roundtable minutes jan 2013
DESCRIPTION
Roundtable Minutes Jan 2013TRANSCRIPT
PITTSBURGH JEWISH SOCIAL JUSTICE ROUNDTABLE
MEETING MINUTES Meeting Date: 01/31/2013
Meeting Location: Temple Sinai
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1 ATTENDANCE
2 AGENDA • Turn and share introductions
o After Deborah shared a prayer, attendees were prompted by Rabbi Symons to talk to one another about what brought them out on this cold, snowy night.
• Gun Violence Update from Pittsburgh Jewish Federation – Community Relations Council
o Gregg Roman, chair of the Community Relations Council shared the JCPA resolution they are sponsoring on gun violence.
o Gregg also mentioned the JCPA petition. The petition can be found here. o Federation is also considering holding a public event this late Winter/Spring.
• Revisiting mission and vision; e-newsletter with synagogue/social justice updates
o Rabbi Symons led the discussion to review the mission, vision, structure. o Brief conversation about consensus to move forward on an issue. o Discussion about need to communicate better – including updates from the
subcommittees o Deborah conveys that Wendy Osher from Dor H’adash suggested an e-
newsletter. Deborah offers that she and her staff from PAJC can handle such an item. Any advocacy/social justice updates/events can be sent to the attention of Deborah by the 15th of each month. The eNewsletter will go out at the end of the same month. Email items to Deborah’s attention: [email protected]
• Updates from the Subcommittee Groups – Food Insecurity o Ivan Frank gave a brief update on the work of the Food Insecurity Group. Ivan
has been working with Andi Fischoff, a new member to the Roundtable as well as Ken Regal, co-Director of Just Harvest and Zach Murray, an intern from Just Harvest. Ivan and Andi have been working with Zach with his survey of food deserts in the Pittsburgh region as well other connections in the community
Name Title Organization Rabbi Ron Symons Temple Sinai
Christine Stone NCJW Deborah Fidel PAJC
Mark Frank JCPA Erika Fricke Pa Rep Dan Frankel’s office Ivan Frank Community Leader
Rabbi Sharyn Henry Rodef Shalom Mini Bodkin Temple Sinai Jamie Stern Temple Sinai/NCJW
Nancy Bernstein JStreet/Community Leader Zelda Curtis Temple Sinai
Gregg Roman Federation – Community Relations Council Judy Wertheimer
Mayda Roth JCC
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o [Folks asked about the definition of a food desert. With the measurement somewhat complex, I recommend this page on the USDA site for an explanation –Christine]
o Jamie Stern, an internist, told us that food deserts are often associated with obesity. Also, she often hears from her patients that fresh fruits and vegetables are often not affordable.
o Ivan, Andi, Zach and others will be meeting at Rodef Shalom on Thursday, February 7 at 8:30 a.m. for anyone else who would be interested in meeting on this issue. Zach will be presenting on his survey.
• Updates from the Subcommittee Groups – Public Education o Mimi Botkin reported on the work she has been doing on behalf of Temple Sinai
and PIIN in the area of public education o She has been volunteering with a mentoring program called Higher Achievement. o Mimi also reports on the work being done by Yinzercation, an active principal at
Colfax, as well as an effort by Deb Dunton, also a member of Temple Sinai, on high quality school board candidates. Ms. Dunton was the author of a recent, thought provoking op-ed in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
o Rabbi Ron wrapped up the conversation by adding that the goal among many in Pittsburgh is to improve quality of PPS – whether you kids go there or not, etc. – as we know that Pittsburgh will be better when its schools deliver better schools via multiple tactics – mentor, inequity in funding, having parents involved, etc.
o Date TBD in March 2013: Education Town Hall meeting hosted by PIIN • Updates from the Subcommittee Groups – Clean Rivers Campaign
o Zelda Curtis gave an update on the Clean Rivers Campaign o Much work has been done to come up with a plan to address the storm sewer
overflows that plague our region. ALCOSAN is under consent decree handed down by the EPA to submit a plan to describe how they plan to deal with this issue. There are pollutants, etc. going into our rivers as a result of inadequate infrastructure and this violates clean water act.
o ALCOSAN originally submitted a plan that only dealt with gray infrastructure – pipes and metal – to capture the water, store it underground and release it when the overflows subsided. They expect this to cost anywhere from $2 billion - $4 billion.
o Through public action, they have been called to look into green infrastructure – which would include things like rain gardens, porous pavement, trees (tree absorb 900 gallons of water a year).
o The Clean Water Campaign is doing the major community organizing on this issue. The next step for the Campaign is to organize and train for a Municipal Meetings Blitz. There are two trainings: February 7, 2013, 6:30-8:30pm at Rodef Shalom as well as one on February 10, 2013, 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Temple Sinai. More information can be found here.
o There will be a town hall meeting on February 28. Hold the date. Time and location information TBD.
o Nancy Bernstein moved that the Pittsburgh Jewish Social Justice Roundtable endorse the Clean Rivers Campaign. A vote was taken. With an overwhelming majority, the group voted in the affirmative.
• New Business – Discussion on Gun Control/Gun Safety o Deborah Fidel led the discussion on gun control/gun safety. She highlighted the
fact that from 1979-2010: number of children and teens who died from guns is 120,000 people – more than all soldiers killed in recent wars combined.
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o With a known Jewish perspective on gun control, this is an issue our Roundtable can impact. Deborah proposes three different ways to work on the issue: 1) A public forum . 2) advocacy – schedule lobby visits, 3) a business awareness plan to highlight businesses who do not allow conceal carry. For instance, IHOP doesn’t allow this but Starbucks does. Lastly, 4) gun buy back program to not only get guns out off the streets but will highlight and lift up issue.
o Erika Fricke reports that there are two caucuses in formation in the State legislature on this issue. Dom Costa, Friendship will lead one caucus and Erin Molchany, Beechview, might be heading up a gun violence prevention caucus. These are both in formation. Stay tuned for more info.
o Rabbi Symons, Deborah Fidel and others from the interfaith and progressive community will be attending a meeting on February 1 with various coalition partners to ask what the US Attorney is doing on the issue and what we as a community can accomplish together. They will report back.
o Consensus to proceed on this issue.
3 MEETING END Meeting Schedule End: 9:00 p.m. Meeting Actual End: 9:10 p.m.
4 POST MEETING ACTION ITEMS Action Assigned To Deadline
Ask folks to sign the JCPA petition re: gun violence
Please send out to all PJSJRT In next enewsletter
Ask PJSJRT members to submit social justice items for eNewsletter by 15th of each month
PAJC 2/1/2013
Food Insecurity Working Group to report in by 2/15
Ivan, Andi, Christine 2/15/2013
Education Committee Working Group to report in by 2/15
Mimi, Rabbi Symons (please confirm Rabbi S.)
2/15/2013
Clean Rivers Campaign Working Group to convey to Clean Rivers Campaign that PJSJRT will endorse the campaign
Zelda, Nancy and Erika ASAP
Clean Rivers Campaign Working Group to draft small paragraph with link to information to ask all members of the PJSJRT to consider signing on as individual organizations to endorse the campaign, etc.
Zelda, Nancy and Erika 2/15/2013
Conveners (open to all PJSJRT members) to meet to discuss next steps on gun control policy/public action, etc.
Christine, Deborah, Mark, Erika, Rabbi Ron and anyone else interested
2/8/2013, 8:15 a.m. at Pamela’s in Squirrel Hill
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5 DECISIONS MADE • Pittsburgh Jewish Social Justice Roundtable will endorse the Clean Rivers
Campaign. • Pittsburgh Jewish Social Justice Roundtable will work on gun control issue.
6 NEXT MEETING Next Meeting: Temple Sinai, February 27, 2013. 8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.