MJ's Blog

Union for Reform Judaism and Iowa/Midwest Flood Relief

Melissa — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:48:09 EDT

You've seen the pictures on the front pages of all the newspapers and the images on every news station. My hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been in the news for weeks as record flooding hit the city, state, and region.

Now that the floodwaters are receding, the difficult and dangerous work of clean-up and rebuilding has begun. And thanks to the leadership of the Union for Reform Judaism, we can help! Your donations to the Union for Reform Judaism Disaster Relief Fund will help residents affected by Midwest flooding to put their lives back together.

Thankfully, our families' homes are on higher ground. And Temple Judah, the only Synagogue in Cedar Rapids, is providing meals to relief workers, offering worship space to churches that were under water, and coordinating volunteers to where they are needed most. Temple members and family friends have lost homes and businesses as the entire city has been hard hit. The downtown business district was destroyed with floodwaters reaching the second stories and rooftops, far higher than any sandbag wall could withstand. And 25,000 people in Cedar Rapids (population 110,000) were displaced when they were evacuated and their homes flooded. The story repeats along other river cities and towns in the region. You can find more information on the Midwest floods and the affect on the local Jewish communities on the home page of the URJ website: http://urj.org

Even though we are far away, high and dry, there is something we can do right now to help where it is desperately needed. Will you join me in making a contribution to the URJ's flood relief at http://urj.org/relief/floods today?

Any amount you can spare to help Midwest communities recover from the flood is needed and greatly appreciated. You can help make all the difference.

Community Organizing: Israel @ 60

Melissa — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:31:41 EDT

It was a beautiful day on the National Mall in Washington, DC on Sunday, June 1st -- a perfect day to celebrate the Jewish Community and Israel's 60th Anniversary.

I attended this free and open to the public event with my family and more than 80 of my newest Jewish and non-Jewish friends met online at my.barackobama.com. We wore our Obama t-shirts, hats, and buttons to the event to show our support for Senator Barack Obama. The reception we received from fellow attendees was fantastic, and our experience that day showed that many people of the Greater Washington, DC Jewish Community -- the 6th largest Jewish comunity in America -- also support Senator Barack Obama for President. It was so nice to be thanked again and again by random people for coming out in support of Obma at that event.

So many people, friends and complete strangers alike, approached us that afternoon to find out how they, too, could get a Hebrew "Barack Obama '08" Lapel staicker like the ones we were wearing. It was a good thing we thought to bring a thousand or so extra in case someone wanted one!

You, too, can make all the differnece at your next community gathering. Happy organizing!

See Hebrew Obama lapel stickers available here -- check out bulk pricing for your next Jewish Community cultural/social gathering: http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/st26745-50.htm

I've passed out 225 Hebrew Obama Bumper stickers -- and you can too! Bumper stickers are only $0.45 each in lots of 100: http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/bs26748.htm

Obama shows love for the Jewish Community on Yom Ha'atzmaut!

Melissa — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:50:29 EDT

I was thrilled to have the chance to see Senator Obama speak in person at the Israeli Embassy event last Thursday for Yom Ha'atzmaut. I shook his hand, and he autographed my kid's shirt! We were able to attend because our synagogue's youth choir was asked to sing at this event.

His speech knocked it out of the park for support of Israel -- it was the right audience of over 1000 dignitaries and Jewish community VIPs, it was the right place, the Israeli Embassy event at our Nation's Capitol, and it was the right time, Yom Ha'atzmaut!

What better way to begin to connect to the Jewish Community?

I was surprised that I did not see a whole lot of news coverage of this event after the fact. A bit on CNN, not much else. Anyone else see this on TV?

See the speech we saw up close and in person here: Obama: Anniversary of Israeli Independence