| | “The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it.” -John Lewis z”l Dear Friend, As we approach the second yahrzheit of the passing of the great leader, John Lewis, we continue to be inspired and engaged by his words and his work. Today, as state legislatures across our country have passed dozens of laws aimed at suppressing millions of votes — most drafted to impact voters of color, voters with disabilities, and others in marginalized communities — we understand the enormity of the crisis our democracy is facing, and we continue to gain insight from John Lewis’s lifelong activism. At the Workers Circle we demand democracy for everyone in the United States. We demand that everyone have an unobstructed right to vote and have their vote counted. We demand our democracy be by and for the people it serves. These past months the consequences of living in a broken democracy have been front and center for us all. We have seen the decimation of so many of the civil and human rights that we have taken for granted for decades — from the overturning of Roe v. Wade, to dangerously expanding the right to carry a concealed handgun, to the limitation on the federal government’s ability to protect our environment. Today, all of us are charged to take on the mantle of John Lewis and the 20th century activism of our Workers Circle founders — people united in their fierce devotion to our democracy. At the Workers Circle we continue to find strength, power, and joy in our strong activist community. A community that learns, celebrates, and collectively acts for a shenere un besere velt far ale / a better world for all. I hope you will join me in finding inspiration from the many voices in our Workers Circle community who are connecting to share challenges, victories, and celebrate our yiddishkayt traditions every day. In friendship,
| | | | | | | | Courting Trouble The Supreme Court continues to attack the Voting Rights Act. This term, they allowed gerrymandered election maps that discriminated against voters of color, severely diluting the Black vote. They took on a North Carolina case, Moore v. Harper, for next term which could make matters worse by switching the power to decide election cases from the state court to the state legislature. How do we fight back? We step up our work to help voters of color surmount barriers to the ballot box in collaboration with People of Color-led organizations on the ground in key states and we build our grassroots power. | | | | The Workers Circle in Action It has been a busy first half of 2022 and we have traveled all over the country to attend rallies, marches, and protests to fight for social and economic justice for all. From the 57th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march to the Queer Liberation march, the Workers Circle delegations show up to make a difference through action. Visit this gallery to see where we have been. | | | | Women Power Democracy In June, the Workers Circle's Director of Social Justice, Noelle Damico, served as a panelist at the League of Women Voters Biennial Convention. View this video to hear Noelle and other key people discuss how women are continuing to lead the fight to protect voting rights through advocacy, litigation, and organizing. | | | | | | YIDDISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE | | | | | | Yiddish Classes Reach Record Numbers of Students The Spring 2022 Yiddish semester saw a record number of students (over 600) from 21 countries and 34 States in 55 Yiddish classes and Yiddish song/Klezmer workshops. "Green Yiddish," was a new class taught where students at an intermediate to advanced level were able to develop their Yiddish skills while discussing and exploring topics on climate change, sustainability, and environmental justice. The summer Yiddish semester has begun but there is still time to register. With over 34 classes to choose from, there is something for everyone. A Trip to Yiddishland, the Workers Circle's 7-day, 6-night retreat featuring Yiddish classes; Yiddish dance, klezmer, theater and music workshops, and concerts, will be held in-person at Circle Lodge at Sylvan Lake in Hopewell Junction, NY. A limited number of dorm rooms are still available for young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who demonstrate the motivation and capability to play a role in the future of Yiddish language and culture. To apply for a scholarship, please email Baruch Blum at Bblum@circle.org. | | | | Summer Yiddish Semester The weather is heating up and you could be learning Yiddish from your air-conditioned home or office. We're offering online courses for beginner to advanced level students, taught by distinguished instructors. Registration for our Summer 2022 Yiddish semester will be closing soon, so register today and join our international community of Yiddishists. More information can be found at www.circle.org/2022yiddish. | | | | | | | | Grow With Us! In the 2021-2022 school year, students and families in our Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester, Chicago, and Boston cultural schools experienced vibrant project-based learning, community building, Yiddishkayt, and social justice activism. With care and creativity, our phenomenal school directors and educators guided students through a range of interconnected topics including personal ancestry, immigration issues, racial justice, voting rights, housing justice, workers’ rights, and crafting holiday rituals with a justice lens. Registration for the 2022-2023 school year is now open! Join us as we collectively imagine and work together to build a more beautiful and better world for all! | | | | | | | | Partnership with the Wandering Chew Brings Free Cooking Programs to Workers Circle Members In May, we kicked off our first Membership Appreciation month by making Jewish-Iraqi Massafan cookies with Workers Circle CEO Ann Toback and Kat Romanow, a Jewish food historian and co-founder of The Wandering Chew, an organization with a mission to tell the diversity of Jewish stories through food. Kat then returned to our screens in June to bake Montreal Cheese Bagels with our community. Learn about how you can show support for the Workers Circle’s mission and experience discounted Yiddish classes and events at www.circle.org/join. | | | | | | | | Why I give to the Workers Circle We feature members of our community writing about why they support the Workers Circle. You can view those stories here. If you donate to the Workers Circle or have included us in your legacy plans, and if you’d like your story to be featured in our print newsletter and/or our website, please submit it here. | | | | | | | | | | | |
