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