NCJW Advocacy Wrap-Up:

Friday, March 17, 2023

In this issue...

Vote Forward – Letter Writing Party

Reform Roots and Resolve in the

Reproductive Justice Movement

Interfaith Worker Justice Passover Seder

Membership Social, Elections & Hot Topics Panel

Lobby Day! – Sign Up Now

Medication Abortion is At Risk

Vote Forward – Letter Writing Party

Tuesday, March 21, 5 pm PT, Virtual

There are only a few weeks left to write letters to Wisconsin voters before the March 28 mail date. Your help is needed to reach as many voters as possible to encourage them to vote. Get your letter writing supplies and join Vote Forward on March 21 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT for a virtual letter writing party!

Whether you’re writing letters for the first time or you’re an experienced letter writer looking to refine your message, this event is for you. The most common question received at Vote Forward is: "what should I write?" This letter writing event is the personalized, in depth answer to that question. Vote Forward staff will help you craft an effective, personal message to voters.

In addition to the training, you'll join volunteers from across the country to learn more about the impact of the letters being written, and have your letter-writing questions answered by the Vote Forward team!

We’re writing letters and saving them to send all at once on March 28, just before Election Day on April 4, when they will make the biggest impact.

RSVP today, and we’ll let you know how to join this event. Invite your friends and family, too and encourage them to become letter writers this year!

Reform Roots and Resolve

in the Reproductive Justice Movement

Rabbi Laura Novak Winer

Pilger Scholar in Residence

Sunday March 26, 10 am

Temple Israel

Everyone is welcome to Temple Israel, 269 Loma Ave., Long Beach, on Sunday, March 26, 10 – 11 am for a learning and discussion: Reform Roots and Resolve in the Reproductive Justice Movement as part of the Pilger Scholar in Residence weekend. RSVP to clw@tilb.org.

Rabbi Dr. Laura Novak Winer, RJE is the director of clinical education at the Hebrew Union College's Rhea Hirsch School of Education in Los Angeles. She has worked in and with a variety of afternoon school settings and her current research foci are Israel education and the supplementary school. She is a former president of the Association of Reform Jewish Educators and blogs at Rabbi Laura.

Interfaith Worker Justice Passover Seder

Tuesday, April 4, 6 pm, Temple Israel and online

NCJW is joining CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) and Temple Israel’s Social Action Committee to cosponsor a free Interfaith Worker Justice Passover Seder! While it's both in person and virtual, we urge you to attend in person!  RSVP here! To volunteer or for more information, contact co-VP of Advocacy Cynthia Gordon at advocacy@ncjwlongbeach.org.

Please join Cantor Kelly Cooper and Rabbi Neil-Comess Daniels as they relate the Passover story of Jewish people’s exodus from their oppression in ancient Egypt to the current context of hospitality workers seeking an end to the suffering and injustice they experience.

Temple Israel, 269 Loma Ave., Long Beach, CA  

RSVP by March 22 here or scan the QR code:

Membership Social, Elections and Panel:

Hot Topics in Social Justice

Fulfilling Our Mission to Help Women, 

Children & Families

Sunday, April 16, 2 - 4 pm, Alpert JCC

In addition to the election of NCJW officers for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the Membership and Advocacy Committees will be presenting a joint program -- “Hot Topics in Social Justice - Fulfilling Our Mission to Help Women, Children, & Families.”

The program will consist of three speakers in the high priority areas of Homelessness, Women’s Reproductive Rights, and Human Trafficking. 

Check out our guest speakers: 

Julie Lie is chair of the City of Long Beach Homeless Advisory Services Committee.

Krista Hollinger is CEO of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties.

Mariah Marple-Sewe is the founder of Survivor Mentality Foundation and is also a Core member of the Long Beach Human Trafficking Task Force.

The panel of speakers will each give a 15-minute presentation, followed by 10-15 minutes of questions, after which there will be small group discussions between each speaker and those attendees interested in learning more, as well as how they can help. Light snacks will be offered. While there is no charge to attend, contributions to defray the costs of programming are appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you!

NCJW CA Lobby Day

Wednesday, April 26, Virtual

NCJW GLB & WOC will be participating in 2023 Lobby Day.  We are thrilled to announce that the keynote speaker for this year’s Lobby Day will be Chris Hoene, Executive Director of the California Budget and Policy Center. 

Click here to register for virtual Lobby Day.

Our Section needs you!

Following Lobby Day, we will be meeting with:

State Senators: Lena Gonzales (sd33), Tom Umberg (sd34) and Janet Nguyen (sr36)

Assembly members: Josh Lowenthal (ad69), Diane Dixon (ad72), Tri Ta (ad70), Anthony Rendon (ad62) and Sharon Quirk-Silva (ad67)

to lobby on 

• Abortion rights: The Safe Haven for Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care bill (SB 36 – Skinner) would strengthen California's "Safe Haven" laws by expanding protections for people who have come to California to avoid criminal prosecution or imprisonment related to that state’s criminalization of abortion or gender-affirming care. The bill would also ensure that benefits such as food and housing assistance would not be denied to individuals who left another state and traveled to California for purposes described above but would otherwise be eligible for such benefits. 

• Child Poverty:  The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Young Child Tax Credit are widely recognized as successful anti-poverty measures. Their expansion during Covid dramatically reduced child poverty but since then Congress has failed to reauthorize the enhancements to the program.  AB 1128 (Santiago) expands California’s Young Child Tax Credit to all CalEITC-eligible households with children – now the credit is only available to families with children under the age of six. AB 1128 would expand the YCTC to three types of families: children ages 6-18; those with children 19-23 who are students; children of any age with permanent and total disabilities.

• Child Care:  Quality, affordable child care is essential for children and their families to thrive. However, California cannot reduce the cost of care by lowering the wages of already underpaid childcare workers. Parallel bills in the Assembly (AB 596-Gomez/Reyes) and the Senate (SB 38-Limon) are integral to the multi-year effort underway to develop the kind of child care system California desperately needs and deserves. 

• Housing/homelessness: The housing voucher program is the federal government’s most effective means to assist very low-income families with renting in the private market. Yet tens of thousands of vouchers go unused every year. AB 653 (Reyes) would create a program to provide housing search assistance, landlord incentives, and deposit resources with vouchers find and secure apartments.

Not sure who represents you? Click here then step up to be part of the delegation.  Meetings may be virtual or in person during the week following Lobby Day.  Email adovcacy@ncjwlongbeach.org to let us know which legislator(s) you are interested in meeting with.  

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Did you know? Medication abortion is the most common abortion method in the US today.

A medication abortion case in the Northern District of Texas is attempting to ban one of the drugs used in medication abortion, the most common form of abortion. Be sure to register here for NCJW’s virtual briefing about the case, which will take place a few days after the decision and learn more about medication abortion here.

Now is the time to get involved in NCJW’s courts work! This medication abortion case is a prime example of why #CourtsMatter, and why confirming fair, independent, and qualified federal judges directly impacts our rights and safety.

While we await the ruling, the Food and Drug Administration could and should ease its remaining restrictions on medication abortion — removing obstacles and facilitating access to this safe and effective option. Let them know there’s no time to delay!

Questions about anything you have read or related to our Section’s advocacy? Email advocacy@ncjwlongbeach.org.