The Davis Center for Social Justice

Poor People’s Campaign Moral March on Washington and to the Polls
2022-06-18 08:45 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Join us on June 18 for the Poor People’s Campaign Moral March on Washington and to the Polls! Inspired by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Temple Sinai has long been a leading supporter of this initiative, which advocates for the needs of low-income Americans. Many of you will remember Reverend William Barber’s rousing sermon at the temple a few years ago – he is one of the campaign’s leaders.
The day will start at 8:45am by celebrating a Shabbat of Moral Movement: Poetry and Prayers to Renew the Prophetic Voice at Freedom Plaza (14th & Penn NW in DC), ), an approx. 30 minute program designed and led by our own Rabbi Diamondstein and clergy of a variety of Jewish and other denominations. Rabbi Diamondstein will play a prominent role in this kid-friendly, meaningful, multi-faith experience and musical accompaniment will help stir us for the Rally to follow.
The March will begin after the service and end with a Rally at the west front of the Capitol (3rd & Penn.) Many of the March participants will be from the DMV Jewish community, providing a meaningful and uniquely visible way to demonstrate the Jewish community’s commitment to social justice values in this election year.
Please sign up using the link below so that we’ll know who will be joining us.
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Contact Myra Jacobs or Susan Kidd with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

"Community Violence Intervention Programs" Webinar
2022-06-16 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Breaking The Cycle of Gun Violence Through Community Intervention: How to Define, Fund, Measure, and Sustain CVI
The GVP Group is presenting its second Zoom Webinar of 2022 on “community violence intervention” (CVI) programs. These are community-based, public health oriented, data-driven strategies which already have documented reduced gun violence in some U.S. communities, e.g., in Oakland, CA, Detroit, MI, St. Louis, MO, Boston, MA, and New York City, less so yet in D.C., Baltimore, and Pittsburgh, etc. President Biden’s original “Build Back Better” budget plan would have authorized $5 billion over 8 years for these CVI programs across the country. GVP activists are now supporting a separate CVI authorization and appropriation of $750 million for Fiscal year 2023. More details here.
For information about Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, click here.
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Maryland / Montgomery Co. Candidates Forum
2022-06-12 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Join the latest in our Get Voter Ready! series, this time featuring candidates for Maryland House of Delegates (Districts 15, 16, 17, and 39) as well as candidates for Montgomery County Executive. The Maryland House of Delegates section will run from 10 – 11:15am and is in person only at Temple Beth Ami (14330 Travilah Road, Rockville, MD). The Montgomery County Executive section will run from 11:45am – 1pm and will be both in person and available via live stream. All sessions are moderated panels.
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Summer Reading Book Fair at Browne Education Campus
2022-05-24
Have you been wishing you could do something to help the pandemic engendered learning loss in our community? Here’s your chance, and it will only take a few hours. The Temple Sinai sponsored Book Fair at Browne Education Campus is BACK! The Book Fair provides appealing books for kids to read over the summer to prevent summer reading slide. But that only works if kids choose books they truly want to and are capable of reading. That’s where you come in. Become a Book Guide and help kids select books they’ll be excited to read. No previous experience required.
Unless the COVID situation dramatically changes, we will have an in-person event at Browne Education Campus on May 24th, possibly extended to the 25th. Volunteers will be required to take an on-site Covid test. Males and young people especially welcome.
Email Debby Litt at debolitt@icloud.com for more information.

TSNS Book Fair
2022-05-21 09:00 - 10:30, 2022-05-19 09:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
*Thurs. May 19 from 9-11:30am on the Social Hall Patio
*Sat. May 21 from 9-10:30am at the TSNS playground
Come join us for a book fair to support the TSNS library and grow your own book collection! We will have a wide assortment of teacher and parent-recommended books for purchase, with a particular emphasis on new releases reflecting a diverse and inclusive spectrum of cultures, perspectives, and experiences. We will also have opportunities to make donations and gift books to the TSNS library and to Briya Public Charter School families.
On Saturday, we’ll also have a community book exchange where parents can drop off gently-used books that their children have outgrown and pick out new ones that other families have dropped off.
This is a great opportunity to update your home library and to support TSNS and the broader community. We look forward to seeing fellow book-lovers for this fun event!

Film Screening - The Levys of Monticello
2022-05-17 20:15 - 21:45, 2022-05-15 14:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello residence stands as a complex and paradoxical symbol of democracy. Designed by Jefferson, built and tended by enslaved people, the palatial Virginia plantation was presidential retreat, retirement home, and Jefferson’s final resting place.
After it was sold due to mounting debts, Uriah Phillips Levy—a Jewish naval officer and fervent believer in Jeffersonian ideals—became its unlikely owner, restoring and saving the estate from ruin with the help of his family. The story behind this national treasure confronts the racism and anti-Semitism that remain part of the national narrative.
Both screenings are followed by a conversation with director Steven Pressman.
Presented in partnership with The Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum and The Davis Center for Social Justice at Temple Sinai.
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Beyond the Count: Perspectives & Lived Experiences of Jews of Color
2022-05-17 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Temple Sinai
Temple Sinai, The Davis Center for Social Justice, and Multiracial Sinai are pleased to announce an upcoming DC area wide in-person presentation of Beyond the Count: Perspectives and Lived Experiences of Jews of Color. The report provides the first-ever look on such a large scale of the Jews of Color community in the United States. Findings from 1,118 surveys and 61 interviews detail how Jews of Color think about Jewish identity, their experiences in Jewish communities, their experiences with systemic racism in Jewish spaces, and more.
Join us at Temple Sinai* as we welcome Ilana Kaufman, Executive Director of the Jews of Color Initiative, for a compelling conversation on the multiracial reality of the Jewish people and how systems of inequality are perpetuated in our own community.
For those who identify as People of Color, Temple Sinai will host an informal Affinity Group dinner beginning at 6 PM. There is no charge for the dinner. Pre-registration is required.
Thanks to the following congregations for their support of this program: Adas Israel Congregation, Sixth & I, Temple Emanuel, Temple Micah, Temple Shalom, Washington Hebrew Congregation
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* This is an in-person program only. Temple Sinai does not require masks or proof of vaccination for anyone entering the temple with the exception of Nursery School programs and meetings.

Jewish Rally for Abortion Justice
2022-05-17 09:00 - 10:30 (America/New_York)
Raise your voice for abortion rights at the Jewish Rally for Abortion Justice on Tuesday, May 17, at 9 am in Washington, DC. Join Rabbi Goldstein and the Women of Reform Judaism, and the RAC at this powerful moment of collective action.
The temple is providing a bus that will pick up from Temple Sinai at 8am. If you are making your own way downtown, we will send an email the day before to try to coordinate meeting up. Click “Register” to learn more and sign up for the bus.
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Social Action Shabbat
2022-05-13 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Temple Sinai
Join us for a spirited Shabbat service to honor our active year of social justice programs and our leaders who have helped make it all happen. The service will be preceded by a festive prozdor starting at 6 pm.

Ward 3 Council Candidates Forum on Affordable Housing & Homelessness
2022-05-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
WIN (Washington Interfaith Network) Ward 3 Congregations — Temple Sinai, Adas Israel Congregation, National United Methodist Church, Chevy Chase Presbyterian and St. Columba’s Episcopal — are, together with Friendship Place, co-sponsoring this Ward 3 Council candidates forum next Wednesday evening May 11!
We have a special relationship with Friendship Place, a premier provider of housing and services to people experiencing homelessness: Sinai members have sat on the Friendship Place board and our own Anne Schwartz sits on its Congregations Committee. All Ward 3 Council candidates (including our own Matthew Frumin) have been invited. Proof of vaccination and masks will be required to attend in person. The sole focus of the May 11 forum will be affordable housing and homelessness, with an emphasis on challenges specific to Ward 3 and upper NW DC. Rabbi Goldstein will inspire us to act with hope and purpose at the conclusion of the event. Questions for the candidates will have been shared with them in advance. (Spoiler alert: there will be a question about Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George’s Green New Deal for Housing Act.)
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Questions? Email Kevin Mulshine, kevin.mulshine@gmail.com or Barbara Kraft, bjkraft1@gmail.com.

Sinai House 5K
2022-05-08 08:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
An early morning run through Rock Creek Park for a good cause. You can choose from a 5K, a 1-mile fun run, or a virtual race. All proceeds from this race will benefit Sinai House in its mission to enable families to move from homelessness to independence by providing safe and affordable housing, comprehensive social services and financial support.
Founded in 1992 by members of Temple Sinai, Sinai House provides fully-furnished apartments to four families at a time. Families live at Sinai House for about two years, while working to achieve stability and independence.
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WIN NW DC Congregations "Power to the Polls Pop-Up" Training
2022-04-26 18:00 - 19:15 (America/New_York)
We’ll build on our momentum from the March 20 Citywide Action at Covenant Baptist UCC! Join us for this short training to prepare us for a gathering later this spring with Sinai WIN core team members and our partner core teams in upper NW — Adas Israel, St. Columba’s Chevy Chase Presbyterian and National UMC. We’ll learn how to reach out to neighbors, friends, and other voters in our neighborhoods, build community, share the WIN 2022 Issue Agenda and strengthen our collective power to create change for social justice. This April 26 training event will be hybrid, so you can join us in person or online. In-person location TBA. Registration for both in-person and online.
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Peace Building through Environmental Cooperation in Israel-Palestine
2022-04-24 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
The Temple Sinai Green Team is co-sponsoring with the J Street chapter at Temple Sinai a virtual Zoom program by EcoPeace Middle East: Peace Building through Environmental Cooperation in Israel-Palestine on Sunday, April 24, 1-2 pm. Water insecurity and climate change represent existential threats to the peoples who share the Jordan Valley. Out of these challenging circumstances, however, arises the opportunity for Israelis, Jordanians, and Palestinians to address problems cooperatively. Join us to hear the Israeli and Palestinian Directors of EcoPeace talk about their latest project, the Green Blue Deal, a regional water and renewable energy exchange.
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National Mobilization Call - Poor People's Campaign
2022-04-20 20:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York)
Join this All-Call and send it to your friends and family to learn about the powerful reasons to mobilize to June 18 in Washington DC. AND you’ll get all the resources you need to tell somebody and get somebody to join us in DC this summer! There will be special guests, our national co-chairs, and special mobilization resources to share.
June 18, 2022 will be a generationally transformative and disruptive day like we’ve never seen before. Let’s get into step to get our communities to DC this summer!
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WIN Ward 3 Congregations Affordable Housing Working Group
2022-04-20 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
Join us on zoom as we hear from the DC Office of Planning about plans for the Wisconsin Ave. corridor, and Connecticut Ave.
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 969 241 0923
Passcode: [REDACTED]

The Jewish Response to the Situation in Ukraine
2022-04-07 19:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Over the past few weeks, we have seen the unfolding of a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Many leading Jewish organizations have stepped in to provide support. Join us for a panel on Zoom featuring those leading the Jewish organizational response. Rabbi Goldstein will be joined by Rachel Levitan, HIAS’ Vice President, International Policy and Relations, Darcy Hirsh, Managing Director, Public Affairs, at Jewish Federations of North America and Andrew Keene, a Vice chair of the World Union for Progressive Judaism and a member of their Ukraine crisis response team.
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Consecration for June 18th Poor People's Campaign event
2022-04-04 11:15 - 12:15 (America/New_York)
Consecration of the future site of the June 18th Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers Assembly. Freedom Plaza (14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW)

MD State's Attorney Candidates Forum
2022-04-03 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Meet the Candidates: Montgomery County State’s Attorney
Please join us for a moderated discussion on the importance and responsibilities of the State’s Attorney, moderated by Julie Sapper, Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division, Policy and Statutory Enforcement Unit.
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Bishop William Barber Speech
2022-04-03 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Bishop William Barber speaks on The Moral Mandate for a Mass People’s Campaign at National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle, Washington, DC
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WIN Budget Action
2022-03-30 08:30 - 09:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
We turned out on March 20, now join us in learning how together we’ll press DC Council on our budget priorities.
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Maryland Elections Primer - What's At Stake?
2022-03-27 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Join Jews United for Justice, Temple Emanuel, Temple Shalom, and Temple Sinai on Zoom for a non-partisan conversation on what’s at stake in the upcoming local primary elections.
We’ll walk through which elected offices are on the ballot, who is running, why these offices matter, when the elections are happening, where your new districts are, and how you can be part of shaping Maryland and Montgomery County and making concrete improvements in the lives of everyone in our community. Learn more.
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WIN Citywide Election Season Action
2022-03-20 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
WIN is planning a 1500-2000 person public action with Mayoral, AG and Council candidates and other elected officials. Temple Sinai has committed to turn out 100 people for this event! We will stand with other WIN congregations to advance our goals: affordable housing, Black equity & wealth building, good jobs, public safety, public housing and climate justice.
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Threat to Democracy: Election Law Changes & The Politicization of Election Administration
2022-03-14 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Join the Temple Sinai DayTimers and learn more about the issues surrounding recent voter legislation in many states and the related issues of voter administration.
Our guest speaker will be Lawrence Norden from the Brennan Center for Justice in New York University’s School of Law. He is the senior director of the Elections and Government Program, where he leads the Brennan Center’s work in a variety of areas, including its effort to bring balance to campaign funding and break down barriers that keep Americans from participating in politics, ensure that U.S. election infrastructure is secure and accessible to every voter, and protect elections from disinformation and foreign interference. His work has been featured in media outlets across the country, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and National Public Radio. He has testified before Congress and several state legislatures on numerous occasions.
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DC Domestic Workers Demand Dignity Campgain Kickoff Meeting
2022-03-10 20:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Every working person deserves to be treated with respect, whether they work in an office, a restaurant, a construction site, or in a home. Unfortunately, domestic workers in DC like nannies, house cleaners, and home health aides don’t have the same legal protections against employment discrimination, harassment, and unsafe workplaces. That’s why JUFJ is joining domestic workers in their campaign to introduce and pass a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Join us to learn about this critical labor justice issue and what you can do to support domestic workers in their fight for equal rights. Please contact Michelle Engelmann at rjh500@aol.com if you have questions.
You will receive call-in instructions via email after you RSVP.
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Gun Violence Prevention Panel Discussion
2022-03-10 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
An expert panel of state officials and GVP advocates will discuss the contents and status of important gun safety bills and how you can support them in the waning days of the 2022 MD and VA General Assemblies. Learn more.
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This program is sponsored by the gun violence prevention committees of Temple Sinai (DC), Temple Rodef Shalom (Falls Church), and Mishkan Torah (Greenbelt), three area chapters of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence.

B.E.T.H. Virtual Lunch and Learn with WIN and Manna Housing
2022-03-10 12:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
WIN is organizing to stop displacement of Black families in DC and to build Black wealth through homeownership. Our own Larry Mishel is part of a WIN team studying student loan debt and other obstacles to buying and keeping a home. Join us Thursday on zoom with Manna Housing to learn more.
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Poor People's Campaign Moral March Planning Meeting
2022-03-09 19:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Temple Sinai has long actively supported the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. Though much of the Campaign’s activities over the last 2 years has been virtual, it has called for another Moral March on Washington in person on June 18, 2022. Temple Sinai can once again take on a leading role in turning out participants for the March, and in advancing the Campaign’s demands for public policies that address the needs of millions of poor and low-wealth Americans. Please join a kickoff meeting on Zoom on March 9 at 7:30 pm to start planning our Temple’s participation in this exciting event. We’ll be joined by Zillah Wesley, DMV Mobilization Coordinator for the Campaign.
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CUAH Virtual Dialogue: Addressing Extremism and Finding Hope
2022-03-01 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Join Communities United Against Hate and co-sponsors for a virtual, Intergenerational Dialog on Race, Discrimination and Violent Extremism. The dialog will feature:

Daryl Davis, Grammy-winning musician, author, and race reconciliator
Scott Shepard, former Mississippi KKK Grand Dragon, and now well-known anti-racism activist
Olivia Gyapong, 2020 YCC President and Stamps Scholar at U. of Missouri
Simon Debesai, YCC Co-Founder and Student at Yale

Youth Creating Change leaders Olivia and Simon will facilitate a conversation with Daryl and Scott on addressing racism, creating change, and finding hope today.
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Co-Sponsors: Chevy Chase United Methodist Church, Davis Center for Social Justice at Temple Sinai, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, Jews and Muslims and Allies Acting Together, Moms Demand Action, Montgomery County Committee on Hate/Violence, OCA-DC, Sikh Kid to Kid, St. John’s Episcopal Church Norwood Parish
