REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM TOWN HALL: TAKE ACTION TO RESTORE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN FLORIDA
Boca Raton, FL (May 9, 2023) The entire community is invited to attend a vital Reproductive Freedom Town Hall: Take Action to Restore Reproductive Rights in Florida at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 11:00 am at their Schaefer Family Campus in east Boca Raton. A statewide coalition of organizations led by Planned Parenthood and including Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), the ACLU, the National Council of Jewish Women and other interfaith organization are leading an effort to amend the Florida Constitution to enshrine abortion access through at least 24-weeks of pregnancy into law. This would be done by passing a ballot initiative during the election in November 2024. Nearly 1,000,000 signatures will need to be collected to get the amendment on the ballot In November.
According to Rabbi Greg Weisman of Temple Beth El, “Many in our congregation were dismayed when the state passed a law that bans almost all abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. A majority of Floridians are opposed to this law, but as Jewish Floridians we have a unique objection: this law infringes on our religious freedoms. Our tradition consistently privileges the life and wellbeing of pregnant women over an unborn fetus.”
During the town hall, leaders from Temple Beth El, RAC-FL and elected officials will discuss how this coalition across the State of Florida will work together to make this happen, and how those attending the town hall can help.
Temple Beth El Senior Rabbi Dan Levin adds, “State laws that prohibit the right to terminate a pregnancy with no regard to the health and safety of the mother violate Jewish law. A Jewish person who is denied the right to an abortion to preserve her health is kept from what Florida’s constitution guarantees as the free exercise of her religious conscience.”
To register to attend the Reproductive Freedom Town Hall, visit tbeboca.org/social-action or call Temple Beth El at 561-391-8900.
To register for the launch of the RAC-FL Campaign to advance Reproductive Justice in Florida, visit rac.org/take-action/rac-your-state/rac-fl to participate in the Zoom program. Reform Jewish leaders from around the state will be gathering to strategize and learn how we can best support this effort.
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