(organizational links after my verbose introduction)

I see Judaism as wholistically encompassing and unifying all aspects of our being, which includes spiritual connection, connection to the earth (adam - adamah), rhythms in time (shabbat, chagim - which are tied to the agricultural year and to the seasons, and schmitah and yovel which mark rhythms in time in society), connections to each other (ethical commandments), and connections to ourselves. So, my nature pages, my storm pages, and everything else all has an intrinsic connection even though I didn't elucidate it there. I see the same in politics. We are to care for the poor and the stranger, for we were strangers in the land of narrowness (mitzrayim - it doesn't have to mean physically Egypt). There are a multitude of responsibilities we have for the kind of society we create, and we must be mindful of how our actions and inactions create a particular kind of world.
For wholistic view of how Judaism can be intertwined in all aspects of daily living and how we can use it to ask questions about our modern-day struggles and issues, I highly recommend Rabbi Arthur Waskow's book Down-to-Earth Judaism: Food, Money, Sex, and the Rest of Life. Another good source is  The Shalom Center web page .

Politics is the way we organize society, make rules defining institutions and what behaviors they are permitted to have, and thereby substantially constrain the kind of society we have - other factors work inside those constraints and thus have effect but only to a limited extent. So Judaism and politics must be inextricably connected. Indeed, Torah itself defines certain societal structures, such as the wealth-limiting system of jubilee, whereby everyone starts out on an equal footing again every 50 years. Many synagogue social action committees have wonderful service programs helping provide food and for some, shelter (usually volunteering at another shelter, not housing at the synagogue) for those in need, among other quality programs. However, systemic forces are responsible for this need. Lack of mental health care. Spending more on prisons than on education. Spending billions on new weapons systems and corporate tax breaks while we have the resources but not the will to have housing, food, clothing, and medical care for every person in the United States. To deal with these issues necessarily puts us in the realm of politics in ways synagogues generally avoid. To make much headway, we have to focus first on the local level and build from the grassroots, starting with building trust and working relationships with others in coalition and then working together with them.
There are a number of organizations doing work of this nature in their local communities and more communities are working on creating such organizations.

• In metro Washington DC, I am actively involved in Jews United for Justice (JUFJ). Also read our online profile.
• In New York City, there is  Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and the  Alliance for Judaism and Social Justice (they have a web page but I do not have the current location - someone can email it to me!)
• 12 such organizations around the country  (part of the Jewish Social Justice Network, a project of the Jewish Fund for Justice) 
• In Denver, Sondra is trying to start something
• Great online resource on infusing Jewish social action and meaning into religious events and our communities: Rabbi Sue Fendrick's Social Action site. It has stuff on the holidays, teachings, issues, organizations, and more - looks very exciting!

Last year, Chanukah nearly coincides with the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks and protests in Seattle. There is a thematic connection too, explored in my play you can read here.