Sleeping under the stars in a makeshift hut for a week, or even a night, reminds Jews of the temporary nature of shelter and material possessions. That’s why some Washington synagogues discussed homelessness and how to address it this Sukkot.
Jews United for Justice partnered with Sixth & I, Bet Mishpachah and Georgetown Jewish Life for discussions inside their respective sukkahs this October.
“Sukkot is all about housing and how we’re housed,” said Isaac Belfer, Bet Mishpachah’s social action chair. “The basic notion of a sukkah is literally a temporary dwelling that we create to commemorate the Jews wandering in the desert. I think the notion of creating the temporary structure every year and then eating and dwelling in the structure forces us to think about where we’re living.”
Belfer said, for this reason, the sukkah was a fitting venue for a presentation on homelessness. Bet Mishpachah held a Sukkot potluck followed by the JUFJ discussion at the Edlavitch DCJCC’s sukkah on Oct. 11.
Kira Doar, Sixth & I’s chief of staff and culture, said that every fall, members of the Northwest D.C. synagogue choose a theme for their sukkah based on an issue they’re passionate about. This year’s theme is ending homelessness in D.C., an issue that hits close to home.
In August, D.C. police led the clearing of more than 40 homeless encampments, and the federal government has threatened fines or jail time if unhoused individuals don’t leave the District.
“This issue has been in the news, and I think people are thinking about [homelessness in D.C.],” Belfer said.
“We want to push back and say, ‘These are our neighbors, and they deserve to be left free of harassment from law enforcement, and they deserve to find housing and shelter in a way that is dignified for them,’” said Jenna Israel, one of JUFJ’s D.C. community organizers.
Sixth & I’s sukkah was decorated with stories and art from Street Sense Media, a weekly newspaper that aims to offer economic opportunities to unhoused people. The synagogue’s “End Homelessness in D.C.” was so large — with 22 attendees plus staff members — that Sixth & I had to move the Oct. 9 event from the sukkah into its building.
Israel spoke with each of the synagogues about the different phases of homelessness, the barriers to accessing housing and how to advocate for the unhoused. She emphasized that homelessness is a policy failure, not a moral one.
“We talked about the process for how someone who is unhoused in D.C. [can obtain] a housing voucher, and how arduous and bureaucratic and complicated and time-intensive that process actually is,” Israel said.
She added that some homeless shelters in the District are overcrowded, especially non-congregate shelters, which offer semi-private rooms. Unlike traditional shelters, the Aston in D.C.’s West End neighborhood used to be a college dormitory.
“Every individual has space, which is really important for a lot of people to feel safe,” Israel said.
The Aston can house up to 190 people. Israel said community members should advocate to Ward 2’s Councilmember Brooke Pinto and Mayor Muriel Bowser to push to expand the Aston.
“JUFJ [organizers] always make a point to have an action item,” Belfer said. “It’s not just giving information, but it’s also telling people how to take action on that.”
The organizers also provided information on how community members can contact their local representatives, such as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, to advocate for support for people experiencing homelessness.
Israel taught how Jewish texts discuss housing rights and the need for people to provide for others in the community, the value of “dai machsor” — “sufficient for everyone’s needs.”
This discussion allows community members to “recognize the certain level of privilege that we currently experience in our city,” Doar said.
“We really wanted people to understand the importance of not turning away from those experiencing homelessness because maybe it’s uncomfortable to think about or it’s hard to look at,” she added.
Sixth & I’s location in the heart of downtown D.C. means that many community members use the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro to access the synagogue two blocks away, according to Doar. The Gallery Place neighborhood has a significant homeless population.
“It’s overwhelming to think about, but we want [our members] to be considering what kind of impact they could have and also understanding themselves as a part of this broader D.C. and Jewish community,” Doar said.
Members of D.C. synagogues put action where their mouths are by collecting toiletries and other essentials for people living in shelters or on the streets. Sixth & I held a toiletry drive to benefit local emergency shelters.
“We really had an overwhelming contribution,” Doar said. “I’m not talking about half-used hotel bottles. People literally stopped at their local pharmacy or grocery store before they came to Sixth & I. We had people who just brought bags full of stuff.”
During the High Holidays, the Bet Mishpachah community fundraises and collects toiletries for N Street Village, a nonprofit organization that supports women experiencing homelessness in D.C. Later this October, the community will participate in N Street Village’s annual SHERO Community Walk.
“I think that people are really energized right now, wanting to learn how they can have an impact in D.C. and in their own neighborhood,” Doar said.
“Hopefully this [event] will be one of the many things that we do to help on that,” Belfer said.
