Jewish Labor Committee

October 22, 2015 -- New York, NY: Addressing the World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement that is factually inaccurate and inflammatory precisely at a time when tensions are already extreme. Netanyahu claimed that "Hitler didn't want to exterminate the Jews," but was persuaded to do so in a meeting he had with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini, in November 1941.
While it is true that the Grand Mufti was a notorious anti-Semite who helped instigate Arab violence against Jews and who collaborated with the Nazis, including recruiting Balkan Muslims to the SS and helping lead the1941 pro-Axis rebellion in Iraq, his meeting with Hitler took place after the mass murder of Jews had already begun and some one million had already died.
Today, when Palestinians are attacking Israelis on a daily basis, a statement blaming Palestinians for the Holocaust will only further inflame tensions. It is inaccurate and the opposite of what is needed, not only to quell the current violence, but also because it hinders negotiations for a two-state peace which is the long-term solution.

Posted by Arieh Lebowitz at 12:22 PM | Permalink

October 16, 2015 -- New York, NY: Rabbis and leaders of the four largest Jewish religious streams in the United States -- Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Reconstructionist -- have endorsed plans to declare this Sabbath, which begins tonight at sundown, a "Shabbat of Solidarity with Israel."

Rabbis and synagogue leaders have been asked to add special prayers in addition to the prayer for the State of Israel in their Sabbath services and to address, from the pulpit, the rising lethal violence in Jerusalem and in
neighboring communities.

People are also being asked to keep in touch with their friends and relatives in Israel.

Acts of violence against innocent civilians can never be condoned. Both Israelis and Palestinians suffer as a consequence. This is not the way.

Posted by Arieh Lebowitz at 04:22 PM | Permalink

Photo by Hannah Klein, an activist from JALSA (Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action), who was also volunteering with us.

October 7, 2015 -- Somerville, MA: Volunteers worked with New England Jewish Labor Committee's Lily Sieradzki to collect signatures for the Fair Share Amendment in Davis Square. The Fair Share initiative, an ongoing project of RaiseUp Massachusetts, of which the NE JLC is a partner organization, is an amendment -- which needs 100,000 signatures to get onto the ballot by 2018 -- would raise state income taxes on people who make over $1 million a year. The revenue generated would be dedicated to public transit and public education. The NE JLC collected over 200 signatures on Wednesday and will be out collecting more in the next month!

RaiseUp Massachusetts, dedicated to building an economy that supports working families, is focusing on making all full-time jobs pay livable wages, as well as supporting policies that improve the balance between work life and family life. In June 2014, they and a range of colleague organizations, including the NE JLC, were successful in raising the state minimum wage: Massachusetts now has the highest state minimum wage in the USA. Their most recent campaigns include paid family and medical leave, the Fight for 15, and the Fair Share Initiative.

Posted by Arieh Lebowitz at 09:53 PM | Permalink