WASHINGTON — With the Senate confirmation of Nicole Berner to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, National Council of Jewish Women CEO Sheila Katz released the following statement:

“A nominee like Nicole Berner comes along once in a lifetime. She is a historic nominee for the Fourth Circuit as the first LGBTQ, Israeli-American, and labor lawyer on that court. At National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) we know that for our courts to work for everyone, they have to look like the population they serve. Judge Berner brings to our federal courts important expertise on a range of issues like labor, reproductive, and LGBTQ rights and the lived experience of what it means to serve and live within marginalized communities. 

“So much of what guides Judge Berner is derived from her Jewish values — the pursuit of justice, the belief in the inherent dignity of every person, and a commitment to equity — which will inform her decisions on the bench. That is why NCJW advocates worked tirelessly for two and a half years supporting Nicole Berner to fill this vacancy. 

“Who serves on our federal courts matters. Every issue we care about makes its way through the federal courts and those serving a lifetime tenure make decisions that impact our lives and that of future generations. The Fourth Circuit, the country is better off for having Judge Nicole Berner on the bench.”

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