On Monday, October 28, NCJW joined the Poor People’s Campaign for their final Moral Monday, calling for justice ahead of the upcoming elections. NCJW CEO offered remarks, read the full speech below.

Good morning. I’m Sheila Katz, CEO of National Council of Jewish Women, a 131 year old Jewish feminist civil rights organization advocating for all women, children, and families. 

We are gathered here today—as Jews, as Muslims, as Christians, as people of diverse faiths and backgrounds—to proclaim together that:

Our vote is our voice.

Our country is at a crossroads: Millions of families are struggling, living paycheck to paycheck.

Millions are being stripped of their right to make decisions about their own bodies.

Countless parents are challenged to find affordable, quality childcare.

And far too many people still encounter countless barriers to exercising their fundamental right to vote. 

In a system that too often tries to silence those with the least power, it’s understandable that many of you, especially those living in poverty, might question whether your vote truly matters and if it’s worth navigating the barriers. But this doubt is not a failure of understanding; it is the result of a system that has worked to convince you that your voices don’t count.

As leaders across faith traditions, we are here to say, louder than those who seek to silence you, that your voices are essential. Your votes are powerful. And together, our votes are the way we reclaim our power.

Judaism teaches us a profound truth about the connection between voice and action. In Hebrew, the word for ‘voice’ and the word for ‘vote’ are one and the same: kol. This isn’t just coincidence—it’s a reminder that to vote is to raise our voice, to stand for our values, and to fulfill our sacred duty to repair our very broken world. 

As we close, I’d like to bless us with these words from Rabbi Laura Novak Winer:

Baruch atah Adonai, 

Eloheinu Melech haolam, 

shemetzapeh me’itanu

l’asok b’avodat 

ezrachut ha-medina

Blessed are we who engage as citizens, upholding our values of freedom and justice and exercising our power to choose our leaders.

May we all use our kol —our voice and our vote—to build a moral and just America. Amen.