Social Justice Committee
Kay Liss,
Oversight Leader, Social Justice
724-910-8474 or kayl@templedavid.org
Added September 2022
Every Voice, Every Vote
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Pennsylvania (RAC-PA) is partnering with the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania for the Every Voice, Every Vote (EVEV) campaign. There are two ways to help get out the vote in our communities:
Poll Workers
Our districts need poll workers. Secure elections are made possible by thousands of Pennsylvanians who serve as poll workers, which is why recruiting poll workers is a top priority of the RAC-PA/EVEV campaign.
Poll workers serve in the county where they’re registered to vote.
Seventeen-year-olds can be poll workers with permission from their parent/guardian and high school principal.
Learn more and sign up to help at the LWVPA’s poll worker website (https://tinyurl.com/3n4436k7);
you must complete training and your election board needs time to determine your placement.
Postcard Writing
Wednesday, September 14 at 6:15 p.m.
In the Lillian and Jack Mervis Social Hall
The Temple David Social Justice Committee is going to have a Postcard Party on Wednesday, September 14 at 6:15 p.m. at Temple David.
The League of Women Voters, OnePa, and the New PA Project have provided the names and addresses of people who are not registered to vote. We will receive pre-addressed postcards and we will have to write a message on the postcard and put a stamp on it.
Let us know if you want to be involved with this. This activity can also be done at home; you could pick up the cards at the temple or we will get the cards to you.
Thank you to all who have already volunteered! We need more postcard writers.
Please let us hear from you!
Added August 2022
Social Justice
Join Our Every Voice, Every Vote Effort
Temple David’s Social Justice and Social Action committees are excited to announce that our partner organizations have been selected for our RAC-PA Every Voice Every Vote campaign, launching soon. We will be working alongside OnePA and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania to help make sure the voice and vote of every eligible voter in PA is heard this fall! We also plan to work with the New PA Project.
There are several ways that each of you can help. We are looking at phone banking, having a postcarding event (virtual or in person or both), canvassing, and tabling. Beck and I have learned a lot and want you to all find a way to reach out in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties.
Voter turnout remains low among people of color and young people in Pennsylvania. With this campaign we aim to remedy this!
Please contact Kay Liss or Beck Abrams if you have questions or would like to sign up.
Also, please join us at the Erev Shabbat service on Friday, August 26 at 7:30
to hear Beck Abrams speak about our plans for Every Voice Every Vote.
You can learn more about our partner organizations by visiting these sites:
OnePA: https://onepa.org/vote/
League of Women Voters of PA: https://www.palwv.org/
New PA Project: https://www.newpaproject.org/
Added July 2022
I will be watching closely to come up with the information that we need to make sure we are a part of the Religious Action Center-Pennsylvania (RAC-PA) Every Voice, Every Vote Campaign as we go forward to the Midterm Election on November 8.
As I said last month, RAC-PA has had a great few months. RAC-PA has been very active working to ensure that our new redistricting of our state is actually based on who lives in each area. I personally wrote several letters, at the request of RAC-PA.
Please look for information in the summer as to what you can do to be a part of the RAC-PA Every Voice, Every Vote Campaign program as we go forward to the Midterm Election on November 8.
There will be Zoom meetings each Wednesday at 8 p.m. (through November 2) to learn the nuts and bolts on how to do post-carding, texting, and phone calls. Please get in touch with me and I can help you get signed up for these Zoom Meetings.
Updated June 2022
This has been a great few months. RAC/PA has been very active working to ensure that the new redistricting of our state is actually set on who lives in each area. I personally wrote several letters, which RAC/PA asked me to do.
Please join us for our next meeting on Sunday, June 26 at 11 a.m. via www.templedavid.org/athome.
Updated February 2022
Social Justice: Jewish Disability Advocacy
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) is continuing their partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America as hosts of the Annual Jewish Disability Advocacy Day (JDAD) on Wednesday, February 23 and Thursday, February 24.
This year’s JDAD will be a two-day, virtual event where Jews with disabilities and their allies from organizations and communities across the nation come together to learn about relevant disability policy, raise awareness on disability inclusion, and advocate for current legislative priorities with their elected officials.
Breaking Down Barriers
Wednesday, February 23 at 7 p.m.
Your involvement starts here. Listen to some of our remarkable community members with disabilities who share their personal stories of challenges faced and overcome.
Get motivated by frontline representatives as they share examples of the life-improving impact that Jewish Federations and our other partner organizations are having on the daily lives of people living with disabilities.
And more.
Advocacy Days—Making Change
Thursday, February 24 from 1-4 p.m.
Hear from members of Congress and others.
Learn about promoting national legislation and implementing grassroots strategies.
Get the tools and coaching to advocate for disability rights in real time. We will take concrete action at this event-individual yet together.
To Register or to Learn More
Visit https://tinyurl.com/yruajyad
JDAD occurs against the backdrop of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). Every February, the North American Jewish community recognizes JDAIM as an opportunity to examine our community and evaluate our successes and shortcomings in being open and inclusive to members with disabilities.
Please contact Kay Liss if you have questions.
Updated January 2022
Social Justice Committee: Civic Engagement
Next Meeting: Sunday, January 23 at 11 a.m.
Hi everyone. The Social Justice committee is coming alive! Joining RAC-PA is giving us here at Temple David direction. I hope that you took advantage and attended the Zoom event on December 15. You had an opportunity to learn about the redistricting going on here in Pennsylvania.
The Legislative Redistricting Committee was to release the updated maps the week of December 13. Allegheny County is one of eight areas that is being investigated and will see changes in the new maps. The new maps should ensure that all districts meet social justice for all residents. The present maps do not give this to all residents. The present maps are a good example of gerrymandering!
Sounds interesting? Please join us. Our next meeting is on Zoom on Sunday, January 23 at 11 a.m. If you want to talk to me, I would welcome talking with you.
Added December 2021
Social Justice Committee: Civic Engagement
Next Meeting: Sunday, January 23 at 4:30 p.m.
Hi everyone. By the time you read this, our first Social Justice meeting will be behind us. Since December is such a busy month, I have decided to schedule our next meeting for January 23 at 4:30 p.m. (This could change depending on the Steelers’ progress.) See you in January!
Please note: if the committee decides to meet in December we will announce the update in Next Ten Days
Added November 2021
Social Justice Committee: Civic Engagement
Sunday, November 21 at 4 p.m.
On Zoom at www.templedavid.org/athome
OPEN TO ALL
As I said in my article in October’s TD Now!, the Temple David Social Justice committee is alive and well. I am so sorry that we had to postpone our October 3 meeting.
I have been attending meetings online and I have been in touch with the Religious Action Center [RAC], and we have joined RAC-PA. This is a group of congregations in Pennsylvania that will work together on several topics. One of the topics is the right to vote. I have more information and I hope that you will all join me and other members of the current Social Justice Committee on Sunday, November 21 at 4 p.m. on Zoom to find out more about what we will be doing.
We have several choices for 2022:
- Advocacy and Activism
- Civil Rights and Voting Rights
- Immigration
- Gun Violence
Please join us Sunday, November 21; we will begin with a review of our past work followed by a discussion of focus areas for 2022.
We will join the leaders of the Reform Movement as we examine and address our own behaviors, practices, and policies, through the lens of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion (Regional Economic Development Inc. [REDI]) and outwardly to pursue targeted, strategic advocacy that could change laws and policies that impact our society. –RAC (https://rac.org/)
Kay Liss,
Chair-Social Justice Committee
kayl@templedavid.org
Added October 2021
Social Justice Committee: Civic Engagement
Sunday, October 3 at 1:30 p.m.
On Zoom at www.templedavid.org/athome
OPEN TO ALL
Please join us for our next online Social Justice meeting on Sunday, October 3 at 1:30 p.m. when we will discuss the 2021-22 Civic Engagement initiatives from RAC-PA (the Pennsylvania branch of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism). (The initiatives will be rolled out by RAC-PA on September 30.)
We will also revisit the list of topics from our previous meetings.
All Temple David members are welcome to join the Social Justice Committee; please join us!
Added September 2021
The Temple David Social Justice committee is alive and well. I have been in touch with the Religious Action Center (RAC), and have made a decision to join RAC-PA. This is a group of congregations in the state of PA that want to work together on various topics. One of the topics is the right to vote. As you know, across our country, many states have passed laws restricting that right for many people. At this time I have limited information so I hope that you will all join me and other members of the current social justice committee on October 3 at 1:30 p.m. to find out more about what we will be doing.
I will also reach out to all of you in the October issue of TD Now! with more information.
From the RAC website: “The Torah teaches to accept others without prejudice and to work with others to achieve social justice. Since the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Jewish community has continued its support of civil rights laws addressing systemic discrimination in voting, housing, and employment against not only women and people of color but also the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities.”
Kay Liss,
Chair-Social Justice Committee
kayl@templedavid.org
Social Justice News
Published June 2021
We are still here and will be returning after a bit of reorganizing. Stay tuned because exciting programs are being reviewed including some new and exciting programs from RAC (Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism). Look for more information on REDI (Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion). Programming to begin the fall.
Published May 2021
Yes, we are still here at Temple David. The committee has not met for a couple of months and we will begin meetings soon. We will be meeting to regroup and decide how we will move forward at Temple David on the topic of Social Justice. Interested? Please let me know and I will add you to the list of congregants who are on the committee.
In the meantime, Rabbi Symons has recommended Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson for the July 15 Book Club. (“A transformative new framework through which to understand identity and injustice in America.”—Justin Worland, Time.)
You can call Monroeville Public Library at 412-372-0500 and ask them to hold a copy for you.
Published March 2021
Don’t worry! Social Justice and our current topic of Systemic Racism has not gone away.
At the end of February, the committee will meet with others who took the training from the Monroeville Interfaith Ministerium. The training program was developed by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Look for our meetings with the congregation to begin again in April.
Published February 2021
We are taking a hiatus for a few weeks to regroup before we once again continue our meetings on Systemic Racism. We will be talking to the other people from the Monroeville Interfaith Ministerium who took the training with us. We want to discuss with them how they have presented the material to their religious groups and how things are going.
Stay tuned for further information!
Published December 2020
The Social Justice Committee continues on its own journey to educate itself on systemic racism which includes understanding implicit biases, whiteness and several other sub topics and then to educate our congregation on all the topics.
L’Shalom
Published November 2020
Our next Courageous Conversation is on Zoom on Sunday, November 15. at 7 p.m.
PLEASE join us and consider becoming a part of this exciting project. It is, for me, Tikkun Olam at the highest level.
If you would rather join us and just listen, and, perhaps, share your viewpoint or an insight, that would be wonderful! What is said within this project is meant to stay there.
The link can be found at www.templedavid.org/athome.
Published October 2020
Our next COURAGEOUS CONVERSATION will be on Sunday, October 4 at 7 p.m. on Zoom with Carol Congedo leading the discussion on “Whiteness.” PLEASE join us! You don’t have to be a return participant to be a part of this meeting. Just come—take a look at what we’re trying to accomplish and the dedicated people working on this exciting, important and very relevant project. The link can be found at www.templedavid.org/athome.
We look forward to seeing you!
Published August 2020
Join the Social Justice Committee
on August 9 at 7:30 p.m.
to have our first Courageous Conversation about Race
and move forward in our understanding of Racial Injustice.
On Zoom at www.templedavid.org/athome
If you have questions or want more information
please contact Kay Liss at kayl@templedavid.org
Published March 2020
Our committee continues to move forward. We met this month and continued our discussion on food insecurity and quality preschools (possibly Head Starts) in the Gateway School District. We have invited Rev. Scott Gallagher from Garden City United Methodist Church to come and discuss the above topics. Rev. Gallagher is a new member of the Gateway School Board.
If you would like to join our committee please send me an email, Kay Liss at kayl@templedavid.org or call 724-910-8474.