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Enough is enough: What you can do to help stop American gun violence
Buffalo, Uvalde, Tulsa, and other recent incidents of gun violence highlight the fact that the U.S. has been locked in a cycle of apathetic “thoughts and prayers,” while little federal action has been taken on this public safety and public health issue. We must end the helpless, apathetic cycle of “thoughts and prayers.” Enough is enough. To stand idly by and do nothing in the face of such senseless slaughter is unconscionable and antithetical to our Jewish values and beliefs. To paraphrase Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, we will pray with our marching feet and voices.
Shayna Han
Eisendrath Legislative Assistant
Body
Shayna’s portfolio includes gun violence prevention, environment and climate change, Israel, foreign policy, antisemitism, the Holocaust, international religious freedom, and Native American rights. She is proud to be in the first cohort of the Jews of Color Initiative partnership with the RAC LA program.
Reform Movement Responds to Supreme Court’s Decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen
“In the aftermath of the unceasing spate of recent mass shootings – including the horrific mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde and recent gun violence at a church in Alabama, a Juneteenth concert in Washington, D.C., and in a neighborhood in New York City – it is incomprehensible that the Supreme Court has once again decided to value guns over the safety of our communities, children, and houses of worship."
Shanah Tovah, Congress: Reflections on 5782 and Goals for a Sweet 5783
Rosh Hashanah is a time of reflection and celebration of the past year and the year to come. As we reflect on 5782, we celebrate the legislative victories from this past year.
Finding Hope
Thursday night's passage of a bi-partisan gun bill filled me with hope, even as the Supreme Court ruled against New York, which forces some states to actually loosen their gun regulations.
A Season of Reflection – And Action
As we enter the Days of Awe, we engage in reflection and introspection. We confess our sins. We ask forgiveness of those we have wronged. And we pray that when the Book of Life is closed, we are inscribed for a good year.
Four Lessons from the Launch of RAC-Massachusetts
On Sunday, June 12, 2022, congregants and clergy from over twenty Reform synagogues gathered at Temple Shalom of Newton for the launch of RAC-Massachusetts, the Religious Action Center’s ninth and newest statewide project. The room had an energy I haven’t felt since before the pandemic, reminding everyone there what can happen when we are in community.
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner Appointed to DHS’s Faith-Based Security Advisory Council
Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the appointment of Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center (RAC), to the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council. The council, which consists of twenty-five of the nation's most distinguished faith leaders, will advise the secretary of homeland security on the needs of the faith community relating to security and preparedness matters.
Announcing the 'Building a Very Narrow Bridge' Restorative Justice Project
A message to anyone who has been subject to abuse or harm within the URJ - or by the URJ as a result - and to the wider URJ communities, from Dr. Guila Benchimol and Dr. Alissa Ackerman.
World Refugee Day 2022
Every year on June 20, we honor the resilience and courage of refugees and celebrate their contributions to our communities and to our entire nation. The best way to honor and celebrate refugees is by taking action to make the U.S. a more welcoming place for those seeking safety.