Behind the Ballot Box: On Homelessness (with Rabbi Noah Farkas)

With Election Day rapidly approaching, there are many issues of concern to each voter before they cast their ballot. But the Jewish voter is not monolithic. In each episode of “Behind the Ballot Box: Jewish Values and Our Vote,” Rabbi Jesse Olitzky speaks to rabbis and Jewish communal professionals about a specific issue at stake in this election and why they believe it should be front and center in the minds of voters.

Host Rabbi Jesse Olitzky of Congregation Beth El in South Orange, NJ speaks with Rabbi Noah Farkas of Valley Beth Shalom in Los Angeles, California about how the Jewish community should help the homeless in this country. Rabbi Farkas is an appointed commissioner and former Chairperson of the LA Homelessness Services Authority and recently led a two-year campaign to address homelessness in Los Angeles county, galvanizing a coalition of faith-based communities. They discuss how despite what we teach in our tradition, the Jewish community too often treats our homeless neighbors as invisible, and how to respond especially now during a pandemic and economic downturn, in which the homeless or near-homeless population has increased and the number of shelters have decreased. Their conversation highlights what ethics and values of Jewish tradition should guide our thinking before voting in November’s election, when considering how to help the most vulnerable.

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