JUFJ's community meeting this past Monday was our biggest one yet. After a delicious meal and a fun, chaotic rock-paper-scissors tournament, 118 members and supporters got updates on the work that we and our allies are currently doing. After a cupcake intermission, we split into breakout groups to learn more about the battles we're fighting, and hear from some of the people most impacted.

 

We also announced our new Maryland campaign, Dream for Equality. Our listening campaign showed that the JUFJ community is excited about the huge potential for change that Maryland faces - both the DREAM Act (tuition equality for undocumented immigrants) and LGBTQ marriage equality will be subject to a referendum in November’s election, and this is a crucial moment for the Jewish community to organize in support of LGBTQ rights and immigrant justice. 

 

Momentum is building on these key issues in so many exciting ways. Last week, the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly affirmed that gay and lesbian marriages have "the same sense of holiness and joy as that expressed in heterosexual marriages" and established rituals for conducting them. Maryland Representative Steny Hoyer's daughter, following her father's endorsement of marriage equality, came out publicly as a lesbian and in support of marriage equality in Maryland.

 

JUFJ's campaign is working to amplify and expand the Jewish community's voice! The morning after our community meeting, we brought together a group of local Maryland rabbis, and every single one of them committed to taking on these issues and using the voices from the bimah in synagogues to act on our values and protect equality for all.

 

To learn more about our Dream for Equality campaign, email katie@jufj.org.