Back in Action

BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Detroit Jews for Justice is looking forward to reinvigorated postCOVID activism under new leadership.

The organization was started in 2014 by Congregation T’chiyah in Oak Park, which hired Rabbi Alana Alpert to work half-time as its spiritual leader and half–time as the director of Detroit Jews for Justice.

Last year, Alpert announced her intention to pull back from Detroit Jews for Justice (DJJ) in order to devote her attention to the congregation, and the organization named Allie Zeff, who had been working as its community organizer, as its new executive director. A few months later, DJJ announced the appointment of Elijah Silver as its organizer for campaigns and education. Zeff and Silver are excited about reinvigorating the organization after COVID kept its supporters from doing much in person during the past two years. They are preparing to undertake a major campaign in support of reproductive rights in Michigan.

If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the right to abortion established by Roe vs. Wade in 1973, Michigan’s 1931 law banning abortion will become effective once again — unless the state legislature enacts new legislation.

DJJ is working with 35 other organizations, including ACLU of Michigan, Michigan Voices and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, on a ballot initiative that will protect women’s reproductive freedom, including the right to abortion. They are currently circulating petitions to get the measure on the ballot. “I’m really excited about it,” Zeff said.

Both she and Silver followed “unconventional paths to activism,” Zeff said.

Zeff, 30, lives in Hamtramck with her husband, Gabe Slabosky, and newborn son, Ori. She grew up in Skokie, Ill., and studied music education at Western Michigan University.

While teaching music in Detroit elementary schools, she developed a heightened sense of political activism because, she said, she saw “systems of oppression played out on children” — problems like insufficient housing, clean water and public transportation.

When she attended a DJJ meeting, she felt she had found her spiritual home. Community activism seemed a good way to address the powerlessness felt by many Detroiters.

For several years she was a DJJ volunteer and joined its minuscule staff in 2018. She started her current job Jan. 1.

Silver, 41, grew up in Santa Rosa, Calif., earned a degree in international studies and political economy from Humboldt State University, and started working as a tutor and leader of after-school science work-

shops, later earning a doctor of naturopathy degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland. After moving to the Detroit area with wife Emily Silver eight years ago, Silver worked with children with neurological disorders but yearned to do more in the area of social justice — and also to do more in the Jewish world. “DJJ checked all the boxes,” said Silver, who lives in Ferndale and started the new job in February. Zeff said she’s proud that Detroit Jews for Justice has been able to build trusting partnerships with other social justice organizations in southeastern Michigan, including the People’s Water Board Coalition, the Coalition for Property Tax Justice and groups working for immigrant rights. By creating a “Jewish seat at the table,” DJJ has developed “thoughtful solidarity” with other organizations, she said. DJJ will strive to present the reproductive rights initiative from a Jewish perspective, she said. Starting last year, DJJ coordinated a 10-month workshop series on racial justice with five area congregations: Temple Emanu-El, the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, Temple Kol Ami, Temple Shir Tikvah and Congregation T’chiyah. After the series ends in June, participants will bring what they learned to their congregations. Zeff says DJJ has a dedicated core of 200 volunteers but connects informally with thousands more. Hundreds attended its March 20 Purim celebration, held outdoors at Detroit’s Allie Zeff Marble Bar.

DJJ

Anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about Detroit Jews for Justice is invited to contact Silver at elijah@detroitjewsforjustice.org.