
Are you curious about social justice? Do you stay current with the issues that affect women* the most? What does it mean to be an empowered advocate through a Jewish feminist lens? Whether you are a social justice novice or a seasoned advocate, you belong at the Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference, April 4-7, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Through my involvement with Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), I learned that since its inception in 1913, while women were raising the importance of religious education and mentoring future leaders in their home communities, they were also advocating for reforms by crafting and adopting resolutions on pressing social and political concerns, informed by Jewish values. But this work was not just passive participation, these women were turning principles into practices.
I wanted to be a part of this movement and so, because of WRJ, I participated in my first women’s march in 2016 in New York alongside hundreds of other WRJ women. In 2017, I attended the Religious Action Center’s 2017 conference, the Consultation on Conscience. The Religious Action Center (RAC) is the Reform Movement’s social justice arm. WRJ, for years, has been financially supporting a Religious Action Center legislative assistant to specifically work on specific social justice issues pertaining to women, such as the Reproductive Health and Rights Campaign.
Well, I have to say that attending the RAC conference in 2017 was one of the pivotal moments of my life! I would imagine that the highlight for the conference attendees would be to work with their partners from their home state to prepare for visits to Capitol Hill to meet with congressional and senate representatives. The RAC provided the training to ensure that all conference participants felt empowered, organized and prepared to speak with their state representatives.
Being Canadian, and therefore, state-less, I spoke with the conference organizers who placed me with the conference participants from Tennessee. I had the privilege of spending the day with Stacy Beyer—a phenomenal and brilliant musician who is also a passionate social justice advocate. At the end of the day, Stacy issued me a challenge to learn more, do more, and pursue lifelong work of social justice advocacy and reform.
WRJ held its inaugural Social Justice Conference in 2019. Several Canadian women attended and drawing on the insights and learnings from that conference, we were inspired to form a Canadian Tikkun Olam Steering Group to work under the auspices of the Reform Jewish Community of Canada (RJCC). Since our founding, our mission has been to support our social justice efforts locally, regionally and nationally. Barbara Weinstein, Director of the Commission on Social Action at the RAC, helped our nascent group get up and running and she continues to guide our efforts.
Recently, the RJCC received a generous grant from WRJ to launch a L’Taken North for Canadian Teens program to be held in Ottawa, ON, modeled after the RAC’s Social Justice Seminars that are held in Washington, D.C. During this multi-day program, Canadian teens will examine Canada’s social issues through a Jewish lens while developing leadership, community-building and advocacy skills.
Why did a contingent of Canadian women attend WRJ’s Social Justice Conference in Washington, D.C. in 2019? Because this is what we know to be true: WRJ builds community. Guided by our common values as progressive Jewish women, we chose to attend to find purpose, joy, and the power of community within our network of women.
At the 2025 Social Justice Conference, you will meet extraordinary people who identify with our mission. You will experience informative workshops, moving and impactful Shabbat worship services, and an extraordinary evening celebrating WRJ’s 2025 Women’s Empowerment Awardees.
Additionally, at this year’s conference, you will receive training and preparation for Capitol Hill visits by our Movement’s experts.
As an added bonus, all interested – including those who identify as male – are welcome to register for the “Empowerment Option” that runs from Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon and includes lobbying training, the Women’s Empowerment Awards dinner event, and lobbying visits to The Hill. Please visit our Registration and/or FAQ for more details.
WRJ conferences are simply remarkable. It is the attendees who make it so. Please join this event to experience WRJ’s power of community. We stand on the shoulders of smart women who came before us, who spoke for women’s rights, social justice, and Jewish sustainability worldwide. What will we do with this legacy? How will be thought leaders and activists? Join us—we need your voice.
* Please note that use of the term “women” includes those who identify as female, nonbinary, or gender fluid.
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