Jews For Racial And Economic Justice

FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, JEWS FOR RACIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE (JFREJ) HAS PURSUED RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN NEW YORK CITY BY ADVANCING SYSTEMIC CHANGES THAT RESULT IN CONCRETE IMPROVEMENTS IN PEOPLES EVERYDAY LIVES. WHAT BEGAN IN 1990 AS A SMALL GROUP OF PROGRESSIVE JEWISH NEW YORKERS HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF THE STRONGEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTRY. JFREJ IS BUILT AROUND A POWERFUL VISION AND STRATEGY FOR ORGANIZING, BRINGING A FEMINIST, INTERSECTIONAL LENS TO A ROBUST, MEMBER-LED MODEL OF BASE-BUILDING AND CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE INSPIRED BY JEWISH TRADITION TO FIGHT FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD WITH AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES AND POLITICAL POWER. THE MOVEMENT TO DISMANTLE RACISM AND ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION WILL BE LED BY THOSE MOST DIRECTLY TARGETED BY OPPRESSION AND WE BELIEVE THAT JEWS HAVE A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS MOVEMENT. IN LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH GRASSROOTS GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY, JFREJ HAS CHAMPIONED THE WOME

ENDING POLICE VIOLENCE: JFREJ HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY. AS A CORE MEMBER OF COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR POLICE REFORM, WE HAVE WORKED TO PROTECT ALL NEW YORKERS CIVIL RIGHTS AND TO WIN TRANSPARENCY, OVERSIGHT AND COMMUNITY CONTROL OF THE NYPD. AS AN ALLY TO THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE AND THE FAMILIES OF NEW YORKERS KILLED BY THE NYPD, OUR #JEWS4BLACKLIVES MOBILIZATIONS HAVE DEMANDED (1) THE PROSECUTION AND FIRING OF THE NYPD OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CRIMES, AND (2) SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE BLOATED NYPD BUDGET IN FAVOR OF RESOURCING OUR COMMUNITIES. IN 2021 WE PARTICIPATED ON PANELS, MADE CALLS TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND TESTIFIED AT PUBLIC HEARINGS. IN COALITION WITH OUR FRIENDS AT COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR POLICE REFORM, WE CONTINUED TO PUSH THE NYC COUNCIL TO INVEST FUNDS OF THE NYPD INTO SERVICES THAT HELP NEW YORKERS THRIVE. WE ALSO MADE SURE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE OUTGOING NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL, AND ILLUSTRATE THAT COPS DONT PREVENT HATE VIOLENCE AND ARENT A SOLUTION TO ANTISEMITISM. NYC AGAINST HATE: NYC AGAINST HATE IS A DIVERSE COALITION OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ACROSS IDENTITIES TO MAKE NEW YORK SAFER FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO STOP HATE VIOLENCE OF ALL KINDS. CONVENED BY JEWS FOR RACIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE (JFREJ) AND THE NEW YORK CITY ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT (AVP), NYC AGAINST HATE INCLUDES AAPI, JEWISH, ARAB-AMERICAN, MUSLIM, LGBTQ, AND BLACK AND BROWN NEW YORKERS, UNITING TO CREATE SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO BUILD A STRONGER NEW YORK CITY. WE BELIEVE THAT WE CANT ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF BIGOTRY THE ONLY EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO HATE VIOLENCE AND BIAS INCIDENTS IS HELD IN OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT IN MORE POLICING AND PROSECUTION.IN MARCH 2021, THE DEVASTATING AND RACIST MASS SHOOTING IN ATLANTA TARGETING ASIAN SPAS SPARKED A NATIONWIDE RECKONING WITH THE EXTENT OF ANTI-ASIAN RACISM, SINOPHOBIA, AND HATE VIOLENCE. IN RESPONSE, ASIAN MEMBERS OF THE JFREJ JEWS OF COLOR CAUCUS STARTED A JEWS FOR ASIANS INITIATIVE, ORGANIZING NYC JEWS TO SHOW UP AND PROVIDE SECURITY AT VIGILS AND ACTIONS ORGANIZED BY ASIAN AMERICAN GROUPS, AND RECRUITING JEWS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TO SHOW UP FOR OUR ASIAN NEIGHBORS, JEWISH AND NON-JEWISH ALIKE.THE NEW YORK CARING MAJORITY IS A MOVEMENT OF OLDER ADULTS, DISABLED PEOPLE, FAMILY CAREGIVERS, DOMESTIC WORKERS, AND HOME CARE PROVIDERS FROM ALL ACROSS NEW YORK STATE.IN 2021 WE ORGANIZED TO RAISE WAGES FOR HOME CARE WORKERS IN OUR STATE THROUGH THE FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE ACT, AND TO PASS THE NEW YORK HEALTH ACT. WE BUILT POWER WITH POLITICAL EDUCATION, PHONE-BANKING, LEGISLATIVE ORGANIZING, AND BROAD BASE-BUILDING WORK TO BRING MORE AND MORE NEW YORKERS INTO THE FIGHT. WE HELPED TRANSFORM THE NARRATIVE ABOUT CARE AND THE CARE ECONOMY, AND WE WORKED TO ALTER THE NARRATIVE AND APPLY PRESSURE ON OUR ELECTED LEADERS. IN DECEMBER 2021, WE RELAUNCHED THE CAMPAIGN TO PASS THE FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE ACT. NEW YORK HAS THE WORST HOME CARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE IN THE NATION. AT OUR LAUNCH IN UNION SQUARE, THE CARING MAJORITY CHOIR MADE ITS DEBUT AT THE NYC AND NEWBURGH LAUNCHES, ELECTED OFFICIALS SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE CAMPAIGN, AND NY ATTORNEY GENERAL TISH JAMES MENTIONED THE CAMPAIGN WHEN SHE APPEARED ON THE VIEW JUST BEFORE COMING TO THE LAUNCH RALLY. THE CAMPAIGN WAS LAUNCHED IN 5 PLACES AROUND NEW YORK STATE. THE CAMPAIGN ALSO RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM AARP AND SEIU 1199. WHILE WE HAD 5 IN PERSON LAUNCHES AROUND THE STATE, WE ALSO HAD PROVIDED THE OPTION TO TAKE PART VIRTUALLY WITH A SPECIAL ADVOCACY TOOLKIT FOR THE CAMPAIGN. THE JEWISH VOTE - THE JEWISH VOTE IS A HOME FOR NEW YORK JEWS SEEKING TO SECURE A PLURALISTIC CITY THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US THROUGH THE POWER OF THE JEWISH VOTE. WE ARE INTELLECTUALS, DAY SCHOOL KIDS, BUBBES, QUEERS, GEEKS, RESISTANCE MOMS, CARPENTERS, BARTENDERS, LAWYERS, NURSES, FARMERS DEEPLY ROOTED COSMOPOLITANS AND PROUD MEMBERS OF THE DIASPORA. WE ARE BLACK AND BROWN, LATINO/A/X AND ASIAN, MIZRAHI, ASHKENAZI AND SEPHARDI, IMMIGRANT AND US-BORN.TOGETHER WE ARE BUILDING A FUTURE WITH MEDICARE FOR ALL, UNIVERSAL RENT CONTROL, A GREEN NEW DEAL, PUBLICLY FUNDED ELECTIONS, FAIR WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR ALL, AND AN END TO MASS INCARCERATION AND CRIMINALIZATION OF PEOPLE OF COLOR. THE JEWISH VOTE IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF EFFORTS TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE BOTH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE JEWISH ESTABLISHMENT, WHO TOO OFTEN SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THE DONOR CLASS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE REST OF US. THE JEWISH VOTE ENDORSES CANDIDATES WHO WILL FIGHT ALONGSIDE US TO ACHIEVE ALL OF THIS AND MORE.WE ACCOMPLISHED HUGE THINGS IN NEW YORK CITY: 18 PRIMARY ELECTORAL VICTORIES AND 17 GENERAL ELECTION WINS; FULLY EMBRACING RANKED CHOICE VOTING; AND WORKING TO REDEFINE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING THAT "THE JEWISH VOTE" IS AS A VOTE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, QUALITY JOBS, UNIVERSAL CARE, AND REAL COMMUNITY SAFETY. IT IS A VOTE ROOTED IN SOLIDARITY ACROSS DIFFERENCE, FOR A REAL PLURALISTIC DEMOCRACY WHERE NOBODY IS LEFT BEHIND AND EVERYBODY THRIVES. WE PLAYED OUR PART IN ELECTING THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND DIVERSE CITY COUNCIL IN NEW YORK CITYS HISTORY. NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS (NGS) ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY DESIGNED HUBS WHERE JFREJ MEMBERS CAN BUILD RELATIONSHIPS DIRECTLY WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS THROUGH EDUCATION ON OUR ISSUES BY READING AND DISCUSSING TOPICS RELATED TO OUR WORK. BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021, 500 MEMBERS HAD SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR LOCAL NG, WITH OVER 60 PEOPLE TAKING ON COORDINATION AND FACILITATION ROLES. RAPID RESPONSE HIGHLIGHTS IN THE AGE OF COVID:MARCH/APRIL 2021: WE THREW DOWN HARD TO WIN A FIRST-IN-THE-NATION FUND FOR EXCLUDED WORKERS IN NY STATE, BEING PART OF THE OFFICIAL FEW COALITION AND WITH OUR MEMBERS JOINED SOME OF THE HUNGER STRIKERS.OCTOBER 2021: OUR MEMBERS PROVIDED SECURITY AND SUPPORT FOR SUNRISE NYC AT A LARGE AND HIGH-RISK ACTION TO SHUT DOWN THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY. FIVE OF OUR MEMBERS WERE ARRESTED, AND OTHERS MADE SURE JAIL SUPPORT HAD FLOWERSOCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021: JFREJ ACTION SUPPORTED THE NEW YORK TAXI WORKERS ALLIANCE, WHICH, AFTER 3 YEARS OF DIRECT ACTION AND A 15 DAY HUNGER STRIKE, WON A CITY GUARANTEE ON MEDALLION LOANS AND AFFORDABLE MONTHLY PAYMENTS FOR OWNER-DRIVERS.NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021: WE PARTICIPATED IN SOLIDARITY FUNDRAISING FOR ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, THE STREET VENDOR PROJECT SCAVENGER HUNT. OUR TEAM RAISED THE MOST FUNDS OF ANY TEAM.