| Board Adopts Social Justice Guidelines |
The Board of Trustees has adopted a set of Social Justice Guidelines which provide a coordinated framework for the conduct of social justice programs and activities at Temple Emanuel. They draw upon the ideas and suggestions in the URJ Guide to Synagogue Social Action, and reflect the Temple's long commitment to and involvement in social justice work. The Guidelines call for three types of social justice activities:
- Education programs
- Social Service Projects for those in need
- Advocacy efforts
To help promote and facilitate these activities, the Social Justice Committee (SJC) will:
- Encourage all Temple members and units to identify and address social justice issues and needs,
- Provide assistance in the planning and conduct of these activities when requested,
- Undertake Temple-wide social justice activities that require Board action, in cooperation with all other interested Temple units,
- Publicize and report on the Temple's overall program of social justice activities, events, and accomplishments,
- Promote and organize educational programs and events on the role of social justice in Reform Judaism.
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For additional information on the Social Justice Task Force, please contact Minna Davidson at minna.davidson@comcast.net
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| Social Justice Shabbat - Sept 15, 2006 |
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Temple Emanuel supports many wonderful social justice projects. Please join us on Friday, September 15th when we will have our first Social Justice Shabbat of the year focusing on our Kulanu Outreach.
In addition to speaker Dan Furmansky from Equality Maryland, congregants who work on various Social Justice projects will be on the Bimah. Rabbi Stone will introduce each social justice activity leader.
During the Oneg you will have an opportunity to talk to these people and learn more about the projects. We hope you will find a Social Justice activity in which you would like to participate.
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| What's New |
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The Temple Board of Trustees voted in its July meeting to approve a proposal from the Social Action Task Force to make affordable housing the focus of social action activity during the up-coming year.
A centerpiece of this effort will be our participation in Sukkot in April on April 29, 2007. Sukkot in April is a program of Yachad, a Jewish non-profit organization working on housing and community development in low-income areas of Greater Washington, DC. Volunteers will help make modest repairs and home improvements for low-income home-owners, many of whom are elderly with some disabilities. Volunteers work in shifts from dawn until dusk painting and patching walls, fixing broken windows, replacing carpets and floors, hauling trash, increasing accessibility for disabled home-owners by adding ramps, handrails, and grab bars.
We will be recruiting a technical captain to help lead this effort, in addition to other volunteers age 14 and older. No technical expertise is needed for volunteers, and other types of jobs, such as checking in volunteers and helping with meals and snacks, will be available as well. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact either Daniel Webster by email at dwebster@jhsph.edu or Minna Davidson at minna.davidson@comcast.net. As a warm-up to Sukkot in April, Temple Emanuel will be represented by several members volunteering in Habitat for Humanity for Montgomery County’s Interfaith Build day on September 11th. The group will be helping to build a home for a low-income family in Burtonsville, MD.
Our hands-on work on housing will be complemented by other educational and advocacy activities that are currently being planned. Look for more information in future issues of the Kol Kore, the Temple website, and in listserve notices.
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| Interfaith Housing Coalition |
Temple Emanuel is one of the sponsoring organizations and Fred Schuyler is our representative on their board.
The Interfaith Housing Coalition, provides affordable housing and case management to formerly homeless families in Montgomery County. Each household sets individual, realistic goals working with IHC Case Managers, who are trained and licensed social workers. Some families also work with mentoring teams from our member congregations. Families may stay with our program for five years as they work toward stability, self-sufficiency and permanent housing. IHC is looking for volunteers to help them fulfill their mission.
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We are a member of The Union for Reform Judaism (formely the Union of American Hebrew Congregations)
ADA Compliant - The facilities of Temple Emanuel are fully accessible in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act