A Word From Social Justice Coordinator Jason Taper
Looking ahead this week, I want to draw your attention to ourMLK Shabbat: the Path to Creating an Anti-Racist Jewish Community, January 15-17. That’s in less than a month, closer than it seems! (Quick programming note -- the next Tzaddik will be out 1/8/20, so I’ll wish you a Happy New Year now!)
MLK weekend is a time when we are used to coming together as a broader Austin Jewish community, all joining hands and praying together for a world without the stain of racial oppression. While this year we will gather virtually, we continue to recognize that our brighter future is not made through prayer alone, but through the hard work of showing up, listening to our neighbors, and amplifying all of our voices to the halls of power.
This year, we’re focusing our attention on our own community, ensuring our congregations welcome absolutely everyone, especially Jews of Color. We all live in a society where race too often determines access to adequate education, a livable income, quality housing, safe neighborhoods, and a feeling of belonging. Systemic racism, racial oppression through the systems and structures in which we live, takes real effort and commitment to uproot. So we invite you to join us, over MLK weekend and beyond, as we rededicate ourselves to conscientiously recognizing and fighting against systemic racism, starting with our own Austin Jewish community.
We are excited to partner with Be’chol Lashon in this work, a nonprofit committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion within Jewish spaces. Our discussions will center the voices of Jews of Color and focus on how we can build an anti-racist Austin Jewish community.
Together, we can make sure that every Jewish institution and space in Austin is welcoming to folks of all races, all backgrounds, and all identities. The work of making sure we are truly inclusive will not be accomplished in a few days, but we hope MLK weekend is a catalyst on our path to becoming an anti-racist community. Join us!
And as always, regardless of shul affiliation, the point of contact for every initiative listed would be happy to have your help. And if you simply want to ask how best to be an ally, or how we got here, please reply to this email, fill out the form above, or call me. My email is jason.austinsocialjustice@gmail.com, and my number is 469-834-9987. Thank you! L'shalom, Jason Taper, Social Justice Coordinator
Upcoming Events: RAC-TX Issue Selection Webinars Have a say on Texas Reform Jewish advocacy! Join us at one of two virtual town halls sponsored by RAC-TX, the Reform Jewish Movement’s statewide social justice effort. On these webinars you will hear about potential RAC-TX state legislative campaigns and weigh in on which campaign you most want to work on in 2021. Register now for one of these two identical webinars and help shape RAC-TX’s 2021 social justice work: * January 19 at noon CST * January 20 at 7 pm CST
Please register for whichever one is most convenient for you. The more Austinites who join the webinars, the more influence we will have on RAC-TX’s 2021 social justice work.For background on our research, try this.
Work So Far: The RAC officially launched theEvery Voice, Every Vote: the Reform Movement’s 2020 Civic Engagement Campaign. Throughout the year, Reform Jews like us fight injustice by talking directly to our nation’s leaders. Our goal is not the success of one party, but the empowerment of our own community and ensuring that public policies reflect our Jewish values. We turned out our own congregants to close to 100% voting, and partnered with Reclaim Our Vote, a nonpartisan group whose mission is to counteract the effects of voter suppression on communities of color.
Ongoing Actions: • Sign up for CBI Chavruaction Circleswhich are now open to the entire CBI community! The purpose of this program is to gather in small groups for anti-racist learning and action. You can join our second cohort of circles, "Cohort Bet," by completing this sign-up form(DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS FRIDAY, JANUARY 15TH). Chavruaction Circles meet once a month for two hours and receive approximately 1-2 hours of pre-meeting study assignments Gatherings always include some form of suggested action (e.g., personal reflection, research, advocacy, community initiatives, etc.). For questions, please contact Mindy Lee atmindyem@gmail.com.
• After phenomenal civic engagement efforts for the November General election, there is still more work to do! Learn more about how to stay involved and join Georgia Get Out the Vote efforts and sign up for the Reclaim our Vote Georgia Phone Bank Night on December 21st (5-7PM, CST) by visiting Every Voice, Every Vote.
Ongoing Actions: The Texas Anti-Poverty Project is researching the recent agreement between Travis County and Tesla to improve contractor wages and access to high-paying jobs for local residents who are part of the working poor.
Upcoming Event: Anti-Poverty House Meeting When: 1/20, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Contact Larkin for details.
Work So Far: * Meeting with Texas Senator Judith Zaffirini and Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Commissioner Margaret Gomez about a potential investment vehicles such as Section 381 and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone around the new Tesla Gigafactory to make investments in education, job training, and other community needs in Del Valle * Education about strategies highlighted in NY Times, Tamarack Institute (Canada), andCentral Iowa * Partnering with other Austin organizations (LifeWorks, Community First! Village, and Capital IDEA) to conduct house meetings to understand issues and identify leaders of families impacted by poverty.
Jewish tradition is filled with commandments to help the poorest among us: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the widow and orphan. When we organize to place working class voices at the center of how our community morally responds to poverty, we not only improve the advocacy we undertake, but fundamentally empower those who the Torah compels us to uplift.
Advocates for Social Justice Reform (Equal Justice Initiative)
Contact: Bob Batlan | bobbatlan1@gmail.com Email Bob for a Zoom invitation and/or to join our mailing list. Ongoing Work: We start by meeting one on one with government officials, community leaders, a diverse group of fellow advocates, and people impacted by the legal justice system. We learn about strengths and weaknesses of current approaches. We focus on developing positive relationships with all so they will work with us to make improvements to complex problems. Our approach has been successful, and we are considered a key voice for positive change.
Current areas of focus:
• Assure successful startup of the Travis County Public Defender Office • Improve quality and accountability of indigent defense • Implement and assure funding for legal representation at or before first court appearance (Magistration) • Improve how accused are treated pretrial • Partner to implement Participatory Defense
Recent Meetings: • Betty Blackwell – President of the Board of Capital Area Public Defender Service • Roger Jefferies – Travis County Justice and Public Safety Executive • Jose Garza – Candidate for Travis County District Attorney • Adeola Ogunkeyede – Travis County Chief Public Defender • Bradley Hargis - Executive Director Capital Area Private Defender Service (CAPDS) • Public Defender Office Staff and CAPDS Holistic Practices Staff • Travis County Court Administration Staff
"Justice, justice, you shall pursue." A just system of laws is ingrained from Leviticus through King David through every contradicting comment in the Talmud. Even an eye for an eye is blind to whose eye is taken, so we organize for a criminal justice system that is truly fair and impartial.
Refugee, Asylee, and Immigrant Action
Ongoing Actions: From Amnesty International: Right now, twenty‐eight children and their parents are facing imminent deportation by the Trump administration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has the power to stop this, but only if we ramp up public pressure on them before this irreversible damage is done. Call these ICE offices immediately to urge them to STOP the deportations of these children and their families.
We need more help with food deliveries. Anyone interested in providing food to a family on a weekly basis (directly or through a donation) can contact Cathy Campbell ( cathybquilter@gmail.com ).
We have used most of funds and anyone who can contribute (from either congregation) can give to the TBS Refugee Task Force Fund on the TBS website or contact Russ Apfel ( russapfel@yahoo.com )
Refugee Services of Texas Upcoming Events:
Save the date for “A Night at the Drive-in” on March 4, 2021, the kickoff event for Refugee Services of Texas as part of Amplify Austin. If you or your business is interested in a sponsorship or donating auction items, contact Development Director Ashley Faye at: afaye@rstx.org
HIAS Upcoming Events:
Ongoing Action: Online Volunteer Orientation and Training Contact Lynn Burdick, RST's volunteer coordinator, to learn how to get involved with RST online volunteering!
Check with Russ and Cathy for updates on the TBS Refugee Task Force, Austin Sanctuary Network, and Refugee activities at CBI. They work closely with Ahmed Abbas, the Asylum Caseworker at RST. For more info about HIAS contactNancy Wolf.
Work So Far: Both CBI and TBS have been active in working to support organizations that provide support and services to refugees, asylees and immigrants. Our main partners are Refugee Services of Texas (RST), Austin Sanctuary Network (ASN), iACT, and HIAS (formerly Hebrew Immigrant Assistance Society).
Temple Beth Shalom and Congregation Beth Israel have both sponsored several Welcome Teams through RST to help settle new refugees in Austin. In the last year, very few refugees have come to Austin due to policies of the federal government and we have re-focused on efforts towards asylees. We pushed RST and provided significant financial support for them to start an asylee program called ASAP with funding for a caseworker. Ahmed Abbas is the caseworker and was a speaker at the Austin Jews for Refugees Assemble that we hosted last year with HIAS. We have connected RST with ASN which is supporting 25+ families with weekly food deliveries, rent assistance, computers, winter clothing and legal assistance. We have raised over $14k which has been spent to support these activities. Our Winter Clothing Drive has provided clothes to more than 70 people. We provide food to 25 families each week and have given 20 computers to these families. Along with funds from RST and the City of Austin RISE fund we have helped these families stay in their homes.
