Serving Meals at the Catholic Multicultural Center
09/29/2019 01:08:08 PM
Looking for a fun, easy opportunity to help the community and spend quality time as a team or group? Help serve the daily meal at the Catholic Multicultural Center!
The Catholic Multicultural Center provides free meals every day to south side community members and homeless people. The center buys and prepares the food, but volunteers serve the food and clean up. Participants join one another at café tables next to the center’s kitchen, and volunteers set out and serve the food. The center serves food to about an average of 70 people daily. A variety of church congregations and community groups provide volunteers to support this effort.
Temple Beth El plans to provide a volunteer group of six to eight people (age 12 and above), for two hours one day a month, on an ongoing basis beginning in October. Volunteers set out and serve the food and clean up after the meal. We have signed up for the second Monday of each month. Our first date will be Monday, October 14.
Who: 6-8 volunteers each day of service
When: 3:30–5:30 pm on the second Monday of each month (you can commit to one or more days)
Where: Catholic Multicultural Center, 1862 Beld St., Madison, WI 53713
Interested in engaging with other TBE members to meet this critical community need? Click on the sign-up link and tell us when you are available. Additional days will be added in the coming year. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B44ADAC22AB9-multicultural
Urgency of Now Update
09/29/2019 01:04:23 PM
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The TBE Board has agreed that going forward, leadership of the Urgency of Now immigration and racial justice action teams will be provided by the Social Action Committee.
The Urgency of Now initiative grew out of TBE’s participation in the 2017 URJ Consultation on Conscience, which seven of our members attended. At the Consultation on Conscience, the URJ urged congregations to pursue tikkun olam through greater involvement in public policy issues, as long as their positions are grounded in Jewish values and the efforts are nonpartisan. In 2017 the TBE board unanimously agreed to participate and formed action teams to focus on three priority areas: immigration, racial justice, and the rights of transgender or gender non-conforming individuals, with a coordinating committee to oversee activities.
At TBE, the initiative has seen a number of successes:
The immigration action team works closely with local partners and sponsors educational programs and service projects. TBE has joined the Dane Sanctuary Coalition and monitors both local and national developments.
The racial justice action team focuses on how racial disparities affect the criminal justice system. It has presented a series of educational discussions and offered a simulation into the challenges experienced by people returning home from prison. This year’s Social Action Shabbat will focus on racial justice.
The transgender action team has focused on in-house efforts to make TBE a more welcoming and inclusive place. It has worked on relabeling the restrooms, changing registration forms, hosting Pride Shabbats, providing education for congregants and staff, and working with the youth groups.
Finding separate leadership for all these efforts is an ongoing challenge. It has also been hard to distinguish between the work of the Social Action Committee and the Urgency of Now action teams due to significant overlap in active members.
Going forward, the Social Action Committee will provide oversight for the immigration and racial justice action teams, without continuing to identify them as Urgency of Now issues. We plan to update the TBE policy for when and how to seek board approval before taking a new public policy position. Efforts to address transgender and LGBTQ issues will continue separately.
At the 2019 Consultation on Conscience, the URJ identified five priority areas where it offers strong support for congregations: immigration, racial justice, environment, gun violence prevention, and reproductive justice. Additional support will be provided in 2020 for civic engagement and voting.
The Social Action Committee plans to be active on immigration, racial justice, and civic engagement, and we welcome all members to join us as we carry on this important work.
Healing House Opens and TBE Provides Meals
09/29/2019 12:58:18 PM
TBE volunteers provided a week of evening meals for families at the Healing House, a medical respite facility for families experiencing homelessness. Cathy Rotter called into action many of the same volunteers who made our shelter program for The Road Home such a success. During this rotation, we helped provide meals for the families of three new babies!
Pride Weekend: A Colorful Celebration
09/29/2019 12:15:21 PM
In August, the Madison community celebrated its ongoing commitment to equity and quality of life for all LGBTQ+ people.
On Friday, August 16, TBE started the weekend with our annual Pride Shabbat. The Weinstein Community Court and the sanctuary were decorated with rainbow colors, and there were family-friendly activities, pronoun stickers, informational handouts, and lots of rainbow-colored food.
Sue Center attended the Shabbat services and was impressed by the warm and welcoming atmosphere. “The service was beautiful, reaffirming, spiritual and relevant to the theme. As always, Rabbi Biatch was outstanding in his remarks and special readings throughout, and Cantor Niemi did a great job with the musical interludes. It was a wonderful and very special Shabbat.”
Paul Grossberg said, “For me, the most moving moment was when everyone sang ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’ Listening to it as a song about inclusion was spiritual and meaningful. I told some East Coast friends about the rainbow-colored challah and they were impressed—it’s something we have that they don’t!”
On Sunday, August 18, the broader Madison community celebrated Pride Week with the OutReach Magic Festival at Warner Park. The festival recognized the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the 30th anniversary of Madison’s first Pride parade. There were activities for all ages, entertainment, food and merchant vendors, and information booths representing a huge array of organizations. Jewish Congregations for Social Justice sponsored a booth together and received praise from passers-by for doing so.
According to Erica Serlin, “The vibe was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and inclusive…with some fabulous costumes and talented performers on display! It was especially enjoyable to mingle with representatives of the other Jewish congregations, and we were pleased to have representatives of the U.S. Armed Forces from California stop by to chat and check out our materials.”
If you’re interested in reading more, check out “Seven Values for an Inclusive Jewish Community” and “Pronouns: Our Communal Responsibility.”
High Holy Day Food Drive
09/25/2019 07:54:48 PM
On Rosh Hashanah every year, our congregation remembers those in our community who do not have enough to eat. We will distribute donation envelopes after all services on Rosh Hashanah and collect them filled with your generous donations (make checks payable to Temple Beth El) on Yom Kippur, or they can be returned to the Temple office. During the holiday season, through Sukkot, you can also donate online at https://www.tbemadison.org/payment.php.
Read more about our High Holy Day Food Drive and hunger-relief initiatives at https://www.tbemadison.org/blog?post_id=900598.
Becoming Better Allies: Our Role in the Fight for Racial Justice
09/25/2019 07:45:36 PM
On November 22, the Social Action Committee will host a Shabbat service focused on the struggle for racial justice and what we can do to support real progress. We will reaffirm why racial justice is important to us as Jews and learn about meaningful actions we can take in our own community.
Please join us for any or all of the evening:
6:30 Dinner from Banzo. RSVP HERE
7:30 Shabbat service
Oneg Shabbat to follow, including items from Just Bakery
Information about volunteer opportunities will be available before and after the service.
Your Voice Matters: World Zionist Congress Election in 2020
09/24/2019 10:03:00 AM
We are entering election season! No, not (quite yet) the US presidential election. Another important election happens in early 2020: the election for delegates to the World Zionist Congress (WZC) of the World Zionist Organization (WZO).
This election takes place every five years. You may remember seeing laptops set up in our Weinstein Community Court in 2015 and being asked to vote for the ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) slate. But you may not have understood exactly what you were voting for or why this election is so important to Reform Jews in North America.
Here’s why it matters: The World Zionist Organization was established in 1897 by the Zionist movement to help bring about the founding of a Jewish state. When the state was founded in 1948, this organization continued for a new purpose: More than 50 percent of all Jews still lived outside of the state of Israel, and it gave Diaspora Jews a political voice in the state.
Today, the WZO is still a place where our voices can have direct influence and power in Israel. If you are feeling frustrated with the policies of the Israeli administration, this election is the only way that North American Jews can weigh in democratically about these issues. Don’t miss your opportunity to do that!
Why do the World Zionist Congress elections matter for our Reform movement and for us at Temple Beth El?
- Funding: Based on the elections of 2015, the Reform movement in Israel now receives over $4 million US dollars annually from the WZO. These funds are critical to support our Reform Jewish communities.
- Political power: A strong delegation to the WZO means we can appoint key professionals who share our Reform Jewish values to leadership positions within the national institutions in Israel.
- Influence: A strong showing in this election lets us influence Israeli society in matters of conversion, marriage and divorce, religious pluralism, gender rights, settlements, and combating racism.
How do these elections accomplish this?
- The United States has a total of 145 delegates to the WZO. This is by far the largest number of delegates from any country outside of Israel, so we can greatly influence the overall makeup of the Congress. Your vote determines how many of those 145 delegates represent the Reform movement.
- Today the Reform movement worldwide holds 36 percent of the seats in the WZO. This strong bloc has allowed us to have influence in critical Israeli issues. As an example, the head of the Jewish Agency, Isaac Herzog, is from this faction. But this bloc is not large enough to impact decisions as strongly as we would like. We must increase this number in the next election.
A Personal Note
In 2015, Kendra Sager and I had the privilege of attending the last World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem. We saw the passion of Reform Jews from around the world to keep Israel both a Jewish and a democratic state, one that reflects our values of inclusiveness and pluralism and acknowledges more than one way to be Jewish in Israel.
We also saw the passion of those who would like to marginalize Reform Judaism in Israel, who embrace the ultra-Orthodox hold on matters involving worship, conversion, marriage, who is considered a rabbi, and who is considered a Jew.
For the North American Reform Jewish community, this election is by far the most important tool for weighing in on matters of funding, political power, and influence in Israel.
What You Can Do
- Make a promise to yourself that you will vote for the ARZA Reform slate when the elections open on January 21, 2020.
- Share this message with your family and friends and encourage them to vote. Every Jew who is at least 18 years old is qualified to vote. You do not need to be a member of a congregation.
The Temple Beth El campaign team, headed by Kendra Sager, will let you know about opportunities between now and January 21 to learn more about the impact of this election and how you can help. Please connect with us if you have questions and ideas about this campaign and how to engage our congregation.
Please join us to spread the word about the WZC election and make Reform Jewish voices heard in Israel.
How Do We Measure a Year? Reflections on S’lichot
09/16/2019 06:31:39 PM
“How do we measure a year?” This question posed by Jonathan Larson in his signature musical Rent seeps into our consciousness, as we find ourselves in a transition between seasons, summer fading away into autumn. And for Jews, preparing for the upcoming Days of Awe, the question looms even more prominently.
In anticipation of the Jewish New Year, we will observe the service of S’lichot at Temple Beth El on Saturday, September 21, at 6:30 p.m. Our service will include stories from sacred texts, as well as inspirational liturgy, all intended to help direct our focus to the tasks of penitence and the spiritual work of the Days of Awe. We will also ceremonially change the covers on our Torah scrolls from the multicolor covers that they wear throughout the year to their white High Holy Day vestments.
In preparation for this powerful ritual, I offer some reflections on S’lichot, including two narratives from the Torah that illuminate its significance.
As we’re called upon to measure our days, to look inward, and to consider our relationships with one another and with the divine, it can be beneficial to have ways to mark time and to orient ourselves. Fortunately, our calendar is full of rituals and liturgy that function like signposts, helping to give us a sense of where we are in the year and guiding us through journeys of emotional and spiritual growth.
Some of these signposts are subtle, a change of words in a particular prayer in the liturgy, or a special Torah portion whose selection for that time of year may or may not immediately resonate with us. Others are intentionally jarring, stirring us out of complacency, preparing us for the spiritual work that the upcoming cycle will demand of us (perhaps the best example of this is the sounding of the shofar).
In this time leading up to the Days of Awe, all these signs, whether subtle or striking, become explicit and tangible in the observance of S’lichot. The shofar is sounded once more, the Torah vestments are changed to white, and the liturgy introduces themes that will recur throughout the holiday season, even containing text that will return on Yom Kippur.
But what are these themes? What exactly is the message that the composers of the S’lichot liturgy hoped would carry throughout the days that follow?
To answer this, at least in part, we can start by looking at two biblical narratives that form a theological bedrock for the S’lichot and High Holy Day liturgy, each recounting an instance in which the Israelites sinned against God, faced punishment, repented, and were ultimately forgiven. The first of these is perhaps among the most famous sins in the Torah, the sin of the golden calf.
Many are familiar with the first part of this story. Frustrated with the amount of time that Moses had spent up on Mount Sinai, supposedly receiving the commandments from God, the Israelites began to worry that Moses might not ever return. They insisted that Aaron, Moses’s brother, make them a new god. And so, they gathered up all their gold, melted it down, and fashioned it into the form of a calf, which they then began to worship.
But rather than focus on the punishment they received for this sin, I want to direct our attention to what happened after they repented, and after Moses interceded on their behalf. Moses pleaded to be able to behold God’s presence. But, according to God, one cannot see God’s face and live. So, God instructed Moses to stand in the cleft of a rock, where God would pass before him, so that Moses could see God’s back:
The Eternal came down in a cloud; He stood with him there, and proclaimed the name Eternal. The Eternal passed before him and proclaimed: “The Eternal! The Eternal! A God gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness, extending lovingkindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.” (Exodus 34:5-7; source pronouns retained intentionally)
One might notice ambiguity in the pronouns in this passage. Who is standing with whom? Before whom is the Eternal passing? The rabbinic sages of the Talmud noted this ambiguity and offered the following interpretation:
The verse states: “The Eternal passed before him and proclaimed” (Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yochanan said: Were it not written in the verse, it would be impossible to say this. The verse teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wrapped Himself (lit. “passed before himself”) like a prayer leader (i.e. with a prayer shawl) and showed Moses an order of prayer. He said to him: Whenever the Jewish people sin, let them act before Me in accordance with this order, and I will forgive them. (Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 17b)
This “order of prayer” that Rabbi Yochanan mentions is what has become our liturgy of S’lichot, a liturgy that is built around those very attributes that God proclaimed. Our sages have come to refer to these as the Thirteen Attributes of God’s Mercy: “(1) The Eternal! (2) The Eternal! (3) A God (4) gracious (5) and compassionate, (6) slow to anger, (7) abounding in lovingkindness (8) and [abounding in] faithfulness (9) extending lovingkindness to the thousandth generation (10) forgiving iniquity, (11) [forgiving] transgression, (12) and [forgiving] sin,” and (13) remitting punishment (note that this last attribute changes the biblical text, which is an interesting conversation for another time).
Another name for the service of S’lichot is actually Seder B’rit Sh’losh Esrei, “The Order of the Covenant of Thirteen.” And this is the covenant, as laid out in that Talmudic text, that whenever we sin, whenever we miss the mark with our actions, or with the ways in which we relate to one another and to God, we can recall these attributes of compassion and mercy.
We can remind ourselves that God is gracious and compassionate, and that we are all called upon to strive to be gracious and compassionate as well. And knowing this, we can remind ourselves that the work of sincere repentance is both worthy and worthwhile.
The second passage that informs the theology of S’lichot comes from the book of Numbers. It recounts what is sometimes referred to as “the sin of the twelve spies.” Without going into detail (join us in our S’lichot worship at Temple Beth El to hear the full story), the most outstanding moment occurs when Moses shows a bit of chutzpah, reminding God of the attributes God had previously proclaimed. God then responds by saying, “I forgive, as you have said” (Numbers 14:20).
As we enter this season of the Days of Awe, let us do so with gracious chutzpah, with an expectation of lovingkindness from God to us, from one another, and from ourselves.
Elementary School Tutors Needed
09/12/2019 01:46:50 PM
“Mentoring is so much fun—I look forward to it each week.”
“Math mentoring is my best volunteer experience ever!”
“Emerson School is full of positive energy from the kids.”
If you can spare an hour each week during the school day, you can make a positive difference in a child’s education.
Seven years ago, Jewish Congregations for Social Justice “adopted” Emerson School on Madison’s east side, and we have been supporting their academics and family programming ever since.
We would love to have you join us for the 2019–20 school year. We are currently recruiting for adults who want to work with elementary-age children on reading and math skills:
- Reading mentors work with beginning readers. Your job is to help children build skills and discover the joy of reading.
- Math mentors work with children on basic math concepts and lessons. You don’t have to be a math whiz—many kids need support with very basic math facts and strategies that most adults are comfortable with.
For both kinds of mentors, the teachers will provide instructions and materials, and the school will provide training.
Pairing will begin in October. You need to be able to commit to an hour each week, usually at the same day and time, at the school (2421 E. Johnson St.). You suggest some available times, and the school will try to find a match that will work for you.
Emerson is a great community school with a dynamic principal and devoted staff. The student body is diverse in race, income, and English language ability. The school has shown better-than-average growth in the students’ literacy and math skills over the last few years, and we like to think that our mentors have played some small part!
Jewish Congregations for Social Justice is lucky to participate in this special program, and we would love to have you join us. If you want to learn more, please contact Marcia Vandercook at marcia.vandercook@gmail.com.
80th anniversary
09/11/2019 05:38:32 PM
Our 80th anniversary is being celebrated philanthropically and by coming together as a community. We are proud to say that 100 percent of our executive team and active board members have committed their financial support with 80th anniversary celebration sponsorships totaling more than $10,000, which surpasses the Torah Level of giving. You can learn more about the benefits of sponsorship and make your commitment at tbemadison.org/80thanniversary.
Please join us for these fun, community-building events:
Trivia Night and Havdalah, Saturday, October 26, 2019, 6:00–9:00 pm (RSVP at tbemadison.org/event/trivianight)
Temple Beth El Haggadah Debut and Art Show, Saturday, March 7, 2020, 7:00–9:00 pm
Taste of Wisconsin, Saturday, June 27, 2020, 7:00–10:00 pm
Your Donations: Honor, Remember, Sustain
09/11/2019 05:35:06 PM
Tributes, memorial plaques, and simcha plaques are wonderful ways to honor or remember someone while supporting Temple life. Donations to a TBE fund can be made via our website, by personal check, or even through a donor-advised fund or an IRA.
With a minimum donation of $18 per tribute, an acknowledgment card will be sent, letting the individual or family know about your thoughtful gift. Your gift is also recognized for the rest of the TBE community.
To order a memorial or simcha plaque, go to tbemadison.org/life-cycle or call the Temple office at 608-238-3123.
Thank you for upholding our values through your kind contributions.
Fundraising Matters
09/11/2019 05:33:55 PM
Cultivating a culture of philanthropy at TBE represents a way to reach two critical goals: to create new avenues of revenue needed for our annual operating budget, and to build long-term revenue solutions that will sustain TBE for the future.
We have seen a decrease in the revenue from membership contributions as the primary source of income for sustaining the annual operating budget. Over recent years, two capital campaigns and endowments have been created and used to supplement the budget. Revenue from milestone events (such as the rabbi’s “bar mitzvah” celebration, the celebration for Marj Tobias, and the upcoming 80th anniversary events) also help bridge the gap between revenue and expenditures.
The Dorot Society, established in the past year, is a planned-giving initiative, honoring individuals who want to guarantee that TBE continues to provide its programs and services for many years to come. By establishing a legacy through a retirement plan, life insurance policy, bequest, planned gift, or other means, these individuals help to ensure the continuity of Jewish life in Madison into the future.
Fundraising takes many shapes, and there are many points of entry for Temple members. Please contact Stefanie Kushner, executive director, to learn about the options that best fit your situation and interests.
Why the Giving Spotlight?
09/11/2019 05:25:13 PM
Welcome to the first edition of the Giving Spotlight, dedicated to philanthropy at Temple Beth El. As we approach the beginning of 5780 and the start of Temple Beth El’s 80th anniversary year, this newsletter offers a wonderful opportunity to share information about the financial health of TBE and our plans for remaining strong and vibrant for generations to come.
You are a vital partner in sustaining the foundation that we build upon to make our Temple a cherished place. The Development Committee is eager to educate Temple members about topics such as our operating expenses, the cost of educating our students, and the revenue that offsets the expenses of staffing and running TBE. We hope that this information will allow you to better understand the many budget decisions we make with great care. This knowledge will strengthen our partnership, leading to a healthy financial position for years to come.
But beyond the nuts and bolts, this newsletter will offer stories about all of you: the TBE members who are the reason we do our work, the experiences and talents that make us a rich and vibrant congregation, and the ways we touch the lives of others. There are countless ways to have an impact as we find and share meaning as part of the TBE community. Being certain that we can continue to tell these stories is at the heart of our philanthropic goals.
Thank you for reading this inaugural edition. Please share your thoughts or ideas with executive director Stefanie Kushner.
Adult Biblical Hebrew Class Now Forming
09/06/2019 01:57:22 PM
Did you know that biblical Hebrew (also known as classical Hebrew) and modern spoken Hebrew are not the same?
Biblical Hebrew is an ancient language that emerged in the 10th century BCE. It was used by the Hebrews to communicate and to record the history, religion, poetry, philosophy, and culture. The language evolved beyond recognition during the Roman period but lived on in religious contexts.
Why take a Biblical Hebrew class? You might be motivated by any of the following reasons:
- To understand the original language of the Jewish people
- To be able to read and understand the Torah
- To read the prayers in our siddur (prayer book) in their original language
- To begin the journey toward becoming b'nai mitzvah, even as an adult
An adult Beginning Biblical Hebrew class is now forming. All beginning levels are welcome! To learn more or express interest, contact Linda Reivitz at lreivitz@wisc.edu or Nicole A. Jahr, RJE, director of lifelong learning, at learn@tbemadison.org.
Volunteer Opportunities
08/21/2019 01:39:15 PM
- Porchlight Men’s Shelter needs cooks, bakers, and servers October 30: Our next Porchlight meal is Wednesday, October 30. We need shoppers, cooks, cookie bakers, kitchen minders, delivery people, and servers. This is a fun way to get to know your fellow volunteers! Sign up here.
- Help with the social justice bulletin board: Any time, at your convenience: Scrapbookers wanted! Are you good with design and decoration? Able to post the occasional poster or photo? The Social Action Committee bulletin board by the office is sadly neglected and needs some love. Contact Marcia Vandercook at marcia.vandercook@gmail.com—you will be surprised at the level of heartfelt appreciation you receive!
- Dane Sanctuary Coalition needs drivers to take immigrants to ICE appointments and court hearings: The Dane Sanctuary Coalition provides volunteer drivers to transport immigrants to important events like court hearings in Chicago and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services appointments in Milwaukee. The project gives volunteers a hands-on opportunity to get involved in immigration work as they provide a needed service. This is a very practical, immediate thing that people can do to help. According to Rabbi Bonnie Margulis of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, “our drivers don’t just drop people off. They provide community support and friendship so the person in need does not feel so alone.” Training is provided, and volunteers can request reimbursement for gas, tolls, and parking. For more information, see here. If you are interested in providing this important service, please contact Rabbi Margulis at rabbibonnie@charter.net.
- Emerson Elementary School needs reading and math tutors for the school year: If you can spare an hour each week during the school year, you can make a positive difference in a child’s education. We have two kinds of volunteer opportunities during the school day and another type of activity in the early evening. All activities occur at the school on East Johnson Street.
- Reading and math mentors: We’re looking for adults who want to work with elementary-age children on reading and math skills. You don’t have to be a math whiz—many kids need support with very basic math facts and strategies. The teachers will provide instructions and materials each day, and the school will provide training.
- Family programs: We also help with special events at the school on two Tuesday evenings during the year. We help with pumpkin carving on harvest night (October 29) and serving food for the international dinner in May. These events are fun and a great opportunity for teenagers looking for volunteer hours.
If you are interested, please contact Marcia Vandercook at marcia.vandercook@gmail.com.
Climate Action Is a Jewish Issue
08/21/2019 01:25:50 PM
For more than 40 years, the Reform movement has been committed to protecting the environment. As heirs to a tradition of stewardship that goes back to Genesis and teaches us to be partners in the ongoing work of creation, the Reform Jewish movement believes that it is our sacred duty to alleviate environmental degradation and the human suffering it causes.
In 2017, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) issued a resolution on the need for all congregations and institutions to take action to protect our environment from the emerging threat of climate change through local actions and advocacy. The URJ resolved to:
Encourage congregations to advocate that all levels of government uphold or go beyond the commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement;
Encourage congregations to prepare themselves and their neighbors for the adverse impacts of climate change and to work with local organizations to provide relief to those affected by these events.
Continue to advocate for legislative, regulatory, and judicial action to protect all communities from the damaging impacts of climate change;
Continue to advocate for the Canadian and U.S. governments to uphold our international responsibilities to decrease the human impacts of climate change; and
Encourage congregations to work with interfaith and other partners within their communities to advocate for and work to implement climate change solutions.
Responding to climate change is an urgent moral and spiritual issue, and it has never been more critical to make the faith community’s voice heard. For more information on the URJ’s position and what you can do to help put our world on the path to a sustainable future, see here.
Upcoming Educational Sessions on Racial Justice and Imprisonment
08/20/2019 05:35:24 PM
Do you have questions or concerns about racial disparities in the criminal justice system and how they play out in our courts and prisons? This fall is a great time for you to learn more!
Several upcoming programs will be of special interest to those who have participated in our forums on racial disparities in the criminal justice system, our Urgency of Now action team, and the court observer program, but all are welcome to attend.
These events are being offered at Fountain of Life Church on Madison’s south side. Fountain of Life and the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership are community leaders on this topic, and many TBE members have taken advantage of their illuminating programs.
Lessons from the Court Observer Program So Far
Tuesday, September 17, 6:30–8:00 pm at Fountain of Life, 633 W. Badger Rd.
Leaders will present and discuss aggregate information from the almost 350 submitted observations in the court observer program. What have we learned? Where do we go from here? Please respond to laura.jane.berger@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
Race, Politics, and Punitiveness: Trends in the Racial Patterns of Mass Incarceration
Sunday, September 29, 2:00–3:00 pm, Pyle Center Auditorium, UW Campus
This is a free lecture by Pam Oliver, UW professor emeritus of sociology and a well-known researcher in this area. No registration needed.
Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System
Tuesdays, October 8, 15, and 22, 6:000–8:00 pm at Fountain of Life, 633 W. Badger Rd.
These three 2-hour workshops, led by Dr. Karen Reece of the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership, are designed to educate the general public on mass incarceration and the criminal justice system in general.
With over 2 million prisoners, the United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world. The U.S. prison population has quintupled since 1980. Although African Americans are about 12 percent of the U.S. population, they make up approximately 40 percent of the prison population. Wisconsin is widely known for incarcerating more African Americans per capita than any other state.
Still, maybe you ask yourself: Is this something I should worry about? These people did the crime, they are doing the time—what's the problem? How does this affect my community? Join us for one or all of these sessions as we address these questions.
- Mass Incarceration Defined: What's the Problem? We will provide an overview of incarceration in the United States and what it means for our communities.
- The Prison System: Purpose & Programming. We will describe the Wisconsin prison system, its purpose, and what an inmate might experience.
- Community Corrections: Life after Prison. We will explain the ins and outs of Wisconsin's community corrections system, which encompasses probation, parole, and extended supervision.
Podcast on the Court Observer Program
If podcasts are more your style, you’ll be interested in the Reverend Alex Gee’s interviews with three members of the court observer program’s steering committee. Listen to this recent episode of his podcast Black Like Me at
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s3-ep-62-from-informed-to-transformed-how-3-white-women/id1356781014?i=1000446782776.
Jews Should Support Our Local NAACP
08/20/2019 05:29:17 PM
During rabbinic school, I was privileged to be a legislative assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) in Washington, DC. At our orientation, we were given a tour of the RAC building. The highlight of the tour was the RAC conference room, where we were told that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were drafted at that very conference room table, as the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights was a tenant of the RAC building.
As it turned out, practically every person who walked into the RAC was given this same information. It became something of a joke among us legislative assistants, as we started repeating this information in chorus every time one of us had to give the tour. But as much as we joked, we were all very proud to know of our movement’s part in the struggle for civil rights.
Jews and African Americans have a long history of shared struggles for equality and an end to racism and antisemitism. The NAACP's first two presidents, Joel and Arthur Spingarn, were Jewish. Jewish philanthropist Julius Rosenwald helped found over 2000 schools and 20 colleges for black students. At their height, more than 40 percent of black students in the South were educated at “Rosenwald” schools. The Urban League also had Jews among its founders.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., famously saying he felt he was “praying with his feet.” Perhaps less well-known is Rabbi Joachim Prinz, who helped organize the 1963 March on Washington and gave the last speech just before Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream’ speech.
The summer I worked at the RAC, in 1989, marked the 25th anniversary of the murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman—an African American young man and two young Jewish men. One of my fellow legislative assistants worked on an event to commemorate their sacrifice for civil rights. I’m ashamed to say I had not heard of them before, but I learned that Jews were disproportionately represented among the young people who went to the South during the Freedom Summer of 1964, making up about half the volunteers.
Today the fight against systemic racism continues, and Jews continue to be on the forefront as allies of people of color, as well as women, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ communities. We recognize that Dr. King’s words, written so long ago, are still so true today: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Maintaining the connection between the Jewish and African American communities is a goal we need to pursue, especially in these days when national figures and “leaders” use racist language to divide us.
Accordingly, I would like to extend an invitation to each of you, as Jews who care about justice and equality for all, to show your support for Dane County’s communities of color by joining the Dane County NAACP (naacpofdaneco.org) and attending the annual NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner on Saturday, September 28—one day before erev Rosh Hashanah. What better way to enter the Days of Repentance than by committing yourself to work for racial justice and equality?
As a member of the Dane County NAACP Executive Committee, I look forward to welcoming you to our branch and seeing you at the Freedom Fund Dinner!
Working with an Undocumented Family
08/20/2019 05:26:04 PM
Marta and Glenn Karlov moved to Madison from Appleton, where they had lived for 12 years and raised a family. As a relatively new member of TBE, Marta spoke with Betsy Abramson about the immigrant action team the congregation had recently formed.
Marta thought it would be a perfect match for her experience. She is an immigrant herself, having come to the United States from Colombia, where, in 1984, she met and married her American husband, Glenn. At the time, it was much easier to immigrate, and she received a green card the day her plane landed. She had no difficulty in becoming a citizen, a process that took her no more than six months.
While Marta understood that many immigrants in this country had stories that were not as straightforward and fortunate as hers, she had not previously become an activist on their behalf. Joining the immigrant action team transformed the trajectory of her interest and passion. Knowing that people seek to be in the United States to improve their circumstances and provide for their families, she wanted to become more involved in helping others negotiate and navigate the tremendous web of obstacles facing them and their children.
More than many of us, Marta realizes what families are facing in countries in Central America. Living in Ecuador and Colombia for many years, she saw firsthand the difficulties people faced in making a living and caring for their children. Sometimes the violence and other unmanageable situations confronting them are truly horrendous.
She became co-chair of the immigrant action team with Erica Serlin and Lynn Silverman, and through them became aware of what organizations like Madison’s Community Immigration Law Center (CILC) are doing. Because of this involvement, she was asked to help Spanish speakers with intake interviews before meeting with attorneys to help them to prepare their cases for asylum.
Marta works for American Family Insurance and is unable to make daytime commitments, but she learned from a non-Spanish-speaking attorney on the board of CILC that a family from Honduras here in Madison needed her assistance. Another Boston-based organization, Together and Free, was trying to help families separated at the border, including this one, with a 15-year-old separated from her father at the border. This young woman had just been released from detention and came here to live with her uncle. Another of her father’s sisters is also here, with her four-year-old.
Marta learned that the grandfather had been killed in Honduras, and then the same gang went after the father and his daughter, because he was a policeman. ICE separated them, deporting the father and placing the daughter in detention.
The social worker in Boston wanted Marta to help this extended family deal with language barriers and other needs. Not long after Marta became involved, the father finally was released from detention after crossing the border again with his pregnant partner, and made his way here with the help of a third organization. Another 17-year-old brother was also detained and deported. The entire family is seeking asylum.
With the help of many volunteers, the father and his partner, the baby born in May, and the 15-year-old were able to get an apartment near their uncle.
Marta also learned that the family member who was deported back to Honduras was sent on a plane with feet and hands bound, traveling all day without food, water, or bathroom privileges: “three hundred people on the plane, all tied like animals.” As Marta aptly expressed the situation: “It just breaks your heart.” Where is the humanity? Where is the justice?
Marta has been helping the family in a variety of ways: making attorney visits with the sister to help her apply for asylum, bringing donations of goods that the family needs, spending time with the 15-year-old to monitor her adjustment. Although some family members have also been helped by Catholic charities, when they called upon Centro Hispano to try to get the daughter psychological help, they were not so fortunate, since the center seems to be overwhelmed with requests for help.
Still, interventions by volunteers within dedicated community organizations have helped the family get much-needed services. Members of TBE have also been very generous with necessities, gift cards, and cash donations.
As for the undocumented brave uncle of this family, whose sister was denied asylum, he has put himself at great risk by helping other family members, because of his own precarious status. Each depressing encounter, such as his brother’s deportation, only deepens his anxiety.
Yet every small act of kindness makes a difference. Marta especially enjoys the way the children light up when she visits with small gifts, such as craft supplies that give them a way to express themselves.
What can others at TBE do to help this family get established? For options to get involved, you can contact Marta, Lynn, or Erica to find how to advocate for immigration reform or to volunteer to assist if and when an undocumented individual or family requests sanctuary.
Through Fabiola Hamdan, immigration affairs specialist at the Dane County Department of Human Services, who works closely with Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, we have since learned that there are at least 12 other families seeking asylum here in Madison.
When we realize how many hoops just one family has to jump through to try to gain asylum, and we multiply that by the needs of many thousands of others, the work can feel overwhelming, but every action we take can make a difference.
Please join us in the long fight for a more just immigration policy and procedure.
Healing House is Open and Welcomes Its First Families
08/20/2019 05:10:26 PM
The Healing House, a program of Madison-Area Urban Ministry (MUM), officially opened on July 8, 2019. Located at 303 Lathrop Street in Madison, this eight-bed facility provides 24/7 recuperative care by medically trained staff and volunteers for up to 28 days. It is the first program of its kind in Wisconsin and provides medical respite care to families who are homeless and have an immediate family member in need of ongoing medical care during recovery.
The Healing House provides clients meals, childcare assistance, and case management to end the cycle of homelessness. It is a cost-effective alternative for hospitals and the community, promoting wellness for homeless families in Dane County. Nationwide, there are 63 facilities offering medical respite, a proven model of care.
As an interfaith organization, MUM is responding to the call across faith traditions to care for the sick. In Judaism, the mitzvah of bikur cholim (Hebrew for “visiting the sick”) includes a wide range of activities that include providing comfort and support for people who are ill.
The Healing House is partnering with The Road Home for case management and volunteer assistance. Temple Beth El has partnered with both MUM and The Road Home in the past, and therefore it seemed natural for us to continue that partnership by volunteering with the Healing House. Volunteers are being asked to assist with dinner by cooking and dropping off meals or by serving and cleaning up after dinner at the house.
Two families have moved into permanent housing since the Healing House opened on July 8, a testament to the excellent case management provided by The Road Home staff. The families have been so appreciative of having a safe place to recuperate along with delicious meals to enjoy every night.
Temple Beth El volunteers will be providing meals and helping to serve the week of August 25–31 and in future weeks to be determined. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Cathy Rotter at c.rotter.mail@gmail.com.
Pronouns: Our Communal Responsibility
08/13/2019 12:52:32 PM
Have you noticed people including a line about pronouns at the bottom of their email messages and wondered to yourself, “Why on earth are they telling us that?”
Maybe you have been to a meeting where someone has included their pronouns when making introductions, or you’ve filled out a registration form that asks what pronoun you use.
You may have wondered why people feel the need to make bold announcements about something as small and simple as a pronoun.
If you have ever asked yourself these questions, it is likely that the language people use to describe you matches the gender that you perceive yourself to be (i.e., your gender identity).
Not everyone, however, has the privilege of taking pronouns for granted.
For some, including people in our own Jewish community, being referred to by the correct pronouns is a daily struggle.
It may be because the gender others believe they are, or what it says on their birth certificate, does not match who they know they are inside. It may be because we live in a society that divides people into binary male and female categories, while they see themselves as being something other than one of those mutually exclusive options.
Perhaps they are questioning what words best describe them, only knowing that “he” or “she” doesn’t quite seem right.
When we use pronouns to describe someone, we rely on a whole host of assumptions about their gender identity.
It may not be something you are conscious of, but using a pronoun that does not match a person’s authentic gender identity (whether you are talking to that person or about that person) chips away at their sense of self and communicates that you do not recognize them for who they are.
In 2015, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) passed the “Resolution on the Rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People,” which in part “affirms the right of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals to be referred to by their name, gender, and pronoun of preference in our congregations, camps, schools, and other Reform affiliated organizations.”
Jewish organizations like Keshet have worked closely with congregations, camps, and social service agencies to create programs and policies that help move us to full LGBTQ+ inclusion. The URJ, through its Audacious Hospitality initiatives, has created guidelines for congregations to follow in this effort—including the need to use and honor the pronouns with which each person identifies.
The Jewish value of kavod (honor) is instrumental here: By using the correct pronouns, we honor individuals and what they bring to our communities.
If we truly believe that b’tzelem Elohim (we are all made in the image of God), then we have a moral and spiritual obligation to actively affirm all individuals by using their pronouns. Otherwise, we are neither honoring God nor upholding other Jewish values, like g’milut chasadim (doing acts of loving-kindness) and kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh (taking communal responsibility).
Now you might be asking yourself, “What about all these pronouns I see on registration forms and online that aren’t ‘he’ or ‘she’? Why do we need to be concerned with those?”
Judaism has long embraced nonbinary or shifting gender identities. With over 1,600 references to nonbinary identities across Jewish texts (e.g., Talmud, Mishnah, Midrash, Kabbalah), Judaic scholars have demonstrated there are at minimum six different genders (including what we refer to as androgynous and intersex), all of which could not possibly be described using only male and female pronouns. With such a strong tradition of using different words to refer to different types of gender identities, how could we possibly restrict modern-day Jews (or anyone else) to using only two?
Even if you recognize the strong Jewish foundation for honoring people by using correct pronouns, you may be still be thinking that plural or gender-neutral pronouns are just a fad or are not “grammatically correct.” In fact, using pronouns other than the binary he/him/his or she/her/hers is not a new idea!
In English writing, use of the singular “they” (referring to one person) can be traced back to the late 1300s and only fell out of favor in the early 1900s. Grammarians have been actively suggesting and debating the adoption of alternative or nonbinary pronouns since at least the late 18th century.
In real life, we use the singular “they” all the time without even realizing it, particularly when speaking about a hypothetical individual whose gender designation is unknown or irrelevant. Don’t believe me? Reread this post from the beginning. I bet you didn’t even notice my choice of pronouns the first time around, even in an article about pronouns!
This usage is both common and accepted in practice today. Most major English dictionaries and style guides now formally endorse the use of singular they/them/their pronouns. (For more historical information, I encourage you to read this recent NPR story.)
Your next question might be, “So how am I supposed to know what pronouns to use?”
The short answer is, you don’t—not unless you ask or someone tells you what their pronouns are. Right now, these exchanges are not a regular part of our culture and could lead to awkward or uncomfortable moments (especially if someone isn’t quite ready to share, or is currently questioning, their gender identity).
To start making pronoun use a normal part of our community at TBE, we are going to follow the URJ’s (and the Reform youth movement’s) lead by offering pronoun stickers that individuals can add to their name badges. These stickers will say things like “My pronouns are he/him/his,” or “she/her/hers,” or “they/them/theirs.” Some will have space to write other pronouns (see examples and grammar usage here), and some will say, “Ask me about my pronouns.”
These stickers will be made available for everyone, not just people who identify as transgender or a nonbinary gender. The more people who add stickers to their badges, the more normal the practice will become, and the more inclusive our synagogue will be.
These stickers will be available starting at this Friday’s Pride Shabbat, and they will be located by the nametag holders in the coatroom.
I hope that many of you will join me in creating a welcoming and supportive environment by adding a sticker to your name badge before High Holy Day services this fall.
I am very happy to answer any questions you have or provide additional resources, either in person or via email (gcjacobsohn@gmail.com). You may also call the TBE office to talk with one of our clergy or staff members.
B’shalom,
Gwen Costa Jacobsohn
1st Vice President, Temple Beth El Board of Trustees
This Year’s High Holy Days Food Drive Will Broaden TBE Support for Hunger Relief
07/24/2019 12:21:38 PM
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I, Adonai, am your God. Leviticus 19:9-10
For years, congregants at Temple Beth El have been working to combat hunger through their donations, service, and advocacy. We recognize the fear and difficult decisions many people in our community must make on a daily basis to obtain enough food. We know this is especially devastating for children, where chronic hunger can result in impaired mental and physical functioning, behavioral problems, and delayed development.
The Social Action Committee has long raised funds for hunger relief through the High Holy Days Food Drive. In recent years these funds have been donated to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, which uses a cost-efficient system to purchase and distribute millions of pounds of food each year through local partners. The funds from this year’s food drive will continue to be donated primarily to Second Harvest, in recognition of their efficiency and our long-standing commitment to their work. (In fact, the name “Second Harvest” refers to the gleanings of the fall harvest described in Leviticus).
Additionally, this year some of the food drive funds will be used to support other TBE hunger-relief initiatives. These programs will include:
- TBE members prepare and serve dinner to about 100 homeless men through the Porchlight emergency shelter program on the 5th Wednesday of the month. The meal is cooked in the TBE kitchen and then served at Porchlight in the Grace Episcopal Church. Food for breakfast is also provided for the following morning.
- TBE will be joining an interfaith program at Thoreau Elementary School, one mile from Temple Beth El. As a result of weekend food insecurity among almost half of the student body, community partners have been meeting to develop a program for the next school year. Non-perishable food items designed to provide two nutritious meals will be sent home for the weekend to struggling families.
- TBE will continue to work with the Road Home in a different capacity. The Road Home coordinates meals for families staying at Healing House, a new project of Madison-Area Urban Ministry. Healing House provides a temporary medical home for homeless families who have recently been released from the hospital or who need housing while they recuperate from illness. We, along with our sister congregations, will provide meals for approximately 4 weeks per year.
- The Religious School will continue to collect food for Thanksgiving baskets provided through the Goodman Community Center. Last year Religious School families donated hundreds of cans and boxes of food as part of a community-wide effort to feed 3900 needy families. Through this program we help the next generation understand this important mitzvah.
We hope you will be able to give generously to support these hunger initiatives. Any amount you can give will be greatly appreciated.
As always, we will distribute donation envelopes at Rosh Hashanah services. Please make checks payable to “Temple Beth El” and include “Food Drive” on the memo line. You can return the envelope on Yom Kippur to the big brightly-colored tzedakah box in the Community Court, or mail it back to Temple.
You can donate online by clicking HERE. Please choose High Holy Day Food Drive as the Type.
If you want to engage in policy-based advocacy at the state and federal level, see the many resources available through Mazon. Inspired by Jewish values and ideals, Mazon is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds, in the United States and Israel.
Thanks again for all you have done and continue to do to fight hunger in our community.
TBE Social Action Committee
How to Achieve Humanitarian Aid and Sensible and Humane Immigration Laws
06/27/2019 02:22:47 PM
The Adelanto Detention Center facility is seen in a file photo. (Credit: Los Angeles Times)
Dear fellow members of the Temple Beth El community,
Our hearts ache to see the deplorable living conditions imposed upon immigrants and refugees—and especially the hundreds of children—who have been held in detention camps along our nation’s southern border.
Reports of their going without soap for hygienic purposes, of their sleeping on cold concrete floors with only a foil thermal blanket for a cover, of their receiving inadequate medical care and insufficient nutrition, stun the mind.
We as a nation can act better than this, especially toward those who wish to come to our country seeking a life of liberty and possibility, just as our Jewish ancestors did in the last 150 years, and as did our secular ancestors who came to our shores before the establishment of our country.
Please see below for a list of resources for education and action at this critical time in our nation’s history. This list was lovingly put together by our Social Action Committee and our Urgency of Now Immigrant Action Team, and I am deeply appreciative of their efforts.
Our nation has the potential for acting in great and humane ways. Let us help our elected officials recall that potential at the crucial moment in time.
Faithfully,
Rabbi Jonathan Biatch
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How to Achieve Humanitarian Aid and Sensible and Humane Immigration Laws
Children should not be dying at the border. The United States needs an immigration policy that combines border security, justice, and humanity. The stalemate on immigration is a choice that Americans do not have to accept. You can help end it.
Here’s how:
Learn: Here is a set of immigrant rights resources compiled by our Temple Beth El Urgency of Now Immigrant Action Team:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ENai1QecN5fF9VgCoJngZS1VHxbgqkhtJCZxniNO-4/edit
Call Congress, your mayor, and your local representatives. Contact your members of Congress and tell them that you want impending raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be called off and detention conditions improved:
Tammy Baldwin – www.baldwin.senate.gov, 202-224-5653
Ron Johnson – www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public, 202-224-5323
Mark Pocan – www.pocan.house.gov, 202-225-2906
You can also reach out to your local officials to ask that they initiate plans to help immigrant communities that are affected by the raids. The government website usa.gov provides links to finding your city, county, and town officials.
Report and document raids and arrests. The National Immigration Law Center has suggested reporting raids to local hotlines, such as United We Dream’s MigraWatch. The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services [RAICES] has urged that people verify any social media posts saying ICE has been spotted before sharing or retweeting them because false alarms could spread fear in immigrant communities.
Donate to humanitarian efforts. Many immigrants are not informed of their legal and civil rights as they pursue asylum or face deportation. Several nonprofits are providing free legal representation and other services for immigrants and the families of those detained. United We Dream, the American Civil Liberties Union, Mijente, Immigrant Families Together and the Immigrant Justice Corps are coordinating advocacy and services at a national level. Local organizations providing legal aid include the New Sanctuary Coalition in New York, Las Americas in El Paso and RAICES in Texas, Americans for Immigrant Justice in Florida and the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund in Colorado. Locally you can help through Together and Free, supporting a local Honduran family, and the Dane County Immigrant Assistance Fund, supporting local undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. Please check online to see how to make contributions.
Pilar Weiss, project director of the National Bail Fund Network, says one of the most effective ways to reunite immigrants separated from their families is to assist with paying their bail, which can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $80,500. You can find and donate to a bail fund in your city through the National Bail Fund Network.
Inform yourself and your community. The A.C.L.U., which joined forces with Brooklyn Defender Services, has shared a “Know Your Rights” page for encounters with ICE. It has also provided a video to help understand your rights and what to do if ICE officials come to your home.
This coming Sunday, June 30, 2:00–4:00 pm, come to a “Know Your Rights” seminar here at Temple Beth El. For yourself, or for your work in the future with the Dane Sanctuary Coalition, understanding your role and responsibilities is crucial.
Hold political candidates accountable. While the presidential primaries are at least seven months away, you can prepare to cast your ballot for a more humane border policy by following what each candidate has shared about his or her plans for immigration reform.
Speak up. Protest marches and other civic actions to end detention camps and squalid conditions for children and families are expected across the country in the coming weeks. You can also take part in Lights for Liberty, a nationwide vigil on Friday, July 12. The location for the vigil in Madison is at Brittingham Park, 829 West Washington Avenue, 7:15–9:15 pm.
Adapted from the New York Times, Opinion, June 24, 2019.
Reproductive Justice: A Critical Issue for Our Time
06/26/2019 02:33:59 PM
An exciting thing happened on the way to the Consultation on Conscience in May. This Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) conference, held every two years, was the opportunity to refresh the Brit Olam (Covenant for the World) program of the URJ Religious Action Center (RAC). Temple Beth El has been participating in the Brit Olam with our Urgency of Now initiative for the past two years.
As part of the next iteration of the Brit Olam, Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) is responding to the great passion and urgency around the issue of reproductive justice. WRJ has agreed to support congregations throughout the Reform movement who want to advocate for this issue. As the WRJ vice president for advocacy, marketing, and communications, I have been involved since the start of the WRJ Reproductive Justice Campaign, in partnership with the RAC.
In recent weeks, we have seen many state laws that would restrict access to abortion and in some cases send women or doctors to prison for acting on their constitutional rights. WRJ is taking on this challenge and stepping up our efforts to secure women’s rights and ensure that women remain in control of their own health care decisions.
The Reproductive Justice Campaign will provide training, education, and resources to mobilize the Reform community. We will work at the federal and state levels to ensure access to safe and legal reproductive health care, including abortion services.
WRJ President Susan Bass offered an inspiring message about this effort during the RAC Consultation on Conscience, proclaiming: “As we look around at what is broken in our world, we know that this moment demands our presence and our voices in the work of ensuring reproductive justice for all.” View her message at youtube.com/watch?v=oAh58znAUcU.
The goal of the Reproductive Justice Campaign is to make sure that no woman—not us, not our sisters, daughters, granddaughters, nieces, or any woman—ever again finds herself in a back alley, desperate and alone. Please help WRJ spread the word about this effort to others who share our progressive Jewish values. We are proud to be the champions in this fight for reproductive rights and justice.
Click here for more information about the Reproductive Justice Campaign.
2019 Pride Events
06/26/2019 02:29:18 PM
In August, the Madison community celebrates its ongoing commitment to equity and quality of life for all LGBTQ+ people. On Friday, August 16, Temple Beth El will start the weekend with our annual Pride Shabbat at 6:30 pm. This event is in the planning stages, so if you have an interest in being involved, please contact Aleeza A. Hoffert at engage@tbemadison.org.
The broader Madison community has traditionally celebrated Pride Week with a parade, but this year the celebration will take the form of a new OutReach Magic Festival, to be held on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at Warner Park.
The OutReach Magic Festival will recognize the 50th anniversary of Stonewall and the 30th anniversary of Madison’s first Pride parade. There will be activities for all ages, entertainment, food and merchant vendors, information booths, and more. The festival will focus on bringing the community together for celebration, healing, and rejuvenation. For more information, see outreachmagicfestival.org.
The Surprising Stresses of Returning from Prison: 50 People See How Hard It Is to Succeed
06/26/2019 02:26:39 PM
On June 2, 2019, the Urgency of Now (UON) Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System Action Team hosted a Returning Prisoner Simulation. This eye-opening and immersive experience, developed by Madison Urban Ministry (MUM), was divided into three parts. In the first hour, MUM staff shared a description of the many programs that MUM provides to help those who are returning to the community from prison. During the second hour, the 50 attendees participated in the simulation, which was run by MUM staff and volunteers. The final hour included a debriefing with MUM staff and volunteers, including the perspectives of individuals who have been through the re-entry process themselves.
The powerful simulation provided a close-up view of what it is like to come home from prison. Each of the participants received a mock profile and took on the role of that person as they sought to complete fundamental tasks, such as finding housing, a job, food, clothing, and health care, while complying with the terms of their release. Some were “confined to their home” for part of the scenario to simulate being on electronic monitoring. Most struggled to get the necessary documents, including a Social Security card, birth certificate, and state identification or driver’s license. Some were required to obtain medical, psychological, and/or substance abuse treatment. Many were required to have regular contact with their parole officer and to complete a certain number of job applications in a given period. For most participants, money and travel vouchers were very limited, so they had to make difficult choices when setting their priorities. The simulation provided a terrifying glimpse of the challenges and frustrations that people experience when they return to the community.
TBE member and program participant Marcia Vandercook said of the experience: “I felt like I was in a scene from Catch-22. I couldn’t get an apartment until I had a job; I couldn’t get a job until I had a Social Security card; I couldn't get a Social Security card until I had bus fare. Every minute I spent in AA was time I couldn’t spend in the employment line; every dollar I spent on child support or medication got me further away from ever being able to pay rent. I realized that the multiple obligations we place on people returning from prison are almost impossible to fulfill."
TBE member Betsy Abramson was experiencing the simulation for the second time. She said, “This time through was as frightening, frustrating, and upsetting as the first. The added power to the experience was listening to the generous returning citizens share their stories: mistakes they had made early in their life landed them in prison for 10, 20, or more years, away from their children and support systems and then totally unprepared to return to a changed society with impossible expectations. It was heartbreaking to hear their stories. We must do better, and I am hopeful that our Temple’s action team can contribute to easing the re-entry for these citizens.”
Please keep your eyes open for more UON racial justice events coming up this fall. Any TBE members who are interested in taking a more active role with the UON racial justice team should contact Mary Fulton at mfulton49@hotmail.com or Jim Mackman at jimmackman18@gmail.com.
Consultation on Conscience Conference: A Call to Action
06/26/2019 02:21:20 PM
In May, TBE congregants Jane Taves and Marta Karlov joined 1,200 fellow Jews from around the country in Washington, DC, for a deeply inspiring, spiritual call to action at the biennial Consultation on Conscience, organized by the Religious Action Center (RAC) of the Union for Reform Judaism.
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the RAC, opened the session with excitement and joy, and we celebrated the accomplishments of congregations around the country since the last meeting, in 2017. Many impressive speakers followed with their personal stories and calls for action. You can watch all of them at rac.org/livestream. Following are summaries of what some of them shared.
Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, spoke about the respite center she runs for asylum seekers at the border. Every day they help thousands find a place to sleep and bathe and to find safety, not as a political issue, but as a humanitarian reality. She urged us to not walk away and to bring consciousness to others about this very human issue, reaching out to those who don’t understand.
Peter and Jill Kraus honored his grandparents, Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus, who saved 50 Jewish children from Vienna before World War II, at great risk to their lives and reputation in their Philadelphia community. There was not a dry eye in the room when they told of how parents and children were not allowed to wave to each other as they said goodbye, as Jews were prohibited from waving their arms in public. Peter and Jill pledged to deepen their support for the RAC to welcome refugees and asylum seekers in our midst.
Three incredible college students recounted their personal journeys of losing friends in school shootings and, for one of them, living in fear of being deported after becoming undocumented as a minor in this country after the death of a parent. They are leading nationwide advocacy efforts around immigration rights and gun violence prevention.
Eric K. Ward, national field director of the Building Democracy Initiative of the Center for New Community and organizer of Which Way Forward, dove into the complex stories behind antisemitism, reminding us that “hate groups organize hate that is already there.” He emphasized that during this historic moment, if we want to successfully combat hate, we must join hands with every vulnerable community whose lives are being assaulted.
Al Sharpton continued the theme of the crossroads we’re in and urged us to do what is uncomfortable, now, and to work together with the African American community, saying, “We either fight all hate or we are not fighting hate at all.” He reminded us about how Jews and African Americans have collaborated to fight for injustice and human rights over the years, and how we must remain united.
Finally, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reminded us that America’s heart is full of love, and that no one demonstrates this more with value and actions than the RAC.
Toward the end of the session we learned about important changes to RAC initiatives. Two years ago, congregations including TBE, signed a Brit Olam around the RAC’s Urgency of Now Campaign, focused primarily around immigration rights and racial justice.
This year the RAC will establish collaborative cohorts for issues including racial justice, gun violence, climate and environmental justice, immigration, and reproductive justice. The latter cohort will be possible with support from Women of Reform Judaism.
We invite you to be part of the conversation about how TBE will participate in this RAC initiative. Please contact Aleeza Hoffert at engage@tbemadison.org if you are interested in learning more.
We also encourage you to learn more about the RAC’s advocacy and activism and to join us in two years for the next Consultation on Conscience. We promise it will be worth your time!
Attend the Know Your Rights Training to Help Those Needing Sanctuary
06/26/2019 02:18:30 PM
We invite you to an excellent upcoming training by the Dane Sanctuary Coalition (DSC) on June 30, 2:00–4:00 pm, in the Frank Adult Lounge at Temple Beth El. You will learn about the legal rights of undocumented immigrants and how to protect those rights when providing assistance to individuals in sanctuary. Two experienced presenters, Jeffrey Spitzer-Resnick, an attorney, president of Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, and chair of the DSC Community Resource Team, and Ruthanne Landsness, a member of the DSC Steering Committee and Orchard Ridge congregation, will be talking about what to do if an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer demands entry at a sanctuary site, showing two brief videos, and answering your questions.
All are welcome, including those who have already attended a similar training and would like a refresher course. This training is required for individuals who plan to volunteer on site at a sanctuary host congregation. Light refreshments will be served.
We hope you’ll come to learn and to meet other people from TBE as well as congregants from other faith communities who are interested in supporting this important work! Please RSVP to Erica Serlin at ericar.serl@gmail.com.
Reflections on Confirmation
06/10/2019 12:16:32 PM
We were moved to our very core by seeing nine young adults at their confirmation yesterday. These students went through their b’nai mitzvah process three years ago and have now taken individual responsibility for this next level of expressing their Judaism. It was a beautiful and stirring service and we are excited to share our feelings about it with you.
These students worked together to create a Saturday morning Shabbat service. They each personally wrote a part of the service and expressed it in their own words. Confirmation falls on Shavuot, when God gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. With vigor and energy each student read Torah and as a collective group recited the 10 commandments in both English and Hebrew. We were amazed to see the extent by which they exerted their growing involvement in this Shabbat morning service. Their smiles radiated across the congregation. They were laughing together, supporting one another through hugs and fist bumps and connected as they progressed through the service.
Another special aspect of yesterday’s service was how the students chose to double this Confirmation service with a Bar Mitzvah for one of the other students who never celebrated becoming a bar mitzvah when he turned 13. It was beautiful for the student who was celebrating his bar mitzvah individually, but it was also a great example of the group caring for one another as a Jewish community. This confirmation class learned the importance of doing a mitzvah for someone else.
As a parent I particularly identified with Rabbi Biatch’s message to the students that their choice on this Saturday morning was to confirm their commitment to Judaism rather than conforming to the pressures of their teen years. Witnessing to choose Jewish study at age 16 was inspirational as a parent. These nine amazing teenagers choose to invest their time, their creativity and their passion and confirmed their commitment to taking these ideals into adulthood.
When I think of the Jewish people on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah from God they must have been totally present in the moment. You can see radical commitment in the faces of these nine teens that will live forever on the wall at Temple Beth El.
Offering Insight into Infamous Mothers
05/29/2019 05:55:49 PM
Those fortunate enough to have attended the Social Action Shabbat last month were amply rewarded with the compelling and impassioned presentation of the guest speaker, Sagashus Levingston, author of Infamous Mothers: Women Who’ve Gone through the Belly of Hell . . . and Brought Something Good Back. The book became an affecting play at the Bartell Theatre that delivered sellout performances. Many of us were intrigued, so I interviewed Sagashus to learn more of her story. She moved to Madison from the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago about 13 years ago to pursue an MA in African American studies and a PhD in American literature. But she was not a typical graduate student. She was a single mother whose sixth child was born shortly after she became a dissertator. The circumstances of wrestling with mothering and studying were simultaneously challenging and motivating.
With research that focused on feminism and activism, Sagashus found that the academic literature lacked the voices of women like herself—mothers who were both seen as “reprehensible” while also making a positive impact on society. While a grad student, she worked on curriculum development for UW–Madison’s Odyssey Junior project to help children of color and poverty improve their reading and writing ability and encourage their higher educational goals. In so doing, she encountered women in the adult Odyssey program whose voices and stories were perfectly aligned with stories she was already collecting from mothers: those who had been seen as “setting feminism back” by making the choices they had made. Sagashus wanted to make sure that their stories made it into the archives of academia.
Realizing that such stories “could be used to invite conversation,” she worked with a photographer and designer to create a conscious juxtaposition between the handsome crafting of Infamous Mothers as a coffee-table book and the very raw stories of the women depicted within it, told in their own words. Sagashus collected these accounts from mothers she encountered in Madison and those with whom she grew up in Bronzeville, including her own mother and her aunts. She sought to emphasize the contrast between the rawness of the stories and the beauty of the storytellers in order to “interrupt the preexisting rhetoric.” The faces of these women more often are seen in mug shots and on the news with their hair sticking up, caught at their most vulnerable moments. Sagashus wanted photographs that represented how these women would like to be seen, to confront preconceived perceptions quickly and unexpectedly.
Sagashus crowd-funded the self-publishing of the book even before completing her dissertation, in which the stories figured prominently. Meant to be more “informative” than “a good read,” the book itself has a pedagogical component: to build community around issues and topics. Social justice is important to her; she grew up with a mother who was a community organizer and activist. Sagashus ingested her mother’s approach and similarly responds to what needs to be done.
Once the Infamous Mothers project ended, the women with whom Sagashus worked wanted to keep going, and although she could see “that they wanted me to be some sort of bridge,” she wasn’t sure how to play that role. Her determination to build that bridge led her to become an entrepreneur in the for-profit venture known as Infamous Mothers University (IMU). Sagashus chose the for-profit route because she did not want to compete with nonprofits in the community that she provided programming for, but ultimately, she wanted to have the financial means to extend their capacity. She has found great support working with the Doyenne Group, a Madison- and Milwaukee-based organization that supports women from all backgrounds as entrepreneurs in both launching and further developing their businesses.
Similarly, IMU works to help women build mothering practices that honor who they are both privately and publicly, whether they are entering the workplace or moving up the career ladder. That support helps them balance the challenges of managing both family and career. IMU simultaneously provides diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops to corporations aware of the needs of the working mothers they employ. Sagashus hopes that IMU will become the link between what the nonprofits do for the women and the wider world into which they are moving without that support system.
Currently, Sagashus is engaged in producing a documentary that, in part, focuses on the incarceration of women. She’s interested not only in their experiences in jail or in prison but also in the ripple effect of those experiences on parenting, housing, and employment. The documentary will also deal with women associated with incarcerated partners, and the responsibilities that these mothers have to handle as temporarily single parents.
Because she successfully crowd-funded the publication of Infamous Mothers, she plans to crowd-fund the documentary as well, with the launch planned for June 20. Sagashus likes the community created by crowd-funding and believes that such wide-based support and buy-in is crucial to her effort to build a company that intentionally works to address such social issues as these: the maternal wall, the achievement and opportunity gaps, and the pay gap.
As the mission of IMU is to own its place as an education and media company that produces products and services “for women who mother from the edge,” Sagashus hopes to fulfill the very rigorous certification process that allows the company to be listed as a Certified B Corporation. This new business model balances “purpose and profit” by considering the way business decision-making affects “workers, suppliers, community, and the environment.” Her determination to build IMU in such a fashion reflects Sagashus’s determination to better the lives of mothers.
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