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Thursday, June 24
Contact: Logan Smith
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Bend the Arc leads delegation of rabbis visiting “Fast for Freedom” vigil
Faith leaders, immigrants, and immigration advocates calling for Congress and the White House to provide a pathway to citizenship
WASHINGTON – A delegation of rabbis led by Bend the Arc: Jewish Action joined Faith In Action’s “Fast For Freedom” vigil on Wednesday as faith leaders, immigrants, and immigration advocates call on Congress and the White House to provide a pathway to citizenship in future COVID relief or infrastructure packages.
“The American Jewish community is very diverse, but we are united in saying that it is past time for our nation to recognize the full humanity of our immigrant siblings and create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented members of our congregations and communities,” said Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Washington Director of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action. “We believe we have a moral imperative that transcends divisions, celebrates the contributions immigrants bring to our society, and compels us to build relationships grounded in mutuality, justice, and love.”
Along with Rabbi Kimelman-Block, the delegation included Rabbis Aaron Alexander, Melanie Aron, Esther Lederman, Rachel Schmelkin, Sunny Schnitzer, Michael Werbow, and Chuck Fineberg. The visiting rabbis met with and heard from immigrants sharing their stories of how the government’s unwillingness to provide a pathway to citizenship has impacted their lives and their families.
[Click here to watch a livestream of Wednesday’s visit]
Earlier this month, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action helped organize dozens of leading Jewish organizations and over 2,000 Jewish Americans calling on President Biden to deliver on his campaign promise by including a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the next recovery package.
“This moment won’t last forever, and this is not a time for excuses or more delays,” added Kimelman-Block. “The White House and Congressional leaders have said they support citizenship for undocumented Americans, and now is the time to make it so.”
The nationwide Faith Fast for Freedom, part of the We Are Home campaign, is organizing dozen of fasters around the country to gather in stages for at least 3 weeks to encourage Congress to utilize the jobs and infrastructure package and budget reconciliation to codify a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented community members – many of whom have kept our families and our economy functioning as essential workers during the pandemic.
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action is uniting a movement of tens of thousands of progressive Jews across the country who are fighting for justice and equality for all. We are the only national Jewish organization focused exclusively on social change in the United States.
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