MEDIA ADVISORY
PRESS CONFERENCE FOR WALK ACROSS AMERICA
TO END VIOLENCE TO BE HELD JUNE 5th IN NYC
Sponsored by United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
In Support of Project H.O.O. D.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
11 a.m.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Shira Dicker
917.403.3989/ shira.dicker@sd-media.com
June 1, 2012 (New York, NY) -- The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
(USCJ) is holding a press conference to announce the creation of Operation Tent of
Abraham and Sarah, an initiative to support The Walk Across American to End
Violence of Project H.O.O.D -- an awareness-raising campaign against gun violence
created by Pastor Corey Brooks of New Beginnings Church in Chicago.
The press conference will be held on Tuesday, June 5th at 11 a.m. at
the offices of USCJ, 820 Second Avenue (btwn 43 and 44th Street).
Registration is mandatory.
Pastor Brooks will be joined at the press conference by Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO
of the USCJ and Rabbi Michael Siegel of Chicago’s Anshe Emet Synagogue.
Operation Tent of Abraham and Sarah builds on the bond developed by Rabbi Siegel
and Pastor Brooks who are committed to re-energizing the relationship between
Black and Jews in this country. Project H.O.O.D’s (http://projecthood.org) mission is
to end violence and build strong, vibrant communities, one ‘neighborH.O.O.D’ at a
time by empowering people with the resources, information and tools necessary to
become peacemakers, problem solvers, leaders, and entrepreneurs in their own
communities.
The Walk Across America – which will commence at 2:30 p.m. on June 5th from
Harlem -- is the second phase of Pastor Brooks’ on-going fundraising efforts to
develop a state-of-the art community and economic development center in Chicago
that will not only serve as a prototype for cities across the country, but will also
become the epicenter for the training and empowerment of both aspiring and
existing community leaders nationwide.
Rabbi Wernick is especially committed to ending gun violence in his lifetime. “It is
the God-given right of every human being to live a life that is safe from the threat of
harm or violent and untimely death,” he said. “Gun violence is a modern scourge that
requires a coordinated and proactive campaign of resistance and re-education.
When the pro-gun lobby cites the Constitution’s Second Amendment right to bear
arms, they are misconstruing the original intent of our forefathers who surely did
not intend to facilitate a Wild West-type of society.”
Operation Tent of Abraham and Sarah supports Pastor Brooks and the Walk Across
America to End Violence by creating a national network of kehillot (congregations)
that can offer the Pastor and his entourage hospitality and support and a pulpit in
the Jewish community from which to preach as he makes his way across the
country. It also aims to have members of the American Jewish community joining
the march along the way, including teens from United Synagogue Youth’s summer
program.
USCJ’s involvement in Project H.O.O.D. and the Walk is a natural consequence of its
public policy and social justice programs. The USCJ has long been on record writing
resolutions against gun violence. As part of Operation Tent of Abraham and Sarah,
the USCJ is also encouraging its kehillot to stage Teach-Ins about the scourge of gun
violence in America during the Walk Across America to End Violence. The USCJ
believes that houses of worship are the 21st century version of the village square
within which the community can gather to learn and remind one another that we
are all created in the image of God.
Operation Tent of Abraham and Sarah is named not only in honor of the Biblical
patriarch Abraham and Biblical matriarch Sarah but also in honor of the great rabbi
and teacher Abraham Joshua Heschel who modeled the importance of Black/Jewish
solidarity on issues of social justice and demonstrated the importance of praying
with his feet.
As per the project’s website, USCJ will instruct all those who want to join the walk to
register online with Project H.O.O.D.
To register, or for more information about Operation Tent of Abraham and Sarah of
United Synagogue, please contact Shira Dicker at 917.403.3989 or shira.dicker@sdmedia.com.
About USCJ
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is a community of nearly 630 North
American and another 200 worldwide kehillot – sacred communities -- committed
to a dynamic Judaism that is learned and passionate, authentic and pluralistic, joyful
and accessible, egalitarian or traditional.
Our kehillot create the conditions for a powerful and vibrant Jewish life,
empowering Jews in North America to seek the presence of God, to seek meaning
and purpose in Torah and mitzvot, to fully engage with Israel, and to be inspired by
Judaism to improve the world and the Jewish people.
It serves over 200,000 households, representing more than one million
people. More information is available at www.uscj.org.
We are in the process of reaching out to rabbis, clergy of other faiths to join us in
Operation Tent of Abraham and Sarah and will contact the media starting tomorrow.