Dear JCOGS family,
This year, our congregation has been focused on housing insecurity and homelessness, two of the most pressing issues our local neighbours face. This Wednesday, March 30, from 6:30-8PM, spearheaded by faith communities, JCOGS is hosting an unprecedented event in our area:
a Passover/Easter Interfaith Teach In on Housing and Homelessness. The event is offered both in person (with a smorgasbord of desserts to follow!), as well as online.
When religious traditions are at their best, they centre storytelling, especially from those marginalized and most impacted. That’s why when we tell the story of Passover, we storytell from the perspective of our ancestors experiencing slavery who forged forward in spite of Pharaoh’s oppression.
On Wednesday evening, you will hear directly from a number of speakers who have experienced what it is like to live without a proper or consistent roof over their heads. Some of those people we will hear from are now the change agents in our community who are having an impact on the housing crisis. The keynote speaker is Will Eberle, field director for the agency of human services. If you have not yet heard Will speak, you are in for something truly inspiring.
Have a look at some moving quotes about housing from those on our JCOGS housing task force. And if you are looking for what you can do right now, look at this
important resource.
Tihiyu bri’im, be well. Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David
Quotes from our JCOGS housing task force:
“Housing is such an important issue—the thought of not having a home, it seems not believable and an unacceptable condition for people to experience living in a community that has resources.” - Task force member Amy Simms Hoskins
“Homelessness and houselessness are such basic needs. I can't even fathom not having a safe and warm place to live during our harsh winters or for that matter any other time of the year. Joining the Housing Task Force has been a great learning experience and every little bit we can do together to make change helps the cause.” - Task force chair Judith Wine
