National Council of Jewish Women Outraged Over Supreme Court Ruling Ending Right to Abortion


CEO Sheila Katz: ‘NCJW To Continue To Fight’ 
WASHINGTON — With today’s decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, National Council of Jewish Women CEO Sheila Katz released the following statement: 

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is a moral failure. It will put lives at risk. By overturning 50 years of precedent, safe and vital abortion care is now virtually inaccessible to millions of people who need it. In the weeks and months ahead, we will see the devastating impact this ruling will have on human lives. 

“This egregious decision is a direct violation of both our American values and our Jewish tradition. Reversing the protections of Roe defies logic, morality, compassion and the fundamental right of all Americans to practice their religious beliefs without interference from the government.

“In the 13 states where abortion will become immediately illegal, millions of people will have to face the harsh truth that they no longer have control over their lives and their bodies. This decision will forever alter the lives of those who will be forced to remain pregnant, increasing the chances that they will face life-threatening medical complications, poverty and unemployment. And we know from existing data in states where abortion is already virtually inaccessible that this decision will disproportionately impact those who already face barriers to accessing health care, including women, and particularly Black, Indigenous and people of Color, LGBTQ+ individuals, those with disabilities, young people and those working to make ends meet. 

“Abortion bans place greater value on the life of the fetus than on the pregnant person, a violation of both Jewish law and tradition and of American religious liberty. Now, it seems only certain people are entitled to religious liberty, which renders the entire concept meaningless. Today’s decision betrays this most cherished American value. The rights of American Jews and other people of faith who believe in access to abortion, who are the majority of people in this country, have been sacrificed to the overwhelming zeal of one small group that has turned the shield of religious freedom into a sword.

“National Council of Jewish Women advocates will not be deterred. We will continue to fight until everyone can make their own faith-informed decision about their bodies, lives and futures, regardless of who they are or where they live. Now is the time. Forced pregnancy is an explicit violation of our rights as Jews. Abortion access is and always will be a Jewish value, and we are determined to keep fighting, from the streets to the courts, to ensure that everyone has access to the care they need and the ability to make their own decisions for themselves and their futures.”

ADL: Supreme Court Ruling in Dobbs v. Mississippi Undermines Fundamental Rights

New York, NY, June 24, 2022 ... ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) is stunned by today’s Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturns the longstanding precedent set by Roe v. Wade affirming the constitutional right to abortion. 
 
ADL joined 72 other organizations in an amicus brief urging that Mississippi’s anti-abortion law be found unconstitutional as a violation of fundamental liberty and equal protection rights. 
 
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of ADL, said “Since 1980, as a matter of both religious and personal liberty, ADL has supported the right to full access to reproductive care. This decision overturns 50 years of constitutional protection for a woman’s right to determine whether to terminate a pregnancy or bear a child. It also imposes a specific set of religious beliefs on all Americans and one that does not align with Jewish tradition. This decision will bring real harm to countless women and undermines the promise of justice and fair treatment to all. We will join with groups like NCJW to support efforts in Congress and in the states to protect this essential right.”  
 
This ruling underscores the importance of passing the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) which enshrines those constitutional protections into law. ADL will work with partner organizations and elected officials to ensure the passage of this legislation.