Social Action at Temple Ohabei Shalom: January News

Come to one of our January events, or help plan our actions in February and March! socialaction@ohabei.org

Friday, January 17, 7:30 pm: MLK Interfaith Shabbat Service

Temple Ohabei Shalom’s Friday night Shabbat service will be held at Temple Sinai this evening, as The Brookline Interfaith Clergy Association and Temple Sinai welcome the entire community for an Interfaith Shabbat service honoring the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This evening service will feature music, reflection, prayer and fellowship, and participation by Jewish, Christian and Muslim clergy and members of the Brookline community. The guest speaker will be Rev. Irene Monroe, theologian and syndicated columnist, speaking on the legacy of Dr. King. Contact: Temple Sinai at info@sinaibrookline.org.

Monday, January 20, 2-4 pm: Family Volunteering for MLK Day

Join the Social Action Committee and the Jewish Community Relations Council for volunteering on Martin Luther King Jr. Day! We’ll be at City Hall in Cambridge from 2-4 pm, helping put together personal care kits with toiletries for homeless teens and adults, creating activity kits for children waiting in hospital emergency rooms, and making Valentine’s Day cards for elderly and homebound adults. Contact: Shoma Dhar.

Wednesday, January 22, 6 pm: Planning for Tikkun Olam Tuesday

Meet with Rabbi Schaefer to help plan this year’s Tikkun Olam Tuesday, scheduled for Tuesday, February 11. Please join us for this annual, family-friendly evening of giving, sharing and caring for others! We will have multiple stations and activities to benefit individuals and organizations both within and beyond the TOS community. The success of this event is dependent upon volunteers, both the day of, before and after the event — plan activities, lead a project, or sign up to drop off our donations after the event. Contact:Robin LeWinter.

Monday, January 27, 7:30 pm: Housing Justice in Brookline

We need more voices to stand up for integrated, multifamily housing affordable to households of all types! Please join TOS, in partnership with Temple Beth Zion, Temple Israel, Temple Sinai, and the Washington Square Minyan, for our next meeting. Learn about the issues, plan interfaith outreach, and strategize for Brookline’s next Town Meeting in May 2020! Contact: Jonathan Klein, jklein728@gmail.com.

Tuesday, January 28, 7 pm: The Climate Crisis: What’s Our Role in 2020?

Do we really only have 11 years to reverse climate change? Should we recycle, compost, and switch from fossil fuels — or demand policy change from countries and corporations? Join TOS members Kelly Levin, climate policy expert at the World Resources Institute, and Alan Christ, principal at Alan Christ Architects, with Mark Dwortzan from Temple Beth Zion’s Climate Action Group, to learn more about what’s happening at the global level and what we can do locally. Contact: socialaction@ohabei.org or Jessica Ullian.

Upcoming Opportunities

· Affordable Health Care: The GBIO Healthcare Access Team is scheduling in-district meetings with elected State Representatives to advocate for improved access to mental health services, lower costs for prescription drugs and an end to surprise billing. Interested in learning more? Sign up to be notified about upcoming meetings with elected officials. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMFrfXVkSyL9FzR4Lz0vDaaUMda3BH8YFl37a4f-oHNREE0g/viewform

· Food Insecurity – Family Volunteering Opportunity: Did you know that recent federal cuts to the SNAP/food stamps program will reduce benefits for 700,000 people nationwide? Sign up to help local families in need! Our next visit to Family Table is scheduled for Sunday, February 23. Join us in packing and delivering food. Contact:Shoma Dhar.

· Immigration and Refugee Aid: National Refugee Shabbat begins on Friday, March 21. Help plan a weekend of speakers, learning, and service around immigration and refugee needs in our community. Contact: socialaction@ohabei.org.

Other events at TOS and with our community partners are below. E-mail socialaction@ohabei.org for more information.

Action	Date/Time	Location	Sponsors
Forum: Racism as a Public Health Issue Panel of speakers including Dr. Swannie Jett (Brookline Director of Health and Human Services), Dr. Barbara Brown (Hidden Brookline Committee), Dr. Anthony Schlaff (Tufts University), and Dr. Raul Fernandez (Wheelock/BU).	January 13, 6-8pm	Florida Ruffin Ridley School, 345 Harvard St.	Brookline Health Department and the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations
MLK Day Shabbat at Temple Sinai	January 17, 7:30 pm	Temple Sinai, 50 Sewall Ave., Brookline	Brookline Interfaith Clergy Association
Family Volunteering for MLK Day	January 20, 2-4 pm	Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge	TOS Social Action, Jewish Community Relations Council
Planning for Tikkun Olam Tuesday	January 22, 6 pm	TOS	TOS Social Action
Brookline for Everyone Kickoff Event Brookline for Everyone advocates for housing policies that promote economic diversity, racial inclusion, and environmental sustainability in our Town. Come meet the board of Brookline for Everyone, learn about our work, and start to take action to solve some of Brookline’s housing issues.	January 22, 7pm	Hops N Scotch, 1306 Beacon St.	Brookline For Everyone
Housing Justice in Brookline	January 27, 7:30 – 9 pm	Temple Sinai, 50 Sewall Ave, Brookline	TOS, TBZ, TI, Temple Sinai
Climate Crisis: What’s Our Role in 2020?	January 28, 7-8:30 pm	TOS Chapel	TOS Social Action
Tikkun Olam Tuesday at Temple Ohabei Shalom	February 11, 4-7 pm	TOS	TOS, TCEE, ARS

TOS Social Action Committee

socialaction@ohabei.org to sign up for our e-mail list click here.