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.

“Justice is what love looks like in public."

The RAC-CA Extended Bay Area Regional Gathering will include time to connect and share questions, ideas and successes (and flops!) in the work of organizing for justice in our congregations, as well as training and resources specific to the RAC-CA Climate Tzedek Campaign, updates on the campaign and how Temple Isaiah can be involved. RAC-CA is building a statewide Climate Tzedek campaign to achieve policies that will fulfill our climate leadership goals as Californians, as well as to grow our communities into centers of practical and spiritual resilience and support. Watch for more to plan to attend from Temple Isaiah. If anyone would like to help with this or if you want to carpool to this event, please contact the VIA core team. Click here to register.

Join secular and faith based-leaders advancing food security and sustainable agriculture. $55 registration fee (early bird discount $45). The conference will be held at Niles Hall in Preservation Park. Scholarships are still available for all ages. To request a scholarship contact Interfaith Food at: keegan@interfaithfood.org 707-634-4672 interfaithfood.org. Click here to register. Parking can be found at the lot across the street from Preservation Park's main entrance. The hourly rate at the lot is $8 and cannot be covered by Interfaith Food.

Help an Immigrant Family of 8 to Get Children to/from School in Oakland. An immigrant family of 8 from Honduras is living in Winter Nights. This family was waiting at the Mexican border for two years to be able to ask for asylum. During these years the children were not able to attend school. They arrived in Oakland three months ago and were attending school there while living with a relative, until they became unhoused and moved into the Winter Nights shelter.

We need volunteers who can give the kids rides to and from school in Oakland (Dimond District area). Public transportation takes over an hour and is difficult because it is hard for the mom with her 3-year old. School starts at 8am and ends at 3pm. One day a week they get out at 1pm.

We also need places the mother and 3-year old can go during the day since the shelter closes from 7am-5pm on weekdays. A few hours in a congregational space, your home, or other safe places could make a real difference. Even if you only can do this once, it makes a huge difference!

Contact Nadia Tavera Medina, our Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Teams (NEAT) Coordinator, at ntavera@im4humanintegrity.org if you are able to be part of this effort.

Refugee Assistance through JFCS seeks helpers for newly arrived Afghan or Ukraine Refugee families to settle into their new home! Become a member of a Temple Isaiah team, to help JFCS enroll their children in school, help them find work, and become familiar with their surroundings etc. Please contact Lisa Hirsch at lhirsch17@gmail.com if you are interested or have any questions. JFCS can also use our help with the following:

1. NEW: Legal Support- JFCS needs pro bono attorneys to help with Afghan asylum applications. If you are interested, you can go on-line for more information at https://jfcs-eastbay.org/afghan-pro-bono-representation-project/.

2. ESL Tutors – This can be in person or via Zoom

3. Grocery Shopping for newcomers – buy groceries at your own expense and deliver

them to clients.

4. Adult Bikes – JFCS needs adult bikes in any condition.

5. 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.

Still Needed: Help a newly arrived young Afghan family find a job. This man is still looking for work. He has had extensive experience working with international organizations such as the U.S. Department of State. He has his green card, is eligible to work and speaks and writes English very well. He has worked in a variety of procurement and logistics jobs and has an excellent knowledge of international logistics rules and regulations related to procurement, warehousing and materials handling. He has also supervised the housekeeping, maintenance and janitorial staff for a large facility and has been an engineering assistant for an airline. Please contact Lisa Hirsch at lhirsch17@gmail.com with any opportunities, even entry level.

Winter Nights’ 2023 team is looking for more members! We’d like 2-3 new members to join us in organizing and planning for Winter Nights the last two weeks of December. If you and your friends are looking for a way to participate in direct service to the unhoused community and can offer your time for a week or two at the end of the year, we need you! Winter Nights is a tradition for Temple Isaiah and we are serving the larger community of Contra Costa by hosting this rotating shelter for two weeks. If you are interested, contact Joani deVries joandevries2@gmail.com or Rabbi Lawrence rabbi.lawrence@temple-isaiah.org.

Support the Families at Mt. View Shelter. The week of April 24th, WOI will again sponsor Mt. View Shelter week. Volunteer to cook and serve dinners that week. The shelter provides the ingredients and recipes. We are also looking for donations of supplies: both food and non-food items like pillows, linen, and blankets. Click here to sign up. This year, children ages 12 and older can volunteer if accompanied by their parents. B’nai Mitzvah students can volunteer and complete their community service requirement.

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 or to make a donation visit: www.jclread.org Contact Phyllis Edwards to learn about her experience with this rewarding program. (925)200-5239.

Join the Multi-faith ACTION Coalition 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

Angel Network is a caring community of volunteers dedicated to offering comfort and support to members and their families in times of need. When a need arises, please call the Temple office at (925) 283-8575. For more details, visit https://temple-isaiah.org/values-in-action/angel-network/.

Angel Network delivers Mishe Bears to young families who have suffered a serious family illness, offers rides to Shabbat services and offers comfort and support to members in need.They need more volunteer drivers from around the area. Times are flexible. To get connected contact Greta Frantz at gf.angelnet@gmail.com or Denise Glicklin at dg.angelnet@yahoo.com

For more details, visit temple-isaiah.org/values-in-action/angel-network/ 

Listen to this Podcast: About Racism through the Lens of Someone who Lived It. Being “Irrepressible” with Little Rock Nine Member Minnijean Brown-Trickey

“I went because they didn’t want me there,” says Minnijean Brown-Trickey, our guest this week. It’s been more than 60 years since she made history. At 16-years-old, she and eight other black students found an angry mob and the national guard blocking their entry to Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Backed by 1,200 soldiers, they eventually made it inside for their first full day of class. White students threw hot food at them, called them names and even sprayed some of them with acid. One day, a white kid hit Minnijean with a purse. She responded by calling the student “white trash.” For that, she was expelled, which profoundly affected her trajectory. She ended up finishing her education in New York City and went on to become a civil rights activist and speaker. Minnijean joins WITHpod for a moving conversation about how she channeled the trauma she experienced into a life of activism, the continued fight for racial equality and more.

Get Involved in Bay Area Environmental Actions. Receive useful information regarding local Bay Area actions and events dedicated to fighting the climate crisis. 350contracosta.org.

Sponsored by Neighbor to Neighbor, join us as we focus on the historic 2022 Supreme Court cases on abortion and prayer in public schools and their impact on our religious freedom and the doctrine of Separation of Church and State. Panelists representing our three Abrahamic faiths are: Sheik Hassan Maseehullah, San ramon Valley Islamic Center; Rabbi Jill Perlman, Temple Isaiah; Pastor Peter Whitlock, Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church. In person attendance is encouraged but Zoom will be available. Click here to sign up.

Leadership Academy is a free community program for affordable housing residents and staff covering the essential elements to be an effective affordable housing advocate, community organizer, and leader.

Session dates for 2023 are: March 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 30th, April 6th, 20th, and 27th, and May 11th from 10 AM- 4 PM. A graduation ceremony will be held on the evening of May 18, 2023. Participants are required to attend all eight sessions and the graduation. Workshops will feature a mix of interactive exercises, lessons, and presentations from experts. A light breakfast and lunch will be served at each session. Graduates will obtain a certificate of completion, a stipend, and a one-year EBHO membership at the end of the course. Graduates are expected to participate in EBHO at the completion of the Academy. Link to apply.

By Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative. Click here for the link for details and to register.

JFCS- East Bay Art of Living Gala March 12, 5:30-7:30pm at Temple Isaiah featuring The Braid performing True Colors and Hugh Groman Catering, music by Saul Goodman Band. Register here. Questions? Contact Aliza Metzner aliza.metzner@gmail.com.

RAC-CA Extended Bay Area Regional Gathering, Sunday, March 19 10:30 am - 2:30 pm Sherith Israel, SF.

Social Justice Shabbat, April 28th Temple Isaiah. Come help us honor all of you Social Justice Warriors and Activists! Details coming soon. Hope you can share in the joy of being a committed Social Justice Activist.

Support a New, Local Black-Owned Beauty Products Store in Walnut Creek. RootedBeauti opened on February 1st and is a Black-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned online boutique that provides a variety of high-quality, health-conscious hair and beauty products for textured hair and melanated skin. It focuses on natural, toxic-free, animal-cruelty free products. Additionally, their business has a huge give-back component, committing 10% of sales, products and their time to organizations that ensure that socio-economically disadvantaged girls, women and minorities are afforded unrestricted opportunities for a better quality of life. Click here for details.

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

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 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.

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

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