As a follow up to Rabbi Aaron’s Yom Kippur sermon, “Our Movement Stands,” 21 women of Temple Emanuel met on October 22 for a text study and strategy session on women’s reproductive rights. 

Of particular concern is that some lawmakers are trying to effectively ban abortions in PA.

During the informative and thoughtful discussion, Rabbi Locketz pointed out that “liberal Jews want to separate church and state, so we do not speak up when we have religious viewpoints and opinions. But the Orthodox do, so they end up speaking for us too. If we don’t speak up and let our voices be heard, we let others speak for us.” 

The group agreed that the first actionable step is to reach out to other community members to find out if they’re doing anything and whether they’d like to join our efforts. Attendees will contact groups like Planned Parenthood, local Reform synagogues, National Council of Jewish Women, and TE’s Social Action committee. Depending on what comes out of that, representatives from each group can meet and plan next steps.

“With my rabbi kippah on, I love that a group of strong, well-educated Jews came to a better understanding of their tradition and its support for one of the great social concerns of our day,” Rabbi Aaron said. “With my Temple rabbi kippah on, I love that a group of strong, well-educated Jews came to better understand that their Temple supports them and can be the central address for their highest values AND their work in this world.”