June 13th, 2019

Dear Senate Majority Leader Stewart Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senators Monica Martinez, James Gaughran, Kevin Thomas, , , and , and Governor Andrew Cuomo:

As clergy leaders from Long Island, we write to you to urge you in the strongest terms to pass Driver’s Licenses for All, S1747B, before the end of session in 2019.

The three Abrahamic religions each call us to care for the immigrant, the exile and the newcomer, as do other traditions. The Jewish tradition is clear on the treatment of immigrants. We are inspired by our faith that demands of us concern for the stranger in our midst. Leviticus commands, “When strangers sojourn with you in your land, you shall not do them wrong. The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (19:33-34). This teaching permeates Jewish tradition and in all is stated 36 times in the Torah – the most repeated of any commandment. It reminds us of how our ancestors were treated as the stranger, even in Egypt, a land where we lived for generations.

The Christian and Muslim traditions each echoed the prophetic Jewish command to care for immigrants. In the Gospel of Mathew, Jesus lays out this instruction among the criteria for eternal salvation: “For… I was a stranger and you welcomed me…. I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:35-40).

In the Qur’an can be found this admonition: “And those who become [refugees] for the cause of God after they had been oppressed. We verily shall give them goodly lodging in the world, and surely the reward of the hereafter is greater…” (Verse 16:41)

In allowing all New York residents to earn a driver’s license it will ensure we have safer roads across the state, with more drivers who have taken the five hour safe driving course, passed their road test, and purchased insurance, which is why so many law enforcement leaders support this bill. It will also more than pay for itself in fees and taxes, raising an estimated 57 million dollars a year.

Most importantly, as you are aware, across the United States, many undocumented people are not afforded basic protections. The passage of Driver’s Licenses for All would mean everyone, regardless of status, would be able to live our lives with more dignity, and not have to risk deportation every time they go to work, take a child to school or a family member to the doctor or hospital or try to attend a worship service.

Now is the time to turn our values into action, and to ensure that justice for our state’s most vulnerable is neither delayed nor denied. Please use your power to make New York a more merciful, more just place for all of us.

Thank you, (Clergy Leaders of Long Island) (Note: congregation listed for informational purposes only)

Sister Margaret Kavanagh Dominican Sisters Rev Michel Dobbs Amityville, NY Ocean Zendo Bridgehampton, NY Sister Mary Anna Euring Mary Anna Euring Rev. Duncan burns Amityville, NY St. Johns, Huntington Centerport, NY Sister Emily Masse Sisters of St. Dominic Rabbi Lina Zerbarini Amityville, NY Cold Spring Harbor, NY

Sister Patricia DeMarco Sisters of St. Dominic Rabbi Beth Klafter Amityville, NY Temple Beth David Commack, NY Sister Jeanne Clark Dominican Sisters of the Holy Cross Reverend Julie Hoplamazian Amityville, NY Zion Church Douglaston, NY President Helen Kearney Sisters of St. Joseph Cantor/Rabbi Debra Stein Brentwood, NY Jewish Center of the Hamptons East Hampton, NY Sr. Joan Gallagher Sisters of St Joseph Rabbi Ian Silverman Brentwood, NY East Northport Jewish center East Northport, NY Sister Karen Cavanagh, CSJ Sisters of Saint Joseph Br. Paul Fesefeldt Brentwood, NY St. Joseph the Worker Church East Patchogue, NY Sister Rosalie Carven Sisters of St. Joseph Father Martin Curtin Brentwood, NY East Patchogue, NY

Rabbi Andrew Warmflash Rev JoAnn Barrett HERJC Huntington, NY East Rockaway, NY

Rev. Lawrence Swensen Deacon Gail Kertland Long Island Council of Churches St. Mark's Episcopal Church Freeport, NY Islip, NY

Bishop's Vicar Gerardo Romo-Garcia Rabbi Benjamin Herman Hispanic Ministry in the East End Jericho jewish center The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island Jericho, NY Garden City, NY

The Rev. Canon Diocese LI Cantor Nancy Dubin Diocese LI Temple Am Echad Garden City, NY Lynbrook, NY

Rev. Marie A. Tatro Rev. Ned Wight Episcopal Diocese of Long Island UU Congregation at Shelter Rock Garden City, NY Manhasset, NY

Leader Emeritus Arthur Dobrin Rabbi Randy Sheinberg Garden City, NY Temple Tikvah New Hyde Park, NY

Rabbi Janet Liss The Rev. Mark Genszler North Country Reform Temple St Francis Episcopal Church Glen Cove, NY North Bellmore, NY

Rabbi Emeritus Jerome Davidson Rabbi Steven Moss Temple Beth-El Oakdale, NY Great Neck, NY

Rev Canon Joseph Pae Rabbi Neil Schuman All Saints Church Manetto Hill Jewish Center Great Neck, NY Plainview, NY

Rector Roger Joslin Cantor Bradley Hyman Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Temple Chaverim Greenport, NY Plainview, NY

Cantor Israel Gordon Rabbi Debra Bennet Huntington Jewish Center Temple Chaverim Huntington, NY Plainview, NY

Rabbi Susie Moskowitz Huntington, NY Rabbi Jodie Siff Reverend Laurie Cline Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore Metropolitan NY Synod, retired Plandome, NY Riverhead, NY

Rabbi Lee Friedlander Rabbi Marc Gruber Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth Plandome, NY Rockville Centre, NY

Cantor Eric Schulmiller Rabbi Elliot Skiddell The Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth Plandome, NY Rockville Centre, NY

Rabbinical Student Solomon Hoffman Rev. Ronald Richardson Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore St. Anthony of Padua Plandome, NY Rocky Point, NY

Rabbi Adam Fisher Rabbi Uri Allen Port Jefferson Station, NY Temple Beth Sholom Roslyn, NY Rabbi Sam Pollak The Community Synagogue Rabbi Alex Kress Port Washington, NY Temple Sinai of Roslyn Roslyn, NY Rabbi Irwin Zeplowitz The Community Synagogue Rabbi Michael White Port Washington, NY Temple Sinai of Roslyn Roslyn, NY Rabbi Michael Mishkin Temple Beth Israel Rabbi Daniel Geffen Port Washington, NY Temple Adas Israel Sag Harbor, NY Rev David Collins United Methodist Church of Port Washington Rev. Kathryn Jones Calone Port Washington, NY Setauket Presbyterian Church Setauket, NY The Rev. Gary Parker St. Stephen Church Deacon Jean Dougherty Port Washington, NY St Andrews Lutheran church Smithtown, NY Cantor Claire Franco The Community Synagogue Rabbi Jonathan Waxman Port Washington, NY Temple Beth Sholom of Smithtown Smithtown, NY Director Margaret Smyth Riverhead, NY Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky Temple Isaiah The Rev Richard Witt Stony Brook, NY Rural & Migrant Ministry Riverhead, NY Cantor Marcey Wagner Temple Isaiah Stony Brook, NY

Rabbi Stephen Karol Temple Isaiah Stony Brook, NY

Rabbi Jaimee Shalhevet North Shore Synagogue Syosset, NY

Rabbi Rachel Maiman North Shore Synagogue Syosset, NY

Rabbi Judy Cohen-Rosenberg Community Reform Temple Westbury, NY

Isma Chaudhry, Chair Islamic Center of Long Island Westbury, NY

Habeeb Ahmed, President Islamic Center of Long Island Westbury, NY

Rev. Erik Rasmussen Woodbury, NY

Rev. William Brisotti Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church Wyandanch, NY