The Jewish Community Stands with Domestic Workers: the Shalom Bayit Public Forum

Jews of New York City, it's time to come together to pass historic legislation to protect domestic workers.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Lane Levine (212) 647-8966 ext. 11 or lane@jfrej.org 

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY STANDS WITH DOMESTIC WORKERS

The Shalom Bayit Public Forum In Support of the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights

 

Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) announces "The Jewish Community Stands with Domestic Workers: The Shalom Bayit Public Forum," to be held on Thursday, April 23, 2009 @ 7:00PM at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, located at 257 West 88^th  Street, New York City.

 

Co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, Uri L’tzedek, Congregation Kolot Chayeinu and many other Jewish communal organizations, this event will demonstrate the widespread support from Jewish leaders and the New York City Jewish community for domestic workers’ rights.

 
 Jews for Racial and Economic Justice has been organizing with Domestic Workers United (DWU) for five years to pass the Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights in New York State, which has recently passed in both the Assembly and Senate Labor Committees.  The Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights addresses the longstanding exclusion of domestic workers from labor protections, reflects the unique conditions and demands of the industry in which they work, and clarifies employers’ obligations. The passage of the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights will be a historic win for justice. 

 
In solidarity with DWU, JFREJ and other allies have built a support network of over 65 co-sponsors and multi-sponsors in the New York State Assembly and Senate. JFREJ has organized hundreds of employers of domestic workers, and thousands of other Jews, to stand up for domestic workers' justice.  

 

According to JFREJ Community Organizer, Lane Levine, “Now is the time to bring together all the power in the New York Jewish community to help get this bill passed.  Now is the opportunity for the Jewish community to show our unanimous support for the rights of nannies, housekeepers and eldercare givers.”
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Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) is a membership-based organization founded in 1990. JFREJ engages Jews to pursue and win racial and economic justice in partnership with Jewish and allied people of color, low-income and immigrant communities in New York City. 

Shalom Bayit: Justice for Domestic Workers is a JFREJ campaign to bring Jews into the struggle for dignity, respect and better working conditions for domestic workers (nannies, eldercare givers, house cleaners).  Shalom Bayit is organizing Jewish communities throughout the New York City area.

Domestic Workers United (DWU) Founded in 2000, Domestic Workers United [DWU] is an organization of Caribbean, Latina and African nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers in New York, organizing for power, respect, fair labor standards and to help build a movement to end exploitation and oppression for all.

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Event Location

Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, 257 w 88th st
New York, NY 

Directions

Take the 1, B or C to 86th st Congregation B'nai Jeshurun is between Broadway and West End

Map