Welcome to our monthly Values in Action (VIA Isaiah) Newsletter: Your Quick Guide to improving our community and the world at Temple Isaiah.

VIA ISAIAH IS…a collection of groups within Temple Isaiah who offer opportunities to temple members to serve those in need and to make our community more just through education, advocacy and direct service. Our efforts are grounded in the Jewish values of tikkun olam, repairing the world. Everyone is welcome and needed in this effort. For details of what we do and who to contact, please click here.

“For many of us the march from Selma to Montgomery was about protest and prayer. Legs are not lips and walking is not kneeling. And yet our legs uttered songs. Even without words, our march was worship. I felt my legs were praying.” – Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Our next ViA monthly committee meeting will be held this Tuesday, November 2nd at 7pm on Zoom (first Tuesdays of the month). All are invited!

Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87127659434

Meeting ID: 87127659434

Passcode: virtue21

Join by phone at (408) 638-0968.

Help Afghan Families. Temple Isaiah is working with two agencies. Help in one of two ways:

1. Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay (JFCS) is expecting to resettle another 60 to 70 Afghans soon. They need ready-to-ride, excellent condition men’s and women’s bicycles. Please email a photo of the bike to volunteers@jfcs-eastbay.org. If suitable, they will arrange a drop-off time at their Walnut Creek storage unit.  They can also use Target gift cards mailed directly to their office at 2151 Salvio Street, Suite 350, Concord, CA 94520.

2. The Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI) is expecting refugee families to arrive shortly in the Bay Area from Afghanistan. VIA has asked Women of Isaiah to help organize a temple-wide social action project to provide a refugee family the food they’ll need for a week’s worth of meals. Once we have details, we’ll set up a Sign Up Genius for volunteers to register how they can help. Look for this announcement soon! Questions? Contact Lynn Harrington-Golde, ptlynn@comcast.net.

Write postcards to support a woman’s right to choose. Many Temple Isaiah members, including Rabbi Perlman and her family, participated in the Pro Roe Human Banner, organized by Contra Costa Women’s March. Join fellow activists to write postcards--created with the Pro Roe Human Banner-to the Supreme Court Justices and US Senators - in support of Roe v. Wade. We will be at Sports Basement, 1881 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek Sunday, November 7th from 10:00 am to noon. Contact Adina Zinn adinajzinn@yahoo.com with questions.

Tell Congress to Act Now to Pass the Budget Reconciliation Bill that addresses climate change. The Clean Electricity Payment Program (CEPP) is our best bet to meet American climate goals. Your calls and emails matter. Share with your peeps in other states! Contact: jackiemann@att.net.

Volunteer for Winter Nights. Due to Covid-19, our work with Winter Nights will look different this year to comply with the County’s restrictions. We still need volunteers to donate, shop, deliver meals, help with holiday celebrations and sleep overnight. Look for emails announcing when our Sign Up Genius link will go live. Questions? Contact Anita Weill, anita.weil@gmail.com.

Be a Patient Escort for Planned Parenthood Walnut Creek. Judaism values life and affirms that protecting existing life is paramount at all stages of pregnancy; a fetus is not considered a person under Jewish law and the interests of the pregnant individual always come first. Walnut Creek Planned Parenthood needs the support of patient escorts to help our patients find safety outside its health center. To become a patient escort, please complete the attached form: https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org/a/patient-escort-signup Contact Adina Zinn adinajzinn@yahoo.com with questions.

Volunteer and donate to the Family Life Center Food Distribution at First Baptist Church in Pittsburg. Here is a link to volunteer or donate. The Family Life Center also provides Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. If you are interested in contributing food items for holiday meals, email Susan Rideout susanrideout5@gmail.com.

Sponsor a family of 7 through Hope Solutions’ Spirit of Giving; This is an annual Temple Isaiah tradition. Look for the Sign Up Genius with details on donations and gifts. Hope Solutions heals the effects of poverty and homelessness by providing permanent housing solutions and vital support services to highly vulnerable families and individuals in Contra Costa County. https://www.hopesolutions.org/.

Be an Angel, Need an Angel? Contact Angel Network. If you need a meal, a driver to an appointment, or assistance in any way, reach out to the Angel Network by calling the temple office. And if you are well and have even a small amount of time to be an Angel, please volunteer to be an Angel. Right now, we are looking for a Visits Team Leader!. For details email Greta Frantz at gf.angelnet@gmail.com or Denise Glicklin at dg.angelnet@yahoo.com.

Tutor in-person at Hope Solutions sites’ Homework Club. Check out their website for details https://www.hopesolutions.org/volunteer/.

Tutor a struggling primary grade student in underserved East Bay schools by joining the Jewish Coalition for Literacy. Temple Isaiah has provided volunteers for over a dozen years at Coronado Elementary School in Richmond. Other opportunities are available in Oakland, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Concord. Contact Susan Mautner s.mautner@comcast.net 510-334-3705 Sign up online for the last Virtual Tutor Training Session on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm) For more information go to https://www.jclread.org/new-tutor-training-info-2.

Support Students in East County. Donate to help pay for college applications before November 30th deadline. Our Racial Justice Community Outreach Group has discovered that Pittsburg High School has 60-100 students annually who do not qualify for fee waivers when applying to colleges, but cannot afford the $70 per college application fee. To donate, click here. Donations are tax-deductible and you will receive a donation receipt. For details and questions, email Susan Rideout susanrideout5@gmail.com

Become a Climate Activist. Started by Jackie and Jeff Mann, 350 Contra Costa works with a broad coalition, including Interfaith Climate Action Network of Contra Costa County (ICANCCC).Go here to learn more and sign up for upcoming actions http://350contracosta.org 

Help Renters Access Federal Covid-Rental Relief Funds and Avoid Eviction: The Temple Isaiah Racial Justice Task Force is partnering with Shelter Inc and Monument Impact to help our Contra Costa neighbors learn about and access this $5.2 billion dollar program to keep them in their homes. Volunteers are calling renters to answer questions and verify appointments. We are also planning outreach to East and West County congregations to make sure those in need are able to apply for ERAP. To join our efforts, please email Sue Adler-Bressler at suejab2@gmail.com. For more details about the federal program, click here.

Support Black-Owned Businesses. Each of us can support a Black owned business in Contra Costa County. Click here for lists of black-owned bakeries, restaurants and catering companies in Oakland, Antioch and Pittsburg. Click here to learn 6 reasons why it’s important to support black-owned businesses

Learn What Jews of Color experience. Jew of Color face discomfort at synagogues. Learn about their experiences so Temple Isaiah can become a more welcoming place to all

Explore Temple Isaiah’s Mental Health & Wellness Webpage. It has monthly spotlight articles on a variety of topics covering mental illness, addiction, spiritual wellbeing, and more. To access these monthly articles, visit https://temple-isaiah.org/community/mental-health-and-wellness/ and scroll down to “Monthly Spotlights.” Questions? Contact dimakieve@gmail.com

Attend two amazing speakers on two nights: November 4th and November 14th both on zoom presented by our Mental Health and Wellness and Rodef Shalom REAL Mental Health Initiative. For detailed description, click here.

Link to register for this event: https://www.rodefsholom.org/event/real-presents-an-evening-with-dr.-edith-eva-eger-award-winning-author-eminint-psychologist--holocaust-survivor.html

Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81450323688

Meeting ID: 814 5032 3688

Passcode: virtue21

Our Mental Health and Wellness taskforce offers the following support groups that are open to all. Questions? Contact dimakieve@gmail.com or visit https://temple-isaiah.org/community/mental-health-and-wellness/

Mental Health Support for Adults: Second Sundays from 3-5pm online. For November only, this meeting will take place from 4:30 – 5 pm due to the special speaker presentation prior. Whether you are struggling with Covid, going through a difficult period or have ongoing mental health issues, join us for our free monthly drop-in support group. We provide an opportunity to share and support one another as part of a nonjudgmental, caring community.

Mental Health Support for Family Members: Fourth Mondays at 7-8:30pm online Are you a parent, sibling, or child of an adult with mental health issues? This free drop-in support group provides information as well as the opportunity to share and support each other as you learn to help your loved one. Facilitated by licensed clinical social worker, Rosemarie Frydman, NAMI certified trainer Karen Cohen, and Diana MaKieve.

To contribute information to this monthly VIA newsletter, please contact co-editors

Judy Carney at judy.carney0@gmail.com or Terri Moss at terrimoss55@gmail.com

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