JALSA's Accomplishments

JALSA works for social justice, civil rights and civil liberties through public education and grassroots organizing, as well as advocacy. We reach out to affiliated and unaffiliated Jews as well as other community-based organizations to light the fire of social activism. Some examples of our recent activities and accomplishments follow.

Establishment of a Communications Network for Jewish Activists

Operating from a Downtown Boston Office - Centrally located near state and city legislative and executive bodies, JALSA provides a site where coalitions can meet and dedicated volunteers can come regularly to discuss their policy work. The choice of a Boston location was an important statement about the centrality of urban justice issues. Busy professionals are able to participate in social justice work whenever they have the time, trying out their thoughts, getting feedback and support.

Establishment of an E-mail Action Network - JALSA sends a comprehensive, regular e-mail update to 1300 interested individuals to keep them abreast of progressive action items and community concerns. This list reaches progressive leaders within and outside the Jewish community and groups regularly ask to have their issues of concern listed. The technology allows participants to pick and choose the items of most personal concern, providing solid background materials and action components in a timely fashion. As a result of the positive response to the network, JALSA facilitated a meeting of liberal and progressive lobbyists from a variety of interests to help these individuals network with each other and facilitated two technology workshops for representatives of these groups.

Expanding JALSA's Young Social Activists - JALSA has created a series of events to attract Jewish people in their late 20's, 30's and 40's to political issues are held with the opportunity for socializing and a quick supper. Recent meeting topics have included a briefing on the right wing (Young Social Activists continued) advocacy and organizing. Meetings addressing cutting-edge social and efforts to eliminate bilingual education in Massachusetts, a post-election analysis, erosion of civil liberties, state budget cuts, health care access, and hunger and poverty. Meetings regularly attract forty people, and the group has now begun to develop their own programs of social activism. Researching Jewish texts and scientific data, these activists most recently developed fact sheets and testimony to support legislation calling for expanded stem cell research in Massachusetts. The Young Social Activists have formed their own Steering Committee, and are looking forward to hosting events on the recent Supreme Judicial Court decision on gay marriage; threats to reproductive choice; and environmental justice.

Collaboration with Local Synagogue Social Action Committees – JALSA has met with six synagogue social action committees from across the spectrum of affiliations. The unique message that JALSA attempts to deliver is that advocacy for social change is as important to social justice as support of direct social services. Synagogue leaders have often refrained from public policy debate because of concern that some members would find it “too political.” JALSA is taking up that issue directly and encouraging synagogues to engage in internal debate on policy issues that are clearly related to traditional Jewish values of tzedakah. Because of our traditional directives on concern for the poor, the sick, workers, etc., our community has much to offer in the development of public policy. While the moral imperatives of tax policy may not be as obvious as the civil rights revolution, the Jewish tradition has much to offer to the debate. Two of our meetings have already led to the scheduling of synagogue forums on this issue.

Committee on Law and Social Action Lunch-time meetings: JALSA maintains a weekly “think-tank” of attorneys and others interested in legislative and court issues. That weekly “working” lunch continues the long tradition of our former lawyers’ group, the New England AJCongress’ Commission on Law and Social Action (CLSA). JALSA continues to bring together volunteer attorneys and public policy advocates to discuss social action, legislative, and legal concerns. It draws together bright minds with different fields of expertise, contributing ideas on how best to deal with the social activist agenda.

Legal and Legislative Initiatives

The work of the volunteer attorneys who attend the weekly “think-tank” reflects JALSA’s public policy priorities. In collaboration with JALSA staff, their advocacy efforts have included:

Protecting religious liberty and the rights of children - Responding to the crisis in the Catholic Church by engaging in the difficult debate on whether or how to add "clergy" to the list of required "mandatory reporters." JALSA provided language to the Attorney General's office and the legislature that protected both religious liberty and the rights of children. The new protections were enacted by the legislature.

On protection of civil rights of employees. Drafting of an amicus brief on the issue of retaliation following charge of employer violation of civil rights.

On public monies for religious school - Drafting of an interfaith amicus brief defending the right of the Massachusetts Constitution to prohibit the use of ballot initiatives on questions dealing with religion.

On the death penalty - Testimony before state legislature in opposition to the death penalty. Preparing witnesses and successfully encouraging rabbinical testimony. Participating in demonstrations against the federalization of the death penalty in Massachusetts.

On protection of civil liberties - Participating in an amicus brief opposing the Justice Department's ability to hold an American citizen indefinitely as an enemy combatant without benefit of legal counsel or family notification.

On efforts to remove discrimination against homosexuals - Participating in an amicus brief in support of equal marriage; in an amicus brief before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on question of governor's responsibilities relative to proposed constitutional amendments. Opposition to efforts to pass legislation or amendments that would limit or overturn SJC ruling in equal marriage case.

On Education –Submitted an amicus brief in suit against DOE adoption of a single measure of evaluation – the MCAS test – as a condition of graduation although the Massachusetts Education Reform Act requires multiple forms of assessment in seven areas of studies and which was additionally codified by the requirements of the 1993 McDuffy decision.

Developing a legal memo for public school teachers to help them know how they could appropriately advocate during the ballot debate over bilingual education; also prepared a summary of this material for parent groups; helping passage of a bilingual reform bill in the legislature prior to ballot measure and now working to encourage legislative adoption of measures from that reform bill; coordinating a public campaign that successfully prevented the state's inclusion of high stake test scores in student application materials for colleges; encouraging resolutions from school communities across the state to press for continued local diplomas. Worked to protect the funding of METCO, magnet schools, parent information centers, and other vital programs of major significance for voluntary school integration.

Currently working on amici briefs challenging public aid to charter schools and upholding the federal court suit on the City of Lynn’s use of race as one characteristic to be considering in determining elementary school assignment guidelines.

Social Action Initiatives

Efforts for Social and Economic Justice:

Support of improved working conditions via the Justice for Janitors Campaign - Active participation with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to obtain full-time work, higher pay, and health benefits for janitors in the Boston area; encouragement of Jewish communal participation in rallies/discussions through email and materials sent to individual congregations; facilitation of significant "behind the scenes" input and communication during the strike by leading clergy with individual building owners, union representatives, and mayor's office.

Support of improved working conditions via education on Sweatshops As descendants of immigrants, many of whom had to deal with sweatshop working conditions, JALSA members are particularly sensitive to such abuse. Recognizing that such conditions continue to exist in the US-- including Boston-- and in countries that supply goods and services to the US, JALSA works to increase awareness about the existence of sweatshops. Prepared initial draft of legislation on sweatshop disclosure now filed by a coalition of Massachusetts legislators; facilitated a working coalition composed of trade union leaders, religious groups, working conditions groups, and student activists to lobby for passage of the proposed legislation; long-term goals to influence the purchasing decisions of Massachusetts state and city officials. Working with high school and college groups in education campaigns.

Working for an end to discrimination against Homosexuals - JALSA was invited to sit on the Steering Committee of the state-wide coalition that successfully opposed one proposed homophobic Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA); provided leadership to Jewish organizations encouraging broad opposition to defense of marriage proposals through letters to rabbis and materials delivered to congregations; testified before state legislative committees. Now working with the coalition to prevent any weakening of SJC interpretation of Massachusetts Constitution upholding the rights of all couples to marriage.

Working for an end to discrimination against Women - JALSA staffs a Boston area coalition devoted to the needs of Jewish women and girls. The Boston Jewish Women’s Studies Coalition was initially started to encourage programming for women and women’s studies. It is currently working on a resource guide of local Jewish organizations that have programs especially for Jewish women and girls. JALSA also conducted a forum with the National Council of Jewish Women to call attention to the current Administration’s efforts to stack the federal courts with persons committed to oppose abortion. JALSA works to alert members to court nominations of persons opposed to civil rights of women, and to encourage participation in pro-choice activities.

Supporting efforts to provide health care for all Americans - JALSA participates in coalitions devoted to improving health care and achieving universal access for all persons. JALSA conducted a forum with Health Care for All to encourage Young Social Activists to work on health access issues. JALSA representatives also participated in legislative hearings regarding the creation of a Health Care Trust in Massachusetts.

Encouraging increased stem cell research – JALSA representatives have prepared a fact sheet to help general understanding of the stem cell issue and have testified before the state legislature to encourage increased stem cell research.

Encouraging research and services for persons with AIDS – Continuing our association with Community Servings - the Boston home-delivered hot meals program for persons with AIDS – that our members had founded in 1989 -- JALSA works to alert members to crises in funding on AIDS services.

Working to support the needs of immigrants - JALSA provides an office for Massachusetts English Plus, a coalition devoted to the language needs of immigrants. JALSA provides office supplies, telephone, email, and fax to facilitate public education on immigrant needs.

Support of Public Education:

An emphasis on education has always been at the heart of the Jewish experience. JALSA believes that quality public education is an essential ingredient for preparing citizens for full participation in a democracy. JALSA has made a priority of protecting and improving the quality of public education for all our children. JALSA is known for its ability to reach out to a cross-section of ethnic, religious, racial, labor, professional and grassroots groups with common goals. In addition to participation in many community coalitions that deal with the achievement gap or unequal resources (pending Hancock v. Driscoll Case), JALSA maintains and staffs three coalitions devoted to public education:

Citizens for Public Schools (CPS) is a broad-based coalition that our members initiated over 20 years ago. Working with legislators, state and city leaders, and the media, this coalition of educators, grassroots parent groups, neighborhood leaders, religious organizations, education unions, and civic groups supports education reform and works against privatization of the public schools. Its 50 member-groups encourage broad support for funding of public schools and work against commonwealth charter schools, vouchers or other measures that drain public funds away from public schools. Working with Political Research Associates, JALSA has distributed a study on the Pioneer Institute demonstrating the way in which efforts are being made with Massachusetts Board of Education support to privatize public education. More recently CPS is working with the State Auditor to determine the size of the charter school cash reserves. A preliminary analysis by CPS indicates these schools have $37 million in reserves even as public schools are absorbing significant cuts in staffs and programming.

Other CPS accomplishments include:

A presence at the state legislature protecting transitional bilingual education.

The driving force behind a bill and budget amendment that would put a three year moratorium on opening new charter schools or expanding existing schools.

Proposed legislation to establish a special commission to study several aspects of the charter initiative: the funding, the funding formula, impact of charter costs on public school districts, academic performance, student demographics and DOE oversight.

Instrumental in educating the public about the $ 140 million shifted to charter schools and taken away from local school districts this year, without local vote or oversight.

The Alliance for High Standards NOT High Stakes focuses on the Massachusetts high stakes exam (MCAS), its impact on all instruction, and its particular impact on particular groups of students - minority, special education, immigrant and vocational education students. Thousands of students especially from urban school systems that serve poor and transient students did not receive their diplomas this June, either because they have failed the math or English exam, or because they have dropped out of school. State legislators and the Department of Education are influenced by a constant stream of rhetoric from conservative institutions such as the Pioneer Institute, the business community, as well as by an administration that is strongly committed to high stakes testing. The Alliance serves as a liberal voice in the ongoing debate making known the uneven impact of the high stakes test whose negative impact is greatest in urban and poor rural areas and the increasing dropout rate that is being covered up by the DOE. Some 40 groups participate in this coalition working to alleviate the impact of this high stakes graduation requirement.

This Alliance’s accomplishments include:

Holding a briefing at the State House to present Alliance’s positions on MCAS. Legislators or aides from 80 legislative offices attended.

Initiating legislation that was ultimately included in the budget and signed by the governor. It includes a provision for children with disabilities to eliminate the minimum score requirement as a prerequisite for filing an appeal of a failing MCAS score. It gives parents the right to invoke the appeals process. Before it was left up to the superintendent of the child's school district. The I.E.P. team will also play a more active role in substantiating the student's competency as well. This is the first time even a small change has been made in the MCAS high stakes requirements for graduation

Initiating legislation to eliminate the high stakes component of the 10th grade exam. Encouraging local school committee resolutions regarding continued local diplomas. Keeping MCAS issue before the public with media campaign across the state.

Communicating information on conferences and resources offered by Alliance members.

Facilitating continued collaboration between urban and suburban parents on MCAS issues. Providing education research to the public and to the media regarding retention issues and high stakes testing drop out issues.

Encouraging letter writing campaigns to Department of Education in response to each conservative effort to make test even more punitive (e.g. test results on permanent records; test results sent with high school transcripts).

The Massachusetts Coalition for Equitable Education (MCEE), dedicated specifically to achieving equitable educational opportunities for students of all races and ethnicities in Massachusetts public schools, brings together urban superintendents, affirmative action advocates, and grassroots neighborhood leaders. The 30 organizations in this coalition work together to address inequities in the education received by urban and minority children, such as in distribution of resources, including textbooks and school assignments. MCEE works in the legislature to protect funding for voluntary desegregation programs; in the courts to protect "racial fairness guidelines" in school admission procedures; in urban school committees to protect the interests of those un-empowered immigrant and minority groups; and in the media to keep the needs of quality education for all children before the public.

MCEE, with JALSA’s staff support, sponsored and ran a major conference: Ensuring Equity, Achieving Success, A New Vision for Public Education- What it Really Takes to Leave No Child Behind. Supported by a grant from the Schott Center for Public and Early Education, the conference brought more than 200 people together from towns and cities all across the state. Regional follow up meetings and action plans will soon be implemented.

MCEE has sponsored legislation to include charter schools in the Racial Imbalance Law and to enlarge the Education Reform Act to include language that would institutionalize integration and diversity.

Protection of Civil Liberties:

Responding to the US Patriot Act, acts of discrimination against Muslims, and excessive government authority is a high priority for JALSA. We have undertaken the following:

Through meetings with Muslim leaders, ACLU and ADL, facilitation of meetings among Muslims and city and state law enforcement officials following events of 9/11. Encouragement of immediate meeting of State Hate Crimes Task Force. Encouragement of meetings of immigrant groups and Mayor of Boston to address hate crimes issues

Working with immigration attorneys on Boston and national response to new and increasing immigrant registration requirements. Opposing efforts to make local police agents of federal immigration control.

Development of JALSA speaking opportunities in synagogues to increase Jewish communal awareness and advocacy on erosion of civil liberties issues. Recent forums include synagogues in Haverhill, Cambridge, Newton, and Winchester.

Letters to the media and work with local television channel on profiling of individual incidents and erosion of civil liberties.

Action alerts on pending new administrative and legislative actions that would diminish privacy and other civil liberties. Opposition to legislative proposals to end the sunset provisions in the US Patriot Act. Opposition to efforts to enact US Patriot Act II and other measures that would additionally erode civil liberties.

Encouragement of city, town, and state resolutions regarding commitment to the Bill of Rights and unwillingness to participate in erosion of civil liberties.

JALSA letters to the Editor on erosion of civil liberties printed in The Forward, NY Times, and Boston Globe.

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