Through a collaboration of congregations and institutions throughout Berkshire County, Ruth Messinger will serve as scholar-in-residence on the weekend of August 18-20, speaking in Great Barrington on Friday evening, in Pittsfield on Saturday morning, and in North Adams on Sunday morning.

A trained social worker, Messinger began her social justice career as a community organizer in rural Western Oklahoma and then in New York City on Manhattan’s West Side. She ran and won a seat on her local school board and then served in NYC government for two decades, first as a Council Member and later as Manhattan Borough President. She was the first woman nominated by the Democratic Party in NY to run for Mayor, losing to Rudy Giuliani in 1997. Messinger became the CEO of American Jewish World Service, a faith-rooted organization that supports local efforts to end poverty and expand human rights, funding more than 400 grassroots projects in 18 countries in the Global South and advocating on their behalf in the US. She stepped down from that position in 2016 but remains AJWS’s Global Ambassador, in addition to consulting, teaching and facilitating on social justice matters for several different faith-based and secular organizations.

On Sunday morning at 11:30am, Messinger will conclude her weekend residency at Congregation Beth Israel in North Adams, speaking on the topic of “Our Democracy: If We Can Keep It,” a program co-sponsored by Congregation Beth Israel, First Congregational Church of Williamstown, and Williams College Jewish Association. Light refreshments will be served.

The beautiful outdoor labyrinth at CBI will be available for private walking meditation prior to Ruth Messinger’s talk. Just following Sunday’s program, a guided walking meditation through the labyrinth will be facilitated by Rabbis Rachel Barenblat and/or Rabbi Pam Wax. This will be an ideal opportunity to integrate Messinger’s message of “walking the walk.”