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Detroit Jews for Justice

440 Burroughs, Suite 625

Detroit, MI

48202

Thank you so much for your generous gift! Your support makes this work possible.

Dear DJJ-niks,

I moved to Detroit in 2014 to plug into social justice work. I had no relationship to Jewish community until I showed up to a #BlackLivesMatter Hanukkah action. That night I joined dozens of Metro Detroit Jews -- many who I now call friends and comrades -- in harnessing our spiritual tradition to protest racist violence.

This year, we again gathered in Campus Martius, declaring our opposition to mass water shut-offs on the first night of Hanukkah. We kicked off our “8 Days of Water Justice” video series, tying the struggle of the Maccabees to Detroit’s struggle for water justice.

DJJ leaders are developing a social media campaign that will tie the story of Hanukkah to our struggle for water justice.

Subscribe below to receive daily emails throughout Hanukkah, with educational content on local water issues and clear 

actions you can take to advocate for clean and affordable water. Or, keep checking this page and our Facebook page for daily updates!

Learn more about our work in partnership with People's Water Board Coalition at detroitjewsforjustice.org/water

Day #1: GET YOUR MACCABEES!

Click the picture above or this link to access Day #1's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: GET YOUR MACCABEES!

• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• Not on social media? We’ve got you covered. Visit detroitjewsforjustice.org/water and click on the “8 Days of Water Justice” tab to subscribe and receive daily emails that you can easily forward to your network.
• CAN YOU RECRUIT 5 MACCABEES OF YOUR OWN, like the 5 sons of Mattathias to do this work with you? Share it with your folks, your family, your congregation, your bubbie… let’s get started!

Day #2: SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE SHUT-OFFS!

Click the picture above or follow this link to access today's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES! STOP THE SHUT-OFFS!

• Implore your representatives to co-sponsor and push forward House Bills 4393 and 4389/4390!
• If your representatives are on the House Local Government Committee, you are in a position to make these bills go through! Demand that they recognize the sanctity of water as a human right, and push them support legislation to decriminalize shut-offs and implement a water affordability plan. 
  • Chair: State Rep. James Lower, 70^th District (R) - Montcalm County and Gratiot County
  • Julie Alexander, 64^th District (R) - Jackson County
  • Roger Hauck, 99^th District (R) - Isabella County and Midland County.
  • Ben Frederick, 85^th District (R) - Shiawassee County and Saginaw County.
  • Gary Howell, 82th District (R) - Lapeer County
  • Jim Runestad, 44^th District (R) - Highland, White Lake, Springfield, Milford, Waterford
  • Kathy Crawford, 38^th District (R) - Lyon, Northville, Novi, South Lyon, Walled Lake
  • Sara Cambensy, 109th District (D) - Alger, Luce, Schoolcraft, Marquette (Upper Peninsula)
  • Jim Ellison, 26^th District (D) - Royal Oak and Madison Heights
  • Patrick Green, 28^th District (D) - Center Line and city of Warren
  • Jeremy Moss, 35^th District (D) - Southfield, Lathrup Village, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Franklin
• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• For more information, talking points and resources, visit https://www.detroitjewsforjustice.org/water

Day #3: OIL FOR LATKES, NOT THE STRAITS OF MACKINAC!

Click the picture above or follow this link to access today's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: HOLD OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE! #SHUTDOWNLINE5!

• Governor-Elect Whitmer and Attorney General Elect-Nessel campaigned on a promise to #shutdownline5. It's time to make some phone calls and emails to demand that they stick to their promises and do everything in their power to beat back the regressive actions of this lame duck legislature. It's never a bad time to voice your frustration to your elected reps, including the incumbent governor and attorney general.  
  • Gretchen Whitmer Campaign Office #: (517) 763-2955
  • Governor's Office #: (517) 373-3400
  • Attorney General's Office #: (517) 373-1110
• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• For more information, talking points and resources, visit https://www.detroitjewsforjustice.org/water and https://www.oilandwaterdontmix.org/

Day #4: REDEDICATING OUR SANCTUARY!

Click the picture above or follow this link to access today's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: DONATE TO WE THE PEOPLE OF DETROIT'S YOUTH-LED WATER TESTING

• We The People of Detroit is stepping up to do the direct work of water testing in places that the government has overlooked. Click HERE to give directly to the We the People of Detroit!
• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• For more information, talking points and resources, visit https://www.detroitjewsforjustice.org/water and https://wethepeopleofdetroit.com/

Day #5: SCARCITY, ABUNDANCE & WATER PRIVATIZATION!

Click the picture above or follow this link to access today's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: INTERROGATE YOUR OWN SENSE OF SCARCITY AND ABUNDANCE! 

• Instead of advocacy or donations, today's action item involves self-reflection - an essential part of engaging in activist work that is grounded in empathy and solidarity. 
• Take a look at your own water bill. Calculate how much of your monthly income goes to paying for water. Is it within the EPA-recommended 4.5% guideline? Is it upwards of 10%, the average water bill for low-income residents as reported by researchers at the University of Michigan?  What trade-offs would you make if you had to pay such high rates? What trade-offs do you make?
• Consider: Do you see scarcity where there is actually abundance, or vice versa? Why? How might corporate interests affect this perception?
• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• For more information, talking points and resources, visit https://www.detroitjewsforjustice.org/water 

Day #6: PUBLICIZING THE MIRACLE!

Click the picture above or follow this link to access today's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: PUBLICIZE THE MIRACLES & THE INJUSTICES! CALL AND TAG @MAYORMIKEDUGGAN WITH YOUR MESSAGE! BUILD THE NARRATIVE THAT METRO DETROIT JEWS STAND FOR WATER JUSTICE!

• STUDY "America's Secret Water Crisis," the groundbreaking report from Food & Water Watch that shows the depth and breadth of the water crisis across the country. 
• PUBLICIZE the media from Sunday night's Illuminating Water Justice action, available on our Facebook page, the Detroit Jewish News, and more. We need to build the awareness that Metro Detroit Jews stand up for water justice!
• CALL & TAG  Mayor Duggan (@MayorMikeDuggan) with the following message, or a heartfelt message of your own:
  • "Mayor Duggan, 70 Metro Detroit Jews gathered on Hanukkah to voice our support for ending water shut-offs, implementing a water affordability plan, and restoring water to shut-off households. We know these solutions are critical to protect the health of our neighbors and the moral conscience of our region and we ask for your commitment to these policies in 2019.”
• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• For more information, talking points and resources, visit https://www.detroitjewsforjustice.org/water 

Day #7: REBELLING AGAINST IDOLATRY

Click the picture above or follow this link to access today's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: LINK UP WITH THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN! SUPPORT THE #GILBERT7!

• STUDY the demands and principles of the Poor People's Campaign. What in your community demands a "moral revival"? What constitutes idolatry in your worldview?
• READ testimony from Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann and Tommy Tackett, who are currently serving a 12-day jail sentence for different Poor People's Campaign direct action!
• PLEDGE TO SUPPORT the #Gilbert7 and other Poor People's Campaign arrestees by attending press conferences and other actions, including this press conference Wednesday morning!
• SAVE THE DATE: the #Gilbert7 activists are going to trial on JANUARY 22nd. Be there to show your support, and help bring publicity to this action!
• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• For more information, talking points and resources, visit https://www.detroitjewsforjustice.org/water and https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/

Day #8: INCREASING THE LIGHT!

Click the picture above or follow this link to access today's video, hosted on our Facebook page.

You can find a transcript of this video here.

ACTION ITEM: RSVP FOR DECEMBER'S DJJ ORIENTATION & GENERAL MEETING! GIVE A DONATION TO DJJ!

• Keep increasing the light by staying involved with DJJ: RSVP for the upcoming orientation or general meeting!
• Become a monthly sustaining donor to DJJ to sustain our efforts to mobilize the Metro Detroit Jewish community to work for racial and economic justice, or give a one-time donation before the end-of-the-year!
• Like and share this post on Facebook & Instagram -- tag your friends in it with you. (Make sure to “tag friends” instead of just @-ing them, so it appears on their timelines!)
• For more information, talking points and resources, visit https://www.detroitjewsforjustice.org/water 

Have questions? Thoughts? Ideas? Send us a message! We'll usually get back to you within 48 hours. 

We can't wait to hear from you!

DJJ leaders Jake Ehrlich and Zak Rosen developed a Passover Torah supplement inspired by the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Detroit Rebellion, with art by Julia Loman.

Sign up below to receive an email download of the supplement to use at your seder.

Click here to learn more about DJJ's event series exploring the legacy of '67. 

Last year, Rabbi Alana was invited to speak at a Michigan United Justice Assembly discussion on Police Accountability & Civilian Oversight. Her comments are included below.

Good evening.
It’s an honor to be sharing a few words with this powerful gathering
I was asked to speak on the theme of repentance.
Repentance is a concept which sounds a little foreign to Jewish ears…
The closest word we have for repentance is Tshuvah –
it means turning, or to return, or to go in the opposite direction
It operates on the assumption that the person doing t’shuva is GOOD,
good at their core;
that if they just turn around – RETURN,
then they will return to goodness and righteousness.
The word sin also does not translate easily to the Jewish faith.
it seems to assume intentionality.
Our word for sin, Chet, means “to miss the mark”
it assumes we meant to do right.
We aimed for goodness and we missed.