Social Action Committee
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Your personal support and your effort in energizing our constituencies are critically important for our Jewish community.
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A Message from the Union for Reform Judaism's Commission on Social Action
As
you know, the situation in Sudan is critical, with hundreds of
thousands of refugees and victims of atrocities at risk of dying over
the next several months. For the first time in its history, the
Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
has declared a "genocide emergency," saying that genocide is
imminent or is actually happening in the Darfur region of Sudan. The
current death toll is estimated at 50,000 to 100,000, with more than
one million civilians internally displaced and hundreds of thousands
in refugee camps in neighboring Chad.
For more information about the crisis in Sudan, and additional ways to become involved, go to the Religious Action Center's website at: www.rac.org/issues/sudangen.html
As
most of you know, JCRC is a co-founder of this coalition. They
have already gathered many signatures from organizations and
individuals in support of our unity statement but it is critical that
they gather many more. Please let others know about this site.
They have included updated information about the crisis, events that
are happening locally, and our unity statement. www.darfursf.org.
The emergency in Sudan's northwestern region of Darfur presents the starkest challenge to the world since the Rwanda genocide in 1994. Government-backed Arab militias, known as the Janjaweed, have been engaging in campaigns to displace and wipe out entire communities of African tribal farmers. Villages have been razed, women and girls are systematically raped and branded, men and boys murdered, and food and water supplies specifically targeted and destroyed. Tens of thousands have died. Well over a million have been driven from their homes.
The situation has become especially volatile in the past month with Government forces encircling camps set up for those internally displaced by the conflict and denying access to UN aid agencies and other humanitarian groups. The Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, recently predicted that Darfur could "enter a state of anarchy; a total collapse of law and order" as a result of the deteriorating security situation in the region.
On November 10, the Government of Sudan and rebel forces signed two accords. These accords, to ease the delivery of humanitarian aid and to accept a no-fly zone over the Darfur region, represent important preliminary steps in the right direction. However, both sides have violated previous agreements. The international community must ensure that both the Government and the rebels honor these new accords.
Background on Human Rights Day
Each year on December 10th, the international community observes Human Rights Day. In 1950 the United Nations General Assembly adopted its "Human Rights Day" resolution inviting "all States and interested organizations to adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day, to observe this day to celebrate the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948, and to exert increasing efforts in this field of human progress." Human Rights Day is observed around the world by various entities of the United Nations, Governments, non-governmental organizations, schools and universities, and by others interested in promoting human rights.
To make a contribution to the Union's Sudan Relief Fund, and find out about recent allocations to relief agencies, go to www.urj.org/relief. Additional information and resources are available on the Save Darfur Coalition site at www.savedarfur.org.
Lend a Helping Hand
Many seasoned, successful professionals in our community are unemployed as a result of the current economic downturn. First and foremost, unemployment affects these individuals and their families. It also impacts our congregation; when member families' incomes decline, membership dues and pledges are not far behind. To help stem this tide, Temple Israel, in conjunction with Temple Sinai, has launched a professional networking and job search support group, aptly titled Operation Full Employment.
One of a job seeker's most important assets is the community. Our Temple Israel community has a long history of helping its own in times of trouble. Here are some easy ways you can help:
| Be a resource: Most jobs are filled via
networking. Make yourself available to congregants who are
looking for work in your field or industry and who need advice,
ideas and contacts. Remember that our community is filled
with highly educated and experienced people who would certainly
be an asset to any company, be it a flower shop or a brokerage
firm. |
| If you or your company are hiring: We're putting together a database of people looking for work alongside jobs that need filling. Post your job. Check out the database for candidates. If you know others who are hiring, please let us know or encourage them to contact us as well. |
Please join your fellow congregants who have already stepped forward to help. If you're willing to network with members of the professional networking group or have a job to post, please contact Beth Sirull at 510\601-5570, BSirull@cs.com or Gizelle Barany at 510\482-8170, GBarany@pacbell.net. When you volunteer to network with our group, we promise to limit the number of people who contact you to two per month.
Introductions make a difference. The connection you make could be the one that puts a member of our community back on the payroll!
Volunteers needed at Alameda Community Food Bank
Because of the current Bay Area economy our local food bank's client case load is rising and its cadre of volunteers needs expanding. If you can donate even two or three hours per month (or volunteer on a one-time basis) it would be helpful. There are volunteer opportunities during both weekdays and weekends. This is a wonderful mitzvah you can perform. All clients who use the Alameda Community Food Bank live right here on the island. Most are working families, recently unemployed individuals or seniors who need help to stretch their incomes in this high cost-of-living area. To volunteer, please call 523-5850.
Volunteers
needed to visit elderly Alamedans
Dear Alameda City Dwellers,
JFCS has four current and urgent volunteer needs in the City of Alameda. All four of these volunteers opportunities are with elderly Jewish women who need visitors. If you are interested in helping, please contact me ASAP and I will give you more details. If you are not interested in helping, please forward this to someone who might be. Thank you very much! Ruth A. Durling/JFCS Volunteer Coordinator (510) 704-7480, ext. 716
BECOME A LITERACY VOLUNTEER IN THE SCHOOLS
The Jewish Coalition for Literacy in Oakland, (which is a joint project of the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay) has a new web site. Check out www.jclread.org to find out more about this group which promotes literacy in our Bay Area schools. Currently the Bay Area JCL is one of the largest coalitions in the nation, with 650 volunteers. However, the need is great and additional volunteers are being sought on an ongoing basis. To learn more about recruitment and volunteer training, book donations and other aspects of JCL - call Josh Caplan at (510) 839-2900 Ext. 272 or e-mail jcaplan@jfed.org
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