When I was in high school, I participated in JCUA's Or Tzedek teen social justice camp. I went in with a passion to help fix the world, but without much direct exposure to the problems I was trying to fix. During the weeks I was there, I met people from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences, people who were fighting tooth and nail for their right to live a dignified life.
The stories that impacted me most strongly were the stories of immigrants. At 15, I still had a very rosy picture of the American justice system, and I was shocked at the things many immigrants had to endure to seek safety in this country. My newfound passion for immigration justice had sweeping impacts on my life; I switched schools to be more involved with the Jewish social justice community, I took my Spanish classes more seriously, and I started a summer internship that allowed me to talk to people who lived very different lives from my own.
I'm very proud to offer a similar transformative immigration justice curriculum to our students through the
Shoulder to Shoulder program, an interfaith partnership between Beth Emet, Viator House, and several other institutions. During Shoulder to Shoulder, our teens will have the opportunity to have intimate, small group conversations with experts in immigration justice, including lawmakers, DACA recipients, full time activists, and many more. This program is offered at no cost, and students who attend at least three of the five sessions will receive a certificate of completion. Shoulder to Shoulder will meet virtually on Wednesday nights from 7:00 pm-8:15 pm February 2, 9, 16, 23, and March 2.
You can sign your student up here.
Shabbat Shalom,
Sam Rose
