Press

At the recent WRJ Board Meeting in Oconomowoc, WI (May 16-19, 2014), the Board of Directors of Women of Reform Judaism issued this statement in response to the current debate about religious freedom, individual rights, and the myriad of other topics raised by the Supreme Court cases Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp v. Sebelius. WRJ, alongside the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, joined an amicus brief in these cases, arguing that the Affordable Care Act's rule on contraceptive coverage carefully balances religious liberty concerns with the importance of ensuring that women have access to the health care they need and deserve. The release of this statement is timely: we await a ruling from the nine justices in June, and it is possible that this decision could have an effect not only on the rights afforded corporations (more below), but on the laws and protections relating to religious liberty and religious exemptions, and could seriously impact health care--that women's access to critical coverage also hangs in the balance is also of major concern.

WRJ President Blair C. Marks and WRJ Executive Director Marla J. Feldman issued this statement, "You may have seen recent news articles about the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and its exclusion of J Street from membership. Women of Reform Judaism, like the Union for Reform Judaism and other arms of the Reform movement, supported J Street's inclusion. The Conference of Presidents was established to provide a forum for American Jewish organizations to identify consensus positions as regards Israel, and to share those positions with government officials and others. Regardless of what one thinks about J Street, it is a significant voice in our community, and a coalition that claims to represent the breadth of views within American Jewry is deficient without that voice at the table. This vote calls into question the continuing relevance of the Conference of Presidents. Although WRJ is a long-standing member, we will, as a result of this vote, and in consultation with our Movement partners, consider whether to maintain our participation." Here is the statement released on Thursday, May 1, 2014 by the URJ on behalf of the Reform Movement, including WRJ:

On the occasion of today's oral argument in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc and Conestoga Wood Specialties, Corp. v. Sebelius, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Steve Fox, CEO of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Rabbi Marla J. Feldman, Executive Director of Women of Reform Judaism and Rabbi David Saperstein, Director and Counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism jointly released the following statement:

As rabbis deeply committed to religious liberty as well as to reproductive rights, we are proud that our organizations have joined an amicus brief in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties, Corp. v. Sebelius, defending both the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate and the right of all people to live according to the teachings of their faith. Alongside over 25 of our faith partners, we argued in that brief for a vigorous interpretation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) - a law we played a key role in crafting the 1990s - that protects individuals' right to religious freedom. The United States has long modeled religious freedom, and maintaining the current framework of religious free exercise protections ensures a standard of liberty unparalleled in the world. It is due to this understanding of the separation of church and state and religious freedom that Jews and other members of religious minorities have been able to thrive in this country.