Civic Engagement

Our Work
Join us in working with the Religious Action Center (RAC – the Reform movement’s vehicle for working to educate, inspire, and mobilize the Reform Jewish community to advocate for social justice) and RAC-New York (focused on NYS issues). In the past, we have successfully lobbied for parole reform and driver’s licenses for all. We are very proud of our contributions toward fighting voter suppression and the passage of New York’s Environmental Bond Act. 

Climate Change
Woodlands has joined Religious Action Center-NY in its multi-year Climate Covenant. We have already achieved several of our legislative goals and, with RAC-NY, will continue to advocate for environmentally responsible legislation. We are so pleased that our efforts on behalf of the Climate Change Superfund Act resulted in its passage in the NYS legislature. The measure awaits Gov. Hochul’s signature. 
Note: This work is being done in partnership with our Environmental Taskforce

Post-Carding Campaign
For the past few years, Woodlands congregants have been participating in a campaign to fight voter suppression and encourage all Americans to vote, most particularly those whose voices have traditionally been silenced. Some folks wrote postcards individually, some in family groups, some with friends, and some on Zoom with other congregants. We felt proud and we felt powerful – and we had fun! 

The effort continues. This year, we focus on several areas in our postcarding work: abortion access, combatting attempts at voter suppression targeting BIPOC voters, and passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the NYS constitution. 
Note: This work is being done in partnership with our Racial Justice Taskforce and Reproductive Justice Taskforce.

Our Plan:

• Step 1
  Writing postcards to Florida voters supporting the abortion access amendment to the Florida state constitution.
  Status: Those who are writing postcards in support of the Florida abortion access amendment should be finished or finishing them now. They can be mailed now – or – put aside and mailed closer to Oct 1 deadline.  
• Step 2
  Click HERE to sign up.
  Writing postcards to states with barriers to voting that target Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. We are aiming to write to 1,000 BIPOC Georgia voters.
  Status: We are taking orders for these postcard kits and will begin distributing them in early July. These cards will be mailed Oct 1-15, but should be written by Aug 31.
• Step 3
  Writing postcards to NY voters encouraging them to vote for the Equal Rights Amendment to the NYS Constitution, guaranteeing reproductive freedom and protecting against discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex beyond the protections of existing law. 
  Status: These cards will be available to be written in Sep and mailed by Oct 10-20. An order form will be available in August.

Postcarding Choices:

• You can participate in any or all of our campaigns. 
• You can order postcard kits and then write postcards on your own or with your family.
• You can order postcard kits and host a gathering at your home where everyone writes postcards together. (If you are interested in hosting a postcard-writing party at your home, email Roberta at CETF@wct.org and we will help you get started.) 
• Starting in mid-July, a table will be set up at the Oneg following Friday evening services, allowing for group postcard writing. Stop by, write a postcard or two, and – if you are hooked, take home a kit to work on on your own. 
• You can participate in our temple-wide NY ERA Dessert and Postcard-Writing Party on Thu, Sep 26, 7 pm.

Have another idea? Let us know!

Leader: Andrea Olstein CETF@wct.org

CONTACTING OFFICIALS

A major way in which we advocate for a just society is by communicating our thoughts to leaders of government. Click HERE for contact information.