Responding with Intention: Preparing our Communities to Respond to Acts of Antisemitism and Hate
Reflecting the need for open conversation regarding the rise in antisemitism and the ways in which it directly affects our communities and synagogues, Rabbi Rick Jacobs (President, URJ), Yolanda Savage-Narva (Director for Racial Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, URJ) Jonathan Greenblatt (CEO, ADL), and Carly Pildis (Associate Director of Community Engagement, ADL) discussed the necessity of responding to antisemitism and hate more broadly.
NFTY Teens Advocate at Texas Capitol for Voting Rights
On Monday, Democratic state legislators in Texas walked out of the capitol building and flew to Washington, DC aboard private jets. This move broke the quorum of the Texas House, currently preventing the legislature from effectively operating, and consequently, from passing Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 3 which would restrict the freedom to vote. I took a charter bus to the Texas Capitol in Austin on Tuesday with fellow NFTY regional board member and RAC organizer Ronen Wenderfer where we teamed up with partner organizations to hold a rallied press conference, meet with legislators, and drop off postcards at their offices.
A Call to the Reform Jewish Community: Take Action Through Our Racial Justice Campaign
Learn about the opportunities to take action as an individual and with your congregation or community to advance racial justice.
Urgency and Timelessness at the Capitol
My Bubbe - a Holocaust survivor - tells me this is the first time since the Shoah she’s worried for the world her great-grandchildren are inheriting.
Why We Must Organize Our Communities to Protect Every American’s Freedom to Vote
The passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 teaches us that if we want Congress to enact legislation to protect the freedom to vote, we must organize our communities to be part of a sustained movement for justice.
From Immigration to Parole Reform, RAC State Projects Secure Racially Just Policies
In April, when the Reform movement launched its Racial Justice Campaign, Reform leaders were already advocating for racially just policies across several states. Each of the eight RAC state projects from California to New Jersey has launched its own legislative campaign focused on racial justice. Reform leaders in four of these states have succeeded in securing crucial legislation that will advance racial justice or defeating harmful legislation alongside diverse coalition partners.
From Pain to Purpose: Mourning for the Earth on Tishah B’Av
On Tishah B’Av, as we grieve for the Earth and the countless lives lost to climate change, we must also harness our power to limit the scale of future tragedy. Even as we feel the effects of climate change in our daily lives, we still have the chance to stave off worst-case scenarios.
How Judaism Inspires My Mental Health Advocacy
I need your help to ensure that every student can access mental health care, no matter where they live. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Mental Health Services for Students Act, which would provide $200 million in grant funding per year for five years to expand mental health services in public schools. Now, the Senate must act.
RAC-IL Helps Secure Landmark Immigrant Justice Victory
In late May, RAC-IL helped secure a landmark immigrant justice victory in Illinois as the state legislature passed the Illinois Way Forward Act (SB 667) on the final day of the 2021 legislative session.
Resurfacing the Conversation About Reparations
It is well understood that there is no amount of money that can be paid to right the wrongs of the many atrocities and genocides that have warranted the payment of reparations. But to truly begin to heal the wounds caused by over 400 years of inequities and dehumanization, acknowledgment, a truth and reconciliation process, apology, and reparations would be places to start. Watch the recent webinar series "Understanding Reparations" to learn more.