The following blog post is adapted from remarks given by Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and senior vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism, at a press conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday, December 15, 2022.

In the American Rescue Plan of 2021, Congress temporarily expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC). This measure significantly reduced child poverty during a time of economic fallout and uncertainty, but the expansion expired at the end of 2021. As families continue to struggle to make ends meet, with inflation on the rise, Congress must urgently make the CTC expansion permanent in year-end tax legislation.

January marked the end of President Biden's first year in office and the halfway point for the 117th Congress. As we look ahead in this new year, we hope President Biden and Congress will work together to focus on the following priorities in 2022.

After 12 hours of storytelling and prayer at the Washington Interfaith Staff Community's Build Back Better Prayer Vigil outside the U.S. Capitol on October 20, it was clear: bold investments in our economic recovery are crucial to the livelihood of workers, children, and families in the US. To rebuild the American economy and address the structural inequities that long preceded the pandemic, Congress must pass a robust Build Back Better Act.

For years, the Social Action Committee at Temple Sinai in Cranston, Rhode Island, did things like making sandwiches for hungry people — and we do believe that such relief programs are important — but  we also wanted to really speak up for the poor. To do more than treat the symptoms of poverty, we decided to take action on poverty’s root causes.

Democracy doesn’t happen every four years at the ballot box; democracy needs to be affirmed daily by each of us. That happens when we commit to engaging with one another, rather than tuning each other out.

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crises of hunger and homelessness in the U.S. are more urgent than ever. It is our imperative to understand the scale of these injustices and demand much-needed relief for those most vulnerable.

In addressing epidemics, there are a number of provisions of Jewish law directly relevant to challenges we face today. The spirit of these laws and their wisdom speaks across the centuries to us now.

Growing up, I was taught that we fast on Yom Kippur in order to set aside our physical needs and focus fully on our souls. It was a day for personal reflection—to critically assess your actions from the last year, repent for the missteps, and commit to being better in the upcoming year. I heard stories of people making amends with estranged family members and apologizing to a friend for a thoughtless joke. It was a solemn day of contemplation and prayer that would strengthen your connection with God.