September 25, 2020
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator:

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg always chose her words carefully from her early years as a lawyer arguing landmark cases to her powerful dissenting opinions from the bench of the US Supreme Court and finally with her dying wish to her granddaughter: that her seat not be filled until the next president is sworn in.

A trailblazer who fundamentally shifted our nation toward equality, Justice Ginsburg deserves a successor who is chosen by the next president elected by the people. With the 2020 presidential election already underway in the form of early voting and mail-in ballots, the Senate must not push through a nominee until the election results are certified and the winner is sworn in on Inauguration Day. Indeed, using the current justices as our guide, on average it takes 79 days to confirm a Supreme Court nominee — hardly enough time given the circumstances.

We believe in a federal judiciary that is of and for the people and that federal judges who serve in these lifetime appointments must be fair, independent, and qualified with a commitment to constitutional rights for everyone. This is even more critical for those appointed to serve on our nation’s highest court. Senators need more time to fully vet and meet the nominee who will serve on the highest court of the land for a lifetime, issuing decisions that will impact nearly every American in this country.

We are committed to seeing Justice Ginsburg’s dying wish fulfilled and will do everything in our power to ensure her seat is filled only after every vote is counted.

We urge the Senate to instead focus on providing relief for millions of Americans who are still suffering from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, including the families and loved ones of the nearly 200,000 people who have died, as well as the 20 million people who have lost their jobs. Responding to the urgent needs of women, children, and families requires the full attention of the Senate.

The famous injunction in Deuteronomy (16:20): Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof, or “Justice, justice, you shall pursue,” is situated in the context of verses imploring us to create a fair and impartial judiciary; our pursuit of a non-partisan judiciary is, in its essence, the pursuit of justice, and our holding fast to this standard honors the memory of a great judge and justice.

Sincerely,

National Council of Jewish Women

National Organizations

Avodah
Aytzim: Ecological Judaism Bend the Arc
Central Conference of American Rabbis Habonim Dror North America
Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish Voice for Peace Action
Jewish Women International (JWI)
Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute
Moving Traditions
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
Shalom Task Force
SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights Union for Reform Judaism Wemourntoo.com
Women of Reform Judaism

State Organizations

Illinois Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC-IL)
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
National Council of Jewish Women, Maryland Action Team
National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Minnesota Section New England
Jewish Labor Committee
New Jersey Jewish Labor Committee
New York Jewish Agenda

Local Organizations

Bend the Arc Jewish Action Greater Ann Arbor
Carolina Jews for Justice
Chicago Jewish Labor Committee
Congregation Bet Haverim
Congregation Beth Am
Congregation Beth Israel
Congregation Beth Shalom
Congregation Bnai Jacob of Jersey City
Congregation Dorshei Tzedak
Congregation Temple Israel Germantown Jewish Centre
IKAR
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
Jewish Student Union at Boise State
Jewish Womenís Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh Kehillat Israel
Kehillath Shalom Kesher Pittsburgh Kol Tzedek Lab/Shul
National Council of Jewish Women, Arizona Section
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, Contra Costa Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Dallas Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Long Beach, and West Orange County Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Miami Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Philadelphia Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Rochester Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Jersey Hills Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Kendall Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Los Angeles Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Louisville Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Milwaukee Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Nashville Section
National Council of Jewish Women, New York Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Northern Virginia Action Team
National Council of Jewish Women, Peninsula Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Rockland Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Saddleback Section
National Council of Jewish Women, San Antonio Section
National Council of Jewish Women, SE Atlantic Section
National Council of Jewish Women, South Cook Section
National Council of Jewish Women, St. Louis Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Valencia Shores Section
National Council of Jewish Women, West Morris Section Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion
Peninsula Sinai Congregation Peninsula Temple Beth El
Shir Tikvah Congregation, Minneapolis Temple Beth David
Temple Emunah Temple Israel
Temple Israel of Hollywood