Alyssa Goldinger, a teacher at PS 171 in Queens, was among the more than 125 members who attended the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee’s inaugural awards dinner at UFT headquarters on Nov. 30. “I’m not religious, but I am a UFT member,” she said. The event’s two honorees, AFT President Randi Weingarten and Manhattan City Councilmember Julie Menin, were chosen for their practice of tikkun olam, a Hebrew phrase meaning “to repair the world.” “We wanted to celebrate people who do the work that aligns with our spirit and values,” said Jason Goldberg, the committee chair and the event’s architect. Weingarten acknowledged how painful a time it is for many Jewish people bearing witness to the crisis in Israel and Gaza. “We as educators have to be team humanity — pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, pro-humanity,” she said. “That’s what repairing the world means.” Goldinger said she hopes other UFT members seek connection through their heritage committees. “If they feel isolated or if they want to make a difference, there’s a place to go,” she said.