Dear Friend,

It’s tradition: every December we share our top photos of the year. 

It’s our thank you for making this work possible — with your commitment, your resources, and your love; in the streets and on Zoom; in the halls of power and in living rooms and backyards around the country.

We have even more planned for 2024, as we organize to defeat MAGA Republicans, protect our freedoms, and elect progressive champions at the ballot box. Can you donate $18 today to help us do this critical work in 2024 and beyond?

Protecting abortion access is a Jewish value

CEO Jamie Beran spoke at the Bigger Than Roe march in New York organized by Black Feminists Matter about how our fight for abortion rights is a fight for gender and racial justice, and how Bend the Arc is organizing Jewish Americans to protect our freedoms when they’re under attack.¹

Celebrating Black Futures Month

This year, we kicked off Black Futures Month by imagining our freedom together with Graie Hagans, Bend the Arc’s Chief Vision Officer,² then a roundup of Black Jewish writers, organizers, and creators we love,³ and a new playlist called Towards Black Futures/ L’atidim sc’chorim.⁴

Building Jewish institutions where JOCs can thrive

Our new report — Project Shamash Program Learnings — shared stories and findings from Bend the Arc’s three-year program built by Jews of Color to spark a future where our Jewish institutions reflect the diversity of our community.⁵

Launching Your Safety Is My Safety

We launched a new video series, Your Safety Is My Safety, which highlights our visions of community safety beyond the limits of our fears. The first six episodes feature Enzi, Rachèl, Yehudah, Victoria, Imani, and Alejandrina, and we have even more planned for next year!⁶

Training and building our multiracial movements for justice

Bend the Arc showed up powerfully at conferences across the country — speaking on antisemitism, racism, and community safety to rooms of hundreds of activists — including the 22nd Century Conference (pictured here), the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable Network Assembly, and Building Our Movement Together, the international gathering of the Conservative/Masorti Jewish movement.⁷

Fighting for the visionary legislation we need

Leaders from Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Maryland proudly stood beside Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO1) as she re-introduced the People’s Response Act — ambitious and achievable legislation that would deliver community safety through the health-centered programs our communities need, rather than through harmful, racist systems of policing.⁸

Advocating for a moral budget

Bend the Arc leaders engage all year long with their members of Congress, urging them to invest in a future with safety for all of us. Pictured here: leaders from Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Champaign-Urbana meeting with Sen. Durbin (D-IL) to raise these issues in person!⁹

Joining our partners in protest

Bend the Arc leaders and Washington Director Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block joined with immigrant-led partners outside the White House as they called on the Biden Administration to block billions of dollars in unrestricted funding for detention and deportations.¹⁰

Endorsing local elected officials — and winning!

Bend the Arc’s first local endorsement ever was in the Pittsburgh County Executive race. Leaders organized to help Sara Innamorato — a progressive champion committed to divesting from carceral systems and investing in community safety — win her primary and the general election race!¹¹

Kicking dangerous politicians out of Congress

Over 10 months of writing op-eds, rallying, phone banking, lobbying meetings, and working alongside partners, Bend the Arc leaders from Long Island made it clear that George Santos was unfit to serve in office — and they finally won when Santos was expelled from Congress earlier this month!¹²

These photos capture our Jewish values in action. They are snapshots of our collective strength, love, and hope.

Around the country, supporters like you helped make this a year of deep connection and impactful wins for our movement.

We’re stronger when you’re with us, Friend — and we’re not stopping now. Chip in with $18 to help us win in 2024 and beyond.

With love and gratitude,

The Bend the Arc team 💛

____

Learn more:

1. “Our fight for abortion rights is a fight for gender and racial justice.”
2. Imagining our freedom together
3. Celebrating Black Jewish brilliance
4. LISTEN: L'atidim sh'chorim / Towards Black Futures playlist
5. 3 years, 2 takeaways, 1 new report
6. Bend the Arc Presents: Your Safety Is My Safety
7. Bend the Arc August 2023 roundup
8. Bend the Arc August 2023 roundup
9. Bend the Arc leaders are fighting for a moral budget across the country
10. @jewishaction: Bend the Arc at Defund Hate National Day of Action
11. Local wins & stories from Bend the Arc
12. George Santos is out: here's how Bend the Arc leaders helped make it happen