History and Goals
WRJ has a long and proud history of advocacy and engagement on public policy issues. We take action based on resolutions, policy statements, and the values of Reform and Progressive Judaism. Since 1913, WRJ has led the Reform Movement in social action advocacy, and our resolutions cover a large array of issues. In 1965, WRJ acknowledged the need for abortion access for the first time in Judaism and the Family, has worked on protecting voting rights since 1944, and fights to protect individuals against gender-based violence, having led an initiative called WRJ Says STOP and standing up for the rights and voices of women and children impacted by the violence of Hamas.
The advocacy plan will outline WRJ’s three high priority issues: reproductive rights and health, gender-based violence, and voting rights. Our organization approaches all these issues through our gender and identity-based lens. WRJ can still respond to issues as they arise, whether they fit into one of these categories or not. These buckets are meant to ground us in our advocacy but not limit us in our efforts. Due to the large scope and speed of social justice issues, these buckets will allow us to make a greater impact and not spread our resources and attention too thin. In setting these priorities, WRJ considered many factors to determine which issues will take precedence, such as: WRJ engagement around the issue, WRJ expertise and contacts, and the impact of our voice on an issue.
While neither antisemitism nor Israel are one of those three noted high priorities, they are inherent in WRJ’s DNA. As a Jewish organization, WRJ will always invest ourselves, care about, and speak on these issues if/when something occurs that calls for our response and action.
High Priority Issues
On high priority issues, WRJ will track and monitor the issue and prepare educational resources and action alerts to inform our members and constituents about the issue. WRJ will provide opportunities to act and use action alerts, social media, and other communication tools to mobilize individual and collective action.
Applying the criteria above to the wide range of issues about which WRJ cares deeply, the following issues are current high priorities in greater detail:
- Reproductive Rights & Health
- Gender-based Violence
- Voting Rights
Reproductive Health & Rights
Gender-Based Violence
Day of Action 2026
Education to Action Approach to Advocacy
WRJ takes an “Education to Action” (E2A) approach to our advocacy work. Education is the key that unlocks the door to effective action and activism. This can range from educational programs to hands-on activities, to lobby visits with members of Congress.
The types of advocacy, education, and action activity WRJ engages may include:
- Educational Resources – Provide issue pages and action roadmaps on our website and share information in the WRJ Social Justice and Advocacy Mighty Networks group. We also provide action alerts, issue briefings, blog posts, articles, and publish a quarterly Advocacy Matters e-Newsletter.
- Conferences and Workshops – Use opportunities where Reform Jewish women are gathered to provide social action or social justice and advocacy education. A great example of this is the Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference of 2025 where individuals were able to choose from a variety of workshops to learn about social justice issues, and then worked with members of their state and district to lobby their members of Congress of a few chosen key issues for WRJ.
- Coalitions, Partnerships and Cooperation – Partner with other organizations on issues of concern. This includes our partnership with the RAC’s various campaigns and state networks, partnering with experts from organizations such as the SRE Network, Keshet, or the Women’s Rabbinic Network, and joining coalitions such as the Jewish Abortion Access Coalition (JAAC), the Faithful Majority for Reproductive Freedom, or the Jewish Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable.
- Public Statements – Statements, resolutions, amicus briefs, letters, testimony—and more—are among the ways WRJ raises its voice in public collective action. The scope of these statements is often broader than our high priorities and often reflect legislation or court cases that arise.