Rodeph Shalom’s Gun Violence Reduction Task Force is a founding member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Coalition of Synagogues to Reduce Gun Violence.  We have joined with numerous synagogues in the five-county region, including:

 

Congregation Beth Am Israel-Penn Valley

Beth Chaim Reform Congregation-Malvern

Beth David Reform Congregation-Gladwyne

Har Zion Temple-Penn Valley

Congregation OhevShalom-Wallingford

Or Hadash-Fort Washington

Congregation Beth Or-Maple Glen

Or Zaur-Havertown

Germantown Jewish Centre-West Mt. Airy, Philadelphia

Main Line Reform Temple-Wynnewood

Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel-Center City, Philadelphia 

 

Our mission is to raise our collective voices to promote awareness, advocacy and action to reduce gun violence and lessen its devastating impact on families and communities in the region.

 

We have been cross-promoting our member congregations’ programs to reduce gun violence, and on November 19, 2023 we held our first Coalition event.  We hosted a Youth Forum at Rodeph Shalom.  This event was a great success and consisted of three components.  First, we brought professional facilitators to lead an interactive discussion with children ages 12 to 18.  Second, we provided suicide prevention training to adults over age 18.  Third, we hosted a variety of non-profit organizations to offer opportunities to engage to youth and adults alike.

 

We continue to work on these initiatives and support CeaseFire PA’s Common Agenda to reduce gun violence by passing common sense legislative reform.

 

Congregants should feel free to email me at dougrosenblum@gmail.com with questions or a desire to engage.