The Power of Acting Together

“The passion for social justice is reflected in the ancient words of our prophets and sages and in the declarations of our Movement’s leaders throughout its history. The ancient command ‘Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof! Justice, justice, shall you seek!’ constantly reverberates in our ears. It has become deeply embedded in the Reform Jewish psyche.”  – Rabbi Marla J. Feldman

These words from WRJ Executive Director Emerita Rabbi Marla Feldman are as true today as when she wrote them nearly two decades ago. Part of an essay Rabbi Feldman penned during her time as the Director of the Commission on Social Action, a position I am honored to hold today, they also provide a foundation for the upcoming Social Justice Conference that bears Rabbi Feldman’s name. I hope you will join us in Washington, D.C. this April to continue giving life to these words that embody who we are as Reform Jews.  

The urgency of the moment is as clear as the stories calling out to us daily: trans rights under attack, immigration raids in communities across North America, climate disasters displacing thousands at home and abroad, abortion access ended and physicians targeted for legal persecution, health care coverage at risk. Each development is heart wrenching; together, they leave us feeling overwhelmed.  

But we are not powerless. Together, we can build and leverage our strength to stop assaults on the values we hold dear and start making real the more just world we envision. That work is already happening in congregations and communities across our movement, and by coming together at the WRJ Social Justice Conference in April, we can bolster it and each other.  

We have seen the impact we can have when we act together as a movement. WRJ was vital to the success of the 2024 Reform movement “Every Voice, Every Vote” campaign; 12,000 volunteers helped us reach 750,000 voters in a nonpartisan effort to ensure every voice was heard and every vote counted. In Illinois, we championed Karina’s Law, closing dangerous loopholes in gun laws to better protect survivors of domestic violence. In New York, we helped pass the Climate Superfund Act, making fossil fuel companies pay a portion of the costs of preparing New York for extreme weather. In Ohio, we secured a historic amendment enshrining abortion access in the state constitution, ensuring reproductive rights are protected for generations to come. And in Congress, we pushed back against a bill that would have misguidedly endowed the Treasury Secretary with the ability to unilaterally strip tax exempt status from non-profits.  

There is so much more work we need to do together, and SJC is an essential opportunity to learn, grow our skills, and remember that we are not alone. Anyone ages 18+ who identifies as a woman, non-binary, or gender fluid, is interested in advocacy in the Reform Movement, and identifies with the mission of WRJ is welcome throughout the conference. Starting Sunday of the conference, everyone who supports WRJ’s mission, including male-identifying participants, is invited to attend. That means that core parts of the program, like lobbying training, the Women’s Empowerment Awards dinner program, and lobbying visits on The Hill, are open to all.  

Our Jewish tradition is one of speaking truth to power. Abraham, Queen Esther, Moses, the biblical Prophets, and so many other figures throughout our history have shown us the importance of lifting our voices against injustice. Individually, we can act, speak, write, vote, advocate, teach, and learn. Collectively, we can do each of those and more, reaching others across our networks and sustained by the knowledge that we are not alone. SJC will strengthen each of us to do this work in the hard days ahead.  

I hope you’ll join us in April – I can’t wait to see you there.