Happy Summer! How wonderful to meet with friends and family and to begin to join together at Temple Shalom as we look towards a brighter future for all. As we plan events for the Fall we certainly hope we can gather together to advocate, learn and take action.
This will be the last newsletter written while Carol Berlin is officially the Co-Chair and main force behind the Tzedek Team. Carol will be moving on to an even greater leadership role at Temple Shalom. Without Carol’s guidance, motivation and initiative our Tzedek Team would not have been able to accomplish all that it has in the past several years. We know that Carol will always be a force for Social Justice within Temple Shalom, our greater Newton Community and beyond but please join me in thanking her for all she has done to advance the causes we care so deeply about.
Below please find information regarding action, as well as opportunities for advocacy and learning.
Best wishes, Marion
Let me add that it has been a joy and honor to work with both Rabbi Laura Abrasley and Marion as we developed the Tzedek Team. I am delighted that they will continue to provide guidance. This has been work I have loved, and it couldn’t have happened without the efforts of our community, and the leaders within. I am delighted that what we started will continue to flourish. The opportunities below represent the strength of our leaders.
Best wishes, Carol
UPCOMING IMMIGRATION EVENT
Advocating for Immigration Justice: A Discussion of Current Immigration, Asylum, and Refugee Issues with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Tuesday, June 15 from 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM on Zoom
Today, we face enormous challenges posed by our nation's broken immigration system. Over 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the shadows of our communities across North America. Elizabeth Leff from the Religious Action Center will join us to provide an update on the current issues related to immigration, asylum, and refugees. The conversation will cover topics such as the progress of DACA and the DREAM act, a review of immigration-related legislation, and suggestions for how we can help advocate for immigration justice in our community and nationwide. This event is sponsored by the Tzedek/Social Justice Committee. Register here to receive the Zoom link!
Food Pantry Delivery Drivers Newton Neighbors is looking for additional drivers for contactless grocery delivery from local food pantries to families who can’t get there themselves. We need a few extra drivers and backup drivers to ensure that we can continue to support families without interruption through the summer months. Please sign up here.
Kids Club Bags Here’s a fun and meaningful activity that you can do with your kids. Every week, Centre Street Food Pantry provides families with children with extra bags of food, filled with snacks the kiddos love. Currently, the pantry is running low on these Kids Club bags and could really use your help. It’s easy—just grab a brown handled grocery bag and fill with the requested items: For more information, go to https://www.centrestfoodpantry.org/food-drive-lists
Freedom to Vote Voting rights continue to be threatened in many states, and these legislative efforts are gaining momentum. Please have a look at how the Reform Movement is organizing for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the For the People Act: https://rac.org/issues/racial-justice/racial-justice-campaign/freedom-vote
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) is also offering some upcoming training sessions to help us advocate for voting rights.Learn more here.
GUN SAFETY
On June 2, the Newton City Council enacted one of the country's most restrictive zoning ordinances to regulate gun stores, effectively stopping Newton Firearms from opening at 709 Washington Street and putting in place protections for our city moving forward. This zoning ordinance was crafted to be legally justifiable and is supported by the City's Law Department and the Giffords' Law Center, arguably the nation's force in fighting the gun lobby. It has the largest possible buffer zones around sensitive areas, such as schools, parks, playgrounds, and houses of worship, and has multiple layers of protection to prevent a store from opening. This includes a special permit process that requires councilors to weigh whether the public's health and safety is impacted by the store's locations. It sends a clear message that Newton is inhospitable for firearms dealers, and is the best approach to stopping gun stores in Newton at this time.
A full ban will also be considered by the City Council in the coming weeks. A ban is not supported by state or national gun violence prevention experts, Newton's Law Department, or the Giffords Law Center. Stop Gun Stores in Newton has also described why they are opposed to the ban here. In short, a ban tempts the gun lobby at a time when we have a Supreme Court looking for ways to strengthen the Second Amendment, and has the votes to do so. Should the ban be heard by this Supreme Court, it could lead to the expansion of gun rights, eroding decades of hard fought protections in communities that do not benefit from Massachusetts' strict gun laws.
With the ordinance in place, Newton can look for ways we can move forward the gun violence prevention movement in Massachusetts and in the country, in turn making us all safer. We encourage people who feel energized by what's happened here to become involved in state or national gun violence prevention organizations that are making change through strategic, organized action. The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and The Giffords Campaign are some good places to start. Thank you to all of the advocates out there who wrote and called their city councilors and spoke out against gun stores in Newton. This was an amazing example of how citizens working together can accomplish meaningful change.
