Jewish Organizing Initiative » Uncategorized

Countdown to a New Vision

Hannah — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:19:17 +0000

We are proud to announce a groundbreaking effort by the Jewish Organizing Initiative in collaboration with the Jewish Funds for Justice/ Progressive Jewish Alliance to expand our work to the national level and introduce exciting program expansions across the country. We will build hundreds of top quality Jewish organizers in lay and professional positions inside and outside of the Jewish community, transforming and strengthening individuals and institutions as they work for a more just society. As a part of this process, we will be announcing a new name, our new national board, and a new website. Check back for more information on our first ever national gathering in April 2012. Click here for any questions or to get email updates.

Andrew Cohen and Hot Molasses Rock Out for Justice

Rebecca Herst — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:28:36 +0000

Andrew (with the green bass) rocks out with the band. Photo courtesy of Hot Molasses.

This is an excerpt of a blog written by Leah Koenig for the Repair the World blog. Check out the rest of the post here!

The Boston-based band, Hot Molasses is known for two things: its raucous rock and roll sound, and its commitment to social action.

This past January, Hot Molasses teamed up with Moishe/Kavod House for a benefit show to raise money for the grassroots community organizing non-profit City Life/Vida Urbana. Band leader and Jewish Organizing Initiative (JOI) alum, Andrew Cohen, took a moment to explain the inspiration behind the show, the band’s dual-mission, and where, exactly, they got their name.

Tell me more about your band.
Throughout our history, I have been committed to pursuing social activism through the rubric of the band, and using it as an organizing and education tool. We love to rock out and to play music, but we’re more than just a creative outlet. The band is also a creative way to engage in politics.

Thanks to organizing $8 million in Mass budget for youth jobs

Rebecca Herst — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:10:48 +0000

There are a number of alumni and Fellows who have been working on youth organizing in the City of Boston and also out in the suburbs. Dan Gelbtuch, JOI 07-08 said “After making a commitment at the Youth Issues Forum and the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization’s (GBIO) Gubernatorial Action the Governor has written our request for 8 million dollars for the Youth Works line item into the budget he just released. This commitment is especially amazing in light of the rest of the Governor’s budget which includes cuts to many other line items (see quote below). It truly highlights the power of organizing.

“This is a photo of one of my {Dan Gelbtuch’s} teen leaders, Daiquan Bradford, who was on stage with and made the ask of the Governor at both events mentioned above and who made the final ask at a meeting with the Governor last week.”

The story in the Boston Globe, January 27th read: “The governor sought to blunt the bad news by highlighting a few spending increases – notably for youth violence prevention programs that he had singled out as a priority in his inaugural address earlier this month. Spending would double, for example, on antigang and teen job programs that have been hit by cuts in recent years. Special education would receive $213 million more, Patrick said.”

This is an exciting victory for YMORE (Youth of Massachusetts Organizing for a Reformed Economy) and we’re proud of all the alumni (Chris Messinger with Sub/Urban Justice, Dan Gelbtuch of the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, Ilana Lerman, Liz Manlin and Beth Reisfeld of the Boston Jewish Community Relations Council) and Fellows (Liz Aeschlimann at Temple Shalom, Nina Mukherji of Sub/Urban Justice and Leora Perkins of Gann Academy) who have worked on this campaign.

Eliza Parad Quoted in Boston Globe on MA Foreclosures

Rebecca Herst — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:56:58 +0000

Eliza Parad, JOI Alumnus 2009-10, was quoted in the Boston Globe last week. She is currently working as a tenant organizer at the Chelsea Collaborative, a former Fellowship Placement organization. Eliza was at the statehouse for a rally of housing advocates supporting new Massachusetts legislation aimed at keeping people in their homes. The new rules would build on legislation passed last year that required lenders to wait 150 days before they could foreclose on a property instead of 90 days if they didn’t negotiate with their borrowers. The bills filed last week would require foreclosures to be reviewed by a judge, make lenders work with borrowers and protect people from getting evicted. Click here for the entire article.

Alumni Blogging about JOI!

Rebecca Herst — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:08:05 +0000

In the last few weeks a couple of alumni have been blogging about their experiences with JOI.

First Chava Hassan, JOI class of 05-06, wrote this great post on the Repair the World blog: http://werepair.org/blog/organizing-for-change/3911

Then just today Julie Aronowitz, JOI class of 07-08, was profiled on the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies blog: http://theseandthose.pardes.org/?p=1607

We’re excited to be entering the blogosphere!