June 8, 2023, WASHINGTON - In response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Allen v. Milligan, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement on behalf of the Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis, and wider Reform Movement:
“We applaud the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Allen v. Milligan, upholding Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and blocking Alabama’s racially gerrymandered Congressional maps that diluted the voting strength of Black voters. This decision recognizes the importance of Section 2 in preventing voting discrimination targeting Communities of Color.
“Guided by our Jewish text and tradition, the Reform Movement has long supported civil and voting rights. Rabbi Yitzchak taught that ‘a ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is first consulted’ (Babylonian Talmud, B’rachot 55a). It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all Americans can access the ballot box, which includes drawing fair electoral boundaries that accurately represent the will of the people. We are proud that portions of the Voting Rights Act were drafted in the Religious Action Center’s historic conference room in Washington D.C. and are grateful for the ongoing efforts of activists who are working to make the promise true for all Americans.
“The Supreme Court’s past rulings in cases such as Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich v. DNC have weakened portions of the Voting Rights Act and allowed states to pass discriminatory voting laws that suppress Voters of Color, first-time voters, disabled voters, elderly voters, voters in low-income and rural communities, and other marginalized groups. As we celebrate today’s decision, we continue to call on Congress to restore voting rights protections by reintroducing and passing freedom to vote legislation such as the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and Freedom to Vote Act to protect the right to vote for all.”
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is the Washington office of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose 850 congregations across North America encompass 1.8 million Reform Jews, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, whose membership includes more than 2,000 Reform rabbis. Visit RAC.org for more. The Religious Action Center’s work on democracy and voting rights is made possible in part by the Leo and Libby Nevas Foundation.