Dear Haverim,
The Biblical Book of Ecclesiastes/Kohelet tells us that there’s “a time to embrace and a time to let go.”
Rep. Katie Porter has been University Synagogue’s Congresswoman for the last six years and she has become a national leader on so many issues, including opposing financial corruption and promoting policies to help families. She’s incredibly knowledgeable and diligent as well as humorous, unpretentious, and fearless.
University Synagogue is so proud that Katie chose to host her first “Town Hall” at our congregation and she has returned to us many times to speak and attend services over the years.
This Friday evening, we will celebrate Katie and be inspired by her talk on “Whose American Democracy?” She will discuss the forces that discourage people from believing in democracy and how Congress/political parties/candidates fail to grapple with that problem.
Rep. Porter represents the 47th Congressional District in Orange County. In Washington, Congresswoman Porter has remained committed to putting families first. As a member of the House Oversight Committee, she’s asked tough questions of bank CEOs and administration officials to hold them accountable to the American people.
She’s a proud member of the House Natural Resources Committee, where she works tirelessly to protect our beaches and public lands and to keep families safe from wildfires and other natural disasters. A member of the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, she is a leading voice for keeping our economy strong, stable, and globally competitive by cracking down on corporate greed, boosting competition, and investing in smart, family-friendly policies.
As a single working mom, Rep. Porter knows firsthand about the challenges that families face. She’s introduced bipartisan legislation that would more than double the amount families can set aside pre-tax to help pay for preschool, summer day camp, before or after school programs, and child or adult daycare. She’s continued to press for restoring more of the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction, which has hit California’s middle-class families especially hard.
Before coming to Congress, Rep. Porter spent nearly two decades taking on the special interests that dominate American politics. A lifelong consumer advocate, she taught bankruptcy law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. As California’s independent watchdog against the banks, she oversaw big banks that had cheated Orange County homeowners to get them to follow through on their promise to help families get back on their feet. As a consumer finance expert, Congresswoman Porter also helped Congress pass the original Credit CARD Act, which enacted federal protections from abusive credit card fees.
Join us this Friday night for a most informative and inspiring talk as well as a chance to thank Katie for her leadership of our country. RSVP Now/Click here.
Shavua Tov/Have a thoughtful week,
Rabbi Arnie Rachlis
