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By Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen, 5/23/2018

This blog post is adapted from the prayer offered by Rabbi Sachs-Kohen at the Maryland Poor People's Campaign on Monday, May 21st.

Eloheinu v’elohai avoteinu v’imoteinu, God of our fathers and our mothers.

This is the way we begin some of our central Jewish prayers. Today I would begin this way:

Eloheinu v’elohai avoteinu v’imoteinu – God of our fathers and our mothers, God of Abraham, God of Sarah, God of Hagar. God of Isaac and God of Ishmael. God of dark skin, God of light skin, God of women, God of men, God of transgender people. God of Jews, Muslims,...

Why Congress' Plan to Pursue Prison Reform without Sentencing Reform Isn't Good Enough

5/21/2018

On Monday, May 21, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner sent a letter to Congress on behalf of the Reform Jewish Movement urging representatives to oppose the FIRST STEP Act. Although the FIRST STEP Act seeks to implement limited reforms in the criminal justice system, this legislation alone will not achieve meaningful change. Pursuing prison reform without sentencing reform will not stem the tide of mass incarceration, a phenomenon that is...

Death Penalty and the Talmud: A Message for New Hampshire Legislators

By Rabbi Robin Nafshi, 5/15/2018

Earlier this Spring, the New Hampshire state legislature voted to abolish the death penalty, which would make NH the 20th state to put an end to capital punishment. Currently, the bill is waiting on Governor Chris Sununu's signature. In March, Rabbi Robin Nafshi of Temple Beth Jacob in Concord testified before the State Senate to explain why Reform Jews are...

Somebody’s Hurting Our People: Children, Women, and People with Disabilities in Poverty

By Rabbi Ken Chasen, 5/15/2018

To be an American Jew is to live in the clutch of a persistent values tension.

The voice of American free enterprise speaks into one ear, telling us that our nation’s unprecedented financial success rests upon the freedom to reap whatever rewards can be legally gained from conducting business. So long as the law isn’t being broken, there is nothing wrong with an American seeking to accumulate limitless profits for him or herself. In fact, those who achieve the greatest wealth are lionized for their victory, appearing on lists that rank and celebrate those most successful at...

This Mother's Day, Let's Give Moms Paid Family Leave

By Susannah R. Cohen, 5/15/2018

Bouquet of flowers with ribbon and Mother's Day tag standing in front of striped painted wall

This piece originally ran as a Strategies for Sisterhood Success item in Women of Reform Judaism's Weekly Digest newsletter.

Mother’s Day is a day when we celebrate the women who raised us. To show our love and appreciation, we often give gifts—jewelry, clothing, tickets to a show. While these gifts are wonderful, we should also work towards giving our mothers one gift in particular that could change their lives tremendously—paid family leave. Family leave has only been around in the United States for a short period. Before 1993, workers had no...