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

Madrikh 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