For Immediate Release
March 1, 2024
WRJ Executive Committee: We Will Never Be Silent in the Fight for Women’s Rights and Bodily Integrity, against Sexual Assault and Violence, and for a Democratic and Jewish State
New York -- In line with its legacy of supporting Jews in the land known today as Israel, and in response to the violence against women on October 7, 2023, Women of Reform Judaism's Executive Committee released a statement in support of the Jewish state and democratic values.
Within the statement it states, "True to our legacy of Zionism, women’s advocacy, and the fight for social justice, today WRJ stands in solidarity with Israel as it defends its homeland against Hamas and the false narratives created, supports the families of the hostages, and mourns the human suffering being inflicted by this war on the innocent victims of violence, including gender-based violence. And, because of our Reform Jewish religious values, we do so while also working to ensure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state."
The full statement references WRJ's recent solidarity mission to Israel where WRJ leaders bore witness to the recent attacks firsthand by visiting with families of hostages, those who are now displaced within their own country, those who have lost family members and friends and all surrounding neighbors, and civil society leaders trying to find peace in a time so full of anger and darkness.
The statement closes with several calls to action. The Executive Committee of the Women of Reform Judaism calls on WRJ, its members and affiliated groups to:
- Continue to raise their voices directly and publicly, and call upon their representatives, governments, and fellow advocates in feminist and anti-violence spaces as well as the United Nations to:
- Validate, bear witness to, and support the accounts of Israeli women victimized on October 7th and in captivity.
- Denounce all acts of sexual-based and gender-based violence carried out against women and people of all genders during this war and beyond.
- Oppose the intentional or inadvertent undoing of progress made in the protection and belief of victims and survivors of gender-based violence through the re-imposition of new and higher standards of proof.
- Call for the immediate release of the remaining hostages. Act now.
- Validate, bear witness to, and support the accounts of Israeli women victimized on October 7th and in captivity.
2. Live the values expressed in the title of our solidarity mission, “We Will Not Be Silent,” by working to ensure that the names and images of the hostages and their plight remains a focus until every hostage is home.
3. Continue the work on combatting gender-based violence as stated in WRJ’s 2021 resolution on gender-based violence.
4. Continue to pursue peace and advocate for a two-state solution even in these most difficult and challenging hours, as stated in “The Moment We Are In, The Future We Pray For.”
5. Continue to educate ourselves, our congregations, and our partners in women’s rights and human rights about these truths and about the hostages, using this statement and resources including WRJ’s post-October 7 “Supporting Israel from Afar” resource.