Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Fwd: URGENT


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rabbi James Cohn <rabbi.mailbox@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 6:45 AM
Subject: re: URGENT
To: Sky Kershner <skykershner@gmail.com>

If you want to join the signers, please reply fast -- also if you associate an organization with your name.

PLEASE REPLY TO Rabbi James Cohn <rabbi.mailbox@gmail.com>
 
Read Amy's email at the end, first.
 
Jim
 
Message sent from:
Rabbi James Cohn
Temple Israel
2312 Kanawha Blvd. E
Charleston WV 25311
Office 304.342.5852
Mobile 304.807.0907



I must have a response from each of you to this message.
 
Thanks for your labor in the vineyards, Amy. If any of you haven't seen it yet, you will need to read Amy's email; it follows below mine. My email doesn't make sense without hers.
 
Checks should be delivered to Temple Israel, but if you are ready to pledge an amount I need to know that immediately by email.  Donors so far are Jim Cohn, Paul Sheridan, Amy Weintraub, Temple Israel, UC, Debby Weinstein, Rachel Dash; total pledged or given from these so far is $1,122. Goal is $2,500.
 
Text of the statement will be changed from "community leaders of greater Charleston" to "West Virginians."  Full text is in Amy's message below.
 
There will be a note: "Organizations are listed for identification purposes."
 
So far the signers are as follows, with important question marks (let me know of any changes and additions).
 
Matt Ballard, Charleston Area Alliance
 
Rabbi James Cohn, Temple Israel
 
Rev. Mel Hoover, Unitarian Universalist Congregation
 
Steve Roberts, WC Chamber of Commerce
 
Rev. Dennis Sparks, WV Council of Churches
 
SSgt (Ret) Tom and Diane Vande Burgt, "Lest We Forget" PTSD Family and Military Support Group
 
Covenant House (name?)
 
One Kanawha (name?)
 
Rainbow Pride (name?)
 
Stop the Hate (name?)
 
University of Charleston (name?)
 
WVU (name?)
 
YWCA (name?)
 
and.... who????
 
I hope and pray that the deaths of miners today don't become opportunities for WBC to misbehave.  But if the past is the best predicter of the future...
 
Amy's message follows after my signature.
 
Message sent from:
Rabbi James Cohn
Temple Israel
2312 Kanawha Blvd. E
Charleston WV 25311
Office 304.342.5852
Mobile 304.807.0907
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2010 8:13 PM
Subject: URGENT! Suggested text for ad and rally

Here's my suggested language for our appeal to community leaders which also contains text for ad.  Edits are welcome!  Please edit, hitting "reply all", as soon as possible.  I'm not sure if everyone is captured on this email distribution list, so please forward to any inadvertently excluded.

 

Many thanks,

Amy

 

Amy Weintraub

Covenant House

600 Shrewsbury St.

Charleston, WV 25301-1211

304-344-8053 ext 22

 

 

Dear Community Leader:

 

Various community, civic, and faith organizations are purchasing a full-page ad in Wednesday's Gazzette and Daily Mail as a counterpoint to the onerous messaging Charleston will face with the visit of the hate group that calls itself Westboro Baptist Church. 

 

Will your organization sign on to our open letter to the community to be printed in the ad? 

 

If so, deadline is Tuesday, April 6 at 12:00 Noon; email your willingness to sign on to Temple Israel's Rabbi Jim Cohn at rabbi.mailbox@gmail.com.  The ad costs $2,500 ~ any contributions would be gratefully received (made payable to Charleston Newspapers), though please do not allow inability to contribute to keep your organization from signing on.

 

Here is the text of what will appear in the ad, as well as rally invitation which will follow:

 

We, the undersigned community leaders of greater Charleston, affirm our partnership in respecting the equal rights of others.  In this spirit, we condemn hate speech in any form.  Moving beyond mere tolerance, we dedicate ourselves to community-building by strengthening these civic values:

 

·    teamwork

·    respect

·    courage

·    honor

·    integrity

·    responsibility

·    compassion

·    unselfish service

 

We pledge ourselves to be supportive of each other and of all who labor in the cause of creating a community that welcomes everyone into its heart.

 

[Signing organizations will be listed here.]

 

 

Stop the Hate Rally

State Capitol of West Virginia (river side)

Thursday, April 8, 5:30 PM

 

Calling people of good will to act as non-violent agents of healing in our community. Join our chorus of reassurance and care for victims of hatred and intimidation.

 

Coming from all walks of life, we will stand together to say, in a collective voice, that there is no place for hate and violence in our community.

 

While our voices will be strong, our message will be peace.

 

 

Message sent from:
Rabbi James Cohn
Temple Israel
2312 Kanawha Blvd. E
Charleston WV 25311
Office 304.342.5852
Mobile 304.807.0907

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