Chevre,
Pam DeMar, Karen Rabin, Maureen Shayman and I have been busy working on issues of social justice through United Power for Action and Justice. UPAJ is a broad-based organizing effort that brings together dozens of religious (and other non-profit organizations) and hundreds of people to respond to critical social needs and to build more social justice through that effort. Recently, Pam and Maureen shared their personal experiences with us and soon our Leadership Va’ad will consider whether or not membership in UPAJ will provide a worthwhile vehicle for us to fulfill our mission “to increase justice and compassion in the world”.
On Sunday, March 17, at 3:00 pm, UPAJ will convene several hundred people to address the crisis of gun violence. At this moment, I cannot provide further details but several public officials will be invited to address a few key, practical, achievable steps towards limiting this scourge of our community. While the horror of New Town begins to fade, it is important that we not lose our sense of urgency and our ability to accomplish something positive. We have committed to bring a group of at least 15; they need not be B’Chavana members. If you are interested in attending, please email Maureen (mashayman@yahoo.com) so that she can coordinate our attendance and arrange carpools.
In the meantime, Karen Rabin would like to give you a taste of the work in which she’s been involved. This is a letter she wrote updating us on a meeting she had the day before with new State Senator Julie Morrison:
Yesterday I joined a team of leaders affiliated with UPAJ (United Power) and LCU (Lake County United) and met with State Senator Julie Morrison. The goal was to (re)-acquaint her with UPAJ and LCU, brief her on items currently on our radar, and get a better understanding of her goals and intentions for her upcoming term. It was an easy and non-adversarial meeting as she is on a very similar page in regards to social issues while being a fiscally responsible legislator. We thanked her for becoming a recent co-sponsor of the Medicaid Expansion bill, shared our plans for expanding supportive housing for people with disabilities, probed for ways we could work together on reducing gun violence, and ended by asking for written support for the Reclaim the Southwest Chicago effort. She committed to signing a letter of support addressed to Lisa Madigan for the Reclaim the Southwest Chicago effort!
Building a relationship with our new State Senator was the ultimate goal, and we left the meeting feeling that we accomplished opening an honest line of communication with her.
This is but one example of the kind of work that UPAJ does. We hope to engage you in its work for social justice in the near future.
L’shalom,
Marc
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