Over 800 Jewish Clergy Express Support for the Right to Protest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2020

Over 800 Jewish Clergy Express Support for the Right to Protest

WASHINGTON – More than 800 rabbis and cantors from denominations representing a wide array of the American Jewish community today released a letter urging police and law enforcement not to interfere with peaceful protests taking place throughout the U.S.

The letter, organized by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), acknowledges America’s long history of brutality toward the Black community, and states the urgency of supporting the First Amendment right to protest as a means of expression. Clergy from the Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and other streams have signed on to the letter, including diverse leadership across various Jewish movements, congregations, and communities.”

The letter directly addresses law enforcement and elected officials, asking them not to interfere with peaceful protests:

“Throughout American history, the right to protest peacefully has been a hallmark of free expression...Protests are a just response to all-too-familiar anger, frustration, and pain. I stand for the right to peaceful protest and call on our nation’s law enforcement and elected officials not to interfere with this bedrock First Amendment expression.”

The full text of the letter and all signatures can be found here.

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The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is the Washington office of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose nearly 850 congregations across North America encompass 1.5 million Reform Jews, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, whose membership includes more than 2,000 Reform rabbis. Visit www.rac.org for more.