Jewish Sign-on Letter in Support of the Freedom to Vote Act
October 18, 2021
Dear Senator:
The 66 undersigned local, state, and national Jewish organizations write in strong support of the Freedom to Vote Act (S. 2747), and urge you to pass it swiftly. Voting rights are under attack and as Jews, we cannot remain idle. Our tradition exhorts us to pursue justice, tzedek, tzedek tirdof.
Passing this bill will enhance integrity, fairness, and transparency in our nation’s elections, and allow us to create a democracy that values all voices.
In September, Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tim Kaine, Angus King, Joe Manchin, Jeff Merkley, Alex Padilla, Jon Tester, and Raphael Warnock introduced the Freedom to Vote Act, a revised voting rights bill designed to realize thepromise of democracy for all. Specifically, the Freedom to Vote Act would set robust national standards for federal elections to combat laws that make it harder for people to vote. It would protect against election subversion, ban partisan and racial gerrymandering, and reduce the power of special interests in our elections.
This far-reaching legislation is essential to counteract the many laws making it harder to vote enacted in nineteen states across the country in 2021. Voters of color, Native voters, younger voters, voters with disabilities, and women are disproportionately impacted by these new laws. Voter suppression has no place in our democracy. The freedom to vote is fundamental to our nation’s constitutional promise of equality for all.
The reforms in the Freedom to Vote Act are necessary to advance racial justice and ensure that our government works for all of us. President Biden has repeatedly expressed his commitment to pass transformational voting rights legislation, and Majority Leader Schumer has repeatedly expressed his desire to hold debate on this important bill. While we support bipartisan cooperation, we cannot let partisan politics block passage of popular legislation. We urge you to support this critical bill and not let anything stand in the way of its passage.
Sincerely,
National Council of Jewish Women
The Workers Circle
National Organizations:
ADL
ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority
Ameinu
American Jewish Congress
Avodah
Aytzim: Ecological Judaism
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
Habonim Dror North America
JCPA
Jewish Democratic Council of America
Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish Women International
Keshet
Lilith magazine
Moving Traditions
Rabbinical Assembly
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Union of Reform Judaism
State Organizations:
Carolina Jews for Justice
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Jewish Community Action
Jews for Racial & Economic Justice
National Council of Jewish Women, Arizona Section
National Council of Jewish Women, California
National Council of Jewish Women, Georgia
National Council of Jewish Women, Maine Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Maryland Action Team
National Council of Jewish Women, Massachusetts
National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Minnesota
National Council of Jewish Women, Pennsylvania
National Council of Jewish Women, Rhode Island Action Team
National Council of Jewish Women, Washington State
Tzedek Georgia
Local Organizations:
Coastal Roots Farm
IKAR
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix
Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern Arizona
Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Silicon Valley
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Jewish History Museum & Holocaust History Center
National Council of Jewish Women, Atlanta Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Austin Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Bergen County Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Chicago North Shore Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Cleveland Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Dallas Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Houston Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Jersey Hills Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Kansas City Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Lakeville Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Los Angeles Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Milwaukee Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Northern Virginia Action Team
National Council of Jewish Women, Palm Beach Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Rockland Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Sacramento Section
National Council of Jewish Women, San Antonio Section
National Council of Jewish Women, South Cook Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Valencia Shores Section