With Passover upon us we think of neighbors far and wide who are still not free. Free from tyranny, hunger, violence, homelessness, voting rights, lack of education, pain and loneliness. You will find volunteer opportunities in this newsletter that help address these issues and hope you will feel motivated to act.
May you and your families and friends experience the joy of being together for Passover in happiness and good health.
Marion Pollock Tzedek Newsletter Editor
IMMIGRATION
Under U.S. and international law, anyone who steps on U.S. soil or presents themselves at a U.S. port of entry is entitled to apply for asylum. However, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. has deported or expelled over one million people under “Title 42,” a policy issued by the Trump administration preventing migrants from entering the U.S. due to public health concerns. Despite public health experts and immigrant justice advocates condemning the order as having no basis in public health, legally questionable, ineffective, and dangerous, the Biden administration has continued to use Title 42 to deport and expel those legally seeking asylum in the U.S. It is time for President Biden to end this policy. Join us in calling on the Biden administration to end Title 42 and restore asylum. TSARP News We were happy to welcome our four Afghan friends to Temple Shalom during Refugee Shabbat on March 4. They enjoyed the service, especially the music, and were happy to meet more people in our community. In the last half of March, there was an exciting new development. We were approached about another Afghan family who is in great need. Thanks to the generosity of our TSARP donors, we were able to agree to sponsor this lovely family. The father is a journalist/newspaper editor, the mother worked on women’s issues in Afghanistan and is expecting in July, and they have a 3-year-old. They are moving into the same apartment complex in Chestnut Hill where our guys live, a few doors down from them. Once they’re settled, we’ll communicate in more detail about volunteer opportunities, both for our existing volunteer base and for those who’d like to get involved for the first time. For those of you who wanted to work with kids – this is your chance!
We have been asked whether we will be supporting Ukrainian refugees. As you know, the US has committed to bring 100,000 refugees to the US, possibly under the same “humanitarian parole” status provided to our Afghan friends. Refugee support agencies such as CCAB and RIAC (the agencies supporting our original guys and new family, respectively) have their hands full with Afghan arrivals, so it’s not clear exactly how the Ukrainian effort will work and when it will begin. Please see these resources on Ukraine from the RAC Responding to the Crisis in Ukraine | Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (rac.org)
A Unique Way to Help Ukrainian Refugees The editor-in-chief of one of Ukraine's largest publishers is asking for funds to help send books to refugee children in surrounding countries to give them "a little piece of home" during a traumatic time. Old Lion is accepting donations online that will help pay for books to be sent to Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, and elsewhere.
VOTING RIGHTS
Please consider joining our amazing team of Temple Shalom postcard writers. We are working with JALSA on a new, non-partisan effort to expand the electorate in North Carolina and this effort will continue for several months. Postcards, scripts, and detailed instructions will be provided. Contact Arlene Pressman, arpressman@gmail.com for more information.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Welcome Home Drive: April 3-5 Please consider stopping by the Temple between April 3 and 5 to drop off a donation of the household items noted below. The clients of Welcome Home will be very grateful.
The Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy Are you interested in helping elementary school children with their reading, starting in September? The Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy wants to put together a group of volunteer reading tutors from Temple Shalom. No teaching experience necessary. You'll volunteer for a few hours once a week at the Ohrenberger/Beethoven Elementary School in West Roxbury. Janet Gottesman, a long time member of Temple Shalom, will head up this group. Janet has been a devoted volunteer since 2011 and finds it deeply rewarding. Contact her atjanetgottesman@gmail.comto learn more about this program.
Happy Anniversary to the Freedge!
The Freedge has been in operation for a little over a year as the need for fresh, accessible food increases. Please consider joining the Temple Shalom Tuesday Team by helping out when you can. The TEAM is also in need of a new Co-Chair. This position is not labor intensive with the majority of work being completed from the comfort of your home. Click here to sign up and find more information.
Food Pantry Delivery: Looking for Volunteers for April and May Deliver food from food pantries in Newton to families who are unable to access the pantries themselves. Drivers are needed for April and May. Delivery usually takes about an hour to complete. You can sign up to deliver during one or more of the following times: Wednesday afternoons from Newton Food Pantry, pick up food at assigned delivery times between 12-3pm. The 1st Saturday of the month from Centre Street Food Pantry, pick up food between 1:30-2:30pm.The 3rd Friday of the month from the American Legion Nonantum Post 440 Mobile Food Bank, pick up food 9 - 9:15am (before the pantry opens to the public). Click here for April signups or May signups.
Transport Bulk Food from Food Rescue Organizations to Waltham and South Area Food Pantries Newton Neighbor’s bulk food delivery program is looking for volunteers to join in delivering fresh produce from local food rescue organizations to MetroWest food pantries. They need more drivers to make these transport runs to pantries in Waltham and the South area. Please reach out to us at newtonneighborshelping@gmail.com to volunteer or find out more. Help bridge that last link in the distribution chain and provide good food to so many families in need.
Calling All Gardeners Get your hands dirty! NN is partnering with the Newton Housing Authority to help senior residents with a variety of gardening projects. We are looking for volunteers in two areas:
Partnering with a NHA Newtonville resident to help with a variety of gardening tasks, from repotting indoor plants and putting pots on a balcony to supporting experienced gardeners.
Work with other volunteers to design and construct community areas in a NHA complex in Newtonville that could use new plantings.
We are still finalizing the details on this new project – more information to follow. To get involved or learn more, please contact us at newtonneighborshelping@gmail.com.
