1001 Plandome Road 
Plandome, NY 11030
(516) 627-6274 Email: rsns@optonline.net
Social Action Committee News
January 2004
While as Jews we are permitted – even obligated – to intrude on individual freedoms when that intrusion is necessary in preventing a loss of life, Jewish law has always mandated the protection of individual privacy. We are also obligated, as Jews, to protect the rights of immigrants. The Bible mandates equality under the law: “There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you” (Exodus 12:49). Therefore, it requires constant vigilance to assure that the fine line between ensuring our safety and eroding our basic freedoms is never crossed. Please contact your Representatives and Senators and urge them to protect our freedom by opposing these three PATRIOT Act expansions – the Pretrial Detention and Lifetime Supervision of Terrorists Act, the Antiterrorism Tools Enhancement Act, and the Terrorist Penalties Enhancement Act. Urge your Senators to correct the “sneak and peak” provision of the PATRIOT Act by adopting a Justice Department spending fix. Encourage your Congressperson to help foster careful debate of anti-terrorism legislation. To reach your Members of Congress by phone, you can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. To send an email or letter to your representatives via our Legislative Action Center, go to www.rac.org.
While recent official and unofficial moves towards peace have provided a glimmer of hope for Israel, the situation is too volatile to predict which peace initiatives will still be contending for support at the time this article is written. We simply ask that you keep yourselves aware of any moves towards securing peace and safety for all residents of the land of Israel, and lend your voice to those that you feel are worthy of your support.
Save the Date! Stay tuned for up-to-date information about our synagogue’s participation in the March for Freedom of Choice, April 25, 2004, Washington D.C.