Barbara Weinstein

Barbara Weinstein is the director of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism and the associate director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

News and Politics

What Now? A July 4th Playbook for Protecting Voting Rights

This week, Americans nationwide will embrace the cliches and heat up their barbeques, catch some fireworks, debate national policies, hopefully capturing the spirit of July 4th and reflecting on their American blessings. Chief among those blessings — well, for citizens at least —is the right to choose the men and women who represent us. After all, this nation was founded by those who opposed “taxation without representation.”

Jewish tradition also speaks clearly to the importance of choosing wise and respected leaders. In the Talmud (Brachot 55a), Rabbi Yitzhak reminds us, “A ruler is not to be appointed until the community is consulted.”

So as American Jews, how can we respond to June 26th US Supreme Court decisionstriking down a key part of the Voting Rights Act?

ZEEK is presented by The Jewish Daily Forward | Maintained by SimonAbramson.com