Sign-on letters

NCJW, Jewish Organizations, and Jewish Clergy Urge Congress to Help, Not Harm, Our Communities

Pass bills that fund vital government programs to uplift our communities, not harm them

Dear Members of the 118th Congress,

The Talmud (Shavuot 39a) teaches that we are all responsible for one another. As such, Jewish tradition emphasizes the importance of honoring every person’s dignity and caring for our communal and social well-being. Our past and present experiences as Jews further underscores our obligation to ensure that all people have what they need to thrive, in solidarity with others. 

This means that our nation’s programs and services must meet the needs of women, children, and families — ensuring they have food to eat, places to call home, safe places to learn, jobs with equal pay and paid sick leave, the ability to love who they want, and health care that is affordable and accessible. But funding for these vital programs and services are being held up in Congress, where some lawmakers are threatening to shut the government down over anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-diversity, education and inclusion amendments. The inclusion of these amendments–and attempts to shut down the government over them–would have disastrous consequences, as these bills must be passed by midnight on September 30.

Funding bills are moral documents; they are opportunities for our nation to show how we treat those that are most vulnerable. Together, we call on Congress to pass bills to fund vital government programs and services that support and enrich our communities rather than harm them.

Respectfully,

National Jewish Organizations

Jewish Clergy

ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Cantor Lauren Furman Adesnik
Ameinu Cantor Sheri Allen
American Jewish World Service Rabbi Laura Bellows
Avodah Rabbi Leah Rachel Berkowitz
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Rabbi Amy B. Bigman
Central Conference of American Rabbis Rabbi Dana Z. Bogatz
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor
IKAR Rabbi Dr. Daniel M. Bronstein
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action Sass Brown, Rabbinical Student
Jewish Center for Justice Rabbi Max Chaiken
Jewish Council for Public Affairs Rabbi Paul F. Cohen
Jewish Democratic Council of America Rabbi Abby Cohen
Jewish Labor Committee Rabbi Stephanie Crawley
Jewish Multilracial Network Rabbi Faith Joy Dantowitz
Jewish Women International (JWI) Rabbi Benjamin David
Keshet Max Davis, Rabbinical Student
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger Rav Tyler Dratch
NA’AMAT USA Rabbi Jessica Dressin
National Council of Jewish Women Rabbi Ellen W Dreyfus
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies Rabbi Elizabeth Dunsker
Rabbinical Assembly Rabbi Judith B. Edelstein
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association Rabbi Nora Feinstein
Shalom Bayit Cantor Devorah Felder-Levy
The Workers Circle Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife
Union for Reform Judaism Rabbi Joshua Fixler
Women of Reform Judaism Rabbi Allison Flash
Women’s Rabbinic Network Rabbi David Gelfand
Rabbi Gary Glickstein
Rabbi Brian Glusman
Rabbi Keren Gorban
Rabbi Lisa S. Greene
Rabbi Michael G. Holzman
Rabbi Mark Hurvitz
Rabbi Jessica Jacobs
Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz
Leah Kiser, Ordained Kohenet
Rabbi Elias Lieberman
Rabbi Sharon Mars
Rabbi Dr. Sabine Meyer
Cantor Sarah Myerson
Rabbi Michael Namath
Cantor Julie Newman
Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch
Rabbi Salem Pearce
Rabbi Hara Person
Rabbi Ethan Prosnit
Rabbi Jennifer Queen
Rabbi Michael Ramberg
Rabbi Stacy Rigler
Rabbi Mira Rivera
Rabbi Shoshana Rosenbaum
Rabbi Francine Roston
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
Rabbi Neil Sandler
Rabbi Simone Schicker
Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
Rabbi Ilana Schwartzman
Rabbi Julie Schwarzwald
Rabbi Scott Shafrin
Rabbi Becky Silverstein
Rabbi-Cantor Alan Sokoloff
Rabbi Raphael E. Spitzer
Rabbi Joshua Strom
Rabbi Jenna Stein Turow
Rabbi Shira Stutman
Rabbi Jessie Wainer
Cantor Risa Wallach
Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg
Rabbi Michael Weiss
Rabbi Marina Yergin
Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel
Rabbi Irwin Zeplowitz
Cantor Michael Zoosman
Rabbi Julie Zupan

 

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