Fresh Updates from RAC

Jewish tradition talks a lot about taxes and the importance of everyone contributing to the common good. Jewish tradition talks a lot about love, marriage and committed relationships. But how much does Jewish tradition talk about those two things together?  Regardless of what tradition intended, these two facets of everyday life have become profoundly intertwined. For this reason Tax Day, April 15^th, stands out as a day when our nation’s discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is acutely felt.

According to the Human Rights Campaign LGBT people – even those who are legally married – miss out on hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of federal tax benefits. The average LGBT family pays an extra $1,100 a year in taxes for health care coverage (that is when same-sex partners aren’t entirely denied health benefits and required to pay for them out of pocket). LGBT people who cannot legally claim their children as dependents frequently pay up to $1,000 extra on their taxes; many may miss out on the Earned Income Tax Credit costing them over 2,000 dollars.

Much of this inequality is the result of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 1996, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex couples. This law was challenged in a case heard by the Supreme Court last month and will hopefully be struck down in the coming months. The Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Women of Reform Judaism (among a number of other Jewish and non-Jewish religious groups) all filed briefs in the case declaring the law unjust.

Love, marriage and equal recognition under the law are of course about much more than tax benefits. However days like yesterday, when the injustice of heterosexism can be expressed so clearly in dollars and federal paperwork, are important times to speak out for equality.

Image Courtesy of Thirstock

April 15 is perhaps one of the biggest deadlines in the country. The dreaded Tax Day. (Cue “Jaws” theme song). You know a lot of money is being unceremoniously ripped from your paycheck, but where exactly is it going? Sure, it goes to firefighters and police and public school teachers. But really, where exactly is it going and how much?

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The Chasidic rabbi Yehudi haKodesh taught, “Good intentions alone not followed by action are without value. It is the actions which make the intentions so profound.”

Acceptance is an action: In its statement officially recognizing the name change to April as Autistic Acceptance Month (vs. Autistic Awareness Month), the Autistic Self Advocacy Network writes, “autism acceptance is an active process that requires both a shift in thinking and in action.” Too often, we satisfy ourselves during these themed months with reading a single blog and certifying ourselves “aware.” Yet to be worthwhile, this raised consciousness must be followed by an action. In the case of the month of April, this action is actively accepting people with autism into our communities.

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In addition to being Faiths Calling day, and the 14^th day of the Omer, today is Equal Pay Day – the day in which women’s wages finally catch up to what men earned during the previous calendar year. New Years Day may feel like a long time ago, but three and a half months is exactly how long it’s taken for women – who earn on average only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men – to make what men made in the 2012 calendar year.

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One month into sequestration, and the cuts are already hitting home. Every day we hear new reports of who is suffering from these haphazard cuts—from cancer patients to preschoolers. We ask why:

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This piece was originally published on February 16 in the Jewish Daily Forward.

Let us speak of SNAP.

“SNAP?,” you ask. “What is SNAP?”

SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly know and still best recognized as the food stamp program. And now it is in danger.

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This post is part of our Passover series, in which we think about the application of our age-old Passover story and traditions to the crucial issues we face today. For ways to infuse your seder with social justice, see our holiday guide.

The Passover story becomes a grand one about liberation and the birth of the Jewish people, but we cannot forget that it begins with questions of justice in the workplace. Moses’ moment of realization comes from witnessing the mistreatment of a worker by a supervisor. That indignity is the spark that mobilizes an entire movement, an entire people. The question remains, what will we do today when we witness the indignities and injustices still faced by millions in the workplace? To be clear, these injustices do not rival that of slavery, but they merit our attention and action.

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Even though the Affordable Care Act became law last year, the battle for comprehensive healthcare reform is not over! Last year the Supreme Court made the primary mechanism for covering low-income individuals functionally optional, which has left each and every state the opportunity to refuse to provide comprehensive healthcare to their most needy constituents.

Jewish law established that health care coverage is one of the services that every community must provide. As Jews, our tradition requires that we care about the health of our fellow human beings. In accordance with that sacred obligation, we need to make our voices heard on issues of healthcare coverage and urge our state governments to implement the expansion.

There are significant political obstacles even in states that looked like they may participate. This past week the state legislature in Florida blocked the Governor’s proposal to fully implement the expansion. In the last month 4 more states have joined the list refusing to expand their programs!

This is our chance to make a difference and fight for healthcare coverage for millions of low-income families. Take action today and let your state officials know that we need comprehensive healthcare coverage for everyone now!

Image Courtesy of the Better Business Bureau.