What is Jewish activism?

Answer 1

This term can have two meanings. It can refer to Jews who are especially active in advocating for specifically-Jewish charities or for Jewish causes (it should be noted that nearly every religion has its own charities, which benefit members of its own group-- for example, some Catholics may choose to donate to Catholic Charities, some Jews may donate to Combined Jewish Philanthropies, etc). thus, some Jews are very much involved with causes and organizations that serve a predominantly Jewish population.

But this expression can also refer to the well-documented tendency on the part of many Jews to be active in causes that better the society, and for these Jews to make their voices heard. American Jews as a group are frequently in the top ten percent in terms of charitable giving, and they are also well-represented in organizations that support human rights, civil rights, etc. As a religion, Judaism puts considerable emphasis on "mitzvah"-- which is often poorly translated as a "good deed," but more accurately refers to taking positive action that will make the society better in some way. Thus, being an activist for certain causes can be seen by some Jews (even those who are not especially religious) as another way to do a mitzvah.