What We Think

Economic Justice: A New Bottom Line

We believe that a world guided by a New Bottom Line is the most rational and spiritually grounded way to transform our economic system so that it serves life rather than exploits it.

A New Bottom Line calls us to judge the economy not by how much wealth it concentrates at the top, but by how well it ensures dignity, security, and opportunity for every person. Instead of measuring success by GDP, stock prices, or corporate profit, we measure it by whether every person has enough — enough food, housing, health care, education, meaningful work, and time for rest, community, and spiritual growth.

Money and values are inseparable. Money can be a tool for love, justice, and repair — or it can create fear, resentment, and disconnection. The challenge is to loosen our attachment to money, seeing it as a gift to be used in service of a higher purpose. Wealth is not meant to isolate or dominate, but to be stewarded — channeled into practices that advance compassion, ecological balance, and justice.

Tzedakah = Justice

Tzedakah is often thought of as charity, but the root of the word tzedakah is from tzedek, meaning justice. In other words, tzedakah is not about only giving money; it is about creating justice and righting what is unjust. Economic justice requires us not just to alleviate harm and suffering, but to transform the systems that create inequality and oppression.

The Gift of Generosity

Every act of sharing — whether financial, volunteering your time, or offering skills — affirms the abundance of the universe. Jewish tradition teaches that even those who receive help are called to give. Generosity is not about the size of the gift, but about cultivating connection, dignity, and a spirit of love. We are called to discern how we can make wise choices with limited resources, and how we can steward wealth in ways that repair systems, strengthen communities, and nurture life.

Economic justice also calls for restorative practices, repairing the harms caused by exploitation, inequity, and structural oppression, and rebuilding systems that distribute wealth and opportunity more fairly. This ensures that economic power is used to restore communities and promote flourishing, not to deepen harm or separation.

This New Bottom Line insists that the economy exists to support love and caring, kindness and generosity, empathy and compassion — and that it advances social and environmental justice rather than undermines them.

We call this a New Bottom Line for Economic Justice — an economy in service of life, dignity, and repair.

You can listen to economist Claire Mattei speak about how we might move from a capitalist economy to a New Bottom Line here.