National Council of Jewish Women Decries Executive Actions Harming Women, Children, and Families
Washington, DC – Today, in the wake of a raft of new executive actions targeting our nation’s most vulnerable, National Council of Jewish Women CEO Sheila Katz shared the following statement:
“President Trump and his administration attempted to freeze trillions of dollars in federal funding for essential programs that support women, children, and families. This sweeping and unprecedented decision targeted health care access, refugee support, diversity initiatives, and transgender individuals, plunging nonprofits and social service providers into chaos. Millions of lives have been upended, and countless communities abandoned in their time of greatest need.
“The consequences are devastating. Infants will go without clean water. Families seeking a better future for their children will face impossible barriers. Low-income children, already marginalized by systemic inequities, will fall even further behind. Transgender children will experience erasure by their own government. Women seeking time-sensitive abortion care in an increasingly hostile environment will have even fewer options. Programs that provide food, housing, health care, and early education — lifelines like Medicaid, Meals on Wheels, and Head Start — have been thrown into disarray, leaving people unsure of where their next meal will come from or whether they’ll have a roof over their heads tomorrow.
“This is not just a bureaucratic decision; it is a moral failure of the highest order. It sows confusion, chaos, and despair for millions, from parents struggling to feed their children to Head Start educators unsure whether their classrooms will stay open. It is a betrayal of our nation’s fundamental promise: that no one should be left to struggle alone.
“Judaism commands us to care for the stranger, the widow, and the orphan. To turn our backs on those in need is to betray not only Jewish values but the core principles that should define us as a just and compassionate nation.
“We will not stand idly by as the Trump administration abandons women, children, and families in their time of greatest need. National Council of Jewish Women’s 225,000 advocates stand united to restore critical funding and defend the dignity and well-being of every person impacted by this unjust decision. Together with lawmakers and community partners, we are working tirelessly to ensure these essential lifelines are reinstated without delay.”
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National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is the oldest Jewish feminist civil rights organization working for equity and justice for women, children, and families in the United States and Israel. Through the efforts of our 225,000 grassroots advocates and 49 local sections, NCJW combines education, direct service, and advocacy to affect lasting social change at the local, state, and national levels. We approach our work through the intersections of gender, economic, and racial justice to center those most impacted in a uniquely Jewish way. Learn more at NCJW.org, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.