The Detroit Jews News published an op ed from DJJ leader Talia Schechet this week, a reflection on Rosh Hashanah and Michigan's water crisis. In urging the Jewish community to take action, Talia suggests attending DJJ's October 23rd panel and forum on the issue. In an excerpt, Talia writes:

Take the opportunity in the upcoming month to reflect on matters both spiritual and political, but don’t think on too cosmic a scale and overlook those things happening in your own backyard. I think of the water shutoff emergency happening right now in Detroit. You probably are aware of the tragic poisoning of water in Flint, which is very connected to the shutoffs in Detroit, as a consequence of emergency management instituted by the state. Some history: In the wake of Detroit’s 2013 declaration of bankruptcy and during emergency management, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department initiated a water shutoff campaign against residents who could not afford to pay their water bills. Since 2014, more than 100,000 homes have lost access to water services, a number that is predicted to rise in 2017. The time for the Jewish community to act is now.

Read the article in full here and register for our October 23rd panel & forum on "The Public Health Impact of our Regional Water Crisis" at Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield.

Talia Schechet is a graduate of Akiva Hebrew Day School (now Farber Hebrew Day School) and the Frankel Jewish Academy. She studies English literature and energy studies at Yale University. She is a proud DJJ'nik.