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Social Justice

“Justice, Justice, shall you pursue” 

(Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9).

The mission of the Social Justice Network (SJN) is to repair the world (tikkun olam) by motivating and educating our congregation to serve and advocate.

Throughout the years, we have focused on issue areas such as criminal justice reform, immigration rights, gun violence prevention, and food insecurity. We have partnered with several organizations around Miami and the state of Florida to advance our mission of creating a just and equitable society. Ongoing community partnerships include the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the Florida Immigrant Coalition, and the American Friends Service Committee of Miami.

There are various ways to get involved in Social Justice at Temple Beth Sholom:

ADVOCACY

TASKFORCES

DIRECT SERVICE

MITZVAH DAY

Social Justice Happenings

Reproductive Rights – Yes on Amendment 4. Take action now to help us pass Amendment 4 in November. 

On May 1, Florida outlawed most abortions after 6-weeks, before most women know they are pregnant. On November 5, Floridians will get to vote on a Florida Constitutional Amendment, which will enshrine in the Florida Constitution the right to an abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Amendment 4 is the only way to fight the 6-week ban. FAQs about the Reproductive Freedom Campaign can be found here.

Our next opportunities to take action and make a difference:
 
RAC-FL June Phone Bank Action Night – Thursday, July 25, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, on Zoom. Join Reform Jews and our allies from across the U.S. as we connect with Florida voters to ensure they have a plan to vote in November. Training will be provided, then calls to voters and a quick debrief before we end at 8:00 pm.  REGISTER NOW.
 
Postcarding – send postcards to Florida voters
 
  • Get postcards at Temple Beth Sholom. Come pick up packs of 10 postcards to complete on your own. Postcards can be picked up from the Clergy Office on Noemi’s desk. Please complete the sign-out sheet when you take a packet of postcards.
  • Host a Postcarding Party! Bring friends together to write postcards with snacks and a glass of wine at someone’s home. Please reach out to Carolyn West (west.carolyn@gmail.com, 305-389-2012) or Wendy Squire (wendysquire@me.com) to learn more about how to host a party. Carolyn and Wendy are happy to drop postcards off at your house if you cannot get them from the temple for your event. Postcarding parties can be for temple or non-temple friends, adults, and teens!
  • Order your own postcards. You can also order your own postcards from RAC-FL here.
 
Canvassing with Men4Choice
We are taking our first foray into canvassing this August with Men4Choice! Yes, we know it will be hot, but we’ll bring water and keep it short. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to canvas, this will be a perfect opportunity! Men4Choice will bring all the supplies and teach us how to talk to folks about the campaign. Please fill out this quick poll to let us know which day works best for you. The hope is to go in the morning when the day is at its coolest and choose a neighborhood that works best for all who sign up.
 
Reminder of upcoming elections:
 
Primary Election is August 20
Deadline to register July 22
Deadline to request vote by mail Aug. 8
Early voting is August 5 – 17
 
General Election is Nov. 5
Deadline to register is Oct. 7
Deadline to request vote by mail Oct. 24
Early Voting Oct. 26 to Nov. 2
 
Learn more at the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections. You can check your registration and vote-by-mail status, find your polling place and early voting locations, and review a sample ballot. Remember, all voters who wish to vote by mail in 2024 must re-apply for this election cycle.
 
The Membership Commitment Forms are out. On them, you will see a voluntary contribution opportunity for RAC-FL. What is RAC-FL?
RAC-FL, our statewide RAC (Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism) affiliate, was founded in 2016 and has advocated in Florida on voting rights, free speech, reproductive rights, climate change, and the rights of returning citizens. This year, we are working to pass Amendment 4 in Florida to protect women’s rights to reproductive freedom. We ask all congregants to consider a $36 per household membership in RAC-FL when they renew their TBS membership. RAC-FL needs the support of each Florida Reform congregation to continue our important work. We urge you to support our Reform movement (and our TBS Social Justice Work) and its fight for a fairer and more equitable Florida for all citizens.  Learn more about RAC-FL here. Contribute with your TBS membership form or click here.
North Beach Community Refrigerator. Temple Beth Sholom has been partnering with Buddy System MIA on the North Beach Refrigerator, which follows the idea of “take what you need, leave what you can.” This initiative has supported thousands of people in under-represented communities with free, healthy food. The North Beach Fridge is located at Urban Resources, 1193 71st Street, Miami Beach.  You can fill the fridge on Mondays, Thursdays, and, now Saturdays. Please click here and pick a few dates. Use this Shopping List as a “guide” for what items will work. Do not purchase more than the amount requested and you don’t need to purchase everything on the list. When you fill the fridge, Buddy System MIA requests that you fill out this document (here) to track the number of times the fridge is being filled and what condition it is in upon your arrival. IMPORTANT: Send us pics when you and your family fill the fridge! Questions: contact SJN co-chairs Andrea Wagner and Rachel Unger.

RAC-FL June Phone Bank Action Night – Thursday, June 27, 2024, 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Zoom. Be with us and Temple Beth Am as we connect with Florida voters to ensure they have a plan to vote in November. Training will be provided, then calls to voters and a quick debrief before we end at 8:00 pm.  REGISTER NOW.

Send postcards to voters or host a postcard party at your home. Postcard to Florida Voters: ORDER HERE – please allow 2-3 weeks to process your order. They provide you with the language and instructions. You just need to purchase stamps.

We will continue to update you here as this work progresses. If you would like to be involved, please contact Rabbi Jessica Jacobs.

CLIMATE JUSTICE INITIATIVE

Starting at the end of 2022, we began to dive deeply into one of the most pressing issues of the day, climate change. This summer, we were reminded of the change happening to our climate and the environmental impacts for all of us, especially the most vulnerable in our community. Many of us have been impacted by the heat, increasing utility costs and insurance premiums, rising sea levels, burning of forests, and the death of sea life.

We are working with Adamah and the Jewish Climate Leadership Initiative, a network of Jewish community organizations that recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of climate change and commit to action. Temple Beth Sholom has committed to making and implementing a climate action plan for our campus where we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, intending to become “carbon neutral” in the next few years. Our Sustainability Taskforce, led by Steven Chaneles, Nancy Salzverg, and Doris Galindo intends to evaluate the campus and draft our climate action plan.

Our school continues actively engaging the students in learning about climate change, our community’s impact, and solutions they can implement. Our teens will engage with the Jewish Youth Climate Change Movement through Adamah. We have started a composting program in our school through Compost for Life to reduce waste and are looking to bring composting to most of the campus. Compost for Life also offers at-home composting at a discount for all Temple Beth Sholom members.

Members can go to the Compost For Life Website and use the promo code “BETHSHOLOMFRIENDS” for a 15% discount.

In addition to working with our TBS community, we will focus on climate change work in South Florida. We will partner with the Surfrider Foundation, Miami Waterkeepers, and others. Climate change is an issue that affects all of us, and we are at a critical tipping point. We welcome participation by all in our TBS community.

Meet the team

“Some religions require a leap of faith; Judaism requires a leap of ACTION.”  – Abraham Heschel


2023-2024 Temple Beth Sholom Social Justice Network Team of Representatives:

 

Social Justice Network Co-Chairs | Rachel Unger and Andrea Wagner 

Mitzvah Day Co-Chairs | Ashley Weissman and Caryn Pardo

Soup Contest Co-Chairs | Karen Sepsenwol, Dana Grodin and Jody Gross

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Co-Chairs | Lauren Cantor and Hilary Feldman  

PACT Representatives | Jonathan Sepsenwol, Rachel Unger, Craig Berko, Rabbi Jessica Jacobs, Sofia Morales and Doris Galindo

RAC-FL Representatives – Reproductive Rights Campaign | Myra Spindel and Barbara Gelber

jLAB Representative | Sofia Morales

Innovative School Representative | Doris Galindo

BESHTY Representatives | Vanessa Levy and Matthew Clark 

Sisterhood Representative | Dana Grodin

Brotherhood Representative | Evan Marks

The Tribe Program Coordinator |   

Blessings in a Backpack Co-Chairs | Tiffany Hurwitz, Kelsey Levy and Marina Ganopolsky

Lotus House Chair | Suzanne Meltzer 

Bags of Happiness Chair | Suzanne Meltzer

Mazon Co- Chairs I | Richard French and Carolyn West

Beach Cleanup Co-Chairs | Doris Galindo and Stacy Savett

Giving Back to Gibson Park Chair | Suzanne Meltzer 

The Ronald McDonald House Co-Chairs | Suzanne Meltzer and Ryan Meltzer

Buddy System MIA Community Refrigerator |

Exchange for Change Prison Visits | Nina Mandel

Freedom to Read Task Force | Val Schimel and Rachel Unger

Sustainability Task Force | Nancy Gonzalez, Steven Chaneles and Doris Galindo

Social Justice Program Director | Jeffrey Agron

Rabbinic Advisor | Rabbi Jessica Jacobs

Yes! I want to get involved
Email Jeff AGron

4144 Chase Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140

info@tbsmb.org | 305-538-7231

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