Today, Jewish leaders with Bend the Arc Jewish Action and other groups took over Congress and conducted a historic act of Jewish civil disobedience to demand that members of Congress pass the #DreamActNow.
More than 100 participants, including rabbis, sat down in the Russell Senate building and refused to leave, holding up banners that said “let my people stay!” and “Jews for Dreamers”, while singing “we shall not be moved.” In a press release, the participants said they would not leave until they were forcibly removed or the Dream Act was passed. Dozens were ultimately arrested.
The demonstration is part of a week of action before the January 19th deadline to pass either long-term funding or a continuing resolution, and is part of an organizing effort involving thousands of phone calls from Jewish constituents to their members of Congress.
Participating organizations included Bend the Arc Jewish Action, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Union for Reform Judaism, Carolina Jews for Justice, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, HIAS, Jewish Community Action, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish Multiracial Network, Jews United for Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities, T’ruah, Torat Chayim, Uri L’Tzedek.
View some of the photos, tweets, and videos from the action today:
