Civil Rights
By Alyson Malinger, 4/11/2018
Columbine High School, April 20, 1999 - 15 dead, 21 injured Virginia Tech University, April 16, 2007 - 33 dead, 23 injured Oikos University, April 2, 2012 - 7 dead, 3 injured Sandy Hook Elementary School, December 14, 2012 - 28 dead, 2 injured Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, February 14, 2018 - 17 dead, 14 injured Will the list continue? On March 24, just over a month after a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student used his legal semi-automatic rifle on his teachers and fellow classmates, Reform Jewish women joined together in every major city in North America to... Read More
By Noah Fitzgerel, 3/01/2018
Late January featured "National School Choice Week," during which proponents of school vouchers worked to promote the visibility of voucher programs around the country. The Trump administration marked the week with great fanfare, including a proclamation from the president. Those who advocate for voucher programs, however, obfuscate the real danger they pose for core constitutional principles and important protections in place for students. School vouchers divert public funds to programs that subsidize the cost of... Read More
By Emanuelle Wirtschafter Sippy, 2/13/2018
In Little Women, Louisa May Alcott wrote, “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” The #MeToo movement has definitely embraced this philosophy —women speaking out honestly, regardless of possible backlash. It is not that we can push our worries aside, but rather its a decision to weather the storms that may come from speaking out because honesty and equity are paramount. The fact that women are distressed and often feel unable to report instances of sexual assault is in and of itself a problem. Throughout history, women have coped with these situations by... Read More
By Julia Weinstein , 1/22/2018
45 years have passed since the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade affirmed a woman’s right to make her own choices about her body and her health. Yet this groundbreaking decision is now facing more threats than ever. In fact, while the right to an abortion is still the law of the land, abortion is available to fewer and fewer women. We have all read news reports of assaults and harassment of abortion patients and clinic employees. More insidious are legislative efforts to restrict access to abortion through TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) laws. These laws impose... Read More
By Allison Grossman, 12/21/2017
The great Jewish philosopher Rambam taught that the law as a whole aims to defend two things: the welfare of the soul and the welfare of the body. Our tradition inspires our belief that government must enact laws that enhance the welfare of both. Unfortunately, over the past weeks, Congressional leaders have focused on passing a harmful tax bill instead of addressing urgent issues that, without action, will endanger the bodies of millions and the soul of our country. Congress should act swiftly to resolve these issues before recessing for the holidays. Congress has placed nearly... Read More
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