The Advocate

( Art by Robert Shetterly ) "To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory." — Howard Zinn Take note and take care.

(Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, 1850 painting by David Roberts) Yavne: a city in the central district of Israel. “For roughly a thousand years, Jewish worship meant bringing sacrifices to the Temple in Jerusalem. Then, in 70 CE, with the Temple about to fall, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai imagined an alternative. He famously asked the Roman Emperor to 'Give me Yavne and its Sages.' From the academies of Yavne came a new form of worship, based on prayer and study. Animal sacrifice, it turned out, was not essential to being a Jew.” But in a larger sense, Yavne means acknowledging “a phase of Jewish history had run its course.” It means that Jews are a living people and part of that process is listening, learning, growing, changing, even or especially when we face our most painful challenges and our most bitter losses. It doesn’t mean abandoning our traditions or community. It doesn’t mean abandoning who we are as a people. Rather, it means embracing what we as a pe...

I'm so excited to announce my support for the campaign of this incredible community organizer, advocate, activist, educator, Alameda County Democratic Party associate, former East Bay Stonewall Democrats Club Board member, and, most importantly, my friend... Celina Reynes for San Leandro City Council! Celina is a third-generation San Leandran, a descendant of Portuguese immigrants, a vibrant member of our LGBTQ+ community, and has been an integral part of the work happening in our city to implement progressive initiatives, from police reform to homelessness to healthcare to the environment to local development. She founded San Leandro for Accountability, Transparency, and Equity ( SLATE ) which successfully jump-started the city's creation of civilian police oversight through a grassroots movement of hundreds of residents, local leaders, and social service organizations. Celina also served on the Community Advisory Budget Task Force (CABTF), including a leadership role in craft...

If you live in San Leandro and don't listen to The Marinade with Lee Thomas, I highly recommend you add it to your list and start digging in with gusto! You can listen to them at Apple Podcasts . Thomas offers a unique blend of delicious BBQ and political discourse. In fact, he might be the only media outlet offering anything remotely resembling real talk about politics in San Leandro. So far his guest have included entertaining and informative appearances from Mayor Cutter, Surlene Grant, Peter Oshinski, and the latest with San Leandro Police Officers' Association President, Mike Olivera. *** Unfortunately, instead of hitting a savory-sweet spot, Olivera comes off as bland as if he was reading from a poorly prepared press release. As usual from the police union, we get the classic copaganda of lies and scare tactics coupled with a complete lack of self-reflection or self-awareness. But this isn't surprising. This is the same Mike Olivera who helped cover up the murder of A...

  "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." - Frank Herbert Take note and take care.

Parnassah: which means livelihood. It's your income and your ability to support yourself. Traditionally, it has meant your "living" in the sense of "making a living." However, as with all Jewish things, there's a deeper meaning. Parnassah is about more than securing the money to survive in society. It's about understanding the worth of our labor, the costs of our trade, and to chose our occupation with care, because "life's barely long enough to get good at one thing. So be careful what you get good at." Learn more here . Take note and take care.

(Credit:  Boise Regional Realtors® ) California’s AB-1466 finally provides a systemic solution to remove racist covenants, conditions, and restrictions from property deeds and it is on Governor Newsom’s desk! Even though these CC&Rs were found to be unconstitutional and unenforceable since 1948, the offensive language persists. Seeing such blatant bigotry in escrow documents is painful, particularly for people of color. While we cannot and should not forget the history of racial exclusion in housing, there is no purpose in keeping this language in people’s property deeds other than causing further harm. It is past time they were removed for good. If you’re wondering about whether all of this is necessary, there are many examples of such covenants on social media local news that highlight exactly why. Here is just one example : "We hear a lot about racially restrictive [covenants] and systemic racism, but have you ever seen an example of it? Well, here’s a snapshot of propert...