*Please note that if you register after April 3, we cannot guarantee that our staff team will be able to work to schedule your lobby meetings.
The D.C. Day of Action is a peak moment in our newly launched Power for Purpose Campaign!
This event is an opportunity to hear from Members of Congress as well as keynote speakers including LaTosha Brown, who leads Black Voters Matter and will talk about the intersection of climate change and voting rights. We will spend time in smaller cohorts, building community among justice leaders and activists across our networks. The Day of Action will culminate with lobby meetings on Capitol Hill, during which we will advocate for climate change policy. Our advocacy will also include pressing the Biden administration to adopt strong regulations to limit climate pollution.
The Day of Action is also an opportunity to engage with social justice leaders and activists from across the Reform Movement for learning, connecting, and acting together. This is one step in a series of important actions we will take in our own communities and across the Movement to create change and build our collective power. Whether you are a seasoned Reform Movement social justice leader or new to the Movement, we hope you will join us for this important opportunity to act for justice.
Dates: May 10-11, 2023
Day of Action Schedule (program start and end times are confirmed; other timing is subject to change)
Wednesday, May 10
Hotel in Northern Virginia, near Reagan National Airport (Metro Accessible)
Registration opens
4:30 PM - Opening Plenary Session
6:00 PM - Buffet Dinner
7:30 PM - Breakout Session
Thursday, May 11
Location in DC, near Capitol Hill (transportation provided from hotel)
9:00 AM - Closing Plenary Session
11:30 AM - 2:30 PM (approximately) - Lobby Meetings on Capitol Hill
2:30 PM - Rolling departure from Capitol Hill
Event Pricing
The URJ subsidizes the cost of our events in order to increase the accessibility of our programming for the broadest possible audience.
The subsidized cost of the Reform Movement's DC Day of Action is $150 and covers the direct costs of producing this event (hotel, bus, and catering fees). The full cost of this event, which includes staff planning time and other unseen costs, is $300.
If you are able, please consider paying the full cost of the gathering. Your generosity in covering the full program expense will allow the URJ to reach more people from diverse backgrounds and communities.
If the costs associated with attending the DC Day of Action are not accessible to you, we have a limited amount of funding available to help subsidize this experience. Please email campaign@rac.org for more information.
Travel Logistics
Hotel
Upon registering for the Day of Action, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on reserving a hotel room in the event room block.
Flight information
The URJ is pleased to provide the following airline discount codes for your use:
For United Airlines
To make flight reservations online, please click on the discount code ZMXA296083
Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for Union for Reform Judaism
You may also call Delta Meeting Network* at 1.800.328.1111* Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (EST) and refer to Meeting Event Code NM2BX
*Please note there is not a service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation
800 number.
Arrival information
- The program will begin at 4:00 p.m. ET on May 10 at the event hotel located in Northern Virginia near Reagan National Airport (DCA).
- Hotel information, including a discounted room rate, will be shared upon registration.
- If you are flying to Reagan National Airport (DCA), the hotel provides a complimentary airport shuttle and is connected to a Metro station. You can also opt for a short taxi/ride share ride.
- If you are flying to Dulles International Airport (IAD) or Baltimore/Washington Airport (BWI), please be sure to arrive with enough time to commute via taxi/ride share to the hotel. If flying into Dulles, you can also take the Metro from the new Dulles Metro Station to Northern Virginia.
- If you are taking the train into Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, you can take the Metro or a short taxi/ride share ride to the hotel.
Departure information
On Thursday, May 11, attendees will visit their congressional offices for lobby meetings. These meetings will be scheduled for the morning and afternoon. We will provide bus transportation to DCA and Union Station. If you are traveling out of either location, you will be able to load your luggage on the bus in the morning to head straight to the airport/train station following your lobby meetings.
If you are traveling home from IAD or BWI, we will provide transportation back to the hotel and you will be responsible for coordinating transportation to either airport. We ask that all attendees please book your return travel plans according to the guidance listed below:
- From Reagan National Airport (DCA) - Do not depart earlier than 5:30 p.m. ET
- From Dulles International Airport (IAD) - Do not depart earlier than 6:30 p.m. ET
- From Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) - Do not depart earlier than 6:30 p.m. ET
- From Union Station: Do not depart earlier than 5:00 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
What issue(s) will we be acting on at this event?
The Day of Action is a peak moment in Power for Purpose, the Reform Movement’s 2023 Campaign for Climate Justice. Our advocacy on Capitol Hill will focus on the climate crisis and specific climate change policy. This action in Washington will be one step in a series of important actions we will take in our communities and across the Movement to create real, lasting change.
Am I required to participate in lobby meetings?
We are planning to schedule lobby meetings for all attendees. After registering, we will follow up with you to confirm your participation in lobby meetings. There will be opportunities to volunteer for a leadership role in your meeting, but you may also attend solely as a participant among your state/congressional delegation.
Who will we meet with during our lobby meetings?
We will do our best to ensure that everyone attends two meetings; in most cases this will be one Senate and one House meeting. While we cannot guarantee that you will meet with your Senator or Representative, we will do our best to ensure that meetings are scheduled with their appropriate staff member.
This event is short. How and when will I prepare for my lobby meetings?
The majority of preparation for lobby meetings will take place in advance of the event (over Zoom) through educational and tactical training. Those who volunteer for leadership roles will have additional opportunities for training and support. State delegations will spend time together during the evening breakout session for final prep and additional relational building opportunities.
Who is the intended audience for this event?
The Day of Action is an opportunity for both seasoned and emerging Reform Movement social justice leaders.
I want to help make the Day of Action and Reform Movement’s Social Justice Campaign successful. What can I do?
Everyone has a role to play in making our campaign and time in Washington a success. If you are interested in a particular leadership role, such as helping move your own community into action or coordinating actions with local decision-makers (including the lobby visits that will take place on May 11), you can let us know when you register.
I’m planning to attend by myself. Will there be opportunities to meet other attendees?
In addition to meeting others in your delegation over Zoom, the event will begin with a round of breakout sessions. You will also spend Thursday on Capitol Hill with your delegation.
We will facilitate a meeting spot for attendees who wish to have dinner with fellow participants on Wednesday evening.
Will meals be provided during this event?
We will provide dinner on Wednesday evening at the hotel in between programming. Breakfast and lunch on Thursday are on your own. You may purchase breakfast at the hotel or in the local area and lunch in a cafeteria on Capitol Hill. We will provide information about lunch options closer to the event as part of your lobbying materials.
Healthy and Safety Protocols
In managing COVID, in-person meetings and events are unique. While they present the COVID-related challenges around spending time together in close proximity, their short length reduces the risk of spread within the group as compared with longer immersive programs. We are currently experiencing a shift, both in the evolution of the COVID virus and in the societal and individual responses to it, from pandemic to endemic. This transition is bumpy and indirect. Navigating this rough terrain makes it impossible to establish mitigation protocols that feel aligned for every individual. That being said, the URJ's commitment to public health is steadfast, as well as our commitment to the Jewish value of Ma’akeh le-Gag’chah - safety for others. Our people and their wellbeing are our primary obligation.
We will continue to evaluate the current COVID conditions, including community transmission and clinical severity, as we look ahead toward the DC Day of Action and will communicate protocols to all registrants via email. We are deeply committed to open, ongoing, and honest communication.