Interfaith Outreach

Greater Boston Interfaith Organization

The GBIO Working Group is a committee formed in the fall of 2020 to spearhead and guide Emunah’s new membership in the GBIO – Greater Boston Interfaith Organization. The GBIO is a broad-based organization that works for the public good by coalescing, training, and organizing people across religious, racial, ethnic, class, and neighborhood lines. By engaging thousands of people in identifying important problems and using proven organizing methods to engage and develop leaders, GBIO has built and demonstrated collective strength to achieve a wide variety of goals. Every congregational member of GBIO has a GBIO core team, or working group, who represents the values and interests of that congregation in GBIO’s broader platform, and who brings the power of that congregation to fight for systemic change in solidarity with diverse GBIO members across the greater Boston area.

If you are interested in learning more or getting involved in Emunah’s GBIO Working Group, please contact Stan Wolf or Stephen Quatrano.

GBIO Organizing and Outreach Leads to Major Housing Justice Victories

For over a year, the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization community, which includes Temple Emunah, has been working with 52 communities of faith in the Boston area and across the state to fulfill a basic tenant, grounded on our faiths and sacred texts: Everyone deserves safe and affordable housing.

The Massachusetts legislative session has ended, and final versions of the annual state budget as well as the Housing Bond Bill are complete. GBIO’s Housing Justice Campaign has achieved important results toward our housing justice goals:

• Public Housing – The operating budget for state housing authorities has been increased to $113 million! This is a significant increase from last year’s original proposal of $92 million.
• Affordable Homes Act (Housing Bond Bill) – The bond bill includes a $2.2 billion authorization for capital funding for the repair and improvement of public housing units. This is perhaps the largest potential investment in the health of our public housing portfolio in Massachusetts history. It gives Massachusetts the opportunity to make an enormous difference in the lives of over 70,000 of our most vulnerable residents and provides an example for the nation about the importance of safe and decent public housing.

GBIO members’ hard work (organizing, relational meetings, outreach, rallies, In-District Meetings, …) over the past two years has led to this moment. Building relationships with our Senators and Representatives and working together within Temple Emunah and with other congregations has been critical. Thank you to Temple Emunah congregants for your support and participation!

Lexington Interfaith Garden

The Lexington Interfaith Garden was created by the Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association. Volunteers from the different faith groups work at the garden.  The food goes to the Lexington Food Pantry for distribution to needy Lexingtonians.

For more information and to get involved, please contact Larry Marin.