October 21, 2021 - In response to a statement from Sunrise Movement, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
"The failure of the Sunrise movement to speak clearly in condemnation of the offensive statement this week from their Sunrise DC hub that sought to erase the presence of the RAC, NCJW, and JCPA from the fight for voting rights, is shameful. The statement and tepid response seem to be an indication that they consider the Jewish community expendable in the fight for social justice and comes perilously close to fomenting antisemitism.
Our commitment to voting rights for all Americans is not contingent on who will stand with us. It is deeply rooted in our Jewish faith, and we refuse to let the actions of one organization distract us from our mission to protect access to the ballot for everyone.
Let's be clear: we do not consider our work on voting rights to be in conflict with our progressive Zionist principles, nor do we consider these beliefs to be an impediment to our tireless work fighting for the human rights of Palestinians and a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
