A Commitment To Justice and Activism
Advocacy
Our congregation, after considering our social justice action priorities and Board review, may take positions on current critical public policy issues, including ballot initiatives and legislation, participate in public education campaigns, join coalitions, and meet with elected officials.
Current advocacy efforts include:
- Building a broad coalition with, The Illinois Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism to address Civic Engagement, Criminal Justice Reform, and Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
- Work with United Power for Action and Justice on the Do Not Stand Idle anti-gun violence initiative
- A new initiative exploring how Cook County can better address the problem of the incarceration of mentally ill individuals
- State health care policy, support for the Coalition To Save Our Mental Health Centers[JP1] , and
Education and Poverty
Our current education and poverty partnerships include:
Environment
God saw all that God had made, and found it very good
Genesis 1:31
Over the past few years, the Chicago Sinai Environment Committee has sponsored a wide variety of activities to reduce Sinai’s environmental footprint and educate its membership. Some of its accomplishments:
- Working with Sinai staff to reduce the amount of supplies consumed, to purchase products with recycled content, and to use green cleaning products wherever possible
- Commissioning an analysis of Sinai’s energy bills and ensuring that our building’s lighting technologies are as efficient as possible
- Sponsoring an outstanding adult education program on water with an overview of its religious significance and a presentation by a Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District on local water and wastewater issues.
Healthcare
Sinai has had a long-standing commitment to support mental health initiatives. A decade-long advocacy initiative, supported by Chicago Sinai since 2009, came to fruition October 29, 2014 with the opening of The Kedzie Center—Chicago’s first community-funded public mental health center located at 4141 N. Kedzie.
Since its opening in October 2014, The Kedzie Center has impacted the lives of over 500 people:
- More than 700 therapy sessions have been provided
- 250+ teachers and staff received training
- 36 women participated in women’s groups
- 47 people joined parenting groups,
- And 39 older adults engaged in outreach programs to seniors. I want to learn more