End Solitary Confinement
Matir Asurim members live and work in the US and Canada. US: End Solitary Confinement
Responding to Extreme Heat Conditions
UPDATED July 11 and July 18 Matir Asurim learned, from inside Florida’s Death Row, that extreme heat conditions are endangering incarcerated people and staff alike. Even “normal” summer temperatures can be damaging to health without cooling measures. The aging UCI facility is not providing adequate cooling to protect the health of those inside. This document … Read more
Meeting and Team News
Check out this month’s organizational news, including some on-going research and rethinking of decision-making process, in Divrei Matir Asurim.
Fringes, Still in the Wilderness
New this month in Torah Explorations: “Still in the Wilderness” — some thoughts on holiness, crowds, and grumbling (Numbers 8 – 18). “What Will We Make Different this Year?” by Jay Stanton, plus more thoughts on “fringes.” READ AND SHARE Divrei Matir Asurim [Matir Asurim Words/Matter]: Follow the links above to read on-line, and/or download … Read more
Numbers, Wilderness, Sinai
Torah Explorations “Matir Asurim Torah Explorations” is part of the new Divrei Matir Asurim: Matir Asurim Words/Matters publication, an experiment from Matir Asurim. The experiment begins with the Book of Numbers. Introduction: The Book of Numbers Bamidbar: In the Wilderness Naso: Take a Census, Lift Up Please read. Discuss. Share. For those who prefer formatted … Read more
General Meeting, Team News, and more
Matir Asurim is experimenting with expanding communications, to make our work and our hopes and our plans easier to access for all interested, and to make input from folks inside and outside easier to incorporate in our decision-making. This Late May edition of the brand new “Divrei Matir Asurim: Matir Asurim Words/Matters” includes summaries of … Read more
Matir Asurim in Jewish Currents
Matir Asurim was highlighted in a “Jewish Currents” publication earlier this year. Author Aviva Stahl notes lack of attention to “lived experience of incarcerated Jews…even within the most progressive Jewish communities.” She describes long-standing resources for (some) incarcerated Jews, adding that “queer and trans people or people of color…struggled to find any resources to support … Read more
New Member Orientation – January 29th
If you’re in creating Jewish communities across and beyond prison walls, resourcing and supporting incarcerated Jews, and organizing for a world without prisons, join Matir Asurim for a new member orientation, to find out about our work and organizing model, and how you can get involved. RSVP for Zoom Link We will have live captioning … Read more
December Penpal Training
Join Matir Asurim on Sunday December 11 at 5pm EST/2pm PST for a penpal training! This session will include information about our guiding principles, structure, and some reflection time on penpal relationships. Register Here
Jewish Traditions & Futures of Mutual Aid: A Conversation with Dean Spade and Dori Midnight — 11/20
Jewish history and tradition is full of practices of mutual aid that sustained our ancestors, and must be part of our work to transform the world and towards abolition. Join Dean Spade and Dori Midnight in conversation about ritual and magic, collective care and mutual aid organizing, where our ancestors have been and how their … Read more