Social Action: WRJ Advocacy and Programming

September 8

Plan for the Future: What Do You Need to Know About Social Security, Pensions and Savings?
We know this is a very busy time for all of you, now at the cusp of the High Holidays. But we want to make sure that you know about this opportunity to take an hour for yourselves to learn some economic facts that are important for women.
 
Many of us do not know how best to plan our participation in Social Security, pension, and savings plans. The National Women's Law Center is hosting a two-part series of webinars to help women prepare for retirement.
 
The two webinars are free, but registration is required:

• Planning for the Future: What Women Need to Know About Social Security - 1:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, September 8, 2010
• What Women Need to Know About Pensions and Savings - 1:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, September 16, 2010

Register for the webinars online today.
 
Tashlich Ritual
To celebrate 5771, Lilith Magazine has sent us a new Tashlich ritual, which can be adapted or replicated, to symbolically cast away that which we regret from the past year, so that we can be open to look to the new year ahead.

September 1

Deficit Reduction Without Harm 
WRJ has signed a letter with one-hundred and twenty other national organizations urging the members of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to take special care not to cause harm to America’s low- and moderate –income households in developing their recommendations to reduce our nation’s deficit. The commission, co-chaired by former Clinton administration Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles and former Senator Alan Simpson, will forward proposals, approved by fourteen of its eighteen bipartisan members, to Congress. Deficit reduction should build a strong economy, with economic security shared by all. 

The letter to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is now open for signing to local and state organizations to demonstrate that local and state groups across the country share these concerns. 
 
Sisterhood presidents, please read the letter for more information, then please sign it for your sisterhood, before September 8th, to urge the commission to commit to preventing harm to low/moderate-income people in its recommendations.
 
Poverty Rises in the United States
The most current poverty statistics for 2009 will be released by the Census Bureau on September 16th. The economic predictions suggest that this will be the largest increase of poverty in one year on record and that nearly one in four youngsters lived in poverty last year.
 
The Half in Ten campaign to cut poverty and the Coalition on Human Needs will hold a national webcast, “Stories Behind the Statistics: What the 2009 Poverty and Income Data Mean for Your Community,” on  September 21st  at 2:00 p.m. EST.  Register and join this webcast to become informed about what these statistics represent to individuals and to our nation.
 
You can also take action now to reduce poverty in our nation. Half in Ten tells us that The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Contingency Fund, which is due to expire on September 30th, “has enabled thirty-five states to partner with the private sector to create more than 240,000 new jobs for low-income and long-term unemployed workers and to meet the rising need for services.”

Urge your members of Congress to extend the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund to save up to 240,000 jobs and prevent cuts in critical programs for low-income families!

August 25

High Holiday Campaign for Gilad Shalit
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations has launched a High Holiday campaign for Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas from inside Israeli territory and has been in captivity for four years. Elie Wiesel has recently written “[Gilad Shalit] was kidnapped four long years ago...four years of endless suffering and agony. To the hostage, time itself is torture. It becomes an enemy. Filled with uncertainty, his time is different from ours. His waiting is not like ours. His minutes are longer than ours.” August 28 is Gilad’s twenty-fourth birthday. Its proximity to Rosh HaShanah reminds us all of our responsibility for one another and our responsibility to call for his freedom and to offer support to him and his family.
 
As the keystone for its campaign, The Conference of Presidents developed a new website, www.giladgreetings.org, to enable people worldwide to write supportive birthday and Rosh HaShanah messages to Gilad. The website also provides: a new video that calls for Gilad’s freedom; Gilad’s story; Elie Wiesel’s full message; and congressional resolutions on Gilad’s behalf.
 
The Conference of Presidents is working to provide local “mailboxes” in synagogues, community centers, and other locations so that hand-prepared cards and messages could be collected. These would be sent to the Conference of Presidents for delivery to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), urging that Hamas allow the ICRC to visit and deliver the messages to Gilad in accordance with international humanitarian law.
 
Watch for upcoming information about the campaign and “mailbox” locations.
 
As Elie Wiesel wrote in his message for Gilad, “[our] silence only helps the jailer, never the prisoner.” Spread the word about www.giladgreetings.org and urge your sisterhood members to visit the site and a message to Gilad.
 
Help the Victims of Flooding in Pakistan
Devastating flooding has destroyed 6,000 villages, leaving up to fourteen million people, so far, without basic resources, including food, clean water, shelter, and health care. The press has noted that relief funds are running low. The American Jewish World Service and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee have opened special funds to assist in the recovery efforts. Contribute now to help bring relief to impacted Pakistanis.

August 18

Become Informed: Reform Jewish Movement Welcomes Approval of Cordoba House
In response to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee’s unanimous vote to permit the building of the Cordoba House mosque and community center in lower Manhattan, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued a joint statement welcoming the planned construction. They note, “The principle of religious freedom on which the United States was founded has demonstrated that our nation is strengthened by the faith of its citizens and the houses of worship in which they gather.”
 
Read the full statement, which can be found on the Religious Action Center website.
 
Educate Yourself: Health Care Reform and Breast Cancer
The National Breast Cancer Coalition has prepared a recorded presentation to help you become informed about the important new protections that the health care reform legislation provides.The presentation, “What Does Health Care Reform Implementation Mean for Breast Cancer Survivors?”, gives NBCC's perspective on the essential elements of the Affordable Care Act. It also provides tools to educate your sisterhood community about the act. Please visit NBCC’s Action Center for more information about health care reform and helpful resources including FAQs, talking points for meetings and language for writing to your temple or local newspaper editors.
 
Take Action: Call For Peace In The Sudan
Save Darfur has alerted us to House Resolution 1588, introduced on July 30th, which calls for ongoing involvement by the U.S. and the international community in support of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the upcoming referenda in South Sudan and Abyei. The resolution also addresses the need to hold free, fair and credible referenda in South Sudan and Abyei on time “and that if the outcome of the southern Sudan referendum is independence, two stable and viable democratic states result.” Please ask your Member of Congress to co-sponsor H. Res. 1588.

August 11

Women of the Wall Calls on Us to “Take A Stand!”
Women of the Wall (WOW), distressed about the arrest of Anat Hoffman while holding a Torah and the subsequent misrepresented media images, is calling on Jewish women throughout the world to demonstrate that women hold, read from, and study the Torah and support women’s right to pray and read from the Torah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
 
Take action between now and Simchat Torah to stand with WOW:

• Send letters to Israeli decision makers, with personal statements of support, and
• Send pictures of yourself, members of your sisterhood, and women from your congregation holding Torah scrolls to Israeli government and religious leaders.

This can all be done electronically. Full background information, recommendations for action, blessings for participation, and the opportunity to send e-letters to Israeli leaders are available on the WOW website.
 
Rhoda London, (Ahavath Chesed, Jacksonville, FL), WRJ board alumna, has informed us that her sisterhood is organizing a WOW Take a Stand event as part of the congregation’s S’lichot observance. Check with your rabbi about doing so in your congregation or perhaps as part of the Simchat Torah services.
 
WOW hopes to “inundate the Israeli government and religious leaders with 10,000 images of women teaching, study, learning, reading, embracing Torah Scrolls” – let’s help them reach their goal.

Thomas L. Friedman OP-ED – The Right Kind of Criticism
Rabbi Rich Kirschen, director of the World Union for Progressive Judaism Anita Saltz International Education Center in Jerusalem, sent us the 8/8/10 OP-ED piece “Steal This Movie” by Thomas L. Friedman. Rabbi Kirschen noted that “This is probably one of the best pieces written about the complexity of the Palestinian Israeli conflict ….in a long time.”
 
Dr. Izzeldin Abulaish, mentioned in the article, spoke movingly of the loss of his daughters during the war in Gaza as part of his keynote address at the WRJ 47th Assembly in Toronto. We thought you would find this article important and of interest.

The film, Precious Life, described in the article, was just shown at the Jerusalem Film Festival and is getting great reviews. Watch for its possible screening at your local Jewish film festivals this coming year.

August 6

Participate in the Successful WRJ/Lilith Salon Program!
Summer is good time to be thinking about starting a new sisterhood program for the coming year. Many WRJ sisterhoods have had great success with their WRJ/Lilith Salon programs – why not consider it for your sisterhood.
 
Lilith is a magazine that describes itself as “independent, Jewish, and frankly feminist.” Issued four times a year, Lilith’s articles live up to that description. The editors have just let us know that if your sisterhood wants to consider setting up a WRJ/Lilith Salon program they will be happy to send you a packet of several prior issues of the magazine to help your sisterhood determine if it wants to participate in the program.
 
The salons meet in members homes four times a year to share their ideas about the articles, as well as to share a bite to eat and drink. Questions to stimulate discussion are provided for each issue by WRJ. Discussions are lively and some sisterhoods say that that previously inactive members or even new members have been attracted to the salons.  At least eight participants are need for optimum interaction.
 
An introductory letter, a flyer about the salons, and a subscription form are available to duplicate for your members.  Contact Carolyn Kunin at ckunin@wrj.org if you have questions or would like a sample packet of the magazine. Please send her your subscriptions, with payment, to Women of Reform Judaism, 633 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017-6778.

July 28

Update: Success in Freezing Conversion Bill
On July 21, just prior to the Knesset’s adjournment, a vote on the bill proposed by MK David Rotem, which would give the full authority for conversions to the Chief Rabbinate, was prevented. The outcry from tens of thousands of Jews of all streams from around Israel and the Diaspora demonstrated opposition to the bill. In her letter to the “Friends of IRAC” in the July 26th issue of The Pluralist, Israel Religious Action Center Director Anat Hoffman wrote, “the suspension of the conversion bill happened in large part due to your astounding response.”
 
Haaretz.com reported that the Israeli government, based on instructions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, agreed in a compromise with the Israel Reform and Masorti (Conservative) movements to a six-month freeze on bringing the bill to a vote in the Knesset and to halt IRAC’s Supreme Court petition for recognition of Reform and Conservative conversions. The freeze will provide time for a committee led by the chairman of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky, to work with leaders of the Reform and Masorti movements to amend the current bill.
 
Go to the Union for Reform Judaism website for more information and/or the Religious Action Center (RAC) website for a lighter view of the issue.
 
Urgent: Reauthorization of Child Nutrition Legislation
This congressional session is quickly coming to a close. Urge your members of Congress to reauthorize the Child Nutrition and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Act.  This bill is a primary response to child hunger, child obesity, and reducing poverty in the U.S., through the national school lunch and breakfast programs, summer food programs, and the WIC nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
 
Visit the RAC website now for more information and to contact your members of Congress to reauthorize the child nutrition legislation.

July 21

Ban on Reproductive Health Coverage for Women with Preexisting Conditions
The Obama administration has recently indicated that abortion coverage will be excluded from the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans (high-risk insurance pools under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). Under these circumstances, vulnerable women who are part of these pools because they have diabetes, cancer, or other serious health issues will be unable to access abortion coverage, excepting only cases of rape, incest, or danger to their lives.

For more information, read the statement issued by Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, condemning these limits.

Take action now! Send an e-mail letter urging President Obama to reconsider his administration’s exclusion of needed abortion coverage for women with preexisting health conditions.
 
News on the Rotem Conversion Bill
Rabbi Danny Allen, executive director of ARZA and Rabbi Naamah Kelman, dean of HUC Jerusalem were interviewed on NPR's Morning Edition yesterday. Listen to them discuss issues regarding the Rotem conversion bill. 
 
Read ongoing reports on the issue by Rabbi Allen at www.arza.org and on the ARZA Facebook page.
 
Follow up on Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Advocacy for reauthorization of child nutrition legislation that is due to expire in September continues to be necessary.  Among other efforts, WRJ participated with 137 other organizations in an ad calling for reauthorization of child nutrition legislation that appeared today in the Capitol Hill newspapers Roll Call and CQ Today.

Join the advocacy effort, send a message urging your senators and representatives to support a strong child nutrition reauthorization bill.
  
The U.S. National Committee for World Food Day has posted its 2010 World Food Day website.  Ideas for holding community events to raise awareness of and take action on world hunger can be found on the site. You can also ask your rabbi to do a sermon on child hunger in North America or on global hunger during Sukkot. Although October 16th is World Food Day, you can plan programming anytime in October, or indeed, throughout the year.

July 14

Fighting Poverty With Faith
WRJ’s July 23rd social justice e-mail mentioned that we are a co-sponsor of the 2010 Fighting Poverty with Faith (FPWF) mobilization. This interfaith mobilization, which will include individuals, houses of worship, and local organizations nationwide, will work in October to educate communities about poverty in America and advocate reducing poverty by half between 2010 and 2020. WRJ urges you and your sisterhoods to plan programming, write an article for your sisterhood or temple newsletter, and advocate on poverty issues this coming October.
 
To help you plan programming or write articles, WRJ is one of the co-sponsors of an informational conference call tomorrow, July 15th, at 3:30 pm EST. The call will help you, and other leaders, learn about the mobilization, the resources and tools the mobilization is creating, and how your participation in this movement will benefit your community.
 
Join me for this important call. RSVP at 866.WRJ.5924 and ask for Carolyn Kunin or send an e-mail to ckunin@wrj.org if you plan to participate. The Fighting Poverty with Faith mobilization conference call, Thursday, July 15th at 3:30 pm EST, participant dial-in number is 888-690-8774.
 
Child Nutrition Reauthorization
The meals provided at school or in child care facilities are the only healthful meals for millions of American children.  When passed, the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504), which will reauthorize child nutrition legislation that is due to expire in September, is under discussion in Congress now. It will provide broader access to meals and improve the quality and nutritional  value of meals served at school and in child care, as well as provide food coverage when school is not in session.
 
Send a message to your representatives to support a strong child nutrition reauthorization bill.
 
Clarification: Urgent Alert
The second bullet in yesterday’s urgent alert (below) on Anat Hoffman’s arrest and the conversion bill should read “Rotem Conversion Bill Passes First Knesset Vote.”
 
In addition, when you open the link to Anat Hoffman’s letter in The Pluralist, please make sure that the date at the top of the page is 12/7/10.  If not, scroll down to that date.

July 13

Urgent Alert
Anat Hoffman, the director of the Israel Religious Action Center and leader of Women of the Wall, wrote from Jerusalem yesterday afternoon, “Today appeared to be an excellent day for the ultra-Orthodox hegemony here in Israel. Before 9 AM, I was arrested for carrying a sefer Torah on the women’s side of the Western Wall. At the same time just miles away, the conversion bill - that would change forever the definition of who is a Jew in Israel - passed its first vote in the Knesset.”

The Women of the Wall website includes a video and extensive coverage of Anat being arrested. For additional background on both issues, scroll down this page to 5/5/10 and 3/10/10 for information on the conversion bill, and to 1/19/10, 1/8/10, 1/6/10, as well as 12/30 and 12/2 in 2009 for previous Women of the Wall encounters with the police.
 
Hoffman asserts that yesterday’s events will invigorate progressive Jews to take a stand, noting that she and the other leaders of the Israeli Reform Movement will deal with with police, courts, and Knesset issues, but she urges Diaspora Jews to protest the conversion bill.

This is an issue that threatens the very unity of the Jewish people. Send a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, prepared by Anat, calling on the Israeli government to listen to our united voice calling for a Judaism of openness and tolerance. Or, make your voice heard by signing a petition to Netanyahu and forward this urgent call to all sisterhood members, as well as your friends and family.

July 7

Urge Your Senators to Pass Unemployment Insurance Legislation
Call your senators in their home offices and let them know that you consider unemployment benefits and other emergency assistance to families, as well as helping states and communities protect jobs and services, urgently needed and an important support for the economy. A National Women’s Law Center Alert notes, “Yet, once again, a minority of senators blocked help for millions of struggling families.”  Make a phone call today to let your senators know that their support of help for families, states, and the economy is essential.
 
Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Now
The Obama administration has shown support for women’s concerns and has indicated that U.S. ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is a priority. Urge President Obama to advance the rights of women and girls worldwide to live free from violence, go to school, and have access to economic and  political resources. Urge President Obama to call on the senate to ratify CEDAW without delay.
  
Juvenile Justice Call-In Day
Today is the day to call your members of congress to make juvenile justice a reality this year! For background read WRJ's June 30th social justice e-mail (below). Contact your members of congress by visiting the National Juvenile Justice Call-in Day page and enter your zip code.  The numbers for your representatives will appear along with talking points.
 
The Impact of the Holocaust on Breast Cancer in Jewish Families
Sharsheret, an organization for young Jewish women fighting breast cancer, will host  a free teleconference and  webinar, “The Impact of the Holocaust on Breast Cancer in Jewish Families Today,” on Tuesday, July 14, 2010, 8:00 p.m. (EST).  Subjects to be presented include a study indicating  a higher incidence of breast cancer among Jews living in Europe during the Holocaust and the challenges involved in  tracing family cancer histories that were destroyed during the Holocaust.  Concerns about genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer will also be discussed.  Please e-mail teleconference@sharsheret.org or call toll-free (866) 474-2774 to register.  A transcript and audio will be posted following the program at www.sharsheret.org. 

June 30

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan
A Jewish Telegraphic Agency News Alert, issued yesterday, on the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings, reported that "U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan said her admiration for a former Israeli chief justice, Aharon Barak, was rooted in her Jewishness and admiration for Israel. She offered a similar, if less passionate, explanation for her penchant for Chinese food on Christmas.”  Read more to get a sense of Solicitor General Kagan as a person.
 
Jessica Weiser, a program associate at the Religious Action Center, is writing daily blogs this week about the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Jessica introduced the blogs by recommending the best way to follow these important hearings. You can also follow her blogs, such as “What Happened Today” and “A Supreme Day” at www.rac.org.
  
Action Alert – Juvenile Justice
Call Congress on July 7th, the National Juvenile Justice Call-In Day!
Reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) is three years overdue.  This groundbreaking legislation, first passed in 1974, supports community-based alternatives to detention and keeping youngsters out of adult facilities, as well as many of the juvenile justice practices called for by longstanding WRJ resolutions.
 
Urge your congressional representatives to make juvenile justice a priority this year and to:

• Reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA)
• Increase appropriations for juvenile justice programs
• Pass the Youth PROMISE Act to promote proven, cost-effective prevention-based strategies to reduce youth crime.
  

To contact your congressional representative and senators, visit the National Juvenile Justice Call-in Day page and enter your zip code.  The numbers for your representatives will appear along with talking points.

June 23

Urgent Action on “Jobs” and Child Nutrition Legislation Needed Now
Call on Congress to extend much needed unemployment insurance benefits and fund affordable housing by supporting the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act.  Reach your representative and senators through the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121.  To send an e-mail message, go to the link above, scroll to the bottom of the page, and enter your zip code.
 
Take action on child nutrition – time for legislation during this session is short.  Urge your members of Congress to support increased funding for important nutrition programs in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 2010. Reach your members of Congress through the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121, or to send an e-mail, go to the link in this paragraph, scroll to the bottom of the page, and enter your zip code.
 
Fight U.S. Poverty as Part of a Nationwide Interfaith Coalition
WRJ is a co-sponsor of this year’s Fighting Poverty with Faith (FPWF) mobilization, a broad, interfaith movement to reduce poverty by half between 2010 and 2020. FPWF is calling-on individuals, houses of worship, and community organizations to hold programs, educate, and advocate on poverty issues during October 2010.
 
We are co-sponsoring an informational mobilization conference call on Thursday, July 15th at 3:30 pm EST. The call is planned to help you, and other leaders, learn about the mobilization, the resources, and tools we are creating, and how your participation in this movement will benefit your community. We encourage you to join us for this important call. Please RSVP to Carolyn Kunin by July 8th.
 
Important News from Canada and Israel 
News from Canada:  On June 17, 2010, the Canadian Senate adopted "An Act to amend the Criminal Code (minimum sentence for offences involving trafficking of persons under the age of eighteen years)." Joy Smith, MP (Kildonan-St. Paul, Manitoba), its sponsor, wrote to supporters, “I am so pleased that our country now has a law that assures significant penalties for those who traffic children.”  For more information, please read the press release.
 
WRJ congratulates Marni Besser and Alexis Rothschild (Temple Sholom Sisterhood, Vancouver, BC, Canada), The Temple Committee Against Human Trafficking (Temple Emanu-EL-Beth Sholom, Montreal, Quebec, Canada), Sara Charney, WRJ VP, (Holy Blossom Temple Sisterhood, Toronto, ON, Canada), and the other sisterhood advocates who helped this bill become law.

News from Jerusalem: The 36th World Zionist Congress was held in Jerusalem from June 15 to June 17, 2010. Rabbi Danny Allen, executive director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA), has written a series of dispatches on the congress. His concluding dispatch  covers the accomplishments of the Reform/Progressive Movement, the benefits of the congress, and some of its deliberations.

June 16

Update: Ambassador Rice Speaks on Children and Armed Conflict
Since its earliest years WRJ has taken strong positions on the well-being of children, including: ending poverty and hunger; assuring health, welfare, and education; preventing neglect and physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; protecting children world-wide from child labor and commercial sexual exploitation; ending the recruitment and use of children as soldiers. 
 
In this light, we thought you would be interested in the remarks by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, given at a Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict, on June 16, 2010. She spoke eloquently on the abuse of children and their rights during armed conflict and its ongoing impact on these children’s lives.
 
Ambassador Rice stated that “The United States fully and firmly embraces our responsibility to protect children and we will not rest until the last abuse is halted and the last child soldier is released.”  She also noted that the United States welcomes the Secretary General’s report on children and armed conflict and indicated our support of the report. She spoke of successful efforts to protect children from war and our grave concern about the recruitment  and use of child soldiers in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic.

June 9

Were Shakespeare’s Plays Written by a Jewish Woman? – A Good Summer Program
The cover of Reform Judaism’s summer issue poses the question “was the greatest canon of Western Judaism written by a Jewish Woman?”  The fascinating and provocative article “Unmasking Shakespeare” by Michael Posner that follows (pp. 34-39, 46) presents a cogent case that Amelia Bassano Lanier is a significant candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works. She was the daughter of a musician of Venetian converso origin in the Elizabethan Court (conversos are descendants of Spanish and Portugese Jews who were converted to Christianity under pressure in the 14th and 15th Centuries).
 
This article would be a delightful subject for a summer afternoon or evening discussion. Set up a one-time program to read this tantalizing mystery article and chat about whether you and your members think Michael Posner makes a good case.
 
Joy Weinberg, managing editor of Reform Judaism magazine, has provided discussion questions to help begin your conversations.
 
Say "Yes" for Family Reunification
Go to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism website for full background on immigration issues. 
 
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition has initiated an e-postcard campaign to inform our legislators and the administration that the grassroots faith community supports comprehensive immigration reform. Click here to send an electronic postcard to your member of Congress and to President Obama to let them know you care about family reunification and urge them to pass humane and fair immigration reform.

June 2

Reform Movement Response to Gaza Flotilla Incident
We awakened on the morning of Memorial Day to a media blitz about the confrontation between Israeli commandos and pro-Palestinian activists on one of a flotilla of six ships, carrying humanitarian aid, which was seeking to break Israel’s naval embargo of Gaza.
 
WRJ is forwarding statements prepared by ARZA and the Union for Reform Judaism  on this incident which was far more complex than portrayed in the media.
 
ARZA has prepared a Statement on the Gaza Flotilla Incident that includes a description of this event as well as a list of resources for your reference.
 
In addition, we thought you would want to read the statement, Reform Jewish Movement Saddened by Deaths in Flotilla Clash, issued by the Union for Reform Judaism on Tuesday morning.

May 26

Nashville – Flood Relief Needed
Much of the south has recently suffered from storms, flash floods, and tornados. More than half of Tennessee’s counties have been declared disaster areas. Nashville, TN, one of the most heavily impacted areas, has been devastated by floodwaters from the Cumberland River which deluged some of its important tourist sites, including the Grand Ole Opry House and the Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.

The URJ reports that “within the [Nashville] Jewish community, fifty to sixty families suffered catastrophic losses of homes or businesses, including fifteen-eighteen within our own Reform family.”
 
Please contribute to help the members of the Nashville area Jewish community impacted by the flood.  You can send donations designated for flood relief to the rabbis' discretionary funds at the two congregations listed below:

The Temple Congregation Ohabai Sholom
5015 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN 37205-2801

Congregation Micah
2001 Old Hickory Blvd
Brentwood, TN 37027-4032
 
New and Exciting: Muslim-Jewish Interreligious Dialogue Programming
Act on WRJ resolutions on Muslim-Jewish dialogue and Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish’s inspiring comments at WRJ’s 47th assembly in Toronto to invigorate your sisterhood’s interreligious programming by reaching out to Muslim women in local mosques or Islamic Centers!  You can find a helpful resource for doing so in the current issue of Reform Judaism, summer 2020/5770. Reform Judaism is featuring “The Art of Muslim-Jewish Dialogue,” pp.58-61. 
 
The article includes interesting descriptions of several congregational programs which could be adapted for sisterhood use with a Muslim women's group, such as: services and holidays; study programs using the curriculum developed by the Union for Reform Judaism and the Islamic Society of North America entitled, “Children of Abraham: Jews and Muslims in Conversation”; different formats for structured dialogue; travel to the Middle East; and presentations in public schools.
 
An important Jewish-Muslim program at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is also discussed, as is a discussion of the resources available through the URJ’s Commission on Interreligious Affairs.
 
Closely Related……..Radio Canada International Interview with Dr. Abuelaish
Alexis Rothschild, president, Temple Sholom Sisterhood, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, brought a new book, I Shall Not Hate, by Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, to our attention. She included a link to a Radio Canada International interview of Dr. Abuelaish and noted that his words are very powerful.

May 20

Statement on Voluntary Extension of Foster Care Services
On May 16, 2010, the WRJ Board of Directors issued a statement supporting the voluntary extension of foster care services beyond eighteen years of age. Policies regarding aging-out of foster care differ in North American states, provinces, and territories, and even local jurisdictions. Research  has shown that young people are not ready for adulthood at eighteen years of age.  Many lack stable housing, do not finish high school, and have behavioral issues.  In the United States, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (HR 6893) was adopted in 2008 and will provide matching federal funds to enable states to extend foster care services to young adults from eighteen to twenty-one on a voluntary basis starting in October 2010.
 
What sisterhoods can do:

• For information about your state's policies, go to the Fostering Connections website.  Sisterhoods can also contact local social services department or Jewish Family and Children’s Services offices for information.  In Canada, the local Children’s Aid Societies and Youth In Care Canada deal with foster care issues and can provide information and resources.
• Write congratulatory notes to law makers and administrators in states and provinces that have already funded voluntary extension of foster care beyond age eighteen and/or offered transitional support services to former foster youth.
• Send the WRJ statement to your local newspaper editors.
• Contact and work with local advocacy groups, such as the Child Welfare League, to support voluntary extension of foster care services to age twenty-one in states with pending legislation, or urge legislators, in states which have not yet enacted legislation, to implement laws that enable participation in federal foster care grant programs in October 2010.

This statement is based on WRJ resolutions and statements and its advocacy on behalf of children’s welfare in the United States and around the world. Recent social justice action in support of children’s welfare include opposition to child marriage (2009), support for children’s health care as integral to health care reform in the United States (2009) increased funding of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (2009), and awareness and prevention of and child and adolescent self-destructive behavior (2005).
 
Child Trafficking – Canadian Sisterhood Advocacy Needed
This is an update on the January 13th social justice e-mail on child trafficking legislation in Canada. Sara Charney, WRJ vice-president just received news about the successful Winnipeg Walk to Stop Human Trafficking and an urgent request for WRJ sisterhood support of the legislation.
 
Next week, the Canadian Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology will review Bill C-268, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (with minimum sentencing for offenses involving trafficking of persons below the age of eighteen. Information on the Winnepeg walk events, status of the bill, and suggestions for action are included in excerpts from a letter by Joy Smith, MP (Kildonan-St. Paul, Manitoba), the sponsor of the bill.
 
Canada is one of the few developed countries that does not have vigorous penalties for the trafficking of children. Canadian sisterhoods, please contact your senators to support the bill or get petition signatures and send it to the address at the bottom of the petition, no later than this weekend.
 
Take action to hold child traffickers accountable for their heinous acts.

May 12

Solicitor General Elena Kagan Nominated To Fill Supreme Court Seat
Solicitor General Elena Kagan was nominated by President Obama on Monday to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens. If she is confirmed she will have an essential role to fill; for many years, Justice Stevens has been a leader in seeking to protect the hard-won rights, including women’s reproductive rights, of our nation’s people.

Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, has issued a press statement welcoming the nomination of Elena Kagan, announcing the Reform Movement’s launch of www.AskElenaKagan.com, and calling on the Senate to consider the “nomination of Solicitor General Kagan, a trailblazer with a stellar reputation, in time to allow for a full bench” when the new term of the Supreme Court begins in October.
 
Rabbi Sapertstein noted that the RAC will be examining Solicitor General Kagan's record to become more informed about her judicial approach and has developed the web page www.AskElenaKagan.com to enable all of us to “suggest questions that members of the Judiciary Committee should ask Solicitor General Kagan during her confirmation hearing.”

May 7

Special Mother's Day Message
Today is not Wednesday; the day for WRJ’s social justice e-mail. But we've received several wonderful opportunities to honor Mother’s Day by taking action on issues about which many of us are passionate and wanted to share a couple of them with you.

This Mother’s Day honor the women in your life by:
Urging your senators to support CEDAW, the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Protect women world-wide from the violence and discrimination they experience each day by standing up for women’s rights, equality, education, and health. The United Nations Association of the USA has prepared an action alert to enable you to ask your Senators to celebrate Mother's Day by showing their support for the CEDAW Treaty.
 
Letting your members of Congress Know that early childhood programs matter! Early childhood programs are essential for the many families in which mothers must work and children need care that is accessible, safe, and advances healthy physical, social, and intellectual development. The National Women’s Law Center suggests that on this Mother’s Day, you “send more than flowers, send a strong message to Congress to fully fund President Obama’s budget proposals for  funding child care and other early childhood programs.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with Action!

May 5

Proposed Conversion Bill in Knesset
Last week Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and Knesset member David Rotem came to the United States to meet with Jewish leaders to defuse criticism and alleviate concerns about their proposed conversion bill. Nonetheless, Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Diaspora and Israeli leaders remain deeply concerned about the impact of the bill in their congregations and communities. Read the informative article on the bill by Anat Hoffman, director of the Israel Religious Action Center, in this week’s issue of its newsletter, The Pluralist.
 
No Nukes for Iran
The United Nations is now holding a review conference for the parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to consider how best to enable this treaty to meet current nuclear challenges and those of the future.
 
Iran’s lack of compliance with UN resolutions and the NPT in its pursuit of a nuclear program is a major challenge to be addressed. Read Liz Piper-Goldberg’s Religious Action Center blog on the walk-out by diplomats from many countries during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's address.
 
Members of the No Nukes for Iran Teen Advocacy Program recently held an advocacy day in Washington. Read the Religious Action Center guest blog by Danielle Bari Flaum, founder and chair of the program, about their important and exciting advocacy experience at the Israeli Embassy and on Capitol Hill.

While in Washington, the group was asked about their next action. They responded “No Nukes for Iran has just launched a national petition with a goal of 100,000 signatures by mid-May, thus creating a powerful lobbying tool." Add your voice to the No Nukes for Iran Advocacy Program by helping to collect the 100,000 signatures. Sign the online petition or download a copy to gather signatures.

April 29

Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Last week the state of Arizona adopted harsh immigration legislation, the Immigration; Law Enforcement; Safe Neighborhoods Act (SB 1070).  In the Reform Movement’s press statement on the bill, Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, stated, "This inhumane and retrogressive bill virtually invites racial and ethnic profiling by broadly defining reasonable suspicion of undocumented status as grounds for questioning by police officers. Allowing an individual’s accent or skin color to precipitate an investigation into his or her legal status is an anathema to American values of justice and our historic status as a nation of immigrants."

 

This legislation reveals why federal comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will include a route to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented residents is urgently needed. Go to Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform ASAP, on the Religious Action Center website, for background on the issue, its current status in Congress, and the opportunity to let your members of Congress know that you support comprehensive immigration reform.
 
Global Hunger – Women and Children: What You Can Do
WRJ and the URJ have been addressing increasing attention to food issues, however, alleviating global hunger with particular attention to that of women and children, has been addressed in WRJ resolutions and activism for more than sixty years.
 
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by the 2000 UN Millennium Summit, include: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; and promote gender equality and empower women. This is part of an increasing awareness that empowering women and girls is one of the most successful means of combating global poverty and hunger.

Women produce much of the world’s food.  Increasingly, foreign aid is directed to women, which has been been shown to be effective in increasing the women farmers' standard of living, enhancing their children’s and  families’ lives, and strengthening the economy of their communities.The Global Food Security Act (GFSA, S. 384) addresses the needs of small-scale farmers and would provide the resources women need to grow food for their families and enhance their economies.

Women Thrive has prepared a petition to enable you and your sisterhood members to ask your senator to co-sponsor the Global Food Security Act (S. 384). Do so now!

April 21

New Guide for Advocacy and Action: Plan Next Year’s Exciting Programs
Plan exciting social justice programming based on current WRJ resolutions for your next sisterhood year!  Use WRJ’s Guide for Sisterhood Programming and Advocacy: Put WRJ Resolutions and Statements to Work in Your Sisterhood.
 
Review the guide with your sisterhood’s executive committee and social justice and programming leaders.

• Select program suggestions for issues that would be of interest to your members. 
• Set up a WRJ Social Action Rings program to help you prioritize and implement the suggested issues and programs or set up a working group or committee to implement them. 
• If advocacy is part of your program, use WRJ’s E-Advocacy Helpful Hints and flow chart as a resource.  

Advocate Today on the Hazards of Child Marriage
Take action now on the WRJ policy statement on child marriage, for which program suggestions are included in the 2010 Guide for Advocacy and Action.
 
We just received a petition from Care about the death of a 12-year-old Yemeni girl, caused by internal bleeding from intercourse with the twenty-three year-old man she was forced to marry. She was one of sixty million girls around the world are who are pushed into early marriage, frequently to much older men, with dire lifelong results for many.

Please, help stop this human rights violation. Sign the Care petition today to help end child marriage. 

Earth Day’s 40th Birthday: Call for Clean Energy Legislation
Celebrate Earth Day’s 40th anniversary tomorrow by letting your senators know that you consider an energy future with reduced pollution and global warming, less dependence on foreign oil, and increases in new energy employment essential.
 
The League of Conservation Voters is partnering on a petition with a broad coalition of organizations to gather signatures to call for energy independence and a cleaner planet.  Click here to sign the Earth Day Declaration of Energy Independence petition now!

April 14

Hold a Program/Take Action on Domestic Violence
Violence against women has been a priority issue for WRJ for almost thirty years. WRJ first addressed domestic violence in the Jewish family with our 1983 resolution “Children and the Family” and was the first organization within the Jewish religious movements to do so. The resolution urges sisterhoods to undertake programs to increase awareness of domestic violence in the Jewish family and to work with other organizations to provide support and services for the victims of spouse, family, or child abuse. 
 
Following-up on this resolution, WRJ published Rabbi Julie R. Spitzer’s landmark book Spousal Abuse in Rabbinic and Contemporary Judaism in 1985. In 1991 and 1995 WRJ updated and reissued Rabbi Spitzer’s book as When Love Is Not Enough: Spousal Abuse in Rabbinic and Contemporary Judaism. Rabbi Spitzer translated traditional Jewish texts on the subject and reviewed the current literature on abuse in the general and Jewish communities. Her book suggests sisterhood programming to educate congregants and support families disrupted by abuse.
 
WRJ sisterhoods have been actively involved in domestic and dating abuse programming and community services. This continues to be needed. Adapt and use the brief descriptions of projects winning Or Ami awards since 1991 and annotated list of helpful resources for programming and action to plan programs and projects for your sisterhood and community.
 
SALE: When Love Is Not Enough: Spousal Abuse in Rabbinic and Contemporary Judaism is now $5.00. The background on domestic abuse in the Jewish family and recommendations for sisterhood programming to provide awareness and support for abused women are up-to-date and relevant. The section on shelters in the United States, however, is out of date.
 
WRJ and Violence Against Women Globally
The United Nations, UNICEF, and other international organizations have brought to light the many forms of violence against women found globally. Accordingly, WRJ has taken stands and action on: women’s right to live free of violence; prosecution of those committing rape as a war strategy; prevention of sexual trafficking of women and girls, female genital mutilation, and child marriage; and protection of elders from abuse.
 
In addition, WRJ works with organizations and coalitions that deal with violence against women, provides sisterhoods with programming materials, and sends advocacy alerts to sisterhoods in support of the Violence Against Women Act, the International Violence Against Women Act, and other related legislation.
 
Urge your sisterhood to work with WRJ in advocating and end to violence against women. Make sure to respond to and circulate the calls for legislation and diplomacy that come to you via these WRJ social justice e-mails.

April 7

Restoring Dignity for Women
Janet Stovin, WRJ’s delegate to the Non-Governmental Organization/ Department of Public Information at the U.N., reports that on March 2, 2010, Religions for Peace (RfP) launched the North American Women of Faith Network at its two day Restoring Dignity: Women of Faith Leadership Summit. The network, one of six launched so far in various regions of the world, published a declaration that outlines its mission and sets its priorities: ending violence against women, developing young women leaders, improving maternal health, and dealing with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Most importantly the declaration includes a platform for action and calls on faith-based organizations to implement the priorities. Judith Hertz, past president of WRJ, is on the network’s coordinating committee.

The network’s goals include mobilizing women clergy to focus attention on the network’s priorities by giving them visibility from the pulpit. The goals also include activating women clergy and religious feminists to advance women’s dignity by working within their own communities and across faith lines to form networks on the grassroots, regional, national, and international levels to address the priority areas.  The summit was held on the first two days of the 54th meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and included women from faith-based organizations around the world and was another demonstration of the achievements possible when women work together.
 
Support the International Violence Against Women Act
Your sisterhood members can take action today to advance the well-being of women globally by calling on your representatives and senators to support the bi-partisan International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA).  Please do so today.

March 31

Health Care Reform: Thank Your Members of Congress
Now that the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the administration have made history by passing health care reform, it's important that thank those who put their votes on the line for the health of our nation’s people. Check the lists of representatives and senators to see if your members of Congress voted to pass health reform legislation.
 
If your members of Congress voted yes for health care, please click here to say thank you.
 
Last week, a letter on health care reform by Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, was sent to the rabbis and leaders of our Movement. We found it of such importance we wanted you to have the opportunity to read it as well.
 
Tune Into “Blessed is the Match”
Delegates attending Roberta Grossman’s film “Blessed Is The Match” featured at WRJ’s film festival during the 47th assembly in Toronto were deeply moved.  The film portrays the life of Hannah Senesh, poet and diarist, who parachuted into Nazi-occupied Europe to save Hungary’s Jews, only to be imprisoned alongside the person she most wanted to rescue—her mother Catherine.
 
PBS is airing this film on Independent Lens on Tuesday, April 13th.  Click here for information about the exact date and time in your area.

March 24

We’re Almost There:  Health Care Reform
Since 1935, WRJ, then The National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, has adopted resolutions on health.  In 1991 we adopted a resolution calling for "Universal Access to Health Care," which has been the basis for our policies. So, watching the House of Representatives vote on health care reform made for a a heady, exciting, edge-of-the seat Sunday night. It was a historic evening and a credit to the president, administration, and congressional leaders who worked tirelessly to bring it about. In a joyous ceremony, President Obama signed the bill, which will benefit millions of women and their families, into law on Tuesday.
 
It is now up to the Senate to adopt the reconciliation improvement bill also passed by the House on Sunday night.
 
And it is now up to us, the senators’ constituents, to let them know that we want them to vote "yes" on the reconciliation improvement bill, without amendments, to make the new health reform law even stronger.  Click here now for more information and to take action.   

The World Zionist Congress: Interesting Questions
The World Zionist Congress is coming up in June, an event of great importance to progressive Jews in Israel. Click here to read a slightly abridged informative commentary written by Rabbi Stanley Davids, ARZA past president and husband of WRJ board member Resa Davids.  This analysis addresses the World Zionist Organization, some of the issues related to Orthodox policies in Israel, and how concurrent issues will be presented during the World Zionist Congress in mid-June. We thought this would be important and fascinating reading for you.

March 10

Due to the urgency of the following alert, the violence against women action piece has been postponed till next week.

 

Call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to Prevent Passage of Conversion Legislation

 

Legislation has been brought before the Knesset, which may come up for a vote this coming week, that seeks to deny Jews-by-choice acceptance as Jews in Israel under the Law of Return, thus attempting to negate any Israeli Supreme Court rulings to the contrary.  Moreover this legislation could result in the delegitimization in Israel of all non-orthodox conversions and a redefinition of who is a Jew. If this legislation passes it would have an impact on Jews seeking to live in Israel - from our families, congregations, communities, and throughout the diaspora.

 

For more information, read the Reform Movement statement.

 

The Association of Reform Zionists of America, ARZA, has issued a statement and call to action to enable you to communicate your concerns about this legislation to the Israeli government.

 

Or, you could take action through the Israel Religious Action Center, IRAC, http://www.irac.org/petitionsign.aspx (click on Take Action). After reading the Israel Religious Action Center statement and letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, please sign the petition to send the letter to the prime minister.

 

Forward this urgent call to your sisterhood members, friends, and families.

March 4

Aid Earthquake Victims
The Joint Distribution Committee Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief (JCDR) has convened a coalition to assist the victims of the massive earthquake in Chile. Donations to JCDR Chile Earthquake Relief can be made at https://www.jdc.org/donation/donate.aspx?type=JCDR.
 
The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society tells us that although visas to come to the United States have been approved for approximately 55,000 Haitian family members of U.S. citizens and legal immigrants, because of family reunification visa annual limits, they must wait in Haiti for years for available visas. Humanitarian parole would allow them to join their families and wait for their visa here in the U.S., rather than in Haiti. Please click on the following link to ask Secretary Napolitano to reunite Haitian families through humanitarian parole.
 
Restoring Dignity:  Women of Faith Leadership Summit
Earlier this week, on March 1-2, 2010, Religions for Peace (RfP) held the exciting Restoring Dignity: Women of Faith Leadership Summit, at which its North American Women of Faith Network was launched. The summit mobilized multi-religious action to confront violence and advance human dignity, a network initiative. Other initiatives are developing young women leaders, as well as addressing maternal health concerns and HIV/AIDS.
 
A panel on religious teachings and violence against women was keynoted by the Rev. Dr. Marie Fortune, founder of the Faith Trust Institute, which provides multi-religious and multicultural resources to help break the cycle of family violence.  She spoke of the prevalence of abuse against women in our religious communities and how their patriarchal perspectives and power structures have contributed to its incidence.
 
WRJ credited with initial breakthrough:
Rabbi Zari Weiss, from the Women’s Rabbinic Network, spoke about our movement’s resolutions and efforts to end domestic violence and abuse of women in the 1990s and said that WRJ had initiated these efforts with our 1983 resolution on domestic violence. 

Following the meeting, Janet Stovin, WRJ’s delegate to Non-Governmental Organization/ Department of Public Information at the U.N. noted that one of the goals of the network is encourage religious feminists to work within their own communities and across faith lines to deal with violence against women and the other network initiatives and to urge women clergy give them visibility from the pulpit. Janet said “the summit revealed that we need to demonstrate the power and strength of women of faith and to emphasize that we are stronger together."
 
Women, Faith & Development Alliance: WRJ Praised
At the Tuesday afternoon Women, Faith & Development Alliance (WFDA), working session, panelists presented an overview, activities, and achievements of the ninety partners (including WRJ) of the alliance. One panelist, Dr. Yaser Haddara, chairman of the board of directors, Islamic Relief, in discussing WFDA advocacy efforts singled out WRJ advocacy in behalf of women and girls around the world. Constance Kreshtool and Judith M. Hertz, former WRJ presidents were in attendance and were surprised and gratified by his comments.
 
Next week: What can your sisterhood do to address violence against women in your community, North America, and the world? Program ideas, resources, advocacy, and links for like-minded organizations will be provided next week.

February 24

Rally, March, and Conference Call for Immigration Reform
Save the date, if you can, to come to Washington on March 21, 2010 to march for comprehensive immigration reform. You are invited to be part of an event, called March for America: Change Takes Courage and Faith.
 
The day will begin with an informational Jewish bagel brunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at which the “We Were Strangers, Too” campaign (in which WRJ participates) will be discussed.  The brunch will be followed by an interfaith prayer service for immigration reform from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. 

The group will then rally with other immigration advocates on the National Mall.  To register for the march and rally, visit: www.changetakesfaith.org.
 
The sponsors of “We Were Strangers, Too: The Jewish Campaign for Immigration Reform” are organizing a national grassroots conference call following the rally for the entire Jewish community. It will be held at 7 p.m. EST.  Participants will be able to hear about the DC rally, get a legislative update from Jewish members of Congress (tentative), and hear talking points for a national call-in day to Congress on March 22. This is a great opportunity for those who cannot participate in the march.
 
Full details will be sent as soon as they are available.
 
WRJ Leader Advocates Immigration Reform
On Wednesday, February 18, 2010, Joanne Goldsmith, a WRJ board member, had the opportunity to join her rabbi for a visit to Senator Ben Cardin's office, along with Stephanie Grosser, Assistant Director of the Washington Office of The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and representatives of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and the American Jewish Committee. They met with one of Senator Cardin's staff members, Andrew Remo, Legislative Correspondent. Joanne said “we were there to discuss immigration reform with emphasis on the family and asked that Senator Cardin sign on as a co-sponsor of the Reuniting Families Act (S.1085).  WRJ has signed a letter of support for this legislation as one of 17 national Jewish organizations, so I introduced myself as a member of WRJ.”
 
Celebrate International Women’s Day – See the Film Half the Sky
In her installation speech at the 47th WRJ assembly, WRJ president Lynn Magid Lazar spoke of the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn as essential to understanding the plight of women world wide and why women’s activism is essential. A film made about this book will be shown for one night on Thursday, March 4, in several theaters around the North America.
 
For information about the film, a trailer, and where it will be shown go to http://www.ncm.com/Fathom/OriginalPrograms/event/Half_The_Sky.aspx?gclid=CIH61fvliKACFctY2godIScmkA.
 
We urge sisterhoods to see the film if it is available in their communities or, if not,  to select the book Half the Sky for a discussion in the coming months. Go to http://www.halftheskymovement.org/ for information about this important and fascinating book.

The book, which was published in September 2009, focuses on discrimination, violence against women, maternal mortality, and poverty.  Kristof and WuDunn call for empowering women as the key to combating poverty and enabling sustainable community development in the poor nations of the world.

February 18

Women Helping Impoverished Jewish Mothers

Susan C. Bass (Beth Israel, Houston, TX), WRJ vice president, writes: "During our recent visit to Buenos Aires, my husband, Jerry, and I visited Fundacion Tzedaka, which is housed with NCI Emanuel Synagogue (a WUPJ congregation).  This agency focuses on families, providing clothes, medications and eye glasses to needy Jews.  The day we visited, a local, successful optician was there, doing eye exams, fitting frames and grinding lenses (all donated by his vendors).   A large part of the agency’s mission is to help people get back on their feet.  To that end, they work with people to develop skills for the work force, counsel them, and even tutor them, if necessary. Truly, this agency sees the value and potential of "woman-power!"

 
The mission of Fundacion Tzedaka is to help 9000 impoverished members of the Argentine Jewish community. Visit its website, www.tzedaka.org.ar/en, for details. The agency is beginning a new initiative dealing with women working together to help other women.
 
Fundacion Tzedaka is coordinating women’s gatherings in cities across the world to celebrate International Women’s Day, March 8th, by helping other women live with dignity. WRJ has been invited to join this mission. The agency proposes small gatherings in women’s homes with the goal of helping Jewish women in Argentina who are single mothers with unstable low-paying jobs and no medical insurance.
 
We suggest that sisterhoods set up informal gatherings, inviting members for tea, breakfast, lunch, or even a casual get-together at the temple, using materials supplied by Fundacion Tzedaka.  Although it would be good to host a get-together on International Women’s day, an event at another time to help impoverished Argentine Jewish women live with dignity would be a meaningful addition to your sisterhood program.
 
Fundacion Tzedaka sends the hosts or leaders of events program e-mail resources including: invitation cards, a power point presentation about a few of the 205 single mothers who are part of this program, flyers, and additional materials. (One woman’s story is attached to this e-mail.) To sign-up to host an event and for information about holding events, go to: http://www.tzedaka.org.ar/newsletter/MinisitioAmigos-ingles/index.html.
 
National Medical Marijuana Week: Support the Truth in Trials Act
One in four Americans now lives in a state with laws permitting and governing medical marijuana. Unfortunately, law-abiding citizens can still be prosecuted on federal marijuana-related charges. The "Truth in Trials" Act, H.R. 3939, would enable federal defendants to present evidence showing that they were following state medical marijuana laws.
 
Click on http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/truthintrials to indicate your support of the “Truth in Trials Act.”
 
Women in the Administration’s FY2011 Budget Request
Unprecedented steps were taken to improve the impact of international and domestic programs on women and girls in the president’s 2011 budget request. Women Thrive Worldwide has prepared an analysis of the FY2011 budget request, which is attached. Read the two page overview (pp.1-2) for a quick analysis and the rest if you have the time.

February 11

Jobs and Unemployment Insurance Extension Needed

Unemployment insurance benefits will expire next month for 1.2 million jobless workers and the number jumps to 5 million by June. A bill to extend benefits has been passed by the House of Representatives as part of a jobs bill, but the Senate has yet to do so. Urge your senators to pass a jobs bill that works for woman and extend unemployment insurance benefits.

Click here to support jobs and benefits for women now.

 

Sisterhood Breast Health Programming

Sisterhoods who have held outstanding breast cancer awareness and breast health programs, which were submitted for the 2009 Or Ami awards, can provide you with excellent models to replicate or adapt for your sisterhood.

 

Let Carolyn Kunin, ckunin@wrj.org, know if you would like to contact the sisterhood women who worked on these projects or order WRJ breast self-examination shower cards for distribution at your programs.

 

Breast Cancer Awareness Program – Temple Shalom Sisterhood, Aberdeen, NJ  – Sisterhood leaders sought to improve awareness of breast cancer risk and treatment options and raise funds for breast cancer research by holding several activities during October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The sisterhood held a program at which a physician spoke about breast cancer awareness (including genetic testing), diagnosis, and treatment options. The speaker discussed her decision to have a masectomy based on her mother's early death from breast cancer and genetic testing, which indicated that she had a high risk of breast cancer.  Later in the month the sisterhood distributed the WRJ breast cancer self-examination cards and raised money for research by selling sisterhood/breast cancer t-shirts and participating in a nearby community walkathon. All proceeds were donated to the American Cancer Society.

 

Breast Cancer Survivorship – Sisterhood, The Congregation Temple B'nai Jehudah, Overland Park, KS – The sisterhood participated in an educational program to introduce the community to the new concept of breast cancer survivorship and the critical issue for women of Ashkenazi-Jewish heritage who have a higher than average risk for BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutations. The sisterhood worked on this program with the sponsor, The University of Kansas Hospital Cancer Center – Breast Cancer Survivorship Center, Greater Kansas City Hadassah, Myriad Genetics Laboratories, and Back in the Swing, a nonprofit organization providing grassroots awareness, education, and fundraising on behalf of breast cancer survivors. The program provided an overview of breast cancer risk factors and cancer genetics and a personal tour of the new Breast Cancer Survivorship Center.

 

Hereditary Cancer in Jewish Families – Congregation B'nai Tzedek Sisterhood, Fountain Valley, CA – The sisterhood hosted a program to inform members of its congregation about cancers that are common in the Jewish community, such as breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer. This program showed how family history plays a role in cancer  risk and the availability of DNA screening, as well as prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options. The program chair got in touch with the local hospital's cancer center and invited  the coordinator of the Hereditary Cancer Program and a nurse administrator at the Hoag Cancer Center to speak.  PR included a flyer in the temple's monthly newsletter and calling every sisterhood member.

 

Prior Or Ami Award submissions included:

 

Footprints for the Cure and Race Education Day (2007) – Beth-El Congregation Sisterhood, Fort Worth, TX – The sisterhood participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, sold fabric-footprints for five dollars each, and coordinated a Race Education Day program during Sunday school to raise awareness about the fight against breast cancer and to raise money for cancer research.

 

Distribution of Spanish Language Breast Self-Examination Cards to the At-risk Population of Women in Panama (1999) – Hermandad Kol Shearit Israel Sisterhood, Panama, Republic of Panama – In cooperation the Associacion Nacional Contra El Cancer (ANCEC), the sisterhood adapted 5000 WRJ Spanish breast self-examination cards and arranged for distribution to at-risk women throughout Panama, including the Indian Territories.

 

Yachad: A Jewish Spiritual Support Group for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer (1997) – WRJ Sisterhood of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, Great Neck, NY – The sisterhood developed this support group, which  differed from traditional cancer support groups in that it explored how Judaism can help women with cancer.

February 3

Call to Cancel Super Bowl Sunday Anti-Abortion Ad
This coming Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday! Many millions of people across North America will be watching the game aired by CBS, but CBS also has approved for airing an insidious anti-abortion ad, sponsored by Focus on the Family, an anti-choice conservative religious group.
 
Over the years CBS has refused to run ads which advocated progressive stands as too controversial. We need to let them know that we, as religious women object to this ad, finding it divisive and far too controversial. Click on http://capwiz.com/rcrc/issues/alert/?alertid=14609101 for more information and an e-mail letter you can send to CBS to let them know you vehemently oppose the airing of this ad.
 
Funds Urgently Needed for Haiti Emergency and Long Term Relief
Continuing charitable contributions for Haiti emergency and long term relief are urgently needed.  The United States IRS has provided that those who itemize their deductions are eligible to include charitable cash donations for humanitarian relief in Haiti, made between January 11 and March 1, 2010, as either 2009 or 2010 tax deductions. For additional details, go to the fact sheet on the IRS website: Ten Facts About Claiming Donations Made to Haiti.
 
Haiti Relief Update
Sisterhoods have inquired about the allocation of donated funds, with concern expressed, for example, about services for children. The Reform Movement has distributed funds contributed for Haiti disaster relief to the following partner relief organizations.
 
UNICEF is responding, in coordination with other agencies, to the emergency needs of women and children in Haiti. URJ funding will provide basic medical and health supplies, kitchen kits, water purification tablets, sanitation supplies, tarpaulins, and tents for temporary shelter.
 
Direct Relief International: URJ funds will underwrite an emergency response coordinator, responsible for the distribution of medical goods, site assessment for medical distribution supplies, and coordination with Partners in Health and Damian Pediatric Hospital.
 
United Nations Foundation: URJ funds will assist the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) efforts, including distribution of medical services and supplies, clean water and sanitation access, emergency shelters, food delivery, and infrastructure rehabilitation. Following the emergency relief response, CERF will add recovery and long-term reconstruction efforts.
 
American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is partnering with Haitian community-based agencies that work in communities affected by the earthquake outside of areas already targeted for large-scale relief, such as Port-au-Prince. MOSCTHA, the Socio-Cultural Movement of Haitian Workers needs funds to underwrite its mobile clinic, which provides weekly medicine and personal hygiene supplies to more than 5,000 families in rural areas that are receiving little-to-no emergency support.
 
International Rescue Committee (IRC) is collaborating with local Haitian partners to rehabilitate damaged clinics, establish mobile clinics, distribute food, water and water storage containers, and dispense basic shelter materials including sheets, blankets, hygiene items, and roofing sheets.
 
UNITED ISRAEL APPEAL CANADA/ISRA-AID: Funds from the CCRJ will go to United Israel Appeal Canada for its support of IsraAid, the coalition of Israeli NGO disaster relief specialists. Fund proceeds qualify for Canadian government matching dollars which will be allocated to Canada's Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. For more information provided by the CCRJ click on http://urj.org/socialaction/issues/relief/haiti/?syspage=article&item_id=32520.

As the need for emergency responses is reduced, the URJ allocations will fund longer-term recovery efforts. Donations are urgently needed. Donations to the Union for Reform Judaism Haiti Relief Fund can be made online or by check (note: Haiti Relief in the memo section) to:

          Union for Reform Judaism
          Attention: Development
          633 Third Avenue, 7th Floor
          New York, NY 10017

 

Note: The Union for Reform Judaism retains no overhead expenses for disaster relief donations, other than direct costs such as credit card fees.
 
Because of the need to inform you of the action needed regarding the Super Bowl Sunday ad and the need for contributions for Haiti relief, we will move the breast cancer resources to next week.

January 27

New Breast Self-Examination Shower Cards Available at WRJ

The Landsberg Zale Research Fund in Surgical Oncology, through the generosity and good offices of Gloria Landsberg, has once again provided WRJ with new breast self-examination shower cards. Order as many as you need. This is a service to sisterhoods, the only charge is for shipping.

Much controversy and confusion have surrounded breast cancer screening since the new guidelines issued on November 16, by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts appointed by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, recommended that regular breast cancer screening for most women begin at age fifty, not forty, as had previously been the policy. The task force indicated, however, that this recommendation does not apply to women with the possibility of a risk factor for breast cancer, such as a genetic mutation, and suggested personalized decision making, based on an informed context, regarding the starting of regular mammography screening. Ashkenazic Jewish women may have such risk factors and should discuss the age of beginning mamography with their physicians.

The American Cancer Society, ACS, has retained its policy, recommending that women over forty years of age “should have a screening mammogram every year.” The ACS website, has an informative discussion on breast cancer screening.

 

Program Suggestions for Sisterhoods

Programs are an excellent way to raise awareness and convey important information about breast and ovarian cancer. Work with your local office of the American Cancer Society or breast and ovarian cancer division at a nearby teaching hospital. Have the breast self-examination cards available for all attendees.

The Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh and Education Center's (Newton, MA) Prayers for the Journey: A Jewish Healing Guide for Women with Cancer, is a useful resource for the spiritual aspect of programming.  WRJ helped to fund this sourcebook with a YES Fund grant. 

1. A panel program  – Invite speakers on various aspects of breast cancer: prevention, detection, genetic implications for Jewish women, treatment, research, or legislation. Include some of the following as speakers: breast cancer survivors, genetics counselors, physicians (radiologists, surgeons, and oncologists), nurses, specialists in public health, nutritionists, social workers, or representatives of the American Cancer Society and breast cancer coalitions.
2. A speaker on breast health – Host a speaker for a luncheon or evening program, inviting an expert on breast health.
3. A series of get-togethers for breast health – Hold intimate coffees at homes with qualified facilitators (including those listed in item 1. above) to enable women to express their concerns about breast and ovarian cancer. 
4. Workshops on breast health – Include workshops on breast health at retreats and your district’s biennial assemblies.
5. Breast health fair – Hold a fair for women in the congregation and community. Booths should cover all aspects of breast health and include the specialists listed above. If possible provide a mobile mammography unit, BSE training, and a wide variety of information.
   

Additional programming resource information to be provided next week.

January 19

Call For Religious Equality in Israel

 

Recently we’ve seen an increase of police pressure on Women of the Wall, such as the arrest of Nofrat Frenkel, a medical student, in late November, for wearing a tallit while praying at the Wall, and this month’s interrogation of Anat Hoffman, director of the Israel Religious Action Center and leader of Women of the Wall.

 

The URJ has brought together resources, including information and recommended action to enable you to respond to this important issue.

 

To learn more, join a webinar for congregational and sisterhood leaders on Thursday, January 21st, at 1:00p.m. EST. We’ll be joined by Anat Hoffman and Gilat Kariv, director of Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, who will outline the situation and explain how North American Jews can show support for Women of the Wall and for religious pluralism in Israel.

 

Because of the urgency of the situation, a brief update on URJ Haiti efforts will be included in the webinar.

 

Canadian sisterhoods, please click here for an on-line petition to Israel's ambassador to Canada regarding religious pluralism in Israel.

 

Our message is clear: The Kotel belongs not just to one individual, group, or denomination but to all Jews. The treatment of women as they engage in meaningful prayer and ritual undermines the Jewish and democratic values that are so essential to the state of Israel’s well-being. For up-to-date information, visit www.urj.org/israel/wow.

 

Educational materials in relation to this issue that you could use for an introduction to a meeting or Rosh Chodesh service, which provide the historical and modern context for the role of women as leaders in the quest for religious freedom and civil rights, are available at here. 

 

Anat Hoffman said recently, "We are pushing the envelope. History is made of moments like this." History is not made at moments of interrogation and disrespect. Join us and help ensure religious and civic equality in Israel.

January 13

Haiti Relief Fund

A severe earthquake devastated Haiti yesterday afternoon. Many thousands of people were killed and millions have been impacted.  Make a contribution to help in the recovery efforts through the Union for Reform Judaism Haiti Relief Fund.

 

You can do so online or by check (note: Haiti Relief in the memo section) to:

Union for Reform Judaism

Attention: Development

633 Third Avenue, 7th Floor

New York, NY 10017

 

Child Trafficking – Canadian Sisterhood Advocacy Needed

Following a forum on human trafficking, Alexis Rothschild, president of Temple Sholom, Women of Reform Judaism, Vancouver, Canada, sent an alert calling on sisterhood members to advocate Senate deliberation of Bill C-268, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (minimum sentence for offenses involving trafficking of persons under the age of eighteen years)," currently in the Canadian Parliament. This private member's bill, sponsored by Joy Smith, MP (Kildonan-St. Paul, Manitoba), was passed by the House of Commons on September 30th. It was subsequently introduced in the Senate and its consideration will resume on March 3, 2010. When the bill is approved by the Senate, it will be given Royal Assent and become law. Please click here for more information on the bill.

 

Canada is one of the few developed countries that does not have enhanced penalties for the trafficking of children. Canadian sisterhoods are urged to download and print the petition for your members to sign. The address to which it should be sent is at the bottom of the petition.  Take action to hold child traffickers accountable for their heinous crimes.

 

The Temple Committee Against Human Trafficking of Temple Emanu-EL-Beth Sholom, Montreal, Quebec, has been working on this issue for six years, with advocacy, conferences, and programs. Representatives of the committee gave the workshop "Pidyon Sh’evuyim: How Congregations Can Help Stop Human Trafficking and Sex Slavery," at the URJ biennial in Toronto.

 

January 8

Anat Hoffman Interrogated by the Jerusalem Police

This Tuesday, January 5th, Anat Hoffman, the executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center and leader of Israel’s Women of the Wall, was questioned for over an hour and fingerprinted by the police at the Kishle police station, near the Jaffa Gate. She was told that she was a suspect in a felony, not complying with a legal order, and disturbing the peace, in other words, for violating the rules of conduct at the Kotel. The interrogation largely focused on her participation in the recent Women of the Wall Rosh Chodesh prayer services.

 

For more information about the interrogation, read Rachel Canar’s phone interview with Anat Hoffman and an article by Jane Eisner from The Forward. Rabbi Robert Orkand, Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) president, has also issued a powerful response to the incident.

 

A list of action items for sisterhoods in support of Anat Hoffman and Women of the Wall will be included in the coming Wednesday social justice e-mail.

January 6

WRJ Sisterhoods Stand in Solidarity With Women of the Wall

The December 30th social justice e-mail described two sisterhoods that convened events to participate in the Jewish women’s grassroots action in solidarity with Women of the Wall (WOW). Since then, several additional sisterhoods have informed us that they held programs which featured support for Women of the Wall and the right of women to pray and read Torah at the Kotel and to don tallitot for doing so.

 

Congregation Albert Sisterhood, Albuquerque, NM, adopted a motion of support for WOW as part of their annual shared meeting with a local Conservative sisterhood and participants were urged to kindle the seventh candle for the light of religious freedom and pluralism in Israel. The program also featured Shawn Price, a Jew by choice and member of the Navajo Tribe, and Navajo women dancers, honoring the spirit of women who fight as necessary. Mr. Price said "we honor those who battle on behalf of us"… just as we, sisterhood women, honor Women of the Wall.

 

Temple Beth-El Sisterhood, Hillsborough, NJ expressed solidarity with Women of the Wall, which added an extra dimension to their annual Chanukah/Woman of Valor Dinner.  Saying a prayer to remember the courage of the Maccabees who fought for religious freedom, they participated in the grassroots action in support of the Women of the Wall. They took a photo of their sisterhood members wearing tallitot, which they sent to WOW in Israel to show their support and solidarity.

 

WRJ of Congregation B'nai Israel of Boca Raton, FL held a Morning Educational Awareness Program to view the film, "Praying In Her Own Voice," which depicts the struggle in which the participants of Women of the Wall have engaged. Click on http://www.newlovefilms.com for information and purchase.

 

Sisterhood of Temple Sholom, Women of Reform Judaism, Vancouver, BC developed an event in support of Women of the Wall in their Rosh Chodesh Renewal program.  Information and pictures of the program were sent to WOW.