Image
In Judaism, life is sacred. Banning potentially lifesaving medical procedures and interfering with a doctor’s decision-making runs contrary to the Jewish commandment to protect life.
WRJ continues to fight to protect reproductive rights. WRJ firmly believes that abortion should be legal in all or most cases as it is correlated with lower crime rates, decreased rates of childhood neglect and abuse, and is life-changing for those who seek out the procedure. Access to abortion and reproductive rights are a necessary part of healthcare and individuals should have the autonomy to decide what care is best for them regardless of location, economic status, or religion.
What We Are Watching:
- The Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 12/S. 2150) - the repro community’s offensive against these restrictive laws. In short, this bill creates a federal safeguard against state attempts to erode abortion access by creating a statutory right for health care providers to provide abortion care, and a corresponding right for their patients to receive that care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions (like mandatory waiting periods, biased counseling, two-trip requirements, TRAP laws, and gestational bans) that single out abortion and impede access.
- Global Health, Empowerment and Rights (HER) Act (H.R. 764/S. 280) – this bill would permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule. GGR is a U.S. policy that prevents all NGOs that receive any federal funding from performing, promoting, or educating individuals about abortion, even with non-US money.
- Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act (H.R. 4611/S. 2377) – seeks to repeal the Hyde Amendment and would guarantee that every person who receives health care or insurance through a federal plan or program has coverage for abortion.
- Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act (H.R. 1723/S. 929 in the 118th Congress) – seeks to repeal the 1973 Helms Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act and authorize the use of certain foreign assistance funds to provide comprehensive reproductive health care services.
- FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025 (H.R. 589) – would repeal the FACE Act which provides protection to reproductive health care facilities and protects places of worship.
Reproductive Health & Rights: Programs in a (Virtual) Box
Try out replicable programs related to reproductive health and rights. These programs are customizable for both group and individual use.
What's New
Image
Life is Sacred
This piece includes details about abortion and loss of life. Life is Sacred: Our Pathway to Parenthood and Community Care When my husband, Bruce, and I married, our vows reflected a dream: to share the journey of parenthood. We embraced the hope and joy that accompanied this vision, but as time
Image
Affording Human Dignity
On Thursday afternoon, the day the U.S. Supreme Court released their opinion on Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, I arrived at its steps with WRJ President Karen Sim, URJ Board Chair Shelley Niceley Groff, our partners at NCJW, and other fellow advocates to stand up for healthcare and
Image
On Comprehensive Reproductive Care and Supporting Israel
Women of Reform Judaism was proud to bring together nearly 350 participants to Washington D.C. for our inaugural Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference. After three days full of sisterhood, spirituality, and social justice, most attendees travelled to Capitol Hill to meet with their
Press Releases
Image
Reform Jewish Leaders Condemn Supreme Court Decision Blocking Medicaid Recipients from Accessing Planned Parenthood
In response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch and Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner released the following statement.
2025 Women’s Empowerment Award Winners to be Honored at Social Justice Conference
NEW YORK — Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), the feminist affiliate of the largest Jewish denomination in North America, announced its 2025 Women’s Empowerment Award honorees. First established in 2019, this award now honors women, nonbinary, or genderfluid individuals who strengthen the voices of others, with a focus on empowering women and girls, and who promote progressive Jewish values. WRJ will