Unnatural Causes – Interfaith Viewing

On Wednesday, March 4th, 25 people from Mount Zion Congregation and Unity Unitarian Church came together to view the first segment of the film series Unnatural Causes.

This film series makes one consider the issue of health and health outcomes in a totally different way. The first segment is an hour overview of the entire series. There are 6 shorter, 30 minute, segments that uncover more detailed information. This series shows that there are factors of socio-economic status that are more influential than genetics or access to health care because the stress produces hormones that hurt an individual over time.

The discussion after the film was started by two special guests, Joan Cleary, Vice President of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation and a member of Mount Zion Congregation as well as Rob Fulton, Director of Public Health for Ramsey County and the City of St. Paul and a member of Unity Unitarian Church.

Their insight expanded the knowledge of the group and launched a very interesting discussion.

The Children’s initiative intends to show segments of this film in many different settings. If you wish to host a film series please contact Becca Swiler at 651-698-4453, Lennie Major at 763-717-9168 or Mary Ann Wark at 651-644-8533.  Please see This Week at Mount Zion for the listing of different times that the film will be shown.

First ever Tikkun Olam Youth Fellowship in the Twin Cities,  Jewish Community Action’s Seeds of ­Justice/Gar’inay Tzedek, to launch in Fall ’09.

Want to connect with others interested in making a better world?  Want to discover the intersection of politics, arts, and culture in the Twin Cities? Want to meet organizers, activists, artists, scholars, community leaders, and mentors who believe in equal rights and justice? Want to apply what you learn by volunteering with a local social change organization?  Want a community mentor to help you make connections between social justice and Jewish ethics, and put it all into action? 

If you answered yes to any of the above and are in 9-12th grade or know someone who is, then the Seeds of Justice fellowship is for you!  You will gain leadership and community organizing skills, participate in a special group project, get real life experience by shadowing Jewish Community Action staff on their campaign work, be a part of a community of fellows, and have the opportunity to explore and reflect on Seeds of Justice while on an end of fellowship summer trip!

Seeds of Justice is a 7 month program running from mid-October through mid-April.  We will kick off the year with a Social Justice Shabbaton in the fall and wrap it up with a graduation ceremony and end of fellowship summer trip to a TBD location!

Spaces will be limited and applicants are encouraged to apply early.  Jewish Community Action will be accepting applications until early May and applicants will be notified for an interview in mid-May.   

For more information and to receive an application, please contact:

Lauren Bastien, Community Organizer with Jewish Community Action at: lauren@jewishcommunityaction.org or 651-632-2184, www.jewishcommunityaction.org

Want to Know More

Mount Zion Temple in partnership with Jewish Community Action has developed a workshop so that our congregation can learn and act together.

In January, Mount Zion Temple Board of Directors voted in favor of a resolution to support comprehensive affordable health care for all Minnesotans. 

Our commitment to health care stems from two central ideas.  The first is Judaism’s teaching that an individual human life is of infinite value and that the preservation of life supersedes almost all other considerations.  We are constantly commanded “not to stand idly by the blood of our neighbors.”  The second is the belief that God has endowed us with the understanding and ability to become partners with God in making a better world.  The use of that wisdom to cure illnesses has been a central theme in Jewish thought and history.

Now is the time to learn more so we can act as a congregation.  Please set aside time to have the children’s initiative team come and hold a workshop for your temple committee, friends and neighbors. 

Contact Adele Brown at 651-632-2184 or Adele@jewishcommunityaction.org  for more information.