Sunday Adult Program: “Democracy Defense Training”

On Sunday, Sept. 27, Or Emet will host a Democracy Defense training session led by community organizers Tova Gorman-Baer of Jewish Community Action and Lily Cooper of Unidos MN and Monarca. The organizations are partnering to educate and organize Jewish congregations on the threats to democracy and how to mobilize communities to fight back. 

The program will run from 10 a.m.-noon at Twin Cities German Immersion School, 1031 Como Ave. in St. Paul. A social time will follow. 

“We have lived through the largest federal immigration operation in U.S. history,” Cooper says. “We have been tried and tested, and we have shown the world that we, the people, still have the power we need to defend and expand our American democracy.”

The Nov. 3 elections are an essential part of that defense. Election integrity is under unprecedented attack. People in the highest levels of government have called to nationalize elections, tried to seize voter rolls from state officials and threatened to deploy federal agents at polling places.

The Democracy Defense training will help build a broad network to support democratic institutions and processes, using a variety of organizing strategies to promote safe, free and fair elections and ensure that every vote is counted.

Participants will learn more about current threats to democratic participation and election integrity; actions people can take before the election and beyond; how to organize locally to build democracy defense networks and strengthen existing community partnerships; and next steps to stay engaged with the work.

While the adult program is open to all, the presenters request that those who are likely to attend register online by Friday, Sept. 25, to help with planning.

 The training includes an intentional planning period for the congregation. Individuals interested in organizing within their neighborhoods are encouraged to register for another training session.

The Sunday adult programs are free and open to the public and meet concurrently with the Jewish Cultural Sunday School. Or Emet is a secular congregation celebrating and honoring Jewish culture, history and values from a humanistic, inclusive perspective.

For information about Or Emet’s Jewish Cultural Sunday School, contact JCSS director Molly Phipps at . For information about Or Emet, email or visit oremet.org.