Monthly Newsletter: August 2022 |
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Welcome to our monthly Values in Action (VIA Isaiah) newsletter: Your quick guide to improving our community and the world at Temple Isaiah. For the newsletter archive, click here.
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.
“See every act you do as being of great significance. Maimonides suggests that we regard ourselves as being equally balanced between good and evil and the world itself as similarly balanced. Therefore, one good act will tip the balance toward good in our own life and in the entire world….when someone comes to you for assistance, imagine that you are the only person who can assist this person; thus if you help her, she will have what she needs, but if you refrain from helping, no one else will, either.”
-Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, You Shall Be Holy
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VIA Meeting: All Are Invited |
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Our next VIA monthly committee meeting will be held:
Tuesday, August 16 at 7pm in the lower tent next to the Library and on Zoom
All are invited. Please get involved! There’s a lot of repair to do and it’s more fun and meaningful doing it in community.
Topic: VIA Committee Meeting
Time: Aug 16, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 826 0080 1279
Passcode: yellow54
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,82600801279# US (San Jose)
Future meeting dates to be announced.
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Finding Resilience: Thoughts from Rabbi Lawrence |
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My wife Katie and I feel so honored, grateful, and blessed to be a part of this community. One of the powerful draws of Temple Isaiah for me from the start was its vigorous commitment to social action and social justice — to the values of tikkun olam, and indeed, to turning our values into action.
This work has never been needed more. These past years have been so intensely, unabatingly challenging that it has become something of a truism to say that we live in challenging times. We have faced such a wide variety of difficult issues simultaneously that it can become exhausting even to contemplate them. Where can we find the inner replenishment and resilience to continue the struggle to repair our world? Click here to read more.
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Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Engagement for Voter Protection. Help people get engaged in voting so they will vote in the Primaries and in November. This is critical to our democracy! Join us for GOTV post card writing at Temple Isaiah 4:30-6pm on 8/1 (Beit Knesset) and 8/15, 9/19, 10/3, 11/7 (Oneg Room). We will educate and empower the under-represented voters by encouraging early voting. Bring a friend and join us! This is open to the public. Contact: Judy Carney judy.carney0@gmail.com, Dave Bressler davidibressler@gmail.com, or Leslie Shafton leslieshafton1@gmail.com
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Skills for Having Difficult Conversations Temple Isaiah will be offering Talking About Race and Racism: Skills for Navigating Difficult Conversations, a 4-part workshop series providing tools for responding meaningfully and empathically to challenging situations involving racial and social justice. Mark your calendar now for the following four Wednesday evenings at 7pm: Oct. 19, Oct. 26, Nov. 9, Nov. 16. Sign-Ups begin in August.
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Vote in November and be informed on your choices. Visit the Contra Costa County Elections website for information on Voting Registration and Voting Options including resources for voting by mail, how to register to vote, voting rights, official ballot drop boxes, voting on or before election day, and looking up your personal voting information. For other information, including current elections, visit current elections.
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Donate to the Women of Reform Judaism’s Reproductive Health & Rights Campaign! WRJ is a leading advocate for reproductive health and rights and continues to oppose state and federal restrictions that limit access to birth control and safe abortion services. Help provide critical support for WRJ’s work, our partnership with RAC, and collaboration with other Reform Movement organizations on issues of abortion and reproductive health and rights. https://wrj.org/donate-wrj. Questions? Contact Karen Goldberg kgoldgm@gmail.com
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Help New Afghan and Ukraine Refugees JFCS can use our help with the following:
1. ESL Tutors – This can be in person or via Zoom
2. Grocery Shopping for newcomers - buy groceries at your own expense and deliver them to clients.
3. Adult Bikes – JFCS needs adult bikes in any condition.
4. Gift Cards – Target, Visa, Amazon and Safeway are preferred but they are grateful for anything. You can send them to the JFCS office at 2151 Salvio Street, Suite 350, Concord CA 94520 attn: Volunteer Services.
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The Morning Bell Project is a grassroots effort to create a large-scale patchwork quilt showing our community's commitment to keeping schools safe from gun violence in the wake of Ulvalde. Participants can visit the Project's site to pay $25 per square, which they design on paper with markers. Volunteer quilters convert the designs into quilt squares and the money goes to a donation to an anti-gun violence group focused on school safety. Please visit the Project's site or email kimrobinson1916@gmail.com
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Join the Multi-faith ACTION Coalition as we advocate to tackle the root causes of poverty. People from all faith backgrounds meet to identify issues, research potential solutions, and advocate by meeting with elected local and state officials, attending legislative visits, supporting bills, and writing letters. Contact Doug Leich, leichd@gmail.com to be connected with the task forces you wish to join. https://www.multifaithactioncoalition.org/newsletter/2022/
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Jewish Coalition for Literacy has been serving Bay Area children and families for over 20 years! Now more than ever kids are struggling to read at grade level. To learn more about JCL's one-on-one K-5 reading tutoring program, to register for new tutor training or to make a donation visit: https://jclread.org/ . Free on-line tutor training sessions are scheduled: Wednesday August 24th 10-12 p.m.; Tuesday, September 20th 3:30-5:30 p.m.; & Thursday, October 27th, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Contact Phyllis Edwards
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2022 WRJ Reproductive Health & Rights Resource Guide is intended to help all Reform women - in congregations, women's groups, and/or as individuals - mobilize and advocate for reproductive health and rights in their communities. Download and join this critically important work! Reproductive Health & Rights Resource Guide 2022
Get Involved in Bay Area Environmental Actions. Receive useful information regarding local Bay Area actions and events dedicated to fighting the climate crisis. https://350contracosta.org
Learn What Jews of Color Experience. Jews of Color face discomfort at synagogues. Learn about their experiences so Temple Isaiah can become a more welcoming place to all. https://www.jweekly.com
“Here I Am” is a new initiative demonstrating the vibrancy, diversity and values of the Bay Area Jewish community through grassroots storytelling videos that seek to bring light to personal experiences with antisemitism and educate our neighbors how to be Jewish allies in these times. Get more information https://www.hereiamstories.org/
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Mental Health Support for Adults: Second Sundays from 3-5pm online. 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 from 7-8:30pm online. Are you a family member 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.
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To contribute information to this monthly VIA newsletter, please contact co-editors
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