E-Connect
February 5, 2021
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Be Like Liesl --
Register for the Liesl M. Blockstein Memorial Lecture: Building a Jewish Midwest Racial Justice Coalition with Shahanna McKinney Baldon
By Dawn Berney, JSS Executive Director
Every year Temple Beth El and Jewish Social Services partner for the Liesl M. Blockstein Memorial Lecture. I never met Liesl as I only moved to Madison in 2003, although as the Executive Director of Jewish Social Services, I really wish I had met her. Each year, when it is time to find a speaker, we look in Dane County for someone who has a passion for her work and often incorporates social justice into their lives, much as Liesl.
2020 leading into 2021 has been anything but normal. Due to several events of the past thirteen months, Dane County residents, as well as others in our nation, are truly thinking about racial and social justice and changes that we can make as individuals, rather than waiting for institutions to do so. We hold the Blockstein Memorial Lecture in mid-February so it can be close to Liesl's birthday. As it happens, February is also Black History Month and they do tie together well. I believe that Shahanna McKinney Baldon, our speaker for this year's lecture, truly demonstrates what Liesl practiced during her lifetime.
Shahanna will speak about the Edot Midwest Regional Jewish Diversity Collaborative, a network of partnerships and activities focused on affirming Jewish racial and ethnic diversity across communities in the Midwest region. In particular, Edot invests in the leadership of Jewish People of Color (JOC’s). The Jewish community of Madison including the Congregations for Social Justice and the social action committees of each of the congregations and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Madison are all identifying ways to work more closely with our local communities of color. Let's use Shahanna's presentation perhaps to identify specific actions that each of us can do here to make change rather than talking about change. The talk is on February 14 at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. You can register here. I look forward to seeing you a week from Sunday to learn more about this very relevant topic.
B'shalom.
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January 27th was the Holocaust Remembrance Day. My grandparents lost their whole family to Holocaust. My grandpa survived because he joined the army before he was 16 and grandma was evacuated with other children. When they returned to Odessa after the end of World War II there was no one to meet them. Never forget…
--Maya Garbuz, Case Manager
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It is not too late to sign up for this very successful virtual workshop!
*Course dates and time: 10am – 12pm on Wednesdays, February 24 – April 17
Ground Zero Orientation meeting: Wednesday, February 17 at 10am
To sign up: Call JSS' office at (608) 442-4081
Online: Zoom link will be sent to all participants
According to the lead instructor, JSS always has the best Stepping On classes. Sign up so you can see why that's the case.
*All sessions will meet via Zoom
For More Information, click here
It is the process in which the program is taught that makes it effective. Classes are highly participative; mutual support and success build participants’ confidence in their ability to manage their health behaviors, reduce their risk of falls, and maintain active and fulfilling lives.
Classes include lessons with specialists covering the following topics:
- Simple and fun strength and balance exercises
- The role vision plays in keeping your balance
- How medications can contribute to falls
- Ways to stay safe when out and about in your community
- What to look for in safe footwear
- How to check your home for safety hazards
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JSS wants to connect our community
JSS has launched a new program called L’dor V’dor (From Generation to Generation) to connect our community members who may be feeling bored or isolated. In particular, we'd like to connect older adults and young people. Artist and JSS supporter Kathy Mazur has generously donated beautiful notecards shown here featuring her artwork to get us started. If you are willing to engage with teens or other adults and exchange stories or discuss anything you want. The JSS program is modeled on successful programs from other places. We can provide materials, and even suggest questions or topics to get started. You may communicate via letters, emails, phone calls, or video. Computer or computer skills NOT needed.
If you are interested or know someone who may be, please complete this brief form here, or contact Christina at christina@jssmadison, or (608) 442-4060.
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Join JSS on Mondays for Schmoozing at 11am and
Yoga From A Chair at 11:30am
With Betsy Haimson
Meeting ID: 406 575 567
Join by phone: (312) 626-6799, 406 575 567#
For questions about Zoom programs, call Paul Borowsky at (608) 442-4083.
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Preventing Falls: Why They Happen and What Can We Do
Thursday, February 11 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm
In this one time program, Becky Otte-Ford and Ron Dorr will hold an interactive session to hear your concerns and experiences as well as providing you with resources, including future classes (see above) and research and insights into falls prevention. Ron is actually the leader for all the Stepping On classes held at JSS for the past several years.
Becky and Ron work for the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging to offer Stepping On. On February 11, they will provide information about the course and future offerings. Becky has been a certified massage therapist for 12 years, exercise instructor for seven years, owner of a home-based gluten-free bakery for three years, and a Stepping On facilitator for three years. She's well-versed in helping people take care of their bodies, and she's excited to explore fall risks and falls prevention with folks.
Ron states that fitness training is his “encore”, or “passion” career, and that “after the opportunity of early retirement, I was looking to do something that I enjoyed, and that made a difference in the lives of people in the community. I’m now a Senior Fitness trainer, balance and falls prevention specialist, and senior group fitness instructor, mostly online.”
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Hidden and Revealed: The Secrets of Puirm
Thursday, February 18 from 3:30 – 4:30pm
Did you know that Purim is about more than hamantaschen and groggers, costumes and carnivals? Join Rabbi Renee Bauer in exploring the interesting lessons we can learn from the Book of Esther. Among the topics will be Esther as a social justice icon and why G-d is never mentioned in this book of the bible.
Meeting ID: 862 1810 7308
By phone: (312) 626-6799
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Liesl M. Blockstein Memorial Lecture: Building a Jewish Midwest Racial Justice Coalition
Sunday, February 14 10:00 - 11:30 AM
Jewish Social Services is pleased to continue to co-sponsor, with Temple Beth El, the annual Liesl M. Blockstein Memorial Lecture. The event honors Liesl Blockstein, a woman who escaped from Hitler’s Austria in the 1930s and was a well-known force for justice and a leader in both the Jewish community and the wider community. The lecture always features a woman who embodies Liesl’s commitment to social justice and Jewish life.
This year's lecture features Shahanna McKinney-Baldon, director of Edot Midwest Regional Jewish Diversity Collaborative and a member of Congregation Shaarei Shamayim. A seasoned educator and racial equity thought leader, Shahanna has been involved in Jewish racial justice work that centers Jews of Color and diverse Jewish families for over 25 years. Last year, she launched Edot as a hub for this work in our Midwest region. (“Edot,” as used here, means “communities.”) Join us to learn about the story of Edot, what the work means at this moment, and how we can all play a part in a Midwest Jewish racial justice coalition.
Visit Temple Beth El's website for full details and registration:
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Transportation Program for Older Adults:
Significantly subsidized private rides
JSS is excited to have received a grant from Bader Philanthropies of Milwaukee to allow JSS to provide additional transportation support to older adults throughout Dane County, specifically focusing on those with fewer resources. When JSS cannot find a volunteer driver, trips to and from medical appointments, grocery stores, and similar necessities will be made available for a maximum of $8.00, round trip, with fee waivers available.
If you know anyone who may benefit from this program, please let us know. We have it for our community. For transportation assistance, please contact us at (608) 442-4081 or office@jssmadison.org. We will connect you with one of our social workers who will be happy to help you access this service. We thank Bader Philanthropies for their interest in our community.
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IMPORTANT NEED AT JSS
We Need Volunteers to Help with Tech Support!
If you are interested in volunteering, opportunities may include no-contact delivery of groceries and other essentials, phone contact, tech support, and other tasks and projects.
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Download or read online our paper Connections newsletter. It has different stories and photos than you see in our electronic newsletter.
To reach our office, call (608) 442-4081.
*Please leave a message, we check the voicemail frequently, even when the building is closed.
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Do you have a car you would like to get rid of???
Donate your car to JSS! The proceeds go directly to our programs.
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Adamah is now taking Hamantashen orders!
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TAKE ACTION TO RESTORE THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM
There is much recent good news on the immigration and refugee front but we still have more to do! The Biden administration is expected to take executive action to restore the refugee resettlement program and on February 4, the administration announced that the U.S. will increase to 125,000 the number of refugees to be admitted into the country beginning October, 2021. This is particularly welcome news, in light of strong support for America as a beacon of hope, safety, and refuge — and the previous administration’s dismantling of the program by more than 80%. As we face the worst refugee crisis in history, it is critical that the administration continues to rebuild the program and increase refugee admissions. Click here to urge the president to take action now!
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Hate and Housing:
We all deserve to be safe at home!
from the Fair Housing Center of Greater Madison, a satellite office of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council
Recent statistics show that hate incidents are at their highest levels in over a decade. Acts of hate are motivated by bias on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, and other legally protected characteristics. Hate incidents sometimes involve behavior that is defined as criminal, but other times do not.
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JSS is proud to be a beneficiary agency of: |
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