This newsletter launches a new series of social justice updates from Temple Beth Shalom. If you would like to continue receiving emails on this topic about twice a month, please log in to your account here, click "edit" and subscribe by clicking the "Social Justice News" box.
A Word From Our Social Justice Coordinator, Jason Taper
Social justice, simply put, is Tikkun Olam at scale. Acts of direct service help advance the cause of social justice, as does advocacy. Social justice is not only direct action like feeding the hungry, but using our power as engaged members of our community to make sure the systems and institutions in which we take part help fix misfortunes, not worsen them.
We organize our community by donation drives, days of service, letter-writing, petitions, voter registration, candidate forums, lobbying days, coalition-building, and any other way we can improve the world.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was fond of the phrase "praying with our feet" to describe how his faith inspired him to march with MLK and others. I personally find my strongest connection to Judaism when I am fighting for a fairer world.
When we protested with Austin Sanctuary Network to let Hilda, an asylum seeker living in an Austin church, stay in Texas, we lived the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger. When Advocates for Social Justice Reform, a Temple Beth Shalom group, researched how to best support District Attorney candidates to ensure that the justice system measures guilt, not wealth, we lived "Justice, Justice, you shall pursue." Action complements prayer, and no matter what issue you care about, earnest work to fight injustice anywhere fulfills a mitzvah.
My role is not to tell you what to care about. My role is to help you most effectively make the change you want to see. This is the first social justice newsletter of many, to connect those interested in taking action (you) with those who need the help, like temple groups and nonprofit allies. I look forward to working with you!
Jason Taper Social Justice Coordinator Temple Beth Shalom & Congregation Beth Israel Learn more about Jason
Each issue or opportunity below has its own contact person. Contacts listed with each item are members of Temple Beth Shalom, Congregation Beth Israel, or partner nonprofits, most of which are coalitions in which these temples participate.
Jason Taper is also starting a monthly community-wide meeting to talk up everyone's advocacy and action, so save the date for March 30. Jason invites you to chat or meet with him one on one! Email him at jason.austinsocialjustice@gmail.com, or text him at 469-834-9987. If you are involved in social justice and advocacy work not appearing here, let him know!
News
Religious Action Center, Texas Contact: Rabbi David Segal, dsegal@rac.org
Advocacy win! Harris County on Tuesday, Feb. 25, approved a resolution (by a 3-2 vote) to create a public legal defense fund to provide legal representation to immigrant residents. Out of more than 30 supportive testimonies at Commissioners Court, six were local Jewish leaders, including four rabbis. From the Houston Chronicle: "Rabbi David Segal, who does advocacy for the Reform denomination of Judaism in Texas, likened discrimination his Jewish ancestors faced to the current plight of immigrants here illegally. ‘Families belong together, and everyone deserves due process,' Segal said.”
Reform Congregations--Immigration Work Website Check out Daniela Weil's immigration advocacy website to find the latest actions and her thoughtful analysis, updated frequently.
Opportunities for Involvement
Advocates for Social Justice Reform (Criminal Justice) Contact: Bob Batlan, bobbatlan1@gmail.com Upcoming Events:Meetings with Officials Beginning after the March 3 Texas Primaries Location to be determined Meetings with new Chief Public Defender, with a board member of current Assigned Council organization, and with nominated candidates (presumptive Travis County candidates-elect) for judge, district attorney, and county attorney. This organization focuses on criminal justice reform advocacy. Members have studied key criminal justice reform issues in depth, focusing on Travis County; obtained a grant from State of Texas to support formation of Travis County Public Defender Office; obtained minority representation for Public Defender Oversight Committee from within the group.
"Justice, justice, you shall pursue." A just system of laws is ingrained from Leviticus through King David through every contradicting comment in the Talmud. Even an eye for an eye is blind to whose eye is taken, so we organize for a criminal justice system that is truly fair and impartial.
March 6, 13, 27, and April 3; 10:30 am - 12:30 pm Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3003 Northland Drive, Education and Fellowship Building Register at lltaustin.org or email Chichi Armstrong at charityarmstrong48@gmail.com.
Ladies Let's Talk helps immigrant and refugee women achieve social integration in their new community by connecting them with Austin women for one-to-one conversation, activities, and fellowship.
Upcoming Event:Rally at the South Texas Detention Center March 7 South Texas Detention Complex, Pearsall, TX (buses from Austin will be organized) Texas Fights Back: No New ICE Contracts. This is the first of the 10-year contracts we expect could be awarded and the largest of the three detention centers. It's also where people from the local Austin community are sent when they are picked up by ICE.
This group organizes against ICE contracts and inhumane treatment of detainees, including research, elected official contact, and protests.
Our Jewish values compel us to show compassion to these women who fled their countries after seeing their families being killed, crossed the ocean and arrived in a place they considered a safe haven. The dangers of Germany then and Guatemala now both compel allyship.
Greater Austin Anti-Poverty Action Contact: Larkin Tackett, 512-657-9383, larkin.tackett@gmail.com Upcoming Event: Monthly action team meeting, led by Ofelia Zapata March 11, 10:30 a.m. 2000 Woodward St. (Craft Room), Austin TX 78741
Jewish tradition is filled with commandments to help the poorest among us: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the widow and orphan. When we organize to place working class voices at the center of how our community morally responds to poverty, we not only improve the advocacy we undertake, but fundamentally empower those who the Torah compels us to uplift.
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) Contacts: Nancy Wolf, nwolf1000@gmail.com; Russ Apfel, russapfel@yahoo.com
Upcoming Event: Refugee Shabbat--Congregational Organizing for Refugees March 13 at Temple Beth Shalom
HIAS hosted the Austin Jews for Refugees conference, providing education on the policies and lived realities of refugee issues and connection to nonprofits working in this space to over 200 participants
Our own people’s history as “strangers” reminds us of the many struggles faced by immigrants today, and we affirm our commitment to create the same opportunities for today’s refugees that were so valuable to our own community when we fled our gravest dangers.
Ongoing Action: National Sanctuary Collective's Week of Action Here is a link to petition U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to ask her and three other members of Congress to take action to help Hilda, Iván, Alirio and others in sanctuary across the nation. If you'd like to contact the three other members of Congress that NSC is targeting, please reply and Jason Taper will provide their contact info.
This organization has been protecting Hilda Ramirez and her son Iván, who are Guatemalan asylum seekers, from ICE detention and deportation to certain danger, for 4 years.
“The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” So we show our love and solidarity with Hilda and Iván whenever we can.
Temple Beth Shalom 7300 Hart Lane Austin, TX 78731
