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A Win for Gun Violence Prevention in Washington State!
Yesterday, along with the US Senate and House of Representative elections and numerous elections on the state level, voters in Washington state chose not to stand silently by any longer in the face of gun violence. Ballot Initiative I-594 to institute universal background checks including for private sales in Washington passed by an overwhelming majority of 59.7% while the counter-initiative that would have prevented background checks in Washington State failed resoundingly. Laws similar to this one have been passed by other states, including last year in Maryland where the new law has already led to a significant drop in gun deaths state-wide.
There’s More to Gun Violence than Mental Illness
Newtown. Aurora. Tucson. These three shootings, at an elementary school in Connecticut, at a movie theater in Colorado and at a constituent meeting in Arizona, are just a few examples of the mass shootings that have captured the media’s attention in the past few years. While the shootings have sparked discussions on gun violence in this country, they have also led to conversations about the intersection of gun violence prevention and mental illness. In each of these cases, mental illness was at one point or another discussed as a potential cause of the violent crimes committed in these three towns. Whether the shooters in these attacks were mentally ill or not does not impact the importance of keeping guns out of the hands of people with mental illness. Moreover, the focus on gun violence and mental health can be limiting.
Shining a Light Through Our Sorrow: Two Years After Newtown
December 14, 2014 marks the second anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. In 2012, 20 school children and 6 teachers were shot in the single deadliest shooting since Virginia Tech in 2007. After the Newtown shooting, the Reform Movement once again joined with the interfaith community and renewed our long-standing efforts to support gun violence prevention legislation, and provide resources and prayer services for our communities for healing. We worked tirelessly on the Manchin-Toomey bipartisan bill that proposed universal background checks for gun purchasing we were deeply saddened when Congress failed to pass that important legislation.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs in Peril
In the United States, the number of teen pregnancies is the lowest it has been in decades. It still remains, however, the highest among the most developed countries in the world.
RAC Reads Guide: Crossing Lines by Melanie Weiss
RAC Reads is a program by the Religious Action Center to encourage reading groups that explore contemporary social justice topics in the context of Jewish teachings and values. The discussion guides are designed for families, congregations and communities. As such, not all of the facilitation tips and discussion questions may be applicable in all cases.
Biennial and Beyond: The Key to Moving Our Future Forward
What happens when 5,000 people begin a day together in one building? Well, one thing you could expect is the Starbucks line to be long. But, at the URJ Biennial, magic happened even while waiting in line.
Repairing the World at Biennial: Thursday Tikkun Olam Highlights
Biennial started with a bang on Wednesday, including a jam-packed evening plenary featuring such incredible speakers as Michael Douglas and Nick Kristof.
Confronting Violence and Injustice Against Women
Because women close to me had never confided their experiences of sexual violence, I was shocked when they began to tell me – first one, then another, and another– that they had been raped, sexually harassed, touched without permission, or abused in other ways. Listening to their stories, trying to absorb their pain while controlling my rage, I felt guilty about my own ignorance and inaction. Why was I shocked at a truth that has been true for so long? Why had I never spoken out before?
Biden at Biennial: What did the Vice President Say?
Speaking to the 5,000 attendees at the URJ Biennial in Orlando on Saturday, November 7, Vice President Joe Biden offered sincere words on many issues of importance to our Movement.
How Judaism Inspires My Mental Health Advocacy
But I need your help to ensure that every student can access mental health care, no matter where they live.