Browse Items (382 total)

JOHN’S SPEECH: FELLOWSHIP COMMISSION<br />
<br />
Mr. _________, ________, ________, ladies and gentlemen:<br />
The March on Washington, this year, was one of the first times in history that America has shown that all faiths, all races, labour, government workers and Americans of all professions and convictions could and would unite [typo] to carry forth a cause that they believe in.  Before this, we have only seen such a show of strength and unity in times of war; but now, Americans are uniting in times of peace.  Americans are demonstrating that they believe in democracy, that it is not a word to be used for propaganda, or something to fight for when our lives are threatened, but that [typo] democracy [typo] will be the American way of life.<br />
The Fellowship Commission, and groups like it, who have paved the way for [typo] last years March are now entering a new era.  As some people have pointed out, the Supreme Court decision did not integrate the schools, but freed the civil rights groups to [typo] begin integrating the schools.  And so, if the Civil Rights Bill is passed, we will be free to begin integration on a nation-wide basis.<br />
	This is the beginning of the third decade after [typo]the original March on Washington; the second half-century of American Labour and the second century after the Emancipation Proclamation.  In the first half of this century there were many marches proposed and carried out, to bring the unemployed to Washington, to bring our [typo] plight to the Federal Government.  Most of these have been forgotten, except by the few who participated in them.
Text of speech written by Sheila Michaels for John Lewis to deliver to the Fellowship Commission in 1964.

TEXT OF SPEECH GIVEN AT WASHINGTON MARCH BY JOHN LEWIS <br />
AUGUST 28, 1963 <br />
nothing <br />
We march today for jobs and freedom, but we have/to be proud	For, ; hundreds and thousands of our brothers are not here.  They have no money for their transportation, for they are receiving starvation wages ••• or no ·wages at all.  While we stand here there are sharecroppers in the Delta of Mississippi who are out in the fields working for less than three dollars a day for twelve hours of work.  While we stand here there are students in jail on trumped charges.  Our brother, James Farmer, along with many others is also in jail.  We come here today with a great sense of misgiving.<br />
<br />
 <br />
It is true that we support the present civil rights bill in the Congress. However, we support it with great reservations.	Unless Title three is put in this bill, there is nothing to protect young children and old women from police dogs and fire hoses, their penalty for engaging in peaceful demonstrations. In its present form this bill will not protect the citizens of Danville, Virginia, who must live in constant fear in a police state. It will not protect the hundreds of people who have been arrested on phoney charges.	What about the three young men---SNCC field secretaries--in Americus, Georgia who face the death penalty for engaging in peaceful protest. <br />
<br />
As it stands now, the voting section of this bill will not help thousands of black people who want to vote.  It will not help the citizens of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia who are qualified to vote but lack a 6th grade education. "One man, one vote.,” is the African cry.  It is ours, too.	It must be ours. Let us tell the Congress:  One man, one vote. <br />
<br />
We must have legislation that will protect the Mississippi sharecropper who is put off of his farm because he dares to register to vote.  We need a bill that will provide for the homeless and starving people of this nation. We need a bill that will ensure the equality of a maid who earns $5 a week in the home of a family whose income is $100,000 a year.  We must have a good FEPC bill. <br />
<br />
Let us not forget that we are involved in a serious social revolution.	By¬ <br />
and large, American politics is dominated by politicians who build their careers on immoral compromises and ally themselves with open forms of political, economic, and social exploitation.  There are exceptions of course.  We salute those.  But what political leader can stand up and say, “My party is the party of principles".	  The party of Kennedy is the party of Eastland.  The party of Javits is also the party of Goldwater.  Where is our party?	  Where is the political party that will make it unecessary to have Marches on Washinton? <br />
<br />
Where is the political party that will protect the citizens of Albany, Georgia.  <br />
Do you know that in Albany, Georgia., nine of our leaders have been indicted, not by Dixicrats, but by the Federal Government for peaceful protest.  But what did the Federal Government do when Albany's Deputy Sheriff beat Attorney C.B. King and left him half-dead?  What did the Federal Government do when local police officials kicked and assaulted the pregnant wife of Slater King, and she lost her child. <br />
<br />
To those who have said, be patient and wait, we must say that we cannot be patient, we do not want to be free gradually. We want our freedom and we want it now.  We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We do not
Text of speech given by John Lewis at March on Washington, August 28, 1963. This is a draft with subtle differences from the official speech given to leave out some aggressive wording.

A form letter.  Handwritten entries within brackets.<br />
[October 21]<br />
Dear [Sheila Michaels]:<br />
This note serves as confirmation that on [November 23] you have been scheduled to:<br />
be a Service Leader (English; directions)<br />
be a Ba'al Tefillah (Hebrew; singing)<br />
(with _______________;  Drash:___________________)<br />
X deliver a Drash (weekly Torah portion: [Vayetze]) <br />
(Service Leaders: [Not yet assigned])<br />
Other: ___________________<br />
If this information is not correct, please notify: <br />
Jack Greenburg<br />
201/865-0360 or 212/640-4009<br />
immediately (or a Religious Committee member who is responsible for your participation). If you cannot fulfill your commitment, it is your responsibility to notify the above person as soon as possible and to help find a replacement. <br />
The Synagogue thanks you for volunteering for services. <br />
[Jack]<br />
For the Religious Committee<br />
Please note:<br />
Please remind the service leaders that you are delivering the Drash. A copy of your Drash would be appreciated for the CBST archives. Enclosed is a copy of the formalized Draft guidelines.<br />
[Please review your completed drash with Harry  Lutrin and me by November 9.]
Form used to serve as confirmation of Sheila Michaels delivering a midrash at Beth Simchat Torah Temple.

[Hebrew Star of David Graphic] Congregation Beth Simchat Torah<br />
GAY & LESBIAN SYNAGOGUE NEWS<br />
BOX 1270 NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016 [Hebrew Star of David Graphic]<br />
<br />
SIVAN/ TAMUZ  5748/ JUNE 1988<br />
<br />
CBST PRIMARY FORUM SPARKS LIVELY DEBATE<br />
The Friday night Oneg program on April 15 was a forum on the New York State Democratic Presidential Primary.  Oneg Committee Bruce Lynn invited the three active candidates to participate, and each campaign sent a representative.  Carol Bellamy, former President of the New York City Council and now an investment banker, represented the campaign of Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.  Sheldon Ranz, a member of Jewish-Americans for Jackson ’88, spoke for the campaign of Reverend Jesse Jackson.  The third speaker was Michael Veit, one of the state chairmen for the campaign of Tennessee Senator Albert Gore, Jr.  CBST Board member Art Leonard was moderator for the program.<br />
<br />
Each of the representatives presented a brief opening statement on behalf of his or her candidate, and the floor was thrown open for questions, which ranged over a wide variety of topics, including nuclear power and the environment, the Middle East, the economy, and lesbian and gay rights.  All three representatives stated that their candidates would support a national gay rights bill, although Mr. Veit acknowledged that Senator Gore is not a co-sponsor of the bill now pending in Congress.<br />
Questioned about Governor Dukakis’ controversial position on the rights of gays to be foster parents, Ms. Bellamy stated that she disagreed with the governor on this issue, but believed that, overall, his experience in government and support for gay rights legislation in Massachusetts weighed in his favor.<br />
Much of the questioning was directed to Mr. Ranz, who attempted to explain why, in his view, members of the CBST should be supporting the Jackson campaign.  He emphasized the candidate’s positions on gay issues, and asserted that many of Jackson’s positions on the Middle East situation were shared by vocal elements in Israel and the American Jewish community.  Most of the audience did not appear particularly convinced by his arguments.<br />
In the election held April 19, Governor Dukakis captured a majority of the votes and delegates statewide.  Reverend Jackson obtained about 37% of the votes, but carried three New York City boroughs.  Senator Gore received about 10% of the vote and was apparently eliminated from further consideration as a candidate for President.<br />
CBST does not endorse political candidates.  Our policy has been to invite all candidates in contested races affecting our community to speak in a forum setting so that our members and guests will have an opportunity to become informed on the candidates’ positions before they vote.  We hope to provide similar forums in the fall, when there will be important contested races for the Presidency, congressional seats, and the state legislature.<br />
Arthur S. Leonard<br />
<br />
LETTER OF PROTEST<br />
April 21, 1988<br />
His Excellency Sir Antony Acland<br />
British Ambassador<br />
British Embassy<br />
3100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW<br />
Washington, DC 20008<br />
Excellency:<br />
As the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, New York’s Gay and Lesbian Synagogue, I am writing to protest in the strongest possible terms the enactment of Clause 29 of the Local Government Bill.  This legislation, the open ended text of which would prohibit local authorities from participating in the  “promotion of homosexuality,” is nothing more than legalized discrimation again Gay men and Lesbians.  As Jews, committed to the Biblical command to seek justice and relieve the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17), we cannot decry this legislation too strenuously.<br />
Continued on page 5<br />
<br />
[Box with text] Special Congregational Meeting<br />
Friday June 17<br />
8:00 PM<br />
(After FAMILY & FRIENDS DINNER)<br />
To Vote on New 7-Year Lease
Congregation Beth Simchat Torah Gay & Lesbian Synagogue News from June 1988

Brochure Cover<br />
Text Reads, "Congregation Beth Simchat Torah Proudly Presents Its Offering of Jewish<br />
Education Courses Fall, 1988".
Brochure for Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, New York City, 1988

A black woman wearing shorts and a print blouse stands in front of the Mrs. Victoria Jackson Gray Campaign Headquarters in Hattiesburg, Mississippi during Freedom Summer 1964
Black and white photograph of Mrs. Victoria Jackson Gray Campaign Headquarters during Freedom Summer in Hattiesburg, MS 1964

Civil Rights Activist Marion Barry looks straight at the camera with a thoughtful gaze. He is wearing a white button-down shirt, to the left is a man looking off-camera and to his right is a partial view of a news camera.  
Photograph of Marion Barry in 1965 at Assembly of Unrepresented People, Washington, D.C.

Shiki Sushi business card.  Hand-drawn card in black, white, and red.  Shiki Sushi is spelled in red letters.  Text in black lettering reads 1590 2nd Ave. (bet. 82nd and 83rd St.) (212) 650-1694.  TAKE OUT.  There is a sushi chef behind the sushi counter.  Two sushi plates are to his left and a sake carafe and cup are to his right.  There is a large red paper lantern with Japanese lettering on the right.  The foreground is diners from different walks of life.
Front of Business Card for Hikaru Shiki's husband of Sheila Michael's sushi restaurant

Copyright Sheila Michaels, New York 1993<br />
16 September 1993<br />
ROSH HASHANAH<br />
	This holiday, which we familiarly call Rosh HaShanah, “Head of the Year”, or “The Head of The Change” – in it’s primary, literal meaning—is known in Torah (Leviticus 23:24) only as - followed by Hebrew letters The Memorial of the Trumpet Blast.  Not any blast but the sounding of Alarm.  Teruah signals the Israelites to resume their journey in the Wilderness.  It is also an alarm or war.  Whenever it is sounded, the Israelites must go forth, prepared to face hardship, the foe, or good fortune.  But when the trumpet of alarm is sounded and they go forth to unknown dangers, they’re not alone.  G-d promises Moses (Numbers 10:9) that when the Teruah is sounded for war, that the Israelites will : ‘be remembered of G-d, & saved.’ Which is a reason to call it “The Day of Remembrance”.  The rest is Commentary.  All the laws & customs of Rosh HaShanah over the millenia are accretions to these very small verses.  The revelation to Moses for our observation of this festival is that we are to observe it with Sabbath rest, & that it is known to G-d as the day of The Remembrance of the Blast of Alarm: the …Hebrew letters.  That is the name we are given for it.<br />
	This is sublime poetry.  The alarm signals the beginning of our journey, for in Judaism when we remember, we relive, as on Passover.  We set forth into the Wilderness ahead, while we remember the past journeys into the Wilderness.  A Sabbath is set aside for us as a time to relive and re-enact.  The alarm is sounded for us, we are alerted that it is time for the camp to set forward & begin our journey.  The signal is sounded on a day of Sabbath rest:  the Sabbath of the Memorial of the Trumpet Alarm.  This is a day of remembering & reliving our journey in the Wilderness – the Wilderness we entered after the Waters were parted for us.  The personal Wilderness we entered after our Mother’s Waters parted for us, & the collective Wilderness of the Jewish people after slavery when we became free & responsible.  When one is no longer a slave, but is responsible for one’s own actions, one enters a Wilderness.  The possibilities for mistakes are limitless.  One can abandon one’s moral precepts & fall into error or one can hew too closely to one’s precepts & fall into error: or one can miss the point completely & err through misunderstanding.  These are some of the great problems of living as a free being.  The Israelites erred in all these ways, & most of them suffered very greatly for it.<br />
	There is also—for those of us who survived to this day—the Wilderness of the immediate past year, personally & communally.  But, the blast of alarm is the signal to set forward, into the coming year, with blind faith that we will be led through the Wilderness before us.  Remember, though, that the entire
Midrash written by Sheila Michaels for Rosh Hashanah.

Envelope of light blue Indian Aerogramme, from Sheila Michaels to Mr. & Mrs. H.H. Kessler. There is a dark blue rhino stamp in the lower left corner of the receiver section and an Indian red plane stamp in the upper right corner that has been postmarked. There are red and dark blue stripes around the border and between the receiver and sender address sections. The receiving address reads "Mr. & Mrs. H.H. Kessler #7 Dromara Road St. Louis, Missouri U.S.A.". The sender address reads "Sheila Michaels c/o Pask Restoute, GPO. Delhi, India". Text written along the left side of the sender section reads "They (illegible) to the gods here & eat it - that for your (illegible) testimonials."
Letter from Sheila Michaels in Delhi India to her parents in the United States.
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