The Work Continues
From the Desk of Lori Shepherd - Executive Director
Our community has a long tradition of civic engagement. That commitment to social action has led many of us to making phone calls, writing postcards, and going door to door in recent months, working to get out the vote for our chosen candidates.
And now, we wait.
It’s unlikely that we’ll find out who won the White House – and many other elected offices – by the time polls close tomorrow. And that’s okay. There is a specific timeframe for State governors, electors, and Congress to deliver and count electoral votes for a Presidential election. This deliberate, reasoned timeline is normal and proof that our system is functioning as it should.
The fight for a safe and fair democracy did not start with this election, and the work doesn’t end when the polls close on November 5th. At Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center, our staff has put together a robust array of programming for the coming month, and it’s just a small example of the ways we work to bridge divides and unite our community. We hope you’ll join us.
Tonight, the JCRC for Tucson & Southern Arizona gathers with multifaith partners for an Interfaith Prayer Service in Support of Democracy. Register here.
On Wednesday, November 6th, the day after the election, we will host Rabbi Sandy Seltzer on the bimah, presenting his third lecture in a series: Chosenness and Resurgence of the Blight of Judeophobia. Then, on Thursday, November 7th,TJMHC’s Banned Book Club is back for the new programmatic year featuring a discussion of Elie Wiesel’s Night. Local educator and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Dr. Lori Riegel, will moderate.
The following week, on November 14th, the second installment of TJMHC’s Lakin Lecture Series welcomes Georgetown University professor, administrator, and author, Dr. Jacques Berlinerblau, as we talk about the challenges of Antisemitism & Campus.
On Sunday, November 17th, Rabbi Sharon Brous, the founder and senior rabbi of IKAR in Los Angeles and author of the bestselling book, The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Heal our Heart and Mend our Broken World, will offer her enlightening thoughts on how to heal ourselves, our community, and our country.
The next day, on Monday, November 18th, author and former Senior Patrol Agent with the US Border Patrol, Jenn Budd, will be in conversation with local immigration attorney, Mo Goldman to help our community understand the ongoing crisis at the border.
Regardless of our political persuasion, we will face the next twenty-four hours (and the days and weeks to follow) with a mix of trepidation and cautious optimism, and with hope for calmer days to come. We decry political violence, violent rhetoric, and extremism, and we celebrate the right of every citizen to have their voice heard and their voice counted.
Thank you for being a part of this important work. We value your contributions and look forward to working together in the days to come.