“We are devastated at the rollback of democratic protections in Israel. National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) has spoken out against these plans since they were first announced, and we are dismayed to see them in action — especially because of their expected impact on the rights of women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, Arabs, and other minorities.

“This vote goes against the will of the majority of Israeli citizens, who for nearly six months have taken to the streets to protest these plans. We remain in solidarity with all of the Israeli protestors, including tens of thousands who marched from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for four days this past week in a desperate bid for the government to abandon its judicial overhaul plans. read more

I am always honored to lead Hatikvah in UnXeptable Rochester rallies like this one from this past Sunday. (Especially since this grassroots movement was started by Israeli expats!)

On Wednesday  Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed a joint session of Congress. He was well-received but I hoped that he could have been in a position to calm the fears that we in UnXeptable Rochester have been trying to call attention to in these rallies supporting our brothers and sisters in Israel who have been protesting every day about proposed judicial so-called “reforms” that would severely limit the Court’s ability to be a check and balance over proposed legislation. This means that the current right-wing government would have the power to turn Israel’s democracy into a dictatorship and quite possibly a theocracy. Essentially erasing Israel’s Declaration of Independence that declares that the State of Israel will assure equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants, regardless of race, religion or gender. read more