Come to Chicago for another Congress Hotel Rally!

Every month, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) will be marching with workers from the Congress Hotel. If you're in Chicago (or near us), come this Sunday, Sept. 21st from 12-3. Send me an email at Julia@jcua.org if you're interested!

JCUA Marches with Congress Hotel Strikers during the Fighting Poverty with Faith Week of Action!


WHAT:
As part of the Fighting Poverty with Faith Week of Action, JCUA will be joining the picket line at the Congress Hotel on Sunday, September 21, 2008 from 1-3 pm.


Join us beforehand at JCUA from 12-1 pm for an interfaith text study on poverty and worker justice and a brief workshop on poverty and workers' rights.

WHEN:
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008
12-1 pm - Interfaith text study & workshop on poverty and workers' rights
1-3 pm - March with Congress Hotel workers

COST:
FREE!
Please bring a bag lunch to the interfaith text study and workshop. Desserts will be provided.

WHERE:
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
610 S. Michigan Ave, Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60605

RSVP to Interfaith Text Study & Workshop:
michael@jcua.org

During the Fighting Poverty with Faith Week of Action, people of faith across the country will be mobilizing their communities to ask their local, state and national candidates what they will do to address the pressing issues of poverty and opportunity in America in their first 100 days in office.

In communities across the country, people of faith will be calling and writing the candidates, holding forums to discuss these issues with civic and political leadership, engaging in interfaith community service to aid those in need in their communities, and otherwise highlighting the need for increased leadership on these issues.

Poverty in American is a moral and urgent problem. This year, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs is hosting an interfaith text study and workshop on the connection between poverty and workers' rights in America. As we look across our country today, we see a nation where millions of people lack the basic necessities of life and where the futures of far too many young people are clouded by economic and social policies that have failed to promote a shared prosperity.

Our common scriptures present a vision of shared responsibility that commands that we leave the corners of our field for the poor and the stranger and mandates, "There Shall Be No Needy Among You" (Deuteronomy 15:4). Our common faith values call on us to respond.

Our task: Everyday faith organizations serve individuals in need within our communities. But our efforts to sustain our brothers and sisters living in poverty must be complemented with a serious plan from our political leaders to reduce the number of needy. By speaking out collectively during this week, we can spark a national conversation, and create a mandate for the officials elected this year to aggressively pursue a poverty-reduction agenda.

By acting during this time, you can be a part of a national interfaith movement to build the political and public will to address poverty in America.

Join Us! For more information visit: www.fightingpovertywithfaith.com and www.jcua.org. You can find resources on how to participate and locate events near you!


Contact Michael Deheeger at (312) 663-0960 or michael@jcua.org for more information.

EFCA

• The Law that Could Give Labor Some Brawn -- Moira Herbst, Business Week
• Happy Labor Day. Drop Dead. -- Thomas Frank, Wall Street Journal
• Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win -- Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal
• Inside the Mind of Union Busters -- Art Levine, Today's Workplace Blog
• Wal-Mart's Desperate War Against Unionization -- ZP Heller, Brave New Films
• Employee Free Choice Act Summary -- American Rights at Work
• In Fight Over Law Securing Workers' Right to Organize, Corporations Bill Themselves as Underdogs -- David Sirota, AlterNet

Everything Comes to an End

Video: Dania Speaking at a Mosque

An excerpt of Dania's presentation at a mosque in Bridgeview - beautiful!

Prayer for Workers

I was asked to compose a prayer (initially as a bit of a joke I think...) but, I decided to go ahead and write one. It specifically is from a Christian tradition, but wouldn't take much to make adjustments...

God of Humanity,
You make us ever mindful of the need for creative expression in our work and our lives. Continue to form our understanding of creative labor. Transform the minds and hearts of those who guide our trainings for safe labor practices. Enable those who we encounter on a daily basis to be open to hearing of the challenges we your children are facing. Remind us of our own responsibility to speak against the injustices done to your people-the Body of Christ here on earth. Help us, as we continue to struggle for the dignity and worth of all your children. We ask this in your name, through the redemption of Jesus Christ your son, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Actually...

I lied about the Postville pics. They'll be up on Flickr momentarily. Meanwhile, most of them are posted on Facebook, witty commentary included.

Enjoy!