Ahavas Chesed | Words of Love

DENVER, CO (October 27, 2022) — Words of loving-kindness (Ahavas Chesed) will be the focus for Clean Speech Colorado starting November 1^st.  In its 4^th year, the campaign continues to grow not only statewide but nationally and internationally.  Guided by the Colorado Clean Speech team, New York City, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Illinois and Ottawa will also run 30-day campaigns in November, making this an unprecedented month of awareness and education of Jewish mindful speech. 

“We continue to be bombarded by glaring examples of the breakdown of caring, respectful discourse, which pushed us to create Clean Speech Colorado back in 2018, and which fuels the growing number of communities across North America who are joining the movement” said Rabbi Raphael Leban. “This year’s campaign features more timeless wisdom and effective strategies to increase the degree of love and kindness we bring to our verbal interactions with others.”

Launched in 2019, and the brainchild of Rabbi Leban, the Clean Speech Campaign “unites communities in making real and lasting improvements in the way we speak to build a more positive, respectful and peaceful world, one word at a time.”

Impact from previous campaigns in Colorado and well as in other cities has been significant.

Participants say the month-long campaign has changed their lives.  In fact, “surveys show that 72% of participants said the campaign changed the way they speak,” Leban said. “In a follow up survey three months after the conclusion of the campaign, 98% said that the lessons of the campaign are still having an impact on them, and more than 90% of the participating organizations said that these valuable lessons would become part of their organizational culture.”

This year, once again, Clean Speech Colorado includes the participation of over 60 Jewish organizations and schools throughout the State and tens of thousands of participants in Colorado. 

The campaign will feature 30 new daily lessons and videos with a new focus.  2019’s campaign addressed how we talk about one another, avoiding lashon hara – harmful and hurtful speech.  The 2020 campaign explored onas devarim – how we talk to one another, avoiding embarrassing, insulting or offensive comments. While the third volume – Oseh Shalom focused on avoiding and resolving conflict. The fourth volume is called Ahavas Chesed | Words of Love   and provides practical, useful strategies to build the kind of loving, meaningful relationships we all want.

In addition to a kick-off block party November 1st at The Jewish Experience, this year Clean Speech Colorado is excited to have a special guest appearance by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin with internationally acclaimed Israeli rapper Nissim Black for a talk show and live performance on November 30th at the JCC Wolf Theater. While there will be no charge to attend the live event, tickets will be available throughout the month of November by participating in the campaign at CleanSpeech.com/Colorado.

Other additions and innovations for this year’s campaign include a more streamlined user experience, allowing participants to easily watch the daily videos, and win tickets to the finale event.  Animated kids videos will also be readily available, allowing families to watch lessons and discuss the topics together.

The campaign is funded by local and national foundations and individuals, and there is no charge to participate. To sign up for Clean Speech Colorado, go to CleanSpeech.com/Colorado in time for the November 1st launch. 

The Clean Speech campaign has been widely received and appreciated by all ages. “I’ve learned to think before I say something. I’ve also learned to be way more sensitive to other people’s feelings,” said Dash Brooks, third grader at Denver Jewish Day School.

Details for Clean Speech Colorado’s 30-Day Campaign: (starting November 1^st )

The 30-day campaign will start November 1^st and run through the month with a series of events and materials that are free of charge. Those include:

• 2-minute Clean Speech Colorado daily lessons – accessed by the Clean Speech Web App
• November 1st Kick-Off Party – We’ll be launching with an open-house at The Jewish Experience, 399 S. Monaco Pkwy 3-6pm. Stop to enjoy brief lessons on Clean Speech, pick up this year’s new Swag, enjoy some delicious treats and more.
• Animated Children’s Curriculum – In addition to our daily videos for adults, this year includes another series of new animated videos designed just for kids – making Clean Speech Colorado Volume 4 truly for the entire family.
• Epic Clean Speech Finale – The final night of the November campaign featuring the Rabbi Joseph Telushkin and Nissim Black talk show – Live and in person at the JCC Wolf Theatre! More details and information on tickets to come soon.