Madison’s Jewish Congregations for Social Justice (JCSJ) is pleased to announce that Linda Ketcham, Executive Director of Madison-area Urban Ministry (MUM) will speak to our community on “Criminal Justice System in the Quest for Racial Equity”.

Linda’s talk will cover racial disparities within the Dane County Justice System and how we as a community can respond. One of the very relevant programs sponsored by MUM is the Circle of Support Program.

The Circle of Support program, developed in 2003, utilizes groups of four to six community volunteers, recruited, screened, and trained by MUM, to meet weekly with someone newly released from prison. Circle of Support offers a respectful, positive and supportive environment for the Core Team Member (the person newly released) as he/she adjusts to the demands and challenges of everyday life on the outside. The program is effective because it provides a space for someone re-entering the community to be heard, to be encouraged and to be respected.

Madison-area Urban Ministry has been a leader in social justice in Madison for over 40 years. MUM has successfully incubated and spun off over 25 community organizations and projects. MUM provides support to men and women returning from prison and assists children affected by parental incarceration. The organization’s new project is the Healing House which will offer 24/7 medical respite care for families who are homeless and have an immediate family member in need of ongoing medical recovery.

[If you want some additional background, Linda Ketcham recommends reading: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (recently the Big Read choice for UW-Madison) or The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.]

The Jewish Congregations for Social Justice is a joint project of the social action committees of Beth Israel Center, Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, and Temple Beth El. We work together to expand our capacity for social action, build new connections, and provide a Jewish volunteer presence in the larger community.

For more information about Madison’s Jewish Congregations for Social Justice see our website at: jewishcongregationsforsocialjustice.org. For more information on Madison-area Urban Ministry (MUM) go to their website: emum.org.