Arms Control: Position of the Reform Movement & Jewish Values

Position of the Reform Jewish Movement

In 1995 the CCAR resolved to encourage an international ban on the use, production, stockpiling, and sale transfer or export of all anti-personal landmines. It further supports the establishment of an international registry, administered by the United Nations, to monitor the location of anti-personal landmines throughout the world. Finally it calls on all nations who have not done so to declare a moratorium on the export of all anti-personal landmines.

In 1969 the URJ passed a resolution stating that national security rested on missile parity and urging defeat of the ABM Systems proposals by Congress. The URJ has also supported other arms control treaties including SALT II. In 1981, the URJ urged the United States and Soviet Union to cut their nuclear stockpiles 50% across the board, with the ultimate goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons, and appealed to all nuclear powers to agree to a mutual freeze on testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons. In 1983, the URJ called on the United States and the USSR to renew the 1972 treaty limiting anti-ballistic missile systems.

In 1994 the CSA resolved to support the principles outlined in the "Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers" as it would increase the scrutiny of arms transfers and subsequently reduce the flow of arms to undemocratic nations.


Arms Control and Jewish Values 


As Jews we have always been firmly committed to the belief that nations must "beat their swords into plowshares" and that people must act toward one another in a spirit of kindness and humanity. As Jews we have always been firmly committed to the belief that nations must "beat their swords into plowshares" and that people must act toward one another in a spirit of kindness and humanity. Moreover, we recognize our unique role as active participants in bringing about this era of peace and harmony. We must ?seek peace and pursue it? (Psalms 34:15). As a result, the Reform Jewish Movement has long advocated policies designed to curb the loss of life resulting from armed conflicts.


 



Resolutions

CCAR
Resolution on Gun Control (1975) 
Resolution on Sale of American Arms to Saudi Arabia (1981) 
Resolution on Bilateral Nuclear Arms Freeze and Reduction (1982) 
Resolution on Nuclear Arms Control (1983) 
Resolution on Gun Control (1989) 
Resolution on Gun Control Lobbying (1987) 
Resolution on Ending Gun Violence (2000) 

URJ
Resolution on Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (1969) 
Resolution on Gun Control Legislation (1972) 
Resolution on Handgun Control (1975)
Resolution on Control of Nuclear Arms (1981) 
Resolution on Halting the Nuclear Arms Race (1989) 
Resolution on Halting the Nuclear Arms Race (1989) 
Resolution to End Gun Violence (1999) 

​WRJ
​Resolution on The Nuclear Threat and Arms Race (1983) 
Resolution on Gun Control (1993)