JERICO: Jews for Equal Rights in Immigrant Communities, 7/20/2003

"If your brother falls low, and his hand falters beside you, then you shall strengthen him — sojourner or resident — and he will live with you." (Leviticus 25: 35)

Remembering the ancient teachings that we owe justice to foreigners and sojourners just as we do to the homeborn, and remembering our own immigrant struggles, this fall Jews will harness the power of our community to take a stand for the economic and civil rights of today's American immigrants. You are invited to be a part of it.

The Immigrant Workers Freedom Rides (IWFR) is a national mobilization to focus public attention on immigrant rights and injustices of current immigration policies, and Jewish communities are central in making the Rides happen. Inspired by the Freedom Rides of the Civil Rights Movement, buses filled with immigrant workers and their community allies will cross the United States.

Setting out from nine different cities, the IWFR buses will travel through dozens of towns and cities focusing attention on three essential requirements of a new immigration policy:
* To provide a "road to citizenship" for all immigrant workers in this country;
* To enable immigrant workers to easily re-unite their families; and
* To protect the rights of immigrants in the workplace.

After converging in Washington, DC, where they will meet with elected officials, the Freedom Riders will head to New York City for a mass rally in support of immigrant rights and national policy reform.

As a community with growing influence and the immigrant experience as a central part of our own history, Jews have a critical role to play in defending the rights of today's generation of immigrants. Through solidarity rallies across the country and follow up with local communities nation wide, the Jewish community has an opportunity to harness its power to raise awareness of this issue and promote positive change.

Five Jewish representatives are invited to participate in the rides, to serve as spokespeople for the Jewish community and to coordinate Jewish solidarity events and follow up. And Jews all over the country are invited to help organize events in solidarity with the rides. We need your help.

How to Get Involved:
To request an application to go on the rides or help organize solidarity events in your city, email Abby Levine, at JERICO (Jews for Equal Rights for Immigrant Communities) at <abigaillevine@yahoo.com>.

Buses will leave from West Coast cities on September 22 and arrive in DC October 2, where there will be a Jewish solidarity event. We will be in NYC October 3-4, and are organizing a Shabbat dinner in NYC Friday night, Oct 3. Save the dates!

For more information on the Immigrant Workers Freedom Rides, go to www.iwfr.org.

Si Se Puede!

Jews for Equal Rights for Immigrant Communitie
c/o EBASE, 548 20th St, Oakland, CA 94612 (r) PH: (510) 893-7106, FX: (510) 893-5362, abigaillevine@yahoo.com