Tikkun Olam Committee Together, we can repair the world.

Welcome to the Tikkun Olam Committee (TOC) Monthly Update. The TOC is open to all congregants and offers a variety of ways for congregants to get involved in tikkun olam, the mending of the world. Please contact co-chairs Betsy Kingery and Fran Paver at tikkunolam@templeshalom.net to learn more or to get involved. For more information about social action at Temple Shalom, take a look at our page on Temple Shalom’s website. Join Our Next Meeting   Although we typically meet on the third Wednesday of each month, our May (virtual) meeting will be on Wednesday, May 24, at 7pm. We are excited that Rabbi Josh will be joining us. Please let us know by emailing tikkunolam@templeshalom.net if you are planning to attend.

Recent Events

Climate Shabbat: During Shabbat services on Friday, April 21, Rabbi Josh offered an inspirational sermon, focused on the intersection of food and climate change. Click here to read a copy of the sermon.    Climate Day of Learning: We continued our focus on food and climate on Sunday, April 23, with a fascinating presentation by Rachael Jackson, a food journalist and founder of EatOrToss.com, on how we can take steps large and small to reduce the volume of food that gets trashed every year--approximately a third of all food available in the U.S. For additional resources on this important topic, check out the following: Community Food Rescue, a network of businesses,volunteers and hunger relief organizations committed to eliminating hunger and food waste in Montgomery County.  Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection’s Tips to Reduce Food waste.  ReFED, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending food loss and waste across the US.  To view a wonderful video titled the Extraordinary Life and Times of Strawberry, following the journey of a strawberry from the farm to the refrigerator to understand what it takes to bring your food to you, click here.    Apartment Setups: Thank you to the volunteers who helped set up apartments for recently arrived refugees on April 30 and May 7. We will let you know when we are scheduled to help with future apartment setups.

Counting of the Omer

With help from Rabbi Ackerman and others, the TOC has created an Omer Calendar, offering daily suggestions that we hope will inspire learning and action toward tikkun olam during this year’s omer period (the 49 days, ending May 25, from the second night of Passover to Shavuot). The counting of the omer recalls the practice of giving sheaves of barley – each unit an “omer” – as offerings to the Temple in ancient times. It is a time to reflect upon the abundance of the natural world and to rededicate ourselves to tikkun olam when we see injustice, waste, indifference to suffering, or acts that challenge our Jewish moral and ethical values. Please take a look and consider what you can do during this period.

Help Save a Refugee Family

The TOC, in partnership with Homes Not Borders, has agreed to help bring an Afghan family to safety in the U.S. The father of the family worked for the Afghan government before the Taliban takeover. For the last two years, he, his wife, and five children (ranging in age 4-23) have been living in exile seeking to emigrate to permanent safety. If they cannot secure passage to the U.S., they will be deported to Afghanistan where they would be in great danger. Fortunately, U.S. State Department officials in the region are working to secure the necessary visas to emigrate to the U.S., and one of our Congregants has stepped forward to be the family’s official sponsor.   All that is left to complete the first phase of this important work is for the TOC to raise the funds to buy the actual plane tickets. The cost of the airfare alone is approximately $12,000. The TOC began raising money less than two weeks ago, and already has pledges of over $2800. We need your help to raise the rest. Once the family has arrived in the U.S., we will help them with housing for approximately three months.   You can donate online through the Temple, noting that the funds are for the Tikkun Olam Refugee Resettlement Program: https://www.templeshalom.net/support/   Stay tuned for updates in the weekly Temple emails and the TOC monthly newsletter. To get involved, or for more information or questions, email tikkunolam@templeshalom.net.

Maryland General Assembly Legislative Update

The 2023 session of the Maryland General Assembly adjourned on April 10. We are pleased to report that the General Assembly passed major legislation addressing several Tikkun Olam Committee focus areas—gun violence prevention, climate change, and reproductive rights. We are grateful to our State Senators and Delegates for their commitment to positive change, and we thank all of you who contacted legislators to let them know you care about these issues. Your messages of support, along with the collective efforts of other groups and individuals, have had a powerful impact. Please take a moment to thank your State representatives for passing critically needed legislation!

Gun Violence Prevention At the beginning of the 2023 session, the Tikkun Olam Committee identified four priority gun safety measures to support. Three of those measures were passed by the General Assembly (see list below). Together, these represent the strongest gun safety legislation in a decade! We expect the fourth priority, the Gun Industry Accountability Act of 2023, to be re-introduced next session—and we’ll be there to support it. Gun Safety Act of 2023 (SB 1). Designating certain “sensitive” public places where firearms are prohibited, including certain areas for children and vulnerable individuals (such as preschools and hospitals), government buildings, polling places, and places that are licensed to sell or dispense alcohol or cannabis for on-site consumption. There is a presumption that public carry permit holders must receive express permission from a private property owner before carrying a firearm onto the private property. Permits to Carry a Handgun in Public (HB 824). Strengthening requirements for those seeking a permit to carry a gun in public. This legislation ensures proper vetting of permit applicants in order to prohibit those who have demonstrated a propensity for violence or significantly irresponsible behaviors, from obtaining a public carry permit. It also increases training requirements for public carry. Jaelynn’s Law (SB 858/HB 307). Strengthening existing firearm storage requirements by requiring gun owners to secure their regulated firearms to prevent access by minors (under age 18). It also provides for education regarding safe storage and youth suicide prevention. This law is named in memory of Jaelynn Willey, a 16-year-old girl who was shot and killed at school in 2018 by a 17-year-old former boyfriend who had gained access to his father’s gun.    For more details about these and other gun safety measures, please click here for the Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence (MPGV) 2023 Legislative Wrap-Up. MPGV includes among its “2023 Session Heroes” Temple members Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher (top of the list!) and Del. Jared Solomon. Congratulations and thank you for your leadership!

Climate Change During the 2023 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly approved 24 climate change and environmental-related bills – an outstanding accomplishment! We have summarized six of the bills as examples of the progress made this year:         Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs -Energy Performance Targets and Low-Income Housing (SB144). Changing the EmPower program goal to ramp up to 1% energy savings through energy efficiency for 450,000 eligible low-income residents who have been paying into Empower and not receiving the benefits. Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Program “Make Community Solar Permanent” (HB 908). Making the Community Solar Pilot Program permanent rather than letting it sunset in 2024. This bill places greater focus on expanding community solar access to low and moderate-income residents. The bill also provides certainty to solar businesses and support for the State’s solar workforce. Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources Act (POWER Act) (SB 781). Fostering offshore wind energy by setting an ambitious goal of 8.5 gigawatts by 2031, building an additional gigawatt of offshore wind in existing lease areas, strengthening labor standards, and making necessary upgrades to the electric grid through a consolidated onshore transmission system. Maryland the Beautiful (HB 631/SB 470). Helping Maryland conserve land to better mitigate the effects of climate change and preserve iconic landscape and wildlife. Maryland Native Plants Program (HB 950/SB 836). Establishing the Maryland Native Plants Program to respond to the increasing demand for, use of, and sale of plants native to Maryland by retail garden centers and retail and wholesale nurseries and to educate the public on native plants and requiring the Department of Agriculture to administer the Program in coordination with the University of Maryland Extension. Greenspace Equity (HB 503/SB 923). Establishing the Greenspace Equity Program in the Department of Natural Resources to provide grants to eligible applicants for enhancing the public health and livability of overburdened and underserved communities by implementing projects to preserve, create, and enhance community greenspace.

Reproductive Rights On May 3, Governor Moore signed into law a wide-ranging package of legislation, passed by the Maryland General Assembly, aimed at protecting Marylanders’ ability to access abortion care in the state, declaring that “Maryland will always be a safe haven for abortion access and abortion rights.” These four bills include:    The Declaration of Rights - Right to Reproductive Freedom (HB 705/SB 798). This bill will give voters the opportunity to amend the state constitution, affirming that Marylanders have a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” including the right to prevent, continue, or end one’s pregnancy. This proposed amendment will be on the ballot in 2024. The Reproductive Health Protection Act (HB 808/SB 859). As enacted, this law will protect patients and providers from out-of-state criminal, civil, and administrative penalties for providing or receiving legal reproductive health care in Maryland.  Health - Reproductive Health Services - Protected Information and Insurance Requirements (SB 786/HB 812). This data privacy bill will protect medical and insurance records on reproductive health in electronic health information exchanges that can be shared across state lines. Public Senior Higher Education Institutions - Reproductive Health Services Plans - Requirements (SB 341/HB 477). This bill ensures 24/7 access to emergency contraception at public colleges and universities in Maryland, as well as referrals for other contraception and abortion services.

Voter Engagement

Postcarding: The postcard writing team has committed to writing 970 cards to encourage eligible Virginia voters to participate in Virginia’s off-year primary election on June 20. If you have any questions or want to join the postcard writing team email us at tikkunolam@templeshalom.net.

Feed Our Hungry Neighbors

Shepherd’s Table  On the first Monday of each month, Temple Shalom sponsors several volunteers to help serve dinner at Shepherd’s Table in Silver Spring. Shift hours are 5-7:30pm. Upcoming dates are June 5, July 3, and August 7.. Contact Vickie Rocha at rochawitz@gmail.com for more information. To volunteer, sign up here.

Are you keeping up with Tikkun Olam Committee  action alerts & activities?

We encourage you to sign up for the TOC email list to ensure you receive timely updates about our activities. Some of our initiatives are time-sensitive (including when it’s time to contact lawmakers to express your views on legislation we are supporting), and the fastest way to get our message to you is via the email list. If you aren’t already on the list, please contact us at tikkunolam@templeshalom.net to let us know you want to sign up. Thank you!