As we face down midterms (in the wake of the VRA's gutting and more) and so many of the crises swirling around us now,
so many of us are ready for an infusion of wisdom, insights, tools and pointers about how we can best be of service towards the future we all deserve.
We've been hearing this from many quadrants, so today we're launching 🥁 🥁 🥁
Learn, To Do —
a brand-new training series from Life is a Sacred Text, co-sponsored by EducateUS, which builds power on the state and local level to advance sex education across the country.
Across four sessions this summer and fall, some of the most respected organizers, thinkers, educators, and movement leaders in the country– including Mariame Kaba and Priya Parker– will share the skills, frameworks, and strategies we need right now for better collective action, community care and movement-building.
The Talmud (Kiddushin 40b) shares a story about Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders hanging out, wherein the question gets posed: Which is greater, learning or doing? Rabbi Tarfon, quite understandably, says: Doing! But in the end, everybody winds up agreeing with Rabbi Akiva that actually, learning is greater– because it leads to doing.
There are many things that we can glean from this story, but one of them is this: When we take time to increase our knowledge and understanding, we do, better– we’re more inspired, more impactful, better of service all those around us (and ourselves.)*
LEARN, TO DO is for everyone who wants to expand their capacity to have an impact, whether you’re a movement veteran or just showing up for the first time. We all have new things to learn in order to more effectively do.
I’m beyond thrilled to share that we’ve got the chance to learn from brilliant changemakers:
Mariame Kaba on finding your most effective and sustainable role in social change work.
Elsa Sjunneson on what Disability Justice can teach all of us about collective care, resilience, and building communities that can thrive over the long term.
Priya Parker on conflict as a democratic skill—navigating disagreement, tension, and accountability without abandoning relationships or shared purpose.
Graie Hagans on the backbone work of organizing, leadership development, coalition-building, and growing movements capable of creating real change.
LEARN, TO DO offers something desperately needed at this time: practical tools, grounded wisdom, and a pathway from fear and fury to action.
These conversations are about building our capacity together—to care for one another, navigate conflict, organize effectively, discover our role in the work, and create the communities and future that matches our vision for what’s possible.
I hope you'll join us for one session or all four. Learn with us. Grow with us. Come discover what your next step might be.
And please spread the word.
Because the world we need won't build itself.
And because learning, at its best, leads to doing.
With gratitude,
RDR / Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
*Obviously, the most likely reading of this story is that the good Rabbis were talking about Torah study and mitzvot, at least in part–that’s certainly how the Rabbis of the Talmud and later interpreters understood it. And yet, it’s hardly irrelevant context that this conversation was taking place between the Romans’ destruction of the Second Temple and the Bar Kochba Uprising against the oppressive Roman Empire–the latter of which Rabbi Akiva was most certainly an active participant.
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
Full descriptions and registration here!
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Liberation is, quite literally, a group project:
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