Jews for Abortion Access is a program of National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW). (Learn more HERE ) They engage in nonpartisan efforts to educate the community about abortion and reproductive health issues, destigmatize abortion, and support bodily autonomy and religious freedom. One of the main initiatives they support is Repro Shabbat.
Started in 2021, this is an annual Shabbat that honors the Jewish value of reproductive freedom. It takes place on Parshat Mishpatim, the Torah reading which contains the verses commonly referenced as the foundation of Judaism’s approach to reproductive health, rights, and justice. Temple Emanuel along with synagogues, individuals and communities across the world mark Repro Shabbat to demonstrate our commitment to reproductive justice and abortion access.
These are some of the events Temple Emanuel has hosted in support of reproductive rights, as well as co-sponsoring with local synagogues and other organizations:
In 2025 we expect to host guest speaker Lesley Frost of the National Council of Jewish Women for Repro Shabbat on Friday February 21. Lesley works for NCJW as an Action Team Leader for Maryland ensuring all citizens of our state are protected and have the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies.
In 2024 Rabbi Adam Rosenwasser led a special Torah study for Repro Shabbat focusing on abortion in Jewish tradition. Source texts for the discussion can be found HERE.
At the conclusion of the 2024 Repro Shabbat, we shared the Havdalah webinar hosted by Hadassah, Greater Baltimore Region and NCJW Maryland inviting all Marylanders to learn about a referendum on the upcoming ballot to amend the Maryland constitution via the Maryland Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment.
We promoted attendance at a program and rally at the Supreme Court on March 26 with the Jewish and broader reproductive health rights and justice community. This gathering marked the oral arguments in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine – discussing the availability of mifepristone, one of two pills most commonly used in medication abortion. Mifepristone has been used safely in the US and around the world for more than 23 years.
We shared the “Not On Our Watch” pledge from Jews for Abortion Access which strove to gather 1000 signatures from the Jewish community in support of abortion access as the Supreme Court was considering two abortion cases.
We co-sponsored a briefing on the Maryland constitutional amendment with The Davis Center for Social Justice at Temple Sinai and Freedom in Reproduction-Maryland (FIRM) on September 4, learning more about this important initiative directly from FIRM’s organizers.
Temple Emanuel’s WRJ, Brotherhood, and Social Action Committee – through the nonpartisan organization Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) — provided addresses and scripts for postcard writing parties to voters nationwide encouraging them to protect and expand reproductive freedom with November ballot initiatives, including Issue 4 in Florida.
WRJ and Brotherhood hosted an information session held via Zoom on October 15 about the Maryland constitution amendment with Wendy Frosh, a leader with Freedom in Reproduction -Maryland.
We hosted Allison Korman, Founder of the Red Tent Fund as our Guest Speaker on November 1st, where she delivered a sermon. (Read it HERE) Our tzedakah recipient for November was The Red Tent Fund. Founded in 2024, the Red Tent Fund is a non-profit abortion fund rooted in the Jewish values and teachings that affirm the right to abortion.
In 2023 for Repro Shabbat our speaker was TE member, Glenn Northern, Abortion Access Campaign Co-Director at NCJW.
