CSS Social Action Email: June 7

“To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival.” Wendell Berry 
 
This is a weekly update detailing social action oriented events/actions/meetings that you can plug into in Madison, WI. 

CSS ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Shaarei Shamayim Joins the First Unitarian Society in Declaring Sanctuary
We are delighted to share with you that we are becoming a sanctuary congregation to create a network of support for people being threatened with deportation and to draw attention to the rising rates of deportation in the Madison area.  We will provide physical sanctuary at FUS as the need arises.  We will keep you informed of our efforts and volunteer opportunities.
 
June 14: Report Back from Israel and Palestinian Villages in the West Bank
Rabbi Laurie recently returned from Israel and the West Bank and she will be talking about her experiences with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence. She spent nine days in Hebron, the South Hebron Hills, and Bethlehem, worked with Youth Against Settlements, met up with Rabbi Arik Ascherman (former director of Rabbis for Human Rights who will be visiting this fall), and had many conversations with the 130 Jews on the delegation who were from the United States, Europe, South Africa, and Australia.  Together they struggled with Jewish identity, texts, and traditions, as well as the changing nature of the American Jewish anti-occupation movement, the Israeli occupation, Palestinian solidarity, and the principles of nonviolence.
 
We will have a potluck dinner at 6:00 p.m. followed by Rabbi Laurie’s presentation at 7:00 p.m.  Come to either or both parts of the evening. At the home of Kimberly Wilson and Brian Lavendel, 2302 Center Avenue. Brian and Kimberly will prepare a main dish and salad. Feel free to bring a vegetarian side to share. 
 
VOCES DE LA FRONTERA UPDATE: 
Voces Solidarity Challenge
In case you missed it: We’ve raised $40,148 from 271 donors with donations ranging from $10 to $10,000!  We are looking for a few more people to set up fundraisers in the next month.  If you are interested, please email Joy at office@shamayim.org.  And don’t forget to check out this great article in the Capital Times about our fundraising efforts. 
 
June 16: Neighborhood Happy Hour – Fundraiser for Voces Solidarity Challenge
Join the Ramberg/Foster Family and the Cross Family for a relaxed evening raising money for Voces de la Frontera.  Location: 515 Briar Hill Road from 4:30 – 8:30.   We’ll be outside.  All are invited!
 
EVENTS AROUND TOWN:
June 8: Revvin’ it up for Conservation 
The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters is going to be an increasingly important voice to push Wisconsin to act where the federal government will not. Their 15thanniversary event is at the Goodman Center from 5:30 – 8:00 and  features Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr., President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus.
Called one of our country’s “New Green Heroes” by Rolling Stone and named as one of the Top 10 Change Makers in the green movement by Huffington Post, Reverend “The Rev” Yearwood’s innovative climate and clean energy work has garnered the Hip Hop Caucus support from Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and Bill McKibben’s 350.org.

Should be a fun night. For more detail click here. 
 
July 8: Just Desserts
Jewish Social Services is hosting a fundraiser. Join them to learn about refugee resettlement in Madison while supporting the work of JSS.  Just Desserts will be at the Sundance Cinema from 7 – 10. There will be live music and desserts. Tickets are $45.  You can find more information here.
 
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES:
Jewish Social Services is Resettling Several Refugee families
JSS has helped resettle six refugee families in Madison already, and it now looks like there will be more on the way. 
 
Click here to sign up to donate to the JSS refugee/asylee/immigrant donation wish list.  Also, JSS has many clients, that aren’t refugees that are in need of support. Click here for additional volunteer opportunities at JSS.
 
ACTION ITEMS:
Thinking Locally on the Climate Accord
In addition to almost every country in the world, thousands of businesses and a majority of American voters support the Paris Climate agreement. Although Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, individual states maintain their control over their own carbon emission standards and clean energy priorities. If enough states commit to maintaining the standards of the Paris Climate Agreement, the collective achievement can offset the adverse effects of the Trump-led national withdrawal. Governors Jerry Brown of California, Andrew Cuomo of New York and Jay Inslee of Washington formed a "United States Climate Alliance" immediately after the announcement of Trump's Paris Accord decision. Now is the time to contact Scott Walker and urge him to join this Alliance and continue the fight against climate change. New York Times article about it here. Five calls talking points here.  
 
White House looking for input to reform federal agencies
President Trump has asked for public comment on which federal agencies should be "reformed," and which should be eliminated outright.  You have until June 12th to let him know what you think. (Maybe under Dept of Education you can suggest something like, "Increase funding for Title IX and special needs education.", etc.) Give input here.  
 
Stop the Rollback of birth control coverage
While the Republicans continue to try to pass the ACA repeal, they are chipping away at the protections that ensure that millions of Americans have birth control covered by insurance. The new rule will expand the number of employers and insurers that could qualify for exemptions from the mandate by claiming a moral or religious objection, including for-profit, publicly traded corporations.  Five calls gives talking points when you call the Office of Budget and Management and the Dept. of Health and Human Services. Click here and here for more details.
 
Hold police accountable for their actions: 
A new GOP bill would make it virtually impossible to sue police. Tell Wisconsin congress people to vote no on House Bill 2437 and Senate Bill 1134. This doesn’t mean you don’t value the difficult job that  police officers do, but it is dangerous if there is no way to hold an officer who abuses his/her power accountable. These new bills would make that extremely difficult. For more information on the bill read this and this.  Also, here is a summary of key points from the Washington Post.  Contact Ron Johnson,Tammy Baldwin, Mark Pocan.

• This bill makes it very difficult, if not impossible to sue police officers for violations of constitutional rights. It is already difficult to win a ruling against police officers, but this would raise the bar even higher. "In theory, this could mean that under a scenario in which the police falsely arrest you, you resist, and they then severely beat you, if they could show that the beating was the result of your resisting, not the false arrest, you could be barred from suing for anything other than the cost of treating your injuries. "
  
• Assaulting a police officer would also become a federal crime. Federal mandatory minimums would apply. Think of how simple it would be to charge activists or victims of police brutality with assaulting police officers and then consider the chilling effect this legislation will have on civil liberties.
  
• This bill would also make it easier to charge people who defend themselves from surprise law enforcement raids with crimes that carry significant minimum sentences. Consider recent examples of police raiding the wrong home and how the reactions of innocent people could be criminalized.

Advocate for Refugees:
JSS is looking for volunteers to help with their advocacy work which includes local efforts such as getting Arabic materials at the DMV and also pressure on legislatures on all levels. Please email Rabbi Bauer at rabbi@jssmadison.org if you are interested in helping with this. You can also call your senators and representatives to show your support for the federal refugee program. See details here on how to stand up for refugees.

MISCELLANEOUS:
·       If you want to spend a few minutes in an alternate reality where we have a White House with smart people who sometimes disagree politically and don’t think that makes the other person, the enemy. Watch this first and this second  
·       If you like podcasts and are looking for some good politically current podcasts – I recommend the ones on Crooked Media.