Dear Boulder County Community,
The Haver Rabbinic and Cantorial Council is a group of 17 Jewish clergy who serve congregations, people, and communities across Boulder County. We are diverse in our religious practices, political perspectives, and approaches to public life. Yet we are united in our moral alarm at the conduct of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in American cities.
People, often citizens, are stopped on the street or dragged out of their cars, with a demand of identification, without reasonable suspicion of any criminal behavior. Young and old are jailed for days on no charge, without necessary medicine, without adequate food, and without regular access to bathrooms. The use of unmarked vans. Masked officers. Families taken without notice or access to legal counsel. These violations have deadly consequences. They are not the actions of a just society or a law-abiding government. They are actions that create fear and silence. Our constitution enshrines rights to due process to all persons residing in our nation’s border. And whether immigrants are in this country illegally should have no bearing on how they are treated as human beings. Even as we acknowledge the intent of reducing crime in America, we believe the described actions endanger the ethical fabric of American democracy.
This moment calls for moral clarity. And while news cycles move fast, the questions we are wrestling with are timeless:
• How do we hold on to hope when the world feels bleak?
• What can we do individually or together?
• How do we grieve the loss or suffering of people we don’t know?
• How do we care for ourselves when our own trauma is stirred—when we see badges that recall fascist regimes or hear the language of roundups and removal?
• How can we be kind to our neighbors, and remain attentive to the stranger?
The Torah commands: “You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the soul of the stranger, having been strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9)
Learning to live into this is part of our journey as Jews. This command to love the stranger shows up at least 36 times in the Torah, more than any other command. Our prophets remind us: “What does God require of you? To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
We are living in a time when it takes courage to be human and to speak up. As Hillel says, “If not now, when?”
We ask our fellow residents of Boulder County:
- Support immigrant-led organizations.
- Speak out against cruelty, wherever you see it.
- Offer compassion to the vulnerable—and vigilance to power.
- Call and write to your congress members and let them know how you feel – that abuses of power are dangerous to us all, and their constituents are taking notice.
1. Support immigrant-led organizations like: Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) – Advocates for immigrant rights and provides resources for affected individuals.
2. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) – Offers legal support and community organizing against ICE actions.
3. Interfaith Alliance of Colorado – Mobilizes faith communities to stand against unjust immigration policies.
4. The Denver Immigrant Rights Coalition – Focuses on local advocacy and support for immigrant families facing deportation.
5. Mi Familia Vota – Engages and empowers the Latino community through civic participation and advocacy.
6. United We Dream – A national network with local chapters that fights for the rights of undocumented immigrants.
With concern and commitment,
Haver Boulder Council of Rabbis and Cantors
You can respond at https://boulderhaver.org/contact/
Call and write to your congress members.