Shaaray Tefila is excited to be a part of Every Voice, Every Vote – the Reform Movement’s Civic Engagement Campaign. This nonpartisan effort aims to strengthen our democracy by encouraging everyone to participate in the U.S. election process and ensuring that Reform Jewish values are represented in the public square.
I want to help! How can I participate?
Postcard Writers on our Every Voice, Every Vote Civic Engagement Campaign: We are ready to start our next postcard campaign to GOTV for upcoming primary elections in North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. Once again, we will be working with the Center for Common Ground.
Voter suppression is already underway. We’ll be sending postcards to registered Black voters in North Carolina, Georgia, & Alabama prior to their upcoming primary elections in MAY to provide voter info and support.
In Georgia, voting early is more crucial than ever. SB 202 now restricts or bans the safest and most achievable voting practices, and even criminalizes bringing food or drink to weary voters in prohibitively long lines. It undermines the Secretary Of State, giving the State Election Board unprecedented power to overrule and racially target local jurisdictions. The issues in our script were rated as top issues of concern in a recent NAACP poll of low propensity Black voters.
We urge Early In Person voting. This way North Carolina voters can 1) register and vote on the same day, and 2) have their registration corrected on the spot if there’s anything wrong with it. Voting early also helps ingrain consistent voting habits: if voters miss two federal elections, they are likely to be de-registered.
Even though North Carolina gained a congressional seat in 2020, they lost a majority-minority seat to redistricting. This makes voting for fair and responsive state legislators all the more urgent for Black voters.
Alabama has been racially gerrymandered to disenfranchise voters of color. In a state with almost 1/3 Black voters, the new redistricting maps almost guarantee that only one out of seven Congressional districts can elect a Black representative. Absentee voting is severely restricted, with “approved excuse” only. The state government continues to refuse Medicaid expansion, which especially harms impoverished voters and has contributed to the closures of two rural hospitals. Our partners in Alabama identify these concerns and attacks on education as the most crucial issues to Black voters.
Please watch this short video for all the details
There are THREE WAYS you can join our Shaaray Tefila Civic Engagement Campaign:
1. Pick-up a packet of 30 postcards (including addresses, labels, and script) at the Onegs following Erev Shabbat Services during the month of April.
2. Join us for An Evening of Schmoozing and Postcarding at Ella’s Cafe & Wine Bar on 2nd Avenue at 76th Street from 6:00-8:00pm on any of the following dates: April 4, April 11, & May 2. Register HERE*.
*Registration required due to limited seating.
3. Email Meika Mustrangi, our Regional Organizer at Center for Common Ground to sign-up and to order postcarding supplies to be sent directly to your home.
Questions? Contact Carol Crossen.
Other ways you can help:
Contact Congress to urge them to restore voting rights.
Act for racial justice and continue to learn about antiracism and systemic oppression.
Any further questions?
Please contact Carol Crossen or Jolie Schwab, Shaaray Tefila’s Civic Engagement Team leaders.