Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

Rosa Parks's Legacy Endures Today

Israel Harris
Shayna Han
Many Americans remember Rosa Parks as the tired seamstress who refused to move to the back of a bus, but Rosa Parks is much more than that story. Though she did not identify as Jewish, her life reflected a commitment to we might identify as tikkun olam – repairing what is broken in our world. Here are three key insights from Rosa Parks’s life we can bear in mind as Black History Month begins.

Reform Jewish Movement Condemns Senate’s Failure to Protect Voting Rights

Contact: Laura Frank, lfrank@urj.org, 267-234-1497
The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. We are deeply dismayed that last night, a slim majority of United States senators, including the entire Republican caucus and two Democrats, failed to protect that right by refusing to reform the outdated filibuster that excludes the minority voice from being heard, upholds systemic racism and white supremacy, and limits the right to vote for all Americans.

Reform Jewish Movement Welcomes Biden-Harris Administration’s Commitment to Voting Rights

Contact: Laura Frank, lfrank@urj.org, 267-234-1497
“We are grateful for the administration’s re-affirmation of support for pivotal legislation that will end discriminatory voting practices and allow every voice to be heard, and every vote to be counted. Now, it is time for the White House to turn their words into action and use their full power to compel the Senate to enact filibuster reform to ensure the passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act."

2021 is Almost Over: Congress Must Act Before the New Year

Lillie Heyman
Israel Harris
We are in a time of great crisis, facing pandemics of systemic racism, poverty, climate change, voter suppression and COVID-19. Millions of Americans experience unemployment, hunger, and housing insecurity, facing the threat of climate change daily. People of Color and other marginalized communities experience the most adverse consequences. And the country continues to face endless attacks on our voting rights and reproductive rights. Before Congress breaks for their winter recess, there is much left to be done.

Bring Your Words to Life: Making Online Worship Accessible

Sheri Denkensohn-Trott
I write about International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3, 2021) as a quadriplegic wheelchair user and as a Jewish woman accustomed to advocating for physical inclusion in places of worship. I am all too familiar with common barriers to access and have offered potential solutions.