I am excited to announce that this week I start a new job as the Director of Programs and Fund Development for A Wider Bridge. This organizations seeks to inspire LGBT Jews to deepen their connection to the Jewish people through connection with Israel and to build connections between the LGBT communities in North America and Israel.
You can read more about A Wider Bridge and the work they do here.
Today’s the day! Dial 1-888-897-0174 and call on your Senator to protect LGBT workers by passing ENDA now.
Click on this flyer and you will have all of the talking points for speaking with your Senator’s representative about ending ENDA!
Happy New Year! One of the awesome High Holy Day sermons that I heard reminded me, “mitzvah goreret mitzvah” doing one mitzvah leads to doing another. I was also reminded that it is imperative upon each person to do the work to make a difference in the world. Here is one of the first opportunities to do so in the new Jewish year!
Here are the easy steps to take: Join our Call-in campaign for ENDA:-Text “ENDAnow” to 877-877 to receive text instructions, or dial 1- 888-897-0174 to hear talking points, enter your zip code and connect directly to your Senator.
Here’s the rationale and an update on where ENDA stands in the Senate:
As people of faith, we understand that there are moments that demand a moral call to action. At this moment, when we have never had a better chance of securing workplace protections for LGBT community, we must heed that call and reaffirm our support for the civil rights of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters. It is our sacred duty to make heard our demand for critical legislation like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (S. 815/H.R. 1755).
While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in the workplace based on race, sex, religion, ethnicity and national origin – and later laws barred discrimination based on pregnancy and disability – there is no federal law that protects the LGBT community from discrimination in the workplace. ENDA would fix that gap and finally make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, demote or fail to promote someone based on their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is rapidly growing. The bill now has 53 co-sponsors in the Senate – including Republican Senators Mark Kirk (IL) and Susan Collins (ME) – and 177 cosponsors in the House including three Republican Representatives. Support within the business world is growing as well, with more than 90 major corporations publically endorsing the bill (this is no surprise considering that 88% of Fortune 500 companies already have protections based on sexual orientation and 57% have protections for gender identity). Religious groups are speaking out as well; nearly 50 religious organizations signed onto a letter to the members of the HELP committee urging them to vote for ENDA.
According to recent polls 73% of Americans support the workplace protections promised in this legislation (another survey found that 9 out of 10 voters thought these protections already exist!).
People in states around the country have proven their support for workplace protection by passing laws in 21 states that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and 17 states that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. These numbers reveal the deep resonance ENDA holds with both our American and religious values.
Workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, characteristics which have nothing to do with job performance, denies members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community the full humanity that comes with the ability to earn a living, provide for their families and contribute to society. All of us are diminished when individuals are prevented from reaching their full potential and prohibited from contributing the full measure of their talent and ability to society.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is so critical precisely because it ensures that our workplaces operate as meritocracies, ensuring that people are judged based on their ability to perform a job, not on their personal characteristics. It ensures that our society recognizes the fundamental truth of our tradition, that all people are created in the in the image of God.
This bill has been introduced in nearly every Congress for the past twenty years, but has not received a vote in the Senate since 1996. But the tide is turning and the prospects for LGBT rights and ENDA’s passage have never looked better. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee passed ENDA this summer with a strong bi-partisan vote of 15-7 and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised a vote on the bill in the coming months. It is critical that Senators hear from the religious community that this landmark civil rights legislation is our moral imperative as Americans and as people of faith.
Join our Call-in campaign for ENDA:-Text “ENDAnow” to 877-877 to receive text instructions, or dial 1- 888-897-0174 to hear talking points, enter your zip code and connect directly to your Senator.
Here we are. The final day of 5773. I can’t even believe it.
On the dawn of this new year may there be more peace, more love, more compassion, more quiet moments, more learning, more hope, more patience, and more justice for all peoples of the world.
Last year I did this awesome program called 10Q. Every day you receive a link to a personal vault with a question/prompt and you write your response and then during the month of Elul in 5774 you receive your answers back. It turns out to be a wonderful way to reflect on the past year and reevaluate one’s life. Here is the link so you can sign up yourself and participate.
Happy New Year! Thanks for reading along this month. One of my goals is to keep up the blogging (maybe not every day).
I hope you have been following along on twitter, her website, or other social media as Diana Nyad, as of 9am PDT, is 2 miles from the shore of Florida. She has been in the water for almost 50 hours fulfilling her dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida without a protective shark cage.
It is hard to imagine a better word to describe what, God willing, Diana Nyad will have done in a few short hours (they estimate somewhere between 2-4pm EDT). She had a goal in mind and has done countless things to pursue it. I read yesterday about the specially designed face mask she is sometimes wearing through this swim to minimize or prevent the jellyfish stings that prevented her previous attempt.
What are the lessons about intention we can learn from Diana Nyad whether or not she reaches the shore today (and I’m cheering for her!)? How will we start 5774 with those goals in mind and what are the steps that are necessary to achieve them?
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Diana Nyad did it! She completed the 110 mile swim.
Today two of my friends, L & D, were married. A new beginning for their family. And a reminder of the importance of hope. Before the SCOTUS ruling at the end of June L & D might have married according to Jewish tradition, however their marriage was not recognized by the State of California. Today they were married according to the laws and rites of Jewish tradition and the State of California.
As we prepare for 5774 I can’t help but wonder how the changes that started in 5773, marriage equality in Washington, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Delaware, and California, will impact the rest of the nation. (I’m not forgetting about New Mexico, I’m just not sure how to categorize it here) And of course the continued decisions stemming from the SCOTUS decision that sections of DOMA are unconstitutional.
Oregon, Hawaii, New Jersey, Illinois, I’m looking at you…
My my most dear Rabbi, Cantor, and Educator colleagues,
Today’s #blogelul theme is end. While you probably won’t even have time to read this blog post, I want to encourage you and remind you that the end is in sight. I know that you don’t think you’re ready. That the sermons aren’t there yet, you might still be missing that one grace note and the classrooms are in disarray. However, I know you will get there. Your sermons will be heard by those who need to hear them, you will hit that note, and the classrooms will be ready for the learners the moment they arrive. You can do it! You will inspire people! You are amazing!
Remember as isolating as this time of year may feel, you are not alone. I offer myself to listen, read, edit, and brainstorm as you might need. I’ve got your back. I’m cheering you on. I appreciate the countless hours of work few people know about or can even comprehend. So do your congregants and students.
May you find a few moments of rest, rejuvenation, and peace this Shabbat.
Love,
ES
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Hey fellow Jews! Have you shown some love to your rabbi, cantor, and educator lately? Did you know that just sending them an email saying ‘thanks for all you do,” or a message on any social media platform can make a world of difference? Can you imagine the smile on his or her face when they opened a personal note delivered by the postal service just saying thank you and what about the holidays was inspiring for you and your family? Remember, as much as you think everyone else is going to tell your rabbi, cantor and educator how wonderful and inspiring High Holy Day worship and learning sessions might be, too few actually do. Instead they’ll hear the kvetching. (I’m sure you would never point out that the sermon was too long, the tekiyah gedolah was 10 seconds shorter than last year, there wasn’t enough air conditioning, the sound system wasn’t working perfectly, the traffic was beyond belief and the parking was abysmal) Be that person. Send the note. Make the positive comment. Share the love!
Have you ever had this ruggelah from Marzipan in Jerusalem? Let me assure you, it is love at first bite.
Yesterday an article was published challenging clergy to lead inspiring worship and simultaneously encouraging “Jews in the pews” to find paths to engagement and study.
I dare you to read this article. What do you think?
And if you have any unique ideas, you can add them to this crowd sourcing document.
I’m participating in #blogelul this year. There are different writing prompts for every day as Jews around the world begin to prepare in body and spirit for the New Year, Rosh Hashanah. I don’t post on my blog on Shabbat so on Sunday I will select one of the themes from Saturday or Sunday for my posting. Here’s the Elul theme calendar.
Rabbi Eleanor Steinman 