This week’s message is time sensitive which is why I wanted to send it to you a day early. I invite you to take five minutes out of your afternoon to take part in today’s “Faith Calling” campaign, a national interfaith effort to end gun violence.
Judaism places a supreme value on saving a life. I encourage you to call our legislators today, to encourage them to develop thoughtful and responsible gun legislation that will prevent future tragedies and save lives. As Pirkei Avot teaches, we are not obligated to complete the task, but we are also not free to ignore it.
A message about this effort sent out by the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly reads:
Call your Senators and insist that they act to prevent gun violence. Ensure that the voices of faithful Americans ring throughout the halls of Congress. We know that among millions of you in the faith community there are differences in viewpoint and we ask you to convey whichever policies with which you are comfortable.
The major components of legislation that Congress is considering are listed below. When you call your Senators, let them know that you are calling as a member of the faith community, and emphasize those of the policies which you support.
– Require universal background checks for all gun purchases
– Ban semi-automatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
– Make gun trafficking a federal crime
– Improve access to mental health services
Tell them that gun violence prevention laws work.