity to get by. Q: Is today’s
Social justice is a concept that seeks the ultimate sameness in all people. It doesn’t allow for all people to reach their own distinct level of life and will use law to enforce its efforts to bring about this sameness. It negates the idea that each person is unique and equal. Direct service is a sometimes helpful action but as the other answer indicates is a bandage that serves to only specific problems.
