513 Jewish Clergy Leaders Express Support for the Women’s Health Protection Act
Dear Senators:
As Jewish clergy leaders from across the United States representing all major denominations of Judaism, we write to express our strong and unequivocal support for the Women’s Health Protection Act and urge the Senate to pass the bill.
In partnership with the National Council of Jewish Women, we represent a network of over 1,500 Rabbis and Jewish Clergy for Repro who have pledged to speak out about abortion justice in our communities and to educate others about the Jewish values underpinning our support for abortion access for all. We work to ensure that our communities are places where anyone who has, or may ever, terminate a pregnancy feels loved and welcomed, where people understand what our tradition teaches about these issues, and where we emphasize the importance of fighting for reproductive health, rights, and justice for everyone.
The Women’s Health Protection Act embodies this mission and our hope for a future where all are free to make their own moral and faith-informed decisions about their lives, their futures, and their families without political interference. It is profoundly unjust that abortion bans and restrictions fall hardest on those already facing barriers to exercising their human rights — including Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC); those working to make ends meet; members of the LGBTQI+ community; immigrants; young people; those living in rural communities; and people with disabilities.
In Judaism, we consider pikuach nefesh, the saving and preserving of life, to be one of our most critical principles. We affirm that protecting the existing life of the pregnant person is paramount at all stages of pregnancy. In Judaism, a fetus does not have the same personhood status as one who is already living and functioning in the world, up until and into the onset of labor and childbirth (Mishnah, Ohalot 7:6). The Talmud (Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot 69b) asserts that the fetus is “mere fluid” for the first 40 days (from conception; that which would be considered 7 or 8 weeks’ gestation by today’s counting) and, following this period, the fetus is regarded as a physical part of the pregnant individual’s body (Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 23b).
This is why we understand the goal of the Women’s Health Protection Act — ensuring equal access to abortion nationwide — not only as an abortion justice issue and a core social justice issue, but as a matter of religious freedom as well. The US Constitution demands that no one religion should be enshrined in law or dictate public policy on any issue, including abortion.
Policies granting “fetal personhood” rights or establishing that “life” begins at conception are contrary to the teachings of our tradition and violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by enshrining one religious view into law. What’s more, because Jewish law not only permits abortion in many cases but also requires it when the life or health (including psychological and physical health) of the pregnant individual is at risk, laws limiting or restricting access to abortion directly impede Jews’ ability to practice Judaism, further violating the Free Exercise Clause while simultaneously infringing upon the constitutional right to privacy found in the Fourteenth Amendment.
We need federal legislation now more than ever. With the passage of SB 8 in Texas and the strong possibility that the Supreme Court will overturn or significantly gut the protections of Roe v Wade this year, and over 100 new abortion bans passed in 2021 alone, there is more at stake now for reproductive and religious freedom than has been in fifty years. The Women’s Health Protection Act would create a new tool for safeguarding access to high-quality care and securing constitutional rights by protecting patients and providers from political interference. The bill guarantees providers the right to deliver abortion care — and people the right to receive that care — without limitations that single out abortion or impede access to care. Notably, the bill would also establish clear guidance for courts considering whether a requirement impedes access to abortion care in violation of Women’s Health Protection Act.
We call on the Senate to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to protect access to abortion and to help us build a society where all can participate equally and thrive in our communities with dignity and freedom.
Respectfully,
Rabbi Herschel Aberson
Rabbi Susan Abramson
Cantor Ester Acunis
Rabbi Richard Address
Rabbi Mona Alfi
Cantor Sheri Allen
Rabbi Adina Allen
Rabbi Doug Alpert
Rabbi Renni Altman
Cantor Dana Anesi
Rabbi Camille Shira Angel
Cantor Rebecca Apt
Rabbi Noah Arnow
Rabbi Emily Aronson
Cantor Devorah Avery
Cantor Matt Axelrod
Rabbi Ilana Baden
Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar
Cantor Riselle Bain
Cantor Elise Barber
Rabbi Rachel Barenblat
Rabbi Meir Bargeron
Rabbi Daniel Bar-Nahum
Rabbi George Barnard
Cantorial Soloist Sherry Barnes
Cantor Kathy Barr
Rabbi David Basior
Rabbi Lia Bass
Rabbi David Dunn Bauer
Rabbi Philip Bazeley
Rabbi Rachel Bearman
Rabbi Birdie Becker
Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker
Rabbi Anne Belford
Rabbi Debra Bennet
Rabbi James Bennett
Rabbi Lauren Ben-Shoshan
Rabbi Leah Berkowitz
Cantor Julie Berlin
Rabbi Donald Berlin
Rabbi Alan Berlin
Rabbi Andi Berlin
Rabbi Phyllis Berman
Rabbi Dahlia Bernstein
Rabbi Amy Bernstein
Rabbi Allison Berry
Hazzan Richard Bessman
Rabbi Amy Bigman
Rabbi Barry Block
Rabbi Adena Blum
Rabbi Kim Blumenthal
Rabbi Rena Blumenthal
Rabbi Sam Blustin
Rabbi Karen Bogard
Rabbi Jill Borodin
Rabbi Erin Boxt
Rabbi Julie Bressler
Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor
Cantor Vera Broekhuysen
Rabbi Deborah Bronstein
Rabbi Josh Brown
Rabbi Megan Brudney
Rabbi Shawna
Brynjegard-Bialik
Rabbi Meredith Cahn
Rabbi Jillian Cameron
Rabbi Richard Camras
Rabbi Debra Cantor
Rabbi Adalah Caplowe
Rabbi Kenneth Carr
Rabbi Carla Cenker
Rabbi Kerry Chaplin
Rabbi Elyssa Cherney
Rabbi Noah Chertkoff
Other Laura Chinofsky
Cantor Kenneth Cohen
Rabbi Aryeh Cohen
Rabbi Daniel M Cohen
Rabbi Emily Cohen
Rabbi Amy Cohen
Rabbi Ayelet S. Cohen
Rabbi Sandra Cohen
Rabbi Judy Cohen-Rosenberg
Rabbi Hillel Cohn
Rabbi Glynis Conyer
Cantor Kelly Cooper
Cantor Kelly Cooper
Rabbi Heidi Coretz
Rabbi Stephanie Crawley
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Rabbi Melissa Crespy
Rabbi Faith Joy Dantowitz
Rabbi Sydney Danziger
Cantor Farid Dardashti
Rabbi Benjamin David
Rabbi Josef Davidson
Rabbi April Davis
Rabbi Michael Davis
Rabbi Alexander Davis
Cantor Francyne Davis Jacobs
Rabbi Lisa Delson
Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis
Rabbi Sarah DePaolo
Cantor Susan Cohen DeStefano
Rabbi Stephanie Dickstein
Hazzan Elisheva Dienstfrey
Rabbi Megan Doherty
Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus
Rabbi Aderet Drucker
Cantor Nancy Dubin
Rabbi Andy Dubin
Hazzan Joanna Dulkin
Rabbi Elizabeth Dunsker
Rabbi David Eber
Rabbi Judith Edelstein
Rabbi David Edleson
Rabbi Denise Eger
Rabbi Amy Eilberg
Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
Rabbi David Eligberg
Rabbi Dov Elkins
Rabbi Barat Ellman
Rabbi Susan Falk
Rabbi Amy Feder
Rabbi Leah Fein
Rabbi Nora Feinstein
Cantor Devorah Felder-Levy
Rabbi Fern Feldman
Rabbi Jason Fenster
Rabbi Patricia Fenton
Rabbi Michael Fessler
Rabbi Avi Fine
Rabbi David Fine
Rabbi Jeremy Fineberg
Cantorial Soloist Diane Firestone
Rabbi Adam Fisher
Rabbi Libby Fisher
Rabbi Robyn Fisher
Rabbi Joshua Fixler
Rabbi Allison Flash
Rabbi Andi Fliegel
Rabbi Bruce Forman
Rabbi Sarah Fort
Rabbi Chase Foster
Cantor Shelly Fox
Rabbi Karen Fox
Rabbi Alan Freedman
Rabbi Eli Freedman
Rabbi Dayle Friedman
Rabbi Avi Friedman
Rabbi Shoshana Friedman
Cantor Kathy Fromson
Cantor Jennifer Frost
Rabbi Pam Frydman
Rabbi Gordon Fuller
Rabbi Jodie Futornick
Rabbi Aaron Gaber
Rabbi Jonah Geffen
Rabbi David Gelfand
Rabbi Aimee Gerace
Cantor Edwin Gerber
Rabbi Gary Gerson
Rabbi Jordie Gerson
Cantor Nancy Ginsberg
Rabbi Chana Leslie Glazer
Rabbi Gary Glickstein
Rabbi Laura Gold
Rabbi Rosalind Gold
Rabbi Irwin Goldenberg
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Cantor Elizabeth Goldmann
Rabbi Barbara Goldman-Wartell
Rabbi Megan GoldMarche
Rabbi Lynne Goldsmith
Rabbi Andrea Goldstein
Rabbi Hannah Goldstein
Rabbi Seth Goldstein
Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein
Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser
Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman
Rabbi Keren Gorban
Rabbi Jodie Gordon
Rabbi Pamela Gottfried
Rabbi Deena Gottlieb
Rabbi Andrea Gouze
Rabbi Katie Greenberg
Cantor Tanya Greenblatt
Rabbi Fred Greene
Rabbi Lisa Greene
Rabbi Jennifer Greenspan
Rabbi David Greenspoon
Rabbi David Greenstein
Rabbi Nicki Greninger
Rabbi Steven Gross
Rabbi Victor Gross
Rabbi Susan Grossman
Rabbi Rachel Gross-Prinz
Rabbi Rosie Haim
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman
Rabbi Laura Harari
Rabbi Alicia Harris
Rabbi Kim Harris
Cantor Deborah Hartman
Hazzan Miriam Haselkorn
Rabbi Jill Hausman
Rabbi Oren Hayon
Rabbi Alan Henkin
Rabbi Benjamin Herman
Rabbi Joui Hessel
Rabbi Deborah Hirsch
Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller
Rabbi Yechiel Hoffman
Rabbi Linda Holtzman
Cantor Sharon Hordes
Rabbi Daniel Horwitz
Rabbi Carla Howard
Rabbi Mark Hurvitz
Rabbi Jill Jacobs
Rabbi Marci Jacobs
Rabbi Suzie Jacobson
Rabbi Howard Jaffe
Rabbi Marisa James
Rabbi Miriam Jerris
Rabbi Meredith Kahan
Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster
Rabbi Cassi Kail
Rabbi David Kaiman
Rabbi Beth Kalisch
Rabbi Debra Newman Kamin
Rabbi Emily Kapor-Mater
Rabbi Juliana S. Karol
Rabbi Peter Kasdan
Rabbi Nancy Kasten
Rabbi Neal Katz
Rabbi Karyn Kedar
Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum
Cantor Sara Kheel
Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block
Rabbi Paul Kipnes
Rabbi Emma Kippley-Ogman
Rabbi Beth Klafter
Rabbi Dusty Klass
Rabbi David Klatzker
Rabbi Alexandra Klein
Rabbi Michael Knopf
Rabbi Annette Koch
Rabbi Sharon Korn
Rabbi Audrey Korotkin
Rabbi Marc Kraus
Rabbi Yaacov Kravitz
Rabbi Harold Kravitz
Rabbi Alex Kress
Rabbi Jeremy Kridel
Cantor Alexandra Kurland
Rabbi Gail Labovitz
Rabbi Howard Laibson
Rabbi Rachmiel Langer
Rabbi Michael Latz
Rabbi Sari Laufer
Rabbi Darah Lerner
Kohenet Ketzirah Lesser
Cantor Janet Leuchter
Rabbi Bradley Levenberg
Hazzan Sheldon Levin
Cantor Alison Levine
Rabbi Julie Levine
Rabbi Jason Levine
Rabbi Chai Levy
Rabbi Kelly Levy
Rabbi David Levy
Cantor Debby Lewis
Rabbi Lynn Liberman
Rabbi Beth Lieberman
Cantor Barbra Lieberstein
Rabbi Noah Lind
Cantor David Lipp
Rabbi Susan Lippe
Rabbi Ellen Lippmann
Rabbi Richard Litvak
Rabbi Sharon Litwin
Rabbi Joshua Lobel
Rabbi David Locketz
Rabbi Alan Londy
Rabbi Emily
Losben-Ostrov
Rabbi Jessica Lott
Rabbi Michal Loving Cantor Abbe Lyons
Rabbi Shana Mackler
Kohenet Juna Berry Madrone
Rabbi Beverly W. Magidson
Rabbi Deborah Mangan
Rabbi Bryan Mann
Rabbi Paula Marcus
Rabbi Marc Margolius
Rabbi Bonnie Margulis
Rabbi Sarah Marion
Rabbi Randall Mark
Rabbi Jeffrey Marker
Rabbi Todd Markley
Cantor Michael McCloskey
Rabbi Zoe McCoon
Rabbi Amy Memis-Foler
Rabbi Myra Meskin
Rabbi Sabine Meyer
Rabbi David Meyer
Rabbi Margaret Meyer
Rabbi Mimi Micner
Rabbi Goldie Milgram
Rabbi Avis Miller
Rabbi Ellie Miller
Rabbi Heather Miller
Rabbi Jordan Millstein
Rabbi/Cantor Ellari Mirabel
Rabbi Michelle Missaghieh
Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi
Rabbi Steven Morgen
Rabbi Joel Mosbacher
Cantor Rebecca Moses
Rabbi Linda Motzkin
Cantor Penny Myers
Cantor Sarah Myerson
Cantor Richard Nadel
Rabbi Beth Naditch
Cantor Judith Naimark
Rabbi Gail Nalven
Rabbi Mara Nathan
Cantor Sharon Nathanson
Rabbi Fred Natkin
Rabbi Jason Nevarez
Rabbi MJ Newman
Rabbi Avi Olitzky
Rabbi Jesse Olitzky
Cantor Barbara Ostfeld
Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch
Rabbi Lee Paskind
Rabbi Rachael Pass
Rabbi Salem Pearce
Rabbi Allison Peiser
Rabbi Hava Lynn Pell
Rabbi Barbara Penzner
Rabbi Cheryl Peretz
Rabbi Jay Perlman
Rabbi Jill Perlman
Rabbi Shoshana Perry
Rabbi Amy Pessah
Rabbi Stacy Petersohn
Rabbi Iah Pillsbury
Rabbi Daniel Plotkin
Rabbi Marcia Plumb
Rabbi Sam Pollak
Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz
Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro
Rabbi Eve Posen
Rabbi Taylor Poslosky
Rabbi Richard Prass
Rabbi Sally Priesand
Rabbi Deborah Prinz
Rabbi Esther Reed
Rabbi Deborah Reichmann
Rabbi Steven Rein
Rabbi Dr. Karen Reiss Medwed
Rabbi Steven Reuben
Rabba Dorothy Richman
Rabbi Ken Richmond
Rabbi Yael Ridberg
Cantor Jen Roher
Cantor Rachel Rosenberg
Rabbi Dina Rosenberg
Cantor Beth Rosenfeld
Rabbi Jessica Rosenthal
Rabbi Adam Rosenwasser
Rabbi Michael Ross
Rabbi Francine Roston
Rabbi Michael Rothbaum
Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein
Cantor Michelle Rubenstein
Rabbi Adrienne Rubin
Rabbi Ralph Ruebner
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
Rabbi Joan Sacks
Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin
Rabbi Dalia Samansky
Rabbi Arnie Samlan
Rabbi Sara Sapadin
Rabbi Marna Sapsowitz
Rabbi Dennis Sasso
Hazzan Pamela Sawyer
Rabbi Peter Schaktman
Rabbi Martin Scharf
Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb
Rabbi Simone Schicker
Rabbi Janine Schloss
Rabbi Aaron Schonbrun
Hazzan Anita Schubert
Rabbi Evan Schultz
Cantor Marleen Schussler
Rabbi Marvin Schwab
Rabbi Julie Schwarzwald
Rabbi Stephen Segar
Rabbi Judith Seid
Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia
Rabbi Ahud Sela
Rabbi Larry Sernovitz
Rabbi Gerald Serotta Rabbi Isaac Serotta
Rabbi Scott Shafrin
Rabbi Talya Weisbard Shalem
Rabbi Jaimee Shalhevet
Rabbi Benjamin Sharff
Rabbi Shira Shazeer
Rabbi Daniel Sher
Cantor Wendy Shermet
Rabbi Cantor Robbi Sherwin
Rabbi Jessica Shimberg
Rabbi Rebecca Shinder
Rabbi Stephanie Shore
Rabbi Natalie Shribman
Rabbi Andy Shugerman
Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner
Rabbi Susan Silverman
Rabbi Becky Silverstein
Cantor Rollin Simmons
Rabbi Melissa Simon
Rabbi Joel Simon
Rabbi Michael Singer
Rabbi Suzanne Singer
Rabbi Rebecca Sirbu
Rabbi Raina Siroty
Rabbi Scott Slarskey
Cantor Rachel Slusky
Hazzan Joel Smith
Hazzan Linda Sue Sohn
Rabbi Myra Soifer
Rabbi Severine Sokol
Rabbi Felicia Sol
Rabbi Eric Solomon
Rabbi Idit Solomon
Rabbi Jenny Solomon
Rabbi Robin Sparr
Rabbi Kate Speizer
Rabbi Scott Sperling
Rabbi Reena Spicehandler
Cantor Rachel Spilker
Rabbi Jonathan Spira-Savett
Rabbi Seth Stander
Rabbi Cyril Stanway
Rabbi Aaron Starr
Cantor Stephen Stein
Hazzan Michael Stein
Hazzan Jeremy Stein
Rabbi Howard Stein
Rabbi Paul Steinberg
Rabbi Sharon Steinberg
Rabbi Rachel Steiner
Rabbi Lane Steinger
Rabbi Oren Steinitz
Rabbi Eleanor Steinman
Rabbi Rebekah Stern
Cantor Elizabeth Sternlieb
Rabbi Debbie Stiel
Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman
Rabbi Ariel Stone
Rabbi Yvonne Strassmann
Rabbi Simon Stratford
Rabbi David Straus
Rabbi Alvin Sugarman
Other Barry Swan
Rabbi Robert Tabak
Rabbi Sarah Tasman
Rabbi David Teutsch
Rabbi Lauren Tuchman
Rabbi Rochelle Tulik
Hazzan Arlyne Unger
Rabbi Victor Urecki
Rabbi Daniel Utley
Rabbi Jason van Leeuwen
Rabbi Burton Visotzky
Cantor Marci Vitkus
Rabbi Carrie Vogel
Rabbi Carrie Vogel
Rabbi Marcey Wagner
Hazzan Star Wahnon
Cantor Risa Wallach
Rabbi Arthur Waskow
Rabbi Pamela Wax
Rabbi Abi Weber
Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Cantor Diane Weil
Rabbi Daniel Weiner
Rabbi Philip Weintraub
Rabbi Stephen Weisman
Rabbi Ora Weiss
Rabbi Micah Weiss
Cantor Lizzie Weiss
Rabbi Sarah Weissman
Rabbi Alex Weissman
Rabbi Julia Weisz
Rabbi Ariann Weitzman
Rabbi David Wilfond
Rabbi Jeremy Winaker
Rabbi Elyse Winick
Rabbi Joseph Wolf
Rabbi Greg Wolfe
Rabbi Michal Woll
Rabbi Jonathan Woll
Rabbi Marina Yergin
Cantor Natalie Young
Rabbi David N. Young
Rabbi Sara Zacharia
Rabbi Elana Zaiman
Rabbi Daniel Zemel
Rabbi Jill Zimmerman
Cantor Michael Zoosman