June & July B'tzelem
06.05.24 | Btzelem
RAC-CA Climate campaign 2024
No one wants an oil well pumping in their backyard, or worse, right next to the playground where their kids play or the health clinic where their loved ones seek care. Fortunately, the State of California passed crucial state legislation, SB 1137, banning new oil drilling because the health risks from exposure to drilling sites are downright terrifying. But now, the oil and gas lobby is pulling out all the stops to overturn this law with a sneaky referendum on our November ballot. The oil and gas lobby will be flooding the airwaves with misinformation and throwing stacks of cash at their cause. But here's the deal: we refuse to let them jeopardize our communities' health and wellbeing. And with most drilling sites in low-income and BIPOC communities, we know there will be a disproportionate impact within these communities if the law is overturned.
Temple Judea, in partnership with RAC-CA and Dayenu, will be campaigning to KEEP THE LAW, which creates a 3200 ft. buffer zone around new oil drilling and ensures our schools, homes, and other sensitive areas are free from neighborhood drilling. We know that it's going to take all of us banding together to educate our neighbors and ensure we turn out the vote. And, we're counting on you and the entire Temple Judea community to help get the word out!
Come join with members of other Valley temples to kick off our campaign on June 23 @ 4pm at Warner Center Park. We'll gather and educate people about the Keep the Law Campaign. Detailed training will be provided prior to the outreach event.
Our fight will continue throughout the summer with several key opportunities to make an impact, from writing and mailing postcards to collecting signatures, plus a fun and educational Climate Justice Shabbat on August 16 -- building community and momentum to win this battle!
This is a campaign encompassing climate and racial justice, public health, voter turnout, and democracy; all our voices are essential to combat the oil/gas industry. Ready to get involved? Reach out to Ellen Israel at to learn more about this important work.
BACKPACK PACKING WITH SOCIAL ACTION
Children experiencing homelessness face immense challenges that impact their education. They are more likely to repeat a grade, more likely to be placed in special education, and more likely to drop out of school entirely. One way to make a difference for these children is by supporting TJ's Great Annual Backpack Packing Event, organized by our Social Action Committee. Each year, Temple Judea purchases and packs hundreds of backpacks full of school supplies which we then donate to School On Wheels – a remarkable, local organization dedicated to empowering the almost 66,000 homeless students in LA County. We are one of School on Wheels' largest providers of backpacks each year. This year, our goal is to fill 1,000 backpacks for students in need.
In these carefree days of summer, it is important for us not to forget the daily struggles these students face without a place to call home: worrying about where they will sleep, what they will eat, and, when school resumes, how they'll obtain basic supplies for their education. Pencils, paper, and backpacks may seem like small items to us, but for these students and their families, they hold immeasurable significance.
Donations to purchase supplies are open now! Then, go beyond monetary support by helping to fill those backpacks on August 4 @ 11am. This fun and meaningful experience is a family-friendly event! Bring your kids: it's a great way for young people to gain the insight and compassion that social action work provides. Together, we can give our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness some tangible support, and by doing so, we can remind these children that even if they are struggling, they are seen, valued, and worthy of every opportunity.
MITZVAH DAY RECAP!
Thanks to your efforts, this year's Mitzvah Day did a lot of good for our community!
Together, we packed...
-->100 feminine hygiene kits for Family Rescue Center (sponsored by WTJ)
-->100 hygiene kits for LA Jewish Health (sponsored by TJVillage)
-->300 “doggie bags” for animals on skid row with Deity Animal Rescue
-->120 pencil pouches full of school supplies for School on Wheels with ECC families
Plus, participants made fleece blankets, wrote voter awareness postcards, crafted letters to IDF soldiers, decorated climate campaign posters, and donated life-saving blood to the Red Cross.
A big thank you to all our volunteers, community partners and auxiliaries for their support -- and a special shout out to Temple Judea's Brotherhood for feeding us! Special thanks also goes to our Mitzvah Day Chair, Michele Shapiro for all of her help and guidance in making this event a success!
CYCLES FOR SMILES UPDATE
Tuesday, May 14, our ECC held their annual Cycles for Smiles fundraiser and "awareness raiser" for Beit Issie Shapiro, our sister school in Israel for children with severe disabilities. We are thrilled to announce that together we raised just over $5000 ($3,159.00 through Cycles for Smiles donations, and an additional $1,878 through tzedakah and bake sales throughout the school year). These funds will help Beit Issie Shapiro to provide adaptive play equipment for the severely disabled children at their campus in Israel. What an incredible way to demonstrate our support of Israel and to teach our children about kindness, empathy, acceptance, and Jewish mitzvot!
TJ TEEN PHILANTHROPY UPDATE
With your support, our 8th & 9th Grade Tzedakah Transformed class raised a whopping $6,500, and they're so grateful to our amazing Temple Judea community for supporting their philanthropic efforts. After taking some time to explore the many charities worthy of support, our TJ teens felt moved to donate the funds raised in support of Jewish organizations that share a strong connection to Israel. The JDC, the leading global Jewish humanitarian organization, received $3,000, with another $1,000 going to the Israeli American Council, $1,200 to IsrAID (a non-governmental international humanitarian aid organization based in Israel), and $1,000 to Shalva (the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities). We know these funds will have a positive impact on vulnerable Jews in Israel and around the world. Thank you!
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Ongoing Initiatives
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All of the work we do aligns with initiatives and policies supported by the Union of Reform Judaism both nationally and in California. Every day, we are inspired by the thousands of volunteers in all of these different areas who work tirelessly to make a difference. YOU could be one! Learn more and get involved!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT B'TZELEM @ TEMPLE JUDEA
