Temple Jeremiah Social Justice Education and Advocacy focuses on: 1) educating our congregants and people from other faith-based organizations about social justice issues, and 2) teaching people how to communicate their opinions on local, state, and federal programs and legislation to their elected officials. Please see below for descriptions of and links to our past Social Justice Education and Advocacy Programs.
Action Alerts
We are excited to provide advocacy opportunities with action alerts via text messages. You might expect to receive an Advocacy Alert about once per week on one of our seven Board-approved issue platforms. Sign up to receive Advocacy Alerts here.
Past Social Justice Education & Advocacy Programming
2023
Protecting Illinois Families From Gun Violence: A Conversation with Gov. J.B. Pritzker | July 27, 2023
One year after the July 4th shooting in Highland Park, many remain deeply affected by the tragedy, concerned about safety, and worried about gun violence. On July 27, 2023, Temple Jeremiah hosted Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to discuss state and national efforts on gun control. including Illinois’ assault weapons ban.
Advocacy 101 | October 1, 2023
Temple Jeremiah J-Quest parents participated in a presentation by our Social Justice Champion Advocates. Parents learned about the history of our social justice work and how our Advocacy programs came to be. Additionally they were given an opportunity to learn about the seven advocacy platforms and avenues to get engaged.
Shame of Chicago Screening | November 2, 2023
Shame of Chicago is a five-part documentary revealing the true stories behind how Chicago and its suburbs devised the most sweeping system of racially segregated communities; and how these policies diminished the lives of generations of Black families creating the vast wealth gap that persists to this day.
Temple Jeremiah co-sponsored this event with Kenilworth Union Church.
Click HERE to learn more about the program.
What’s at Stake: Antisemitism in a Time of Crisis with Oren Jacobson
| December 19, 2023
The Joint Action Committee on Public Affairs hosted their What’s at Stake series at Temple Jeremiah.
Whenever the Israeli-Palestinian conflict breaks into an all out war, antisemitism rises everywhere, including in the United States. This program will focus explicitly on the real time ways in which antisemitism is showing up in discourse around the war between Hamas and Israel, especially in more progressive spaces. Our goal is to ensure everyone understands why and how we can effectively address it. To be very clear, the conversation will not focus on Israeli policy and actions. Rather, it will focus on how the discussion around what’s happening is impacting Jews in the diaspora. You’ll hear a clear analysis from Oren Jacobson, the Executive Director of Project Shema and you’ll get specific, concrete action steps you can take to help slow the spread of anti-Jewish ideas.
2022
Candidate Forum with BJBE | October 23, 2022
On October 23, 2022, synagogues and organizations from across the North Shore came together at Congregation BJBE as they hosted candidates for elected office for an afternoon of conversation and questions on the issues facing our country, our neighborhoods, and our Jewish community. Candidates included the Ninth and Tenth congressional district candidates and state legislative candidates in our area.
Be SMART Forum | October 2, 2022
Temple Jeremiah hosted a conversation about the Be SMART message.
The Be Smart Campaign advocates for secure and responsible gun storage. Be SMART promotes easy and concrete actions that adults can take to prevent the severe harm that can result when children access firearms. The campaign was launched to raise awareness that secure gun storage–storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition–can save children’s lives. Be SMART emphasizes that every adult can play a role in keeping kids and communities safer.
Click here to learn more about Be SMART.
Roe v. Wade – Women’s Reproductive Rights | June 15, 2022
The Temple Jeremiah Social Justice Committee recently presented a discussion on the current status of Roe v. Wade on June 15, 2022 with Emily Werth, Staff Attorney of the Women’s and Reproductive Rights division of the American Civil Liberties Union and Oren Jacobson, co-founder and co-executive director of Men4Choice and board member of the non-partisan PersonalPAC. As we awaited the Supreme Court decision to overturn this law, over eighty Jeremiahans gathered to learn about this historic ruling.
A Case for Reparations | April 24, 2022
The concept of reparations embodies two sacred obligations of Judaism: T’shuvah–making amends for what we have done wrong and Tikkun Olam–repairing the world. The response to our most recent Anti-racism program on Sunday, April 24, 2022., “Reparations: A Discussion,” was wholeheartedly positive.
Rabbi Cohen’s moderated the conversation with Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and former Evanston Councilwoman, Robin Rue Simmons’. The program was so well received that it gained mention in the local publication, Evanston Roundtable. In addition, Mayor Biss’ personal story—he is the grandson of recipients of WWII reparations—speaks to us as a Jewish community.
2021
Antiracism: Moving Into Action | November 14, 2021
In 2020, Pat Savage-Williams, conducted an interactive workshop in which she introduced us to the topic of white privilege. She returned on Sunday, November 14, 2021 to continue the discussion on anti-racism with thoughts on how we can be catalysts for change.
As President of the ETHS Board, the Special Education Coordinator at New Trier HS, and the Equity Liaison for the district, Pat Savage-Williams facilitates meetings that require participants to reflect on identity, race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.
FURTHER READING:
Detour-Spotting for white anti-racists by Jona Olsson
Cultural Competence for Social Justice: CCSJ Self-Assessment (Diane Goodman & Marta Esquilín)
Voter Rights with Former Senator Al Franken | October 10, 2021
Former Senator Al Franken joined us on Sunday, October 10, 2021 to speak to us on the topics of voter suppression and filibuster reform.
Over the past decade, Senator Franken has become an authority on the topic of voting rights and related issues such as the filibuster. In his conversation with Rabbi Paul Cohen, he discussed the history and status of voting rights in the U.S. and more.
Watch this conversation as well as the Q&A that followed below.
“Detour-Spotting for White Antiracists” | April 11, 2021
As we continued to learn about how to practice antiracism, we discussed the article “Detour-Spotting, For White Anti-Racists” by Jona Olsson on Sunday, April 11, 2021.
This article outlines the ways ingrained habits and thought patterns can divert white, antiracist allies from their intended goals. It also discusses how to avoid these detours and handle them when they’re encountered.
How to Talk to Your Child About Race | March 14, 2021
On Sunday, March 14, 2021, we welcomed educator and antiracism workshop facilitator Jena Doolas for a session on how to talk about race and racism with children.
Jena Doolas is an educator, social worker and racial equity facilitator. She has been working in public education for about 25 years as both a middle school Language Arts and Social Studies teacher, and a School Social Worker. She currently a school social worker at East Prairie School in Skokie, IL.
Jena Doolas shared the following follow-up resources with Temple Jeremiah. We invite you to read them!
Temple Jeremiah Post-Workshop Communication
Temple Jeremiah More Resources
So You Want to Talk About Race | February 21, 2021
On Sunday, February 21, 2021, we discussed Ijeoma Oluo’s So You Want to Talk about Race led by Dana Garbarski, Temple Jeremiah member and Associate Professor of Sociology at Loyola, and Jill Patano, Temple Jeremiah member and licensed clinical professional counselor.
In her book, Oluo provides for White people and people of color the language and tools to engage in dialogue about race and racism and illustrates fundamental truths of how race is lived and experienced in individual, interpersonal, and systemic ways.
Click here for the reading guide and discussion questions.
FURTHER READING:
The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America, Khalil Gibran Muhammad
Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side, Eve L. Ewing
“Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?”, Ibram X. Kendi
Pre-Trial Fairness Panel Discussion | January 17, 2021
A discussion on the Pretrial Fairness Act was held on Sunday, January 17, 2021. The proposed legislation called for the abolishment of cash bail, ensuring that people accused of crimes, who are legally considered innocent until proven guilty, don’t await trial in jail just because they can’t afford bond.
This event hosted an expert panel featuring Sen. Robert Peters, the sponsor of the bill, past president of the Chicago Bar Association Victor Henderson, J.D., and Temple Jeremiah member Dawn Projansky Lavin, civil rights and criminal attorney. The event was moderated by Rabbi Cohen.
FURTHER READING:
Pursuing Pretrial Freedom: The Urgent Need for Bond Reform in Illinois
Illinois Network for Pretrial Fairness
Vision for a Just Pretrial System in Illinois
Coalition to End Money Bond
Using Bail as Ransom Violates the Core Tenets of Pretrial Justice
Andrea Woods J.D. for ACLU’s Blog
2020
Ava DuVernay’s 13th Discussion | December 6, 2020
Temple Jeremiah hosted a discussion, on Sunday, December 6th, of Emmy Award Winning 13th, a documentary exploring the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States. The discussion was led by Rabbi Cohen and touched on topics such as the legacy of slavery and the problem of mass incarceration.
You can watch 13th on Netflix and YouTube.
FURTHER READING:
Are Prisons Obsolete?, Professor Angela Davis
If You’re New to Abolition: Study Group Guide, Abolition: A Journal of Insurgent Politics
The Disturbing Link Between Environmental Racism and Criminalization, David Pellow, Environmental Health News
Here’s Why Abolishing Private Prisons Isn’t a Silver Bullet, Mia Armstrong, The Marshall Project
Antiracism Discussion | Sunday, November 8, 2020
Dana Garbarski, Jill Patano, and other Temple Jeremiah members met on Sunday, November 8, 2020 for a discussion of two, thought-provoking articles from The Atlantic regarding the effect systemic racism has on the lives of Black Americans.
The first article read was Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “The Case for Reparations,” which discusses the legacy of slavery and the exploitation of black communities, with emphasis on housing discrimination. The second article was Adam Serwer’s “America’s Racial Contract Is Showing,” which discusses the disproportionate effect COVID-19 has had on people of color.
The list of discussion questions:
- How does this reading document “systemic racism,” which we can define as the ways in which racial inequalities are produced, reinforced, and become normalized across individual, interactional, and institutional levels. What parts of the system are revealed?
- What is the “racial contract” as described by Charles Mills (summarized by the author Adam Serwer)? How is the racial contract made visible by police brutality and Covid-19?
- What is the historical relationship between “white democracy” and “black plunder” as summarized by Coates?
- What public policies and private practices created unequal wealth and “white flight” in the 20th century United States?
- Why does Coates think reparations are important, and why does he say it has been a non-starter in the United States?
- We often try to minimize our responsibility for the sins of our country’s history. To what extent are we culpable for acts which, though we did not ourselves commit them, nevertheless benefit our daily lives? Can something not be our fault, yet be our responsibility?
- What makes systemic racism a durable feature of American society? What are the connections made between past and present, laws and institutions, capitalism, socialization, representations in media, the actions of people with power, and the actions of individuals? How does systemic racism both create and maintain social inequalities?
- Once we see these connections and how we too are complicit in maintaining this system, what is our social responsibility? What can we do to move forward?
- How can we treat justice and antiracism as processes to engage in rather than identities or destinations? What is the biggest challenge you see for you personally? What risks are you willing to take to practice justice and antiracism?
Implicit Bias Training | September 13, 2020
How can someone’s race influence the way we see and treat them, even when we are genuinely trying to be unbiased? What concrete steps can we take to help prevent this from happening?
To answer these questions and more, on Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 4:00 p.m., Temple Jeremiah held an implicit bias training workshop. The workshop, led by Pat Savage-Williams, will feature a mix of short presentations, interactive exercises, and discussions with the aim of challenging the unconscious prejudices we carry with us. The workshop will also provide participants with tools to combat their own implicit biases.
Pat Savage-Williams is currently the President of the Evanston Township High School Board. She was first elected to serve on the Board of Education at Evanston Township High School in 2013 and again in 2017. Professionally, Pat has worked as an educator for more than 30 years. She works at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, as a Special Education Coordinator and is the Equity Liaison for the district.
FURTHER READING:
Detour-Spotting, For White Anti-Racists, Jona Olsson, Cultural Bridges to Justice
Understanding Implicit BiasThe Kirwan Insitute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, Ohio State University
Who, Me? Biased?, Saleem Reshamwala, The New York Times
Of Mice and Men: Equal Protection and Unconcious Bias, Jody David Armour, Negrophobia and Reasonable Racism: The Hidden Costs of Being Black in America
Implicit Bias Association Tests, Project Implicit, Harvard University
Gun Safety Forum | March 1, 2020
Temple Jeremiah hosted a thought-provoking interchange with an esteemed and diverse panel of experts representing different viewpoints to inform and educate us.
On the panel was Phil Andrew, a survivor of the 1988 Hubbard Woods shooting who went on to be an FBI Agent and hostage negotiator; Edward Sullivan, a lobbyist for the Illinois Rifle Association and former Illinois State Legislator; Mark Jones, a firearms and law enforcement subject matter expert and consulting policy advisor; and Professor Sheldon Nahmod, a scholar of constitutional law and faculty member of Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Be Smart with Moms Demand Action | February 16, 2020
The Temple Jeremiah Social Justice Committee kicked off a series of programming on Gun Violence Prevention with a presentation by Moms Demand Action (MDA) entitled BE SMART.
This program is designed to help parents and others normalize conversations about gun safety and take responsible actions that can prevent child gun deaths and injuries.
Betsy Storm, of MDA-Evanston was with us on to present this enlightening and helpful program.