This week, Jews and allies on Long Island went to their Congressman Lee Zeldin’s office to blast the shofar and demand he choose a side: with or against white supremacy.
We went into the streets in the wind and rain to remind our Jewish representative, as Rabbi Jan Uhrbach said at the rally, that “‘never again’ is not a slogan, but a commitment.”
In the prophetic tradition of our Jewish ancestors, we blasted the shofar as a warning cry: as Jews, we refuse to silent when those in power align themselves with a hateful agenda — and as long as our leaders continue to enable such an agenda, we will do everything we can to hold them accountable.
Read more about our powerful action in Newsday.
At the rally, I was so moved to hear from France, a DACA recipient and youth leader at Make the Road NY, who shared her experience:
“Trump's policies and everything he's doing is a threat to humanity — to people like me, and to everyone I know. It's so important for a Congressman, and elected officials who have power, to do something about what's going on with many people, especially undocumented immigrants and students like me. They're separating families, they're very xenophobic — they don't care. It's more important now than ever to do something.
That’s why we launched Turn Congress 180, Bend the Arc’s new campaign run by local volunteers demanding their Representative choose a side: To stand alongside all who are threatened or in hiding because of Donald Trump and demand that those in power stop enabling his hateful agenda.
Watch the livestream of our rally on Facebook here.
Our next opportunity for solidarity is this Thursday at 4 pm in Massapequa Park. Our partners at Make the Road NY are asking the Jewish community to join them at a rally outside of Congressman Peter King’s office, where we'll welcome Long Island Dreamers who are marching 12 miles across Rep. King's district to affirm that all residents of Long Island are here to stay.
Rep. King’s district includes the most youth on Long Island who are in danger of losing DACA protections — but he’s been ignoring the concerns of his immigrant constituents, recently telling immigrant leaders to “thank God for ICE agents.” We’re showing up at Congressman King’s doorstep during the Congressional recess to demand that he protect all DACA beneficiaries immediately by passing a clean DREAM act.
Can you answer our immigrant neighbors’ call for solidarity by joining the rally on Thursday, October 19?
Together we’re going to make clear to every elected official on Long Island that the Jewish community will never stop fighting alongside our immigrant neighbors and all who are threatened by the Trump Administration. I hope you’ll be there to fight along with us.
In solidarity,
Kayla Glick, Field Organizer
PS: Turn Congress 180 and powerful shofar blasts are just one part Bend the Arc: NY’s strategic work to resist Trump and build justice at the local, state, and federal levels. Read below for upcoming opportunities to plug into our work and help lead the Jewish resistance in New York.
