Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
Awarding the 14th Annual Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award to Rabbi Bonnie Margulis.
Body
WHEREAS, the Madison Common Council created the Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award in memory of Jeffrey Erlanger's great contributions to the City of Madison; and,
WHEREAS, the Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award Committee has selected Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, an individual who exemplifies the values that are fundamental to this award and were so admirably demonstrated by Jeff Erlanger during his lifetime, as recipient of the 2020 award; and,
WHEREAS, Rabbi Bonnie is a faith leader who brings passion, knowledge, wisdom, and humility to every endeavor; who cares for all people regardless of faith, color or ethnicity; and who has engaged in important social justice work that has made a significant impact on both the Madison community and the State of Wisconsin; and,
WHEREAS, Rabbi Bonnie is the founder, president and executive director of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice (WFVJ), a state-wide interfaith organization working toward social and economic justice, which was formed in 2011 “to raise the progressive religious voice in support of low-income and underserved populations”; and,
WHEREAS, WFVJ, under Rabbi Bonnie’s leadership and in partnership with Voces de la Frontera and Centro Hispano of Madison, developed the Dane Sanctuary Coalition in 2017 “to assist vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities by providing physical sanctuary and other services as needed and by engaging in advocacy, direct action, education, and trainings on immigrant rights”; and,
WHEREAS, WFVJ, upon receiving a grant, partnered with the Wisconsin Council of Churches to launch the Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign to promote non-partisan civic engagement education and voter outreach, focusing on under-represented and disenfranchised voters in Wisconsin and elsewhere; and,
WHEREAS, Rabbi Bonnie has connected and partnered with many other community organizations, including the African American Council of Churches, the NAACP, the Urban League of Greater Madison, and We Are Many - United Against Hate.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Rabbi Bonnie Margulis has been chosen to receive the 14th Annual Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and the Common Council of the City of Madison, Wisconsin, congratulate and thank Rabbi Bonnie for all she has done, and continues to do, for our Madison community.