RJ Blog

Today, thousands of people gathered on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol to express their support for commonsense immigration reform. Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, spoke along with other prominent interfaith leaders from across the country. His prepared remarks follow:

In response to this week’s Senate passage of the Violence Against Women Act, Barbara Weinstein, Associate Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement: Ten months ago, we commended the Senate for its bipartisan passage of the Violence Against Women Act that included better training of law enforcement, victim service providers, and court personnel; improved protections for women in tribal communities; stronger LBGT-inclusive provisions; and made it easier for immigrant victims of domestic violence to escape their abusing spouse or partner. Unfortunately, the House followed by passing a narrow bill and VAWA was not reauthorized. Today, [...]

Like many in the “broader Maryland” area, I watched and celebrated the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory this past weekend. I ate my requisite snacks, groaned at some commercials, and kvelled at Beyonce’s “throw-back” performance. For many, though, the Super Bowl is not the happy family occasion we might imagine – and I’m not just talking about disgruntled 49ers fans. For many years now, there has been a lot of discussion over the Super Bowl and domestic violence, and whether or not – as has been suggested by some journalists – there are higher rates of abuse amidst all of the [...]

If any one concept best summarizes Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message, it is that of justice. Justice for oppressed individuals, justice for persecuted people, and justice for the broader society. In the era of MLK, the fight for justice was synonymous with the civil rights movement: the quest for equality for people regardless of their race. While in many ways that fight is not yet over, the social justice advocates of the 1960s – including both Martin Luther King Jr. and the RAC – were successful in changing policies and legislation to reflect the justice that they so vehemently desired.

In many ways, Judaism is a collective religion – one whose primary unit is not the individual, but rather the community. We need a minyan, a quorum of 10 people, before we pray. Many of our prayers are written in the first person plural “we,” rather than the singular “I.” Our narrative is one of the formation of a people – we are reminded every Passover to view ourselves as if we too were freed from slavery in Egypt. Yet most people’s experience with religion is not necessarily communal, but rather personal. For many, religion is about belief, about faith, [...]

This past Saturday, Jews around the world listened to the chanting of Parshat Noach. After the dramatic story of the flood, the destruction of the world and the annihilation of most of the human race, we are privy to yet another tale: the story of the tower of Babel. This parable serves to explain why there are so many languages on Earth—but it does much more than that. It reminds us that we all started from the same place. We were all one people, capable of working together toward a common goal. Examples of communal work like this are difficult [...]

Last month, the Obama Administration announced that youth who are eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival status would not qualify for benefits extended under the Affordable Care Act. This excludes these young immigrants from accessing crucial preventative services, acquiring health care through the new exchanges, or receiving assistance from federal programs such as Medicaid or CHIP. Earlier today, Rabbi David Saperstein submitted his comments on this regulation, urging the Administration to reconsider this misguided policy. He wrote:

Think of four women you know. They can be anyone – friends, sisters, classmates, colleagues. Got it? Great. Now think – if the women you chose were four average American women, statistics predict that one of them has been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner. Add one more woman to the mix and the odds are that one of these five has been raped. Did you think of women ages 20-24? If so, the chances are even higher that they have been the victims of sexual abuse and violence. No one likes to think that such [...]

Women working full-time year-round are paid only 77 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Such a statement shouldn’t be true in the arena of gender equity, where the commonplace conception is that, as history progresses, we are moving closer and closer to full equality between men and women. Unfortunately, last week’s census data suggests that, at least in terms of the pay gap, things are very much the same. For full-time, year-round workers in 2011, median earnings for women were $37,118 compared with $48,202 for men. The [...]

Eighteen is a special number in the Jewish tradition. It is associated with chai, with life. Today marks the 18th anniversary—the chai anniversary—of the Violence Against Women Act, a piece of legislation that has made a difference in thousands of women’s lives by bolstering prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse offenders; increasing victim services; increasing resources for law enforcement; and creating a National Domestic Violence Hotline. VAWA was set to be reauthorized and re-strengthened in 2011, but—like many important pieces of legislation—has been stalled by political gridlock and inaction.

While walking along a road, a sage saw a man planting a carob tree. He asked him: “How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit?” “Seventy years,” replied the man. The sage then asked: “Are you so healthy a man that you expect to live that length of time and eat its fruit?” The man answered: “I found a fruitful world, because my ancestors planted it for me. Likewise I am planting for my children.” -Talmud Ta’anit 23a Every year, religious organizations across the country mark the third weekend in October (this year, 10/19-21) as the Children’s [...]