Fearless Inclusion Campaign

The Fearless Inclusion Campaign

As seen by recent events, bullying based upon gender and sexuality is a crisis today. We at Young Judaea believe that it is our duty to ensure that the world we live in is one of acceptance. We base this on our core Judaic values such as Dugma Ishit (leading by example), Kehila Kedosha (holy community), and B'tselem Elohim (man was created in G-d's Image).

Furthermore, as a Pluralist youth movement, we are compelled to make sure that our community is open to Jewish teens from all backgrounds committed to Israel and a Pluralist Jewish People in all its diversity. In the past this diversity has included levels of observance, political persuasions, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. However, just as important in embracing the diversity of the Jewish People is sexual orientation and gender identity.

This is why Young Judaea, as part of the Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders, will show the world that tolerance, acceptance, and equality in communities should not only be possible, but our reality, through the Fearless Inclusion Campaign.

This kit will provide you with:

· Information on LGBT teen bullying today and the LGBT community in the US and Israel

· Article from The New York Times Article on LGBT Bullying

· Article from Haaretz on issues the LGBT community faces in Israel

· Background on the Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders (CJTL)

· The Official Press Release announcing Young Judaea’s endorsement of the CJTL

· An easy-to-run, hour long informal educational activity (attachments included)

· Recommendations for LGBT related movies

· A comprehensive political action guide to: learn about the Student non-Discrimination Act, understand how a law is passed, Make Calls, Write Letters, Collect Petitions, Schedule Congressional Meetings

· A copy of a letter from Molly Stein, National Mazkira, to President Obama

· Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

This kit was compiled by Andrew Fretwell, Young Judaea’s Manager of Youth Leadership & Education.

Special thanks to Caleb Zipperstein and Alli Hochberg for helping write the introduction of this kit, Zach Goldstein for creating the political action and direct advocacy guide, Talia Niederman for making the frequently asked questions sections, and Ben Perlstein for helping to create the educational activity.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at our national office by calling (212) 303-8283 or emailing us at Afretwell@youngjudaea.org.

Good luck, now let’s go change the world!

-The Young Judaea National Education Team

Downloadable Fearless Inclusion Educational Kit 2011

Information & Statistics on LGBT Youth Bullying

From www.queersunited.blogspot.com and the Alliance School

· Nearly one-fourth of students from elementary through high school have reported that they have been harassed or bullied on school property because of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.- 2001-2002 California Student Survey

· Six out of 10 American teens witness bullying at least once a day. - National Crime Prevention Council, 2003

· Students hear anti-gay epithets 25 times a day, and teachers fail to respond to these comments 97% of the time. -Gay Lesbian Straight Educator’s Network

· One out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying. -Oklahoma Health Department, 2001

· Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75%of school-shooting incidents. -US Secret Service Report, May 2002

· Gay and lesbian youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youths, and 30 percent of all completed youth suicides are related to the issue of sexual identity. - Report to the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide

· Students who describe themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered are five times more likely to miss school because of feeling unsafe. 28% are forced to drop out. - National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 1984

· 85% of teachers oppose integrating lesbian, gay and bisexual themes in their curricula. -Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth: Report of the Massachusetts Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, 1993.

· More than 91% of LGBT students say they hear homophobic slurs or expressions frequently or often.- GLSEN 2003 National School Climate Survey

· Nearly 58% of LGBT students have had property stolen or deliberately damaged at school. - GLSEN 2003 National School Climate Survey

· More than 64% of LGBT students say they feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation. -GLSEN 2003 National School Climate Survey

· LGBT teens are four times more likely to attempt suicide than non-LGBT teens. – 2006 Massachusetts Youth Risk Survey

New York Times Article: Suicides Put Light on Pressures on Gay Teenagers

By JESSE McKINLEY

Published: October 3, 2010

FRESNO, Calif. — When Seth Walsh was in the sixth grade, he turned to his mother one day and told her he had something to say. “I was folding clothes, and he said, ‘Mom, I’m gay,’ ” said Wendy Walsh, a hairstylist and single mother of four. “I said, ‘O.K., sweetheart, I love you no matter what.’ ”

But last month, Seth went into the backyard of his home in the desert town of Tehachapi, Calif., and hanged himself, apparently unable to bear a relentless barrage of taunting, bullying and other abuse at the hands of his peers. After a little more than a week on life support, he died last Tuesday. He was 13.

The case of Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers University freshman who jumped off the George Washington Bridge after a sexual encounter with another man was broadcast online, has shocked many. But his death is just one of several suicides in recent weeks by young gay teenagers who had been harassed by classmates, both in person and online.

The list includes Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old from Greensburg, Ind., who hanged himself on Sept. 9 after what classmates reportedly called a constant stream of invective against him at school.

Less than two weeks later, Asher Brown, a 13-year-old from the Houston suburbs, shot himself after coming out. He, too, had reported being taunted at his middle school, according to The Houston Chronicle. His family has blamed school officials as failing to take action after they complained, something the school district has denied.

The deaths have set off an impassioned — and sometimes angry — response from gay activists and caught the attention of federal officials, including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who on Friday called the suicides “unnecessary tragedies” brought on by “the trauma of being bullied.”

“This is a moment where every one of us — parents, teachers, students, elected officials and all people of conscience — needs to stand up and speak out against intolerance in all its forms,” Mr. Duncan said.

And while suicide by gay teenagers has long been a troubling trend, experts say the stress can be even worse in rural places, where a lack of gay support services — or even openly gay people — can cause a sense of isolation to become unbearable.

“If you’re in the small community, the pressure is hard enough,” said Eliza Byard, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, which is based in New York. “And goodness knows people get enough signals about ‘how wrong it is to be gay’ without anyone in those communities actually having to say so.”

According to a recent survey conducted by Ms. Byard’s group, nearly 9 of 10 gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual middle and high school students suffered physical or verbal harassment in 2009, ranging from taunts to outright beatings.

In Mr. Clementi’s case, prosecutors in New Jersey have charged two fellow Rutgers freshmen with invasion of privacy and are looking at the death as a possible hate crime. Prosecutors in Cypress, Tex., where Asher Brown died, said Friday that they would investigate what led to his suicide.

In a pair of blog postings last week, Dan Savage, a sex columnist based in Seattle, assigns the blame to negligent teachers and school administrators, bullying classmates and “hate groups that warp some young minds and torment others.”

“There are accomplices out there,” he wrote Saturday.

In an interview, Mr. Savage, who is gay, said he was particularly irate at religious leaders who used “antigay rhetoric.”

“The problem is that kids are being exposed to this rhetoric, and then they go to the school and there’s this gay kid,” he said. “And how are they going to treat this gay kid who they’ve been told is trying to destroy their family? They’re going to abuse him.”

In late September, Mr. Savage began a project on YouTube called “It Gets Better,” featuring gay adults talking about their experiences with harassment as adolescents.

In one video, a gay man named Cyrus tells of his life as a closeted teenager in a small town in upstate New York.

“The main thing I wanted to come across from this video is how different my life is, how great my life is, and how happy I am in general,” he says.

Glennda Testone, the executive director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City, said their youth programs serve about 50 young people a day, often suffering from “bullying, harassment or even violence.”

“The three main groups of pivotal figures are family, friends and their schoolmates,” she said. “And if they’re feeling isolated and like they can’t tell those people, it’s going to be a very rough ride.”

Here in Fresno, in California’s conservative Central Valley, groups like Equality California have been more active in trying to establish outreach offices, particularly after an election defeat in 2008, when California voters approved Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage.

In Tehachapi, in Kern County south of here, more than 500 mourners attended a memorial on Friday for Seth Walsh. One of those, Jamie Elaine Phillips, a classmate and friend, said Seth had long known he was gay and had been teased for years.

“But this year it got much worse,” Jamie said. “People would say, ‘You should kill yourself,’ ‘You should go away,’ ‘You’re gay, who cares about you?’ ”

Richard L. Swanson, superintendent of the local school district, said his staff had conducted quarterly assemblies on behavior, taught tolerance in the classroom and had “definite discipline procedures that respond to bullying.”

“But these things didn’t prevent Seth’s tragedy,” he said in an e-mail. “Maybe they couldn’t have.”

For her part, Ms. Walsh said she had complained about Seth’s being picked on but did not want to cast blame, though she hoped his death would teach people “not to discriminate, not be prejudiced.”

“I truly hope,” she said, “that people understand that.”

Ian Lovett contributed reporting from Tehachapi, Calif.

The LGBT Community in Israel

Israel Signs UN Antidiscrimination Declaration

December 2008 - By Shlomo Shamir, New York

The first initiative of its kind brought up at the United Nations in order to assure the homosexual community of equal rights led to a split among the 192 member countries of the worldwide body. The split came after a unique declaration on “Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity” initiated and led by France and Holland as an addendum to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations is currently marking 60 years since the adoption of the Declaration.

The organizing countries preferred to pursue a declaration rather than a full resolution that would have required a vote. 66 countries signed the declaration, and an Argentine delegate read the contents at a special General Assembly session last Thursday. 60 countries joined the opposing declaration, distributed by Syria. Member countries may still sign either declaration.

The State of Israel joined the countries supporting the declaration. However, the United States, Russia, and China, abstained and did not support the measure…To read the full article on www.israelli.org, click here.

Gay Israeli families struggle for acceptance at kids' schools

By Tamar Rotem

When Sefi and Tali Rachlin-Paz's son Yotam started going to kindergarten, near their home in South Tel Aviv's Shapira neighborhood, both his parents came to talk with the teacher. "We told the usual story we tell to people we've just met, especially in the education system," explained Shefi Paz, a book designer. "We tell them Yotam was raised in a family with two mothers and he calls us Imma and Mama. It's our way of putting the cards on the table and coordinating expectations."

But the conversation took an unexpected turn. "The teacher stared at us and said, 'Both parents are at home and functioning? No one in prison? Do you take drugs? What do you want from me?'"

That was a surprise…To Read the full article on the Haaretz website, click here.

Our Coalition & Partners

The CJTL is made up of Young Judaea and the other four major Jewish Youth organizations and is currently focused on the issue of combating bullying and harassment of Jewish LGBT teens:

BBYO is one of the largest Jewish youth groups in the US with chapters around the country, the Panim Institute, and Israel programs. In a press release, co-President of BBYO, Jeremy Sherman stated of the coalition, “Combined effort to stand for respect and inclusion is a significant one. Rarely do we join forces for a common cause, but in this case, Jewish teens have done just that.”

USY, the youth movement of conservative synagogues, operates out of conservative congregations around the US. USY runs inclusion programs at its chapters around the country.

NFTY is the youth movement of the Union of Reform Judaism, with chapters operating out of reform synagogues around the country. Their website, states, “NFTY will not sit idly by regarding all issues relating to bullying, teasing and harassment.” NFTY has worked with the larger Reform movement to run anti-bullying and harassment programs at its functions. Go to the Living NFTY Webpage for more NFTY programs to fight bullying.

NCSY is the youth organization of the Orthodox Union and operates out of Orthodox congregations. NCSY’s director declared in an op-ed piece, explaining NCSY’s endorsement of the CJTL, that, ”unwelcome attention and a hostile environment are unacceptable regardless of the source. We all have the right to live free of intimidation.” Click here to read the full article.

Click here to read the official press release announcing the CJTL inclusion initiative.

Other Relevant Organizations

Keshet's mission is to ensure that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Jews are fully included in all parts of the Jewish community. Keshet sponsored the “Don’t Stand Idly By: Jewish Community Pledge” online petition campaign. If you haven’t added your name yet, do so now!

World Congress of Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Jews: Our vision is an environment where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Jews worldwide can enjoy free and fulfilling lives.

Established by supporters of Congressman Jared Polis, the Fearless Campaign is a grassroots organizer for issues including LGBT issues, environment, immigration, education, etc.

Young Judaea Press Release on Joining the CJTL (Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders)

Contact Person: Rachel Comstock

Phone: (212) 303-4586

Email: rcomstock@youngjudaea.org

Website: www.youngjudaea.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Young Judaea, the Zionist Youth Movement of Hadassah, Joins BBYO, USY, NFTY, NCSY to Promote Keshet’s “Don’t Stand Idly By” Campaign

Young Judaea, the oldest Zionist youth movement in North America, has officially added itself to the “Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders,” currently focused on the Keshet Pledge to create safe spaces within the Jewish community for LGBTQ teens.

During its National Midwinter Convention at Camp Young Judaea Texas from February 18^th-21^st, over 100 of Young Judaea’s most prominent high school leaders and members deliberated over joining the coalition through educational programming, discussions, and its annual “election” session. Ultimately the convention body unanimously voted to join the coalition currently including BBYO, NFTY, NCSY, and USY.

On a separate, but related motion, the convention also unanimously voted to add a clause to its one page constitution, which reads, “Based on our belief in Kol Yisrael Arevim Ze la Ze (All of Israel is responsible for one another), we are responsible for creating an environment that is safe, emotionally and physically, for all members of our kehila (community).”

The unanimous passage of both these motions reinforces Young Judaea’s commitment to Pluralism within the Jewish People and enables Young Judaea’s leadership to aggressively take part in supporting Keshet’s “Don’t Stand Idly By” campaign, as well as future campaigns that deal with the issue of inclusion within the Jewish community.

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For more information about Young Judaea, visit www.youngjudaea.org

Click Here to Download the Press Release PDF

Peulah (Educational Activity) on Inclusion & Language

Words Have Consequences: Inclusion and Language

Objective: for participants to understand the effect and power of language on inclusion

Time: 60 minutes

Age of Participants: high school students

Materials needed: laptop w/internet, pictures and quotations, poster board and markers, Jewish texts below.

Introductory Name Game: (5 minutes)

Trigger (5 minutes) Participants receive pictures of events and corresponding quotations for them to match up. With scissors, cut part pages 9-13, separating the pictures from quotations.

Creation of the Universe - “Let there be Light”

American Independence – “All Men are Created Equal”

Moses Parting the Seas – “Mee Chamocha Baeilim Adonai” (Who is Like You, Lord?)

Civil Rights Movement – “I have a Dream”

French Revolution – “Not to separate until the Constitution of the Kingdom is established”

Short Sicha – Put people into small groups, each group looking at a different action and word pairing to answer the following question: What’s the relationship between each action and its corresponding words?

For example, how did the Declaration of Independence influence the creation of the United States? Could it have happened with the declaration? Are the words the outcome of the event or vice versa?

Matching Game 2: What Doesn’t Fit (10 minutes)

Participants will be presented with a situation and will rate how commonplace each of five statements would be in that situation, according to their experience (See attached page 15):

Short Sicha after Matching Game 2:

· How commonplace are these different statements? Let’s focus on the one with the word “gay”.

· According to this context, how would you define the word “gay”?

· If someone were gay or unsure, how would this usage of the word “gay” affect them?

· If this is commonplace, do you think it is a form of bullying or creates an environment that encourages bullying of LGBT individuals? Do you think this is an important differentiation?

Joel Burns’ Story: (12 minutes) Watch Joel Burns YouTube video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax96cghOnY4

Discussion Questions: (15 minutes)

· What’s the connection between the activities we just did and the video we watched?

Answer to lead to: WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. Whether on major world events or on how our classmates feel about themselves, words are hugely important. The Jewish value that corresponds with this is Shmirat Halashon: a guarded tongue. We can see the importance of words in the Torah (Creation in Genesis, Mee Chamocha in parting the waters, Spies’ story, etc).

· The Book of Psalms 34:13, says: Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Why do you think they differentiate between having an evil tongue and lying?

Answer we’re leaning towards: Shaming a person publicly is wrong, even if what is said is factually true.

· In the Talmud, it says: Whoever shames another in public is like one who sheds blood. – Baba Metzia 58B. How does Joel Burns’ testimony support what the Talmud says?

Answer to lead to: the cruelty of publicly shaming these LGBT teens drove them to suicide.

Please distribute statistics on Page 2 of this kit, as well as the New York Times article.

· What’s your reaction to these statistics and the New York Times article?

· Is this information surprising to you or does it confirm what you already knew?

· Does this information make sense with what you see at school?

· Do LGBT students feel comfortable here?

A: How many times a day or week do you hear an anti-LGBT word or expression used?

B: Do those people ever get challenged for how they talk?

C: How do you think those words affect LGBT students here?

Information to mention: studies show 10% of people are LGBT and that LGBT individuals are 3-4 times more likely to attempt suicide than a straight individual

D: How can we help LGBT students regardless of our own sexual orientation?

Answer to lead to: using our own and “guarded tongue” and encouraging others to as well.

Outcome Task (10 minutes): Using a “guarded tongue” to stunt LGBT bullying.

1. Create a list of words that are used to shame LGBT individuals or degrade the LGBT community/lifestyle.

Words can include the following but are not limited to: gay, fag/faggot, Queer (context), fairy, homo, and dike.

2. Have someone write an official “contract” that participants will not use the listed of words to slander anyone who is LGBT or the LGBT community or lifestyle and have all the participants sign it.

For some of these words it means not using them at all, for others it is the context. Gay is not automatically a hateful word but it is when used to degrade something by its description as gay (e.g. that class is so gay.)

Popcorn Peulah: Suggested Movies

You can show one of these movies at a local Jewish youth group meeting, JSU meeting or another GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) club, etc. with a short discussion afterwards. Both movies are available on Netflix (Boys Don’t Cry can be downloaded directly).

Yossi & Jagger (2002)

Rated R 65 min - Drama | Romance | War - 1 August 2002 (Israel)

This movie looks at the basic issues around the LGBT community in Israel, specifically with as it relates to the Israel military, since all Israelis serve two to three years. In this story, romance blooms between two soldiers (Knoller, Levi) stationed in an Israeli outpost on the Lebanese border.

Director: Eytan Fox

Writer: Avner Bernheimer

Stars: Ohad Knoller, Yehuda Levi and Assi Cohen

Boys Don’t Cry (1999)

118 min - Crime | Drama | Romance - 29 October 1999 (Canada)

The story of the life of Brandon Teena, a transgendered teen who preferred life in a male identity until it was discovered he was born biologically female. This story reflects the continued hardship and exclusion that transgendered individuals and teens face today in American society.

Director: Kimberly Peirce

Writers: Kimberly Peirce, Andy Bienen

Stars: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny and Peter Sarsgaard

Political Action Guide: Political Activism & Direct Advocacy: Getting the US government in the Fight for Inclusion

Purpose

In a democracy, the best way to bring about real change is to engage with the government. If you don’t speak up, your representatives will be unaware that this issue is so important to you. This guide is meant to highlight some tools that can be helpful in influencing the political process. Use this as a jumping off point, but don’t be afraid to think creatively about your activism. There are countless ways to make your voice heard, and this collection is only a small taste.

Let’s Get started!

Advocacy can be a very long process. It is important that you never feel like your effort doesn’t matter. Your power multiplies when you work with a group of people, so don’t underestimate your potential. This country has been built and transformed by dedicated citizens trying to do the right thing. In reality, democracy only functions properly if the citizens get involved. Your opinion matters! Now go make it heard!

WHAT’S IN THIS GUIDE?

· Background on the Student non-Discrimination Act

· How a Bill Becomes a Law

· Calling on Congress

· Mailing a Message

· Preparing a Petition

· Learning to Lobby

Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

The Student Non-Discrimination Act

The Student non-Discrimination Act of 2011, H.R. 998, introduced by Representative Jared Polis on March 10, would ban public schools from discriminating based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently, no federal laws prevent this type of discrimination in schools.

The following House Representatives have co-sponsored the Student non-Discrimination Act (HR 998):

Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] Baca, Joe [CA-34] Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2]

Bass, Karen [CA-33] Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] Berman, Howard L. [CA-28]

Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] Brown, Corrine [FL-3]

Capps, Lois [CA-23] Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] Carnahan, Russ [MO-3]

Carson, Andre [IN-7] Castor, Kathy [FL-11] Chu, Judy [CA-32]

Cicilline, David [RI-2] Clarke, Hansen [MI-13] Clay, William L. [MO-1]

Cleaver, Emanuel (MO-5) Cohen, Steve [IN-9] Courtney, Joe [CT-2]

Cummings, Elijah [MD-7] Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] DeGette, Diana [CO-1]

DeLauro, Rosa L. (CT-3]) Deutch, Theodore E. [FL-19] Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14]

Ellison, Keith [MN-5] Eshoo, Anna G. (CA-14) Farr, Sam [CA-17]

Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] Filner, Bob [CA-51] Frank, Barney [MA-04]

Fudge, Marcia [OH-11] Green, Al [TX-09] Gonzales, Charles [TX-20]

Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23]

Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] Higgins, Brian [NY-2y] Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2]

Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] Israel, Steve [NY-2]

Keating, Bill [MA-10] Jackson Lee, Sheila [TX-18] Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2]

Johnson, Eddie B. [TX-30] Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" (GA-4) Kildee, Dale [MI-5]

Langevin, James [RI-2] Lee, Barbara [CA-9] Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16]

Lowey, Nita M. (NY-18) Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3] Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14]

Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] McCollum, Betty [MN-4]

McGovern, James P. [MA-3] Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6] Michaud, Michael [ME-2]

Moore, Gwen [WI-4] Moran, James P. [VA-8] Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8]

Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] Neal, Richard E. [MA-2] Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC]

Olver, John W. [MA-1] Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] Pascrell, Bill [NJ-9]

Pastor, Ed (AZ-4) Payne, Donald [NJ-10] Peters, Gary C. [MI-9]

Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] Platts, Todd Rusell (PA-19) Polis, Jared [CO-2]

Quigley, Mike [IL-5] Reyes, Silvestre [TX-16] Richardson, Laura [CA-37]

Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] Ryan, Tim (OH-17)

Rush, Bobby (IL-1) Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]

Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" (VA-3) Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] Sires, Albio (NJ-13)

Slaughter, Louise McIntosh (NY-28) Speier, Jackie [CA-12] Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13]

Sutton, Betty [OH-13] Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] Walz, Tim [MN-1]

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] Welch, Peter [VT]

Wilson, Frederica [FL-17] Woolsey, Lynn [CA-6] Wu, David [OR-1]

Go to www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h998/show for updated information on the HR 998.

Senator Al Franken and the following co-sponsors introduced the Student non-Discrimination Act (S. 555) in the Senate:

Daniel Akaka [D, HI] Mark Begich [D, AK] Michael Bennet [D, CO]

Jeff Bingaman [D, NM] Richard Blumenthal [D, CT] Barbara Boxer [D, CA]

Sherrod Brown [D, OH] Maria Cantwell [D, WA] Benjamin Cardin [D, MD]

Robert Casey [D, PA] Chris Coons [D, DE] Richard Durbin [D, IL]

Dianne Feinstein [D, CA] Kirsten Gillibrand [D, NY] Thomas Harkin [D, IA]

John Kerry [D, MA] Amy Klobuchar [D, MN] Frank Lautenberg [D, NJ]

Patrick Leahy [D, VT] Robert Menéndez [D, NJ] Jeff Merkley [D, OR]

Barbara Mikulski [D, MD] Patty Murray [D, WA] John Reed [D, RI]

Bernard Sanders [I, VT] Charles Schumer [D, NY] Jeanne Shaheen [D, NH]

Tom Udall [D, NM] Mark Udall [D, CO] Sheldon Whitehouse [D, RI]

Ron Wyden [D, OR]

Go to www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s555/show for updated information on the S. 555.

How a Bill Becomes a Law

Since we are trying to help make a bill into the law of the land, here is a quick explanation of how a bill becomes a law in our country.

Step 1: Introducing the Bill

A bill can be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. For a bill to be introduced on the floor (“the floor” is a reference to the main voting chamber of either the House of Representatives or the Senate) by one or more co-sponsors.

Step 2: Committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is then sent to the relevant committee. Committees include Foreign Relations, Armed Services, Judiciary, Finance, Transportation, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, etc. The bill is then debated and amended within a committee and is voted to go back to the floor for a final vote. However, many times a bill is sent to a committee, but the committee never actually debates or amends it, leaving it “stuck in committee.”

Step 3: Vote on the Floor

If the relevant committee votes the bill back to the floor of the chamber, a final vote is held.

Step 4: Sending the Bill to the Other Side

Once the bill has been passed, it is sent over to the other chamber, where it goes through the same general process. If it passes both chambers, then….

Step 5: The President’s Signature

The final step to make a bill a law is for the President to sign it into law. The President does have the option to “veto” the bill, or deny it passage. However, congress can override a presidential veto if two thirds of the both chambers vote to override the veto.

Special Note for the Senate: What’s a Filibuster and Cloture?

In the House of Representatives, all votes are decided by a simple majority. Easy enough. However, in the Senate, a bill can be brought to a grinding halt by something known as a “filibuster,” which is just a fancy word for never ending debate. A filibuster, when staged, prevents a final vote from ever being held since the debate never ends. To break a filibuster, or end the debate on a bill, the Senate must vote for “cloture,” a vote which requires 60 of 100 votes. Therefore, if 59 senators favor a bill, the other 41 can prevent it from being voted on by extending debate until the end of the session of congress.

Calling on Congress

Why is it important to call Congress?

Most congressional offices think it’s very important to keep tabs on the feelings of their constituents (citizens they represent). After all, if they stop representing their constituency then they are likely to be voted out of office in the next election! Therefore, whenever a constituent calls the office with an opinion on legislation, the office keeps a record of which issues are most popular. Very often the representative will ask for this information at some point during the week, and it could give him or her a sense of what should be pushed for in the coming months. The more calls that are made, the more likely it is that the legislation you care about comes to the forefront of the national agenda!

Step 1: Learn the Issue

Before you begin any campaign it is extremely important you know the details of the legislation you care about. What’s the name and number of the bill in the House of Representatives? What’s the name and number of the bill in the Senate? Who introduced the bill in the House? Who introduced the bill in the Senate? Does the representative you’re calling already support the bill? When was the bill introduced? Is it still in committee? Is there a planned floor vote? Does the representative you are calling serve on the relevant committee?

Some quick answers for this campaign:

· We are supporting passage of the Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011.

· This is known as House Resolution (H.R.) 998 and Representative Jared Polis from Colorado introduced it to the House of Representatives on March 10, 2011.

· Also known as Senate (S.) 555, introduced by Senator Al Franken from Minnesota on March 10, 2011.

· (Be careful to refer to the bill properly depending on the chamber you are calling!)

Resources to get the other information:

· www.govtrack.us (This should give you up-to-date information on where the Bill stands in each chamber of Congress at the present time).

· Your representative’s website should give you a sense of whether or not he or she supports this bill and what committees he or she serves on.

Step 2: Determine your representative(s) and find the phone number!

· Here’s a good website to find out who represents your state/district:

www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd

· Once you know who you’re calling, you should enter the name into Google and search the representative’s website for a good phone number. In most cases, calling the Washington D.C. office is your best bet because the legislative staff works out of the D.C. office

· You can also crosscheck the list on the previous page of co-signers of the Student non-Discrimination Act in the House and Senate or go to www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s555/show for the most updated information on the Senate bill and go to www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h998/show for updated information on the House bill.

Step 3: Make the call!

Some things to keep in mind when making the call:

· The person you speak to could be a staff person for the representative, or an intern. They might be very knowledgeable about the bill you’re supporting, or this could be the first time they have ever heard of it. Be patient, respectful, and clear about the purpose of your call.

· They may ask for your information (address, phone number). Feel free to give it to them. If you give them your address, they might send you a letter from the representative about his or her perspective on the issue.

Here’s a potential script for you to use for your call. If you want to break it down and turn it into more of a conversation and less of a speech, you should feel free to do that.

“Hello. My name is ___________ and I am a student calling about House Resolution 998/the Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011/Senate Bill 555, the Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011. Earlier this year, a spate of suicides committed by LGBT teens shocked our American community. This bill would prohibit public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. As a young American committed to equality, I urge Representative/Senator _____________ to put his/her full support behind this bill as it moves through Congress. Thank you.”

Mailing a Message

Why is it important to write letters to Congress?

All of the benefits that you get from making a phone call apply here, but there are a few added bonuses as well.

· On the phone you can be potentially misheard, or the person taking the call could be too busy to write down the message. They might misspell your name or address, or fail to report the specifics of your call. A letter is much more difficult to ignore, clarifies all of the important information, and provides the representative with as much information as you want to include.

· Emails are nice as well, but since less effort is required for it, letters are taken more seriously than emails

The steps are very similar to making a call. Please see above for additional details.

Step 1: Gather all relevant information.

Go to www.fearlesscampaign.com/lgbt/pages/SNDA, www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h998/show, or www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s555/show for more information on the Student non-Discrimination Act.

Step 2: Determine your representative(s) and find the appropriate mailing address.

Step 3: Mail your message!

Please see the next page for a sample letter. You should definitely add personal details about why this issue is important to you.

Joseph Judaean

1234 Main Street

New York, NY 10036

(123) 456-7890

Joe.Judaean@gmail.com

May 14, 2011

Senator John Lawmaker

1776 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Lawmaker

I am a student writing with regard to S. 555, the Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011.

Earlier this year, a spate of suicides committed by LGBT teens shocked our American community. Too often, young LGBT people in our country are faced with horrific discrimination and alienation. I believe that equal rights should be accessible to all Americans, and that the federal government has a responsibility to ensure that these rights are protected.

The Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 would prohibit public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

As a young American committed to equality, I thank you for co-sponsoring this bill/want you to become a co-sponsor of this bill andhope you will put your full support behind this bill as it moves through Congress. Thank you very much for your support.

Sincerely,

Joseph Judaean

Preparing a Petition

Why is it important to petition?

Writing a petition is a good way to show your representative that there are a large number of constituents that care about a certain issue. It’s also a great way to spread awareness about the issue. When you ask someone to sign a petition, they usually ask what they’re signing. This gives you a great opportunity to explain the issue to someone new, and maybe even inspire another activist!

Step 1: Learn as much as you can about the issue and legislation!

If you ask someone to sign something, they are going to want to know exactly what they are signing and why they should sign it. You should know the issue like the back of your hand and be ready to answer any questions about it as they come. If you seem like you don’t know a lot, it will be hard to get people to care. People are not going to want to put their name down on something they feel like they don’t fully understand. Do a lot of research about the bill, and practice by getting signatures from your family members and close friends.

Step 2: Write or print the petition.

There is a sample petition on the next page of this kit. However, if you feel like something else should be included or the petition doesn’t fully reflect your goals for this campaign, you should make changes to it. You need to feel completely committed to the text of the petition in order to convince others that they should support it as well.

Step 3: Gather signatures!

A few things to keep in mind:

· You don’t want to cause a disruption in school by gathering signatures at inappropriate times. You are representing this campaign, and so you should always be careful to follow school policies when you are trying to gather support.

· Always be polite when asking people for their signature. If you seem aggressive, people will be less inclined to support your cause.

· If someone seems like they are really not interested, that’s totally fine. There are some people who don’t want to put their name on anything. Be sure not to hassle people.

Sample Petition:

We, the undersigned, are moved to action by the recent spate of suicides committed by LGBT teens across America. We refuse to stand idly by as discrimination is permitted in our schools.

We strongly urge all members of the United States Congress to act quickly to pass H.R. 998 and S. 555 – The Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011. This act would prohibit public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Sincerely,

Name

Signature

City

Date

Learning to Lobby

Why is it important to lobby?

Lobbying is one of the best forms of political engagement. It shows your representative that you’re extremely committed to an issue, and it allows you to fully express your information and passion. It also allows you to gain an immediate response from the office of your representative. If it seems like the representative is not going to support the bill, it provides you with an opportunity to respectfully challenge that position and insist on his or her support.

Step 1: Schedule a meeting

Different offices have different procedures for scheduling meetings. The best way to find out how to schedule a meeting with the office of your representative is to give the office a call. All members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have more than one office. There is one office in Washington D.C., and other offices in the Congressional District, or scattered throughout the state. By calling your representative’s office you can find out how best to go about scheduling the meeting.

You can try to ask for a meeting with the representative, but most members of Congress are very busy and might not have space available in their calendar. You can also ask for a meeting with the relevant Legislative Assistant (the person who handles education, LGBT issues, civil rights issues, or some other possible issue category). If this seems to be impossible, just make clear that you are a student seeking to share your opinions on legislation with the representative and that you would like to schedule a meeting with someone from his/her office. Hopefully the person on the phone will help you schedule a meeting, or direct you to someone who can.

Step 2: Get prepared

Preparation is absolutely crucial for a lobby meeting. You need to know exactly why this legislation should be passed, and why it’s in the interest of the representative to support it. It’s not a bad idea to prepare a script, but you don’t want to sound like you’re reading off of a paper too much.

If you go in and present answers to all of these questions, you’ll have a solid lobbying meeting.

1. Who are you? Where do you come from? Who do you represent?

2. What is the issue? Why does this bill need to be passed?

3. What is motivating you? Why are you so passionate about this?

Step 3: Tips for the meeting

1. Dress to impress!

2. Show up early

3. Prepare carefully, but try not to read off of a paper

4. Listen carefully to the response you receive, and ask questions if you don’t fully understand.

5. Try not to be nervous or intimidated

6. Bring a copy of your petition to the lobby meeting to show how many people support this issue.

7. Demonstrate your passion! This is your government, and they want to see that you really care about the issue!

Sometimes, the person who meets with you will be extremely kind, helpful, and gracious. Sometimes, the person who meets with you will seem unhelpful, bored, distracted or frustrated. No matter the response, you should always be respectful, polite, and grateful for the meeting. If you have a great conversation with the staffer, or if your staffer seems like they just can’t wait for lunch, you made a difference. They will need to report that you came in, and in all likelihood the representative will hear that the meeting took place.

Step 4: Follow up!

Write a gracious thank you letter. Whoever met with you took precious time out of the day to hear your opinions. You should use the letter as an opportunity to express your gratitude and to reaffirm your commitment to the issue. These staffers and representatives have many meetings during the day. If you can write a powerful thank you letter after a meeting, there’s a much higher chance they will remember you and help move the legislation forward. Here’s a template you can work from:

Joseph Judaean

1234 Main Street

New York, NY 10036

(123) 456-7890

Joe.Judaean@gmail.com

May 14, 2011

Senator John Lawmaker

1776 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Lawmaker,

I want to thank you/your staff for taking time out of your busy schedule/s to meet with me to discuss the issue of LGBT bullying and the Student non-Discrimination Act. I appreciate your attention and your continued leadership on this issue, and I look forward to hearing from you about what actions you are taking to protect LGBT teens in America.

Thank you so much again,

Sincerely,

Joseph Judaean

Letter to President Obama from Young Judaea's National President

This letter was written by Young Judaea’s National Mazkira (President), Molly Stein and is currently in the process of being endorsed by the other members of the Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders, and will then be delivered to President Obama

Dear President Obama,

As the President of Young Judaea, the Zionist Youth Movement of Hadassah, I want to draw your attention to the issue of LGBT bullying. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered teens have never before been as vulnerable and victimized as they are today; in response we have formed a coalition to combat this growing problem. We ask that you continue to assert your leadership to make all Americans feel safe within their own communities, schools, and homes.

For too long we have seen senseless, hateful bullying within our communities and understand our responsibility to stop it. We are making great efforts in educating members of our own youth movements and communities about the tenets of equality, respect and inclusion. We are compelled to act by the Jewish belief that all are made in the image of our creator, but we cannot do it alone.

As a senator and now as President, you have always been a supporter of LGBT rights, saying once, “It is my strong belief that the government has to treat all citizens equally.” In this spirit, House Representative Jared Polis from Colorado and Senator Al Franken from Minnesota have proposed legislation to guarantee the basic rights of the American LGBT teen community. Your support of these bills is an essential part of protecting LGBT teens from discrimination.

Therefore, we ask you to assert your leadership on this critical issue so together we can act more consistently with the basic creed that “all men are created equal,” which lays at the foundation of our great country.

Sincerely,

Molly Stein, the National President of Young Judaea, the Zionist Youth Movement of Hadassah

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is LGBT bullying an important issue to Young Judaea?

Since Young Judaea was founded, we have believe strongly in the values of Pluralism, Kehila (community), Tzedek (social justice) and committed to Tikun Olam (social activism). We believe a safe environment that respects persons of different political persuasions, levels of observance, socio-economic backgrounds, and sexual and gender identities is crucial to both the Jewish People and the world at large. Those who alienate, harass or bully others due to their sexual orientation or gender identity have no place in our own community. It is our goal to bring the rest of the country and Jewish community up to the same standard.

Why has Young Judaea chosen now to take on this issue?

Young Judaea has been committed to LGBT rights for years. However, the past year brought with it a serious wakeup call for our country. With five LGBT suicides over a three-week span, the plight of the LGBT teen community made itself all to evident. With the Student non-Discrimination act being proposed, and a coalition of the 5 major Jewish youth groups behind the cause of inclusion, is the time to put an end to homophobic bullying in America once and for all.

What is Judaism’s approach to homosexuality?

As with most issues in Judaism, there are a few factors to take into account. The Torah puts a tremendous offence inclusion within the community. We believe that “no man’s blood is redder than another’s”. This means that we are all created equal, no man more worthy then his fellow. It is true that the Torah forbids a man to sleep with another man, yet many Rabbis explain this as a prohibition against public lewdness without any real implications. Whether you agree with this or not however one thing is clear, Judaism in no way supports the humiliation or alienation of individuals on any grounds. We all have a responsibility to one another as human beings and it is a responsibility that is in no way lessened by ones sexual preference, which is why the youth groups of the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform movements are a ll a part of this coalition.

Who can I contact at Young Judaea about the Fearless Inclusion Campaign?

Staff: Andrew Fretwell: Manager of Youth Leadership & Education: afretwell@youngjudaea.org

Volunteer: Caleb Zipperstein: MODEL Fellow: caleb.zipperstein@gmail.com

Volunteer: Alli Hochberg: MODEL Fellow: allison.hochberg@gmail.com

Teen Leader: Talia Niederman: Social Action Programmer: talia.niederman@gmail.com

Teen Leader: Leora Lyon: Leader of the “Pikuach Nefesh” Tikun Group: Leora.Lyon@gmail.com

What is the Pikuach Nefesh Tikun Group?

The “Pikuach Nefesh” Tikun Group (Pikuach Nefesh is the Jewish value of preserving human life), is a group of Young Judaeans around the country that have organized fundraising and awareness raising initiatives including advocating for Gilad Shalit, defending the citizens of the embattled Israeli city of Sderot and rights for the LGBT community in Israel and America. For more information, email PNtikungroup@groups.facebook.com or join the Facebook Cause!

Who is a part of the Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders?

BBYO, United Synagogue Youth (USY), National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY), National Coalition of Synagogue Youth (NCSY), along with Young Judaea are the five Jewish youth groups that make up the Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders..

How can I get involved in the Fearless Inclusion Campaign?

It’s easy! If there isn’t already a group of Judaeans working on the FIC near you, start your own! This kit will give you the resources to petition your senators or member of congress, raise awareness in your own communities and really get involved. You don’t need to limit your group to Judaeans but if you want to find out about other Judaeans that live near you, contact your regional mazkirut (board). If you don’t know who your regional mazkirut is, contact Talia Niederman at talia.niederman@gmail.com to find out. If you are starting your own group for the FIC, be sure to let your regional mazkirut know so that they can tell other people about it! You can also approach a local chapter/club of any of the youth groups in the coalition.

What is the Student non-Discrimination Act?

The Student non-Discrimination Act of 2011 (known in the House of Representatives as HR 998 and in the Senate as S 555) is a bill proposed by Representative Jared Polis (the first openly gay man to be elected to Congress, who also happens to be Jewish) and Senator Al Franken. It would legally end homophobic discriminatory policies in schools across the country. This would be accomplished through withdrawing any federal funding from schools that discriminate against students based on actual or perceived sexual orientation. In short, if it were passed, public schools could not discriminate based on sexual or gender identities.

Where can I learn more about the Fearless Inclusion Campaign?

Go to the Fearless Campaign’s official website at http://www.fearlesscampaign.com, join the Pikuach Nefesh Facebook Cause or go to www.youngjudaea.org/fearlessinclusion.

I want to financially support LGBT inclusion; what organization should I donate to?

There are a few places you can donate to. You can donate directly to the campaign at their official webpage here: https://secure.fearlesscampaign.com/page/contribute/fearless or you could donate to Keshet, the originator of the Jewish Community Pledge, here: www.jewishcommunitypledge.org/donate.

How is the Fearless Inclusion Campaign continuing through and after this summer?

Over this summer at camp Tel Yehudah, a group from Hadracha (incoming 11^th graders) will be advocating directly to the offices of members of congress to support the FIC as part of its social activism programming, as well as meet with relevant non-governmental organizations to strategize how to continue the effort after the summer. This group of Judaeans will also bring the issue t to camp through various educational and interactive means. Over the next year the Pikuach Nefesh Tikun Group as well as campers in the Hadracha program will keep up the initiative and increase the impact.