RAC Round-up: Looking Back on June

As June comes to a close, I've been compiling press clips of stories the RAC has appeared in throughout the month. Let's take a look back at what we've been working on for the past few weeks, shall we?

June 2: Doonesbury angers Jews and their 'crabby and snarky' old God (The Jewish Journal of Greater L.A)

• Brad Greenberg's God Blog addresses Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury cartoon that drew criticism from the RAC and the Anti-Defamation League for anti-Semitic themes. Plenty of readers chimed in with their own views.
  

June 2: Church-Going 'Martyr' Changes Dynamics of Abortion Debate (Beliefnet.com)

• The RAC's Mark Pelavin talks to Religion News Service's Adele Banks about slain abortion provider Dr. George Tiller and what his death means for the age-old abortion debate between left and right.
  

June 4: Rounding up opinions on Obama in Cairo (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

• JTA compiles the best in Jewish organizational statements on President Obama's much-anticipated speech in Cairo. You can watch a video of Rabbi Saperstein's remarks here.

June 8: Jewish Group Solicits Questions To Supreme Court Nominee (Religion Clause)

• In a quick but to-the-point post, Religion Clause mentions AskJudgeSotomayor.com, the RAC's forum for submitting questions to the Senate Judiciary Committee. All questions will be shared with the committee before Judge Sotomayor's confirmation hearings.
  

June 10: Jewish leaders, museum react to shooting (Washington Post)

• Religion reporter William Wan picked up Rabbi E ric Yoffie's statement on the tragic shooting at the United States Holocaust Museum as part of his compilation of reactions from the day's events.
  

June 11: Is Wright really an anti-Semite? (Boston Globe)

• Religion reporter Manya Brachear takes to her blog, The Seeker, to address recent comments by Rev. Jeremiah Wright that "Them Jews ain't going to let [President Obama] talk to me." The RAC and the Anti-Defamation League weigh in on anti-Semitism.
  

June 14: Jewish leaders join push for torture panel (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

• Fifty-one religious leaders signed a letter to the administration calling for a commission of inquiry to investigate U.S.-sponsored torture since the 9/11 attacks.
  

June 16: Union of Reform Judaism Supports Settlement Freeze (Yglesias)

• Popular blogger Matthew Yglesias picks up the Union for Reform Judaism's newly adopted resolution on peace in the Middle East. A lively reader conversation has evolved out of comments on the post.
  

June 18: Rabbis join Saperstein for Darfur fast (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

• More than 80 rabbis across the United States, Canada, Mexico, England and Israel joined Rabbi Saperstein in a water-only fast to call attention the atrocities in Darfur. Visit rac.org/darfur for more.
  

June 23: Jewish Darfur activists see White House moving in right direction (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

• Rabbi Saperstein and Ruth Messinger of American Jewish World Service analyze the Obama administration's work thus far on Darfur. Saperstein and Messinger fasted earlier this month to bring attention to the issue.
  

June 25: Senate holds hearing on Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill (Dallas Voice)

• Rabbi Saperstein submitted written testimony last week in support of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill, which the Reform Movement has long supported.
  

June 25: People of faith gather to demand universal health care (The Catholic Review)

• Last Wednesday's Interfaith Service of Witness and Prayer for health care reform was attended by more than 1,000 health care reform supporters of all religious denominations.