Boston Area Social Justice Group Goes Online For 'Shmoozefest'

BROOKLINE, MA — Up until recently in Brookline some 70 people were meeting in the United Parish on Harvard Street for "Activist Mondays," sponsored by Jewish Alliance For Law and Social Justice Impact, a local political organization based in Boston and Brookline.

But when the governor limited gatherings last week, it was unclear about what it would mean for the dozens who gathered to work on voting related projects together - from reaching out to people in battleground states to make sure they were registered to vote to community building.

So, as many non-profit groups and activist groups are doing, JALSA organizers turned to tech to help keep members and the community connected.

"We wanted to stay relevant in these times when it's so easy to feel isolated and this was a way to reach out and let people know we are still here," said JALSA director Cindy Rowe. "And really just stay in touch with our humanity."

Enter: "Shmoozefest."

Organizers are hosting an hour of conversation, music, and comedy in an effort to create community in a virtual space. They're inviting anyone to join noon on Tuesdays via online conference call site Zoom.

"We can't let ourselves not stay in touch with our human side with all that's happening out there," Rowe told Patch.

The first Shmoozefest will feature former MA Gov. Michael Dukakis, who is sheltering in place in California. He was the only governor aside from Baker to ever issue a shelter-in-place order. It was for the Blizzard of 1978. Political commentator Michael Goldman, musician Sue Horowitz, and former "60 Minutes" humorist Jimmy Tingle will round out the hour.

Rowe said she hopes the hour - which will be recorded and posted on the group's website later - will help bring neighbors together and she expects the new community space will extend beyond the immediate crisis. .

"Especially in the non-profit space, we are really rethinking our approach and adapting outreach and relation-building in a time when we can't be face to face," she said.

In addition to the Tuesday Shmoozefests, the organization will be taking its voter registration project for Activist Mondays online. In the future, she said, they may offer study sessions for social justice issues through the lens of Jewish texts.

"Right now," she said, "It's all new and strange, and we don't exactly know how long this is going to happen or go for, and we just wanted to make sure that people had a place where they can get together in an informal setting even if it's just online and build community and part of an ongoing social justice community."

By Zoom you can use this link: https://zoom.us/j/271644617

To join by phone call 1-646-876-9923 and then enter code 271644617#