WRJ has been at the forefront of social justice advocacy work in the Reform Movement for more than 100 years. In that vein, the 2021 WRJ Resolutions Committee is excited to propose two new Resolutions to WRJ. Here is everything you need to know about this year’s WRJ resolutions. What are WRJ Resolutions? Resolutions are statements of WRJ’s concerns, views, and values. Resolutions are the way we create WRJ policy enabling us to take public policy positions on issues of urgency and relevance and support activities around these issues. How are WRJ Resolutions created?... Read More
Today, January 22, is the 48th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. For nearly half a century, Roe has afforded countless Americans moral agency and bodily autonomy. Today, the future of reproductive rights is under threat, a result of hundreds of federal and state restrictions and court decisions that have chipped away at Roe. Even in my home state of Massachusetts, a state often lauded as an example in the struggle for reproductive rights, there have been significant restrictions on abortion rights since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The... Read More
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For nearly three decades, the Reform Movement has honored this month as an important time to raise awareness about the pervasive nature of domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV), provide resources to those currently experiencing abuse, and discuss the moral imperative to work to eradicate domestic violence from our communities. Between a global pandemic, nationwide cries for justice against police brutality, and an election season like no other, it’s not surprising that Domestic Violence Awareness Month has barely made... Read More
“A ruler is not be appointed unless the community is first consulted.” - Rabbi Yitzchak Ben Yehuda ibn Gayyat Every Voice, Every Vote: The Reform Movement’s 2020 Civic Engagement Campaign launched in May, and since then, we’ve been busy mobilizing our communities, combatting voter suppression, and engaging student voters. The end of election season is fast approaching, but our work is not done yet. There’s still time to make a difference and ensure every voice is heard and every vote is counted this election. 1. REGISTER TO VOTE. Are you registered to vote? Check your... Read More
From 2013 until 2017, I was honored to serve as a political appointee in President Obama’s White House. In my role in the Domestic Policy Council’s Office of Urban Affairs, Justice, and Opportunity, I entered the White House gates each morning with the responsibility of expanding and protecting the civil rights of all people in our country. On any given day, we could have been working to coordinate better services for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness, expand access to voting rights, reform the criminal justice system, and close the pay gap for women--just to name a few. In... Read More