GBIO

Since 2003, Dorshei Tzedek has been a member of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO). GBIO is a broad-based coalition of area churches, synagogues, mosques, unions and community development corporations that have built a loving and action-oriented community on the basis of shared values and a strong commitment to economic justice. GBIO is one of the only organizations in the area that brings people together across racial, ethnic and religious lines in relationships of equality to work together toward a common vision of justice.

Dorshei Tzedek’s institutional commitment to GBIO includes a significant annual financial commitment (1% of our annual operating budget) and an agreement to send significant membership representation to GBIO actions at which key elected officials and leaders of important financial institutions are asked to listen to our leadership and make concrete and specific commitments to our agenda.

The GBIO's primary focus for 2019-2020  is a “Refounding” effort, which seeks to bring into membership more faith communities and other organizations representing a broader spectrum of diversity - racial, ethnic, and economic than it currently represents.  With much of its energy going in that direction, the GBIO Strategy Team decided to hold only one major campaign over this next year and that will be Health Care Reform. Clergy and some constituent congregations may also be working on housing and securing drivers’ licenses for undocumented immigrants, but the major effort will be on Health Care Reform.

CDT’s GBIO team is shaping up well for the year with Louise Enoch and Tony Broh as the new “Co-Liaisons” and Rob Saper as the new Health Care “Co-Captain” joining our long time Health Care leader Paul Hattis.  Alan Epstein has joined the Strategy Team of GBIO (similar to a board of directors) and is working on some new directions. Our clergy continue to participate with the clergy team, which includes clergy from most of the membership congregations.

Interested CDT members have met with the GBIO co-liaisons and health care co-captains at three scheduled meetings during July and August.  These gatherings begin our in-house effort to engage our members around the health care reform campaign and to prepare them for the “Teach-In,” scheduled for September 5.  At that event, GBIO leaders will share initiatives about proposed legislation on the price of prescription drugs, mental health insurance, and out-of-pocket medical costs. The “Teach-in” will help inform the Greater Boston community about the specific legislation for presentation to the governor, state legislators, and other public officials to be held at subsequent meetings.

GBIO and the Community Preservation Act

The Community Preservation Act was approved overwhelmingly in Boston, in part as a result of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization’s “get out the vote” efforts. CDT worked with GBIO to ensure that Boston voted for the ballot initiative to obtain Affordable Housing, Parks and Recreation, and Historic Preservation. The average property owner in Boston will pay $24 per year for the CPA. Thanks to all CDT Bostonians who voted in support and to all who asked Bostonians to support the measure. Yasher Koach.

GBIO will hold its next Delegates Assembly on December 1, 2016. This will be a time to celebrate our victory, as well as to ratify a new Criminal Justice plan for the coming legislative session, amongst other efforts.  The Delegates Assembly is an excellent time to experience the workings of this most effective coalition of Mosques, Churches and Synagogues, and to see democracy in action.