The Davis Center for Social Justice

MRJ at A Wider Circle, December 2023
2023-12-07 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
Join the Men of Reform Judaism to volunteer at A Wider Circle (9159 Brookville Road in Silver Spring) on Thursday, December 7, 10 am – 12 pm. Lunch is not included in this program but those interested in going to Parkway Deli afterwards are more than welcome!
If you have questions, please contact Jim Jaffe or Ed Cohen. Please sign up by December 1.
Sign Up

The Legacy of Housing Segregation: A Learning and Action Discussion for Temple Sinai
2023-11-29 19:30 - 20:45
Up until the mid-20th century, law and government policy enforced strict racial segregation in many of the neighborhoods where Temple Sinai members now live. How does this legacy continue to affect our lives today, and what actions can we take, in the spirit of tikkun olam, to help set things right? Join Multiracial Sinai and Rabbi Hannah Goldstein for a Zoom discussion to inform yourself and identify opportunities for meaningful responses. Advanced registration required.
Register

Weed Pulling in Rock Creek with Sinaites
2023-11-18 10:00 - 12:30
Sinaites will be participating in an invasive weed pull event with Rock Creek Conservancy on Saturday, 11/18 from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm! We will be helping to stop the spread of invasive plants in order to allow native plants in Rock Creek to thrive. The event will be held at 3031 Sedgwick Street, NW.
To sign up, please complete our Google Form found here AND also register through the National Park Service here.
This event is for Sinaites; parents are also able to sign up to join their teen. Please contact Maya Tarnoff with any questions.

Thanksgiving Bag Project
2023-11-12 10:00 - 12:30
Join our annual tradition of providing tikkun olam for needy families! Help us put together Thanksgiving bags full of food that we will give to several non-profits for distribution. Sign-up here to pick up groceries, unload groceries and/or help fill the Thanksgiving bags with other Temple Sinai families.
Note earlier start time than prior years.
Sign Up

Gun Industry Accountability: Seeking Justice for All in Maryland
2023-11-05 19:00 - 20:00
Guest Speakers
Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, founders of Survivors Empowered and honored as one of CNN’s 2023 “Champions for Change” for their extraordinary work in helping the families of gun violence victims. Their daughter was murdered in the 2012 Aurora, CO, movie theater shooting, and they have been tireless advocates for survivors of gun violence. (Speaking remotely.)
Erin Davis, Senior Counsel, Director of Litigation, Brady United. She has more than a decade of litigation experience that she now uses to help survivors of gun violence find justice against the gun industry for the devastation caused to their families and others.
Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (D-18), Vice Chair of the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. He is a leader in sponsoring and supporting gun safety legislation, and he will reintroduce a gun industry accountability bill in the Maryland General Assembly 2024 session.
Karen Herren, Executive Director, Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence (moderator). She was a key advocate for Maryland gun safety bills enacted in 2023, including those governing safe storage of firearms and public carry permitting and training.
Click Here to Read Full Bios of Our Speakers.

Learn More and Register

Questions? Please email tikkunolam@templeshalom.net.

Equity Reimagined: Medical Debt Overhaul, Reparations and Policy Transformation in the DMV
2023-10-19 19:00 - 20:30
In the wake of the pandemic, medical debt has become the largest category of debt collections in the United States and the single largest cause of people having to declare bankruptcy. The racial justice and health equity implications of medical debt are staggering. Those struggling with medical debt are less likely to seek the care that they need, while Black DC residents are 300 percent more likely than white residents to be burdened by medical debt. This panel will illuminate the scope and impact of medical debt, particularly on Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) residents of the DMV, and discuss ways to eliminate medical debt, both through one-time giving and systemic advocacy. The discussion will highlight how private philanthropy purchasing and eliminating medical debt provides immediate relief to families dealing with the devastating consequences of medical debt, why systemic policy reform to break the cycle of medical debt is needed going forward, and what can be done.
The program will be the kickoff for an exciting Temple Sinai campaign to raise (an initial) $10,000 to eliminate a minimum of $1 million in medical debt. Click HERE to donate.
Light refreshments will be served starting at 6:30 pm.
While we hope you can join us in person, this is a hybrid program that can also be joined virtually.
Register

PANELISTS

Berneta L. Haynes is a senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center who focuses on consumer energy policy and medical debt. Before joining NCLC, she served as a director at Georgia Watch, a state-based consumer advocacy organization in Atlanta. Previously, she practiced law at Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago and Southern Environmental Law Center. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in English, Writing, and Psychology from Drury University, her Master’s degree in English from University of Iowa, and her law degree from University of Iowa College of Law. Read more.

Eva Marie Stahl is the VP of Public Policy at RIP Medical Debt. Eva oversees development and implementation of RIP Medical Debt’s policy work. Prior to RIP, Eva was a leader in the health advocacy community for over a decade as Director of Policy & Partnerships at Community Catalyst. Eva was part of the senior leadership team responsible for developing state and federal policy agenda. She holds a PhD in social policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University and an MPA from the Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs at UT Austin.

Joseph Geevarghese has been a grassroots organizer for over two decades. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Our Revolution, the grassroots progressive political organization that Bernie Sanders started. Prior to Our Revolution, Joseph was the Executive Director of the labor advocacy group Good Jobs Nation and helped lead the $15 and Union strike movement. From 2002 to 2007, Joseph was the Executive Director of the Hospital Accountability Project in Chicago. Joseph is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he studied social movements and religion, and the Georgetown University Law Center.

Jennifer Holloway is an Equal Justice Works Fellow at Tzedek DC. Her project works to alleviate medical debt in DC. During law school, Jennifer was a legal intern with the Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Health Care Bureau, and worked as a summer law clerk for the National Center for Youth Law. Jennifer received a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University, a Master of Social Work degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley. Read more.

Jonathan Roos has served as Senior Rabbi at Temple Sinai since 2010. He is committed to Jewish social justice work at Temple Sinai and in the wider community. Jonathan was ordained as a rabbi from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 2002. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and received a Masters degree in American History from the University of Maryland at College Park. He is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) and previously served congregations in Tinton Falls, New Jersey and Albany, New York. Read more.

Ariel Levinson-Waldman (moderator) is the Founding Director of Tzedek DC. Drawing from the Jewish teachings of “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue,” Tzedek DC’s mission is to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of DC residents with low incomes dealing with the often devastating consequences of debt collection practices, including helping residents address credit report challenges. Ariel is a nationally and locally recognized public interest lawyer. Read more.

Panelists will be joined by Temple Sinai members Dora Chen and Nancy Liebermann.

Silence the Violence Concert
2023-10-14 19:30 - 21:30
Join us in person or online for a musical event benefiting the TraRon Center, a local DC organization that uses the arts to help families and young people who have been victims of gun violence in the healing process. Temple Sinai is a proud co-sponsor of this event. Concert will feature the music of Children’s Chorus of Washington, Kolot HaLev, and others. See the full list of concert partners and musicians here.
The concert will be held at the National United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave NW. Tickets are $20 (free for children 12 and under). Can’t attend in person? Buy a ticket and watch via live stream!
Purchase Tickets

MRJ at A Wider Circle
2023-10-10 10:00 - 12:00
Join the Men of Reform Judaism to volunteer at A Wider Circle (9159 Brookville Road in Silver Spring) on Tuesday, October 10, 10 am – 12 pm. Lunch is not included in this program but those interested in going to Parkway Deli afterwards are more than welcome!
If you have questions, please contact Jim Jaffe or Ed Cohen. Please sign up by October 3.
Register

Maj Fun Day in Support of Abortion Access
2023-10-08 14:30 - 17:30
Maj Day is open to everyone…you, your spouse or partner, or anyone who wants to play!
Come join TSWRJ and The Davis Center for our Maj Fun Day fundraiser to support abortion access. Experienced Mavens will have designated tables. Beginner and Learners will receive special instruction from Mavens. The event is open to everyone, including non-Temple Sinai members. The afternoon includes a brief presentation on current challenges to abortion access and snacks to fuel your Mah-Jongg engine!
Cost: $50 All proceeds will be divided among these 3 organizations supporting abortion access:

Baltimore Abortion Fund
NCJW’s Jewish Fund for Abortion Access
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice

Learn more about the devastating impact of the current restrictions on abortion access here.
Register

Texting & Phone Banking to Ohio Voters
2023-09-12 19:00 - 2023-10-24 20:30
On November 7, 2023, voters will decide on the Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative, which would amend the Ohio Constitution to provide that each individual has the right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions. This is sponsored by the Religious Action Center-Ohio in partnership with the non-partisan Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights.
Temple Sinai activists for Reproductive Health & Rights and GOTV will have the opportunity to contact Ohio voters this fall by sending post cards to, texting, or calling Ohio voters. These efforts will help ensure voters know about this important ballot measure during an ‘off year’ election when voter turnout is usually very low.
Please join the RAC and RAC-Ohio on Zoom for Tuesday Reproductive Freedom Action Nights from 7:00 to 8:30 EST to contact Ohio voters. The RAC hopes to text voters, although the first night may require making calls. Training will be provided.
Sign up here for one or all evenings:
September 12, 7 pm – 8:30 pm
September 26, 7 pm – 8:30 pm
October 10, 7 pm – 8:30 pm
October 24, 7 pm – 8:30 pm
So that we may track participation from Temple Sinai members, please click here to let us know that you’ve signed up.
Want to write postcards? Sign up here.
Questions? Contact Carole Brand at tsgotv2020@gmail.com.

Interfaith Council's Unity Walk
2023-09-10 12:30 - 17:30
IFC’s annual Unity Walk is a public demonstration of love and support for all who live in our region. Walk with participants of all ages to visit different houses of worship in upper Northwest DC to learn about and experience diverse faith traditions. It’s going to be a wonderful afternoon with events for all ages including: an intergenerational storytelling workshop, hosted by the Multifaith Storytelling Institute, family programming, a service project, and more!
The Walk will begin at Washington Hebrew Congregation (3935 Macomb St NW, Washington, DC) and end at the Islamic Center of Washington, DC (2551 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC). For the full program, please click here.
Learn More and Register

WIN Fall Picnic
2023-09-09 11:30 - 13:30
If you’re intrigued by WIN’s work but not sure how to get involved, the fall picnic provides a friendly and festive way to learn more about campaigns and get to know partners from other congregations.
The picnic will take place on Saturday, September 9th from 11:30 to 1:30 at River Terrace park, across the street from Varick Memorial AME Zion Church (255 Anacostia Avenue). Catered lunch provided!
If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, email WIN Operations Manager Jackie Wright with “Dietary restrictions” in the subject line.
Want to carpool or need a ride? Email Anne Schwartz or Barbara Kraft.
RSVP Here

Join The RAC for the 2023 March on Washington
2023-08-26 08:00 - 15:00
60 years ago, ADL leaders joined with civil rights leaders to witness Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. This year we are honored to be a part of this momentous event, which is not a commemoration, but a continuation of that landmark moment in the fight against hate and to secure justice and fair treatment for all.
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism will join ADL and a coalition of Jewish communal partners in the March, as we stand arm in arm to Fight Hate for Good with our allies to continue Dr. King’s legacy. We join with MLK’s family, the Drum Major Institute, the National Action Network, NAACP, NUL, LCCHR, Lawyers Committee, NAACP LDF, NCNW, The National Coalition, Unidos and AAJC in marching and speaking out for civil rights and against hate.
Be part of this historic event at the Lincoln Memorial!
If participating, please register with the RAC and ADL here. Also, please email Jenny Cohen to be kept informed on Temple Sinai’s plans for meeting up that day.
Register

Summer SSL Volunteer Opportunities for Teens
2023-08-16 - 2023-08-22
Temple Sinai is offering our teens a chance to get together and earn SSL hours while supporting some great local organizations. Each day will be staffed by a member of our clergy or religious school team and will meet at the designated location (transportation not provided). Teens ages 12+ are invited and parents are welcome to join as well. First 10 people to register will receive a free Davis Center t-shirt. Sign up for as many days as you are available!

Wednesday, August 16, 10 am – 12 pm: A Wider Circle, 9159 Brookeville Road, Silver Spring (lunch provided at noon!)
Tuesday, August 22, 9 am – 12 pm: Capital Area Food Bank, 4900 Puerto Rico Ave, NW

Email Jenny Cohen with any questions. Register at link below.

Tuesday, Aug. 22

Register

WIN Ward 3 "Teach, Tour, and Reimagine" at the Civic Core
2023-06-21 19:00 - 20:30
Join the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) Ward 3 Affordable Housing Work Group on Wednesday, June 21 at 7 pm as we make a site visit to the Chevy Chase Civic Core. Meet in the central courtyard area between the Chevy Chase Library and Community Center (5625 Connecticut Avenue NW). Rabbi Alexander of Adas Israel Congregation will engage us with some teaching and Ron Eichner of Ward3Vision will take us on a tour of the property where we will reimagine together a future with new facilities as well as affordable housing. RSVP to Jamie Butler, work group co-chair.
The WIN Ward 3 group will also be canvassing in the area during the weekend of July 8 – 9, talking to neighbors about plans for the Civic Core. If you can join for an hour or two on either Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon, contact Anne Schwartz, Temple Sinai WIN core team leader.

Juneteenth Events hosted by Washington Hebrew Congregation
2023-06-13 - 2023-06-19
Juneteenth is a U.S. federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining “June” and “nineteenth”, it is celebrated on the anniversary of General Order No. 3, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas. Originating in Galveston, Juneteenth has since been observed annually in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating African American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
Washington Hebrew Congregation is hosting several events to celebrate Juneteenth; Temple Sinai is proudly co-sponsoring these various programs. Click on the links below for more information and to register.

June 13 — Film screening of Black x Jewish and panel discussion with director Lacey Delgado at Edlavitch DCJCC, 7 pm – 9 pm
June 16 — Special Juneteenth Shabbat service at Washington Hebrew beginning at 6pm, featuring Rabbi Micah Lapidus and Baptist gospel singer Melvin Myles, who regularly perform together in Atlanta
June 18 — Celebrate Juneteenth and Father’s Day with John Wesley AME Zion Church, Washington, DC, 10 am – 12 pm
June 19 — Juneteenth Festival with Scotland AME Church, Rockville, MD

Neighbor to Neighbor Day at A Wider Circle
2023-06-04 12:00 - 16:00
Join us at A Wider Circle’s Center for Community Service on Sunday, June 4 for a community day extravaganza!
Families, groups, and neighbors of all ages are invited to join us for a day of games, delicious food and drink, and volunteering! Build camaraderie with your neighbors while assembling furniture and personal care kits, sorting donations, refreshing our showroom, and more.
Where
A Wider Circle’s Ann & Don Brown Center for Community Service
9159 Brookville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Learn More and Buy Tickets

WIN District-wide action evaluation and celebration
2023-06-01 19:00 - 20:30
Join our Sinai WIN team & teams from our NW DC housing partners, & green energy, public safety and housing partners DC-wide. We will review our membership dues commitments; evaluate our budget actions with Councilmembers; build our summer strategy; and celebrate our victories! Meeting will be held at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 206 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001. Email Barbara Kraft if you need a ride.
Register

Summer Reading Book Fair at Browne Education Campus
2023-05-22
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 – one of the receiving schools for migrants from the US/Mexico border – is returning this spring! 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.
We will have an in-person event at Browne Education Campus on May 22nd. Males, young people, and Spanish speakers especially welcome.
Email Debby Litt for more information.

Visit to the Sandy Spring Slave Museum
2023-05-20 14:00 - 16:00
Please join us for a visit to the Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Gallery on Saturday, May 20 at 2pm for a one-hour talk on “Truth Telling: The Story of African Americans in Montgomery County”. People can then tour the museum and the exhibitions outdoors. Visit the website to learn more about current exhibitions and watch a video about the history of the museum. You can meet at the museum in Sandy Spring or sign up to carpool from the Temple.
Please sign up by April 28 to ensure we have enough people to run this program.
Register

Panel Discussion — Reality After Roe: Religious, Medical, Legal and Policy Perspectives
2023-05-16 19:00 - 21:00
Panelists are drawn from our own cadre of Temple Sinai experts: Rabbi Hannah Goldstein, Dr. Sara Imershein and Judith Lichtman, and moderated by Karen Rothenberg. Register now – please attend in person, if possible. A Zoom option is also available. To submit questions for our panelists in advance, please email Karen Rothenberg.
Refreshments at 7 pm; program from 7:30-9:00 pm. Program will be held at Temple Sinai, 3100 Military Road, NW in DC.
Register

RAC Day of Action
2023-05-10 16:00 - 2023-05-11 16:00
This May, social justice leaders and activists from across the Reform Movement will convene for the RAC’s D.C. Day of Action. This gathering will provide an opportunity to learn, connect, and act together on Capitol Hill as part of our newly-launched Power for Purpose: the Reform Movement’s 2023 Campaign for Climate Justice.
Keynote sessions will highlight Members of Congress and essential voices including LaTosha Brown, a strong organizer with experience bringing communities together to recover from climate disasters and building political power across the U.S. around voting rights. Breakout sessions will focus on building relationships among state delegations, training delegates for lobby meetings, and coordinating the next phase of our campaign. Lobby meetings will provide an opportunity to advocate for climate change policy.
The Day of Action is a peak moment in this campaign and an opportunity to bring our Movement together to address the climate crisis. Creating lasting change requires time, commitment, and the right people. As a social justice leader and advocate, we know you are the right person to join us!
*Please note that if you register after April 3, we cannot guarantee that our staff team will be able to work to schedule your lobby meetings.

Learn More and Register

Finding Common Ground with Gun Owners on Gun Safety Policies: Can Maryland Lead the Way?
2023-05-07 12:00 - 13:30
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Gun Violence Prevention Ministry, and the Temple Sinai Gun Violence Prevention Group, invite you to this hybrid community forum on gun safety policies. A recent empirical study has identified four state-level policies that will save lives and on which there is substantial consensus between Americans who do and do not own guns. Maryland has already enacted some of these policies, but further legislation could strengthen them as well as enact others. What are these policies and how feasible is their adoption in Maryland? Firearm owners are especially welcome to participate in the Question & Answer period.
Panelists include:

Matthew Littman, Executive Director, 97Percent
Professor Michael Siegel, M.D., M.P.H., Professor or Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University
Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher, Maryland State Senator, Vice Chair, Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee

View the full flyer here.
A light lunch will be available for the live audience; the program will be recorded for later viewing. Program will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 6701 Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase, MD.
Register

Affordable Housing in Upper Northwest: Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask
2023-05-04 19:30 - 21:00
Hearing a lot about affordable housing but not really sure what “it” is? Having trouble sorting out fact from fiction on the neighborhood listserv?
There’s a lot of activity right now around development of affordable housing in Upper Northwest and understanding what it means for us as neighbors and as Jews isn’t always clear. This session is intended to answer your questions and bring you up to speed on happenings in Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights. We’ll have a housing expert on hand to unravel the technical terms and shed light on policies while Rabbi Goldstein will provide a Jewish perspective. Members of Temple Sinai’s WIN core team will also share insights. We’ll leave plenty of time for Q&A and discussion.
Questions? Contact Anne Schwartz.
Register Here for Zoom Link

WIN Action on Public Safety with Council Member Brooke Pinto
2023-05-02 18:00 - 19:30
Join WIN and Council Member Brooke Pinto who represents Ward 2. Council Member Pinto is chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, so this meeting will focus primarily on public safety, and particularly on strategies to reduce gun violence other than increasing police presence. Although relatively few TS members live in Ward 2, this is a citywide issue so ward residence is not particularly important.
The action will take place from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1518 M Street, NW.
Register

Praying With Our Feet: Volunteer at A Wider Circle
2023-04-22 09:30 - 12:00, 2023-03-25 09:30 - 12:00
Join us as celebrate Shabbat while “Praying With Our Feet” at A Wider Circle in Silver Spring, MD. This is a wonderful opportunity to observe Shabbat through tikkun olam, repairing the world. Volunteers will help load furniture, restock household items, sort through donations, repair objects, and do whatever else may be needed. All ages welcome, but we recommend kids be elementary+.
Please arrive promptly at 9:30am. After a brief service and an introduction to the work of AWC, we will break into groups and get to work, ending at noon.
Please note that volunteer spots are limited to Temple Sinai members and you must be registered to volunteer. Masks are required while at A Wider Circle. Waivers and additional information will be sent around as the date approaches. If your plans change, please contact us so that someone else may volunteer in your place.
Register

WIN Action on Affordable Housing with Council Member At-Large Robert White
2023-04-11 19:00 - 20:30
Join WIN and Council Member At-Large Robert White on April 11. This action will focus on affordable housing and black homeownership, due to White serving as chair of the Housing Committee. Program begins at 7:30 pm at Varick Memorial AME Zion, 255 Anacostia Ave., NE.
Register

Legislative Deadline for Maryland General Assembly
2023-04-10
Promising bills on community solar, energy savings through electrification, clean trucks and buses, Maryland the Beautiful, and native plants have advanced in the MD Senate and House. Each will be voted up or down by April 10. To learn more about each bill and access scripts for your representatives, click here. Contact your MD senator and delegates now!

Poor People's Campaign National Training
2023-03-27 19:00 - 20:45
Did you attend last June’s Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls? Are you interested in the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival?
If so, join the PPC’s national campaign training on March 27th at 7 pm on Zoom, led by the National Co-Chairs, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis.
Register
