Economic Justice & Reform Movement Positions

The Reform Movement has always acted upon fundamental Jewish ideals by advocating for children, the poor, disenfranchised, the elderly, the sick, the disabled and the "stranger among us." In past resolutions we have called for full employment programs, social welfare entitlements for public housing, day care, family planning, health and legal services and income maintenance assistance programs. In 1973, the URJ urged Congress to expand social programs, and in 1981 opposed efforts to cut funding to education, job training, food subsidies and many other social programs that were in danger of losing some, if not all, of their funding.

Just before the passage of the 1996 welfare reform law, the URJ passed a resolution entitled "Our Economic Commitment to America's Poor." This 1995 resolution recognized the importance of prudent fiscal reforms and welfare reform, but asserted that these reforms should not be made on the backs of the most needy. The resolution further asserted that "the United States government [must]" ensure an adequate, federally guaranteed safety net to protect our nation's most vulnerable populations." Any legislation that does not meet the above standard should not be passed by Congress or signed into law by the President.

Resolutions on Economic Justice
Union for Reform Judaism
Resolution on Economic Justice (1976)
Economic Justice for Womne (1983)
Our Economic Commitment to America's Poor (1995) 
Confronting and Combating Poverty in the United States (2003)
Resolution on Principles of Economic Justice in a Time of Fiscal Crisis (2011)

Central Conference of American Rabbis
On Economic Justice for Women (1984)
Economic Justice (1987)
Economic Justice in the Jewish Community (1989)

Economic Conversion (1994)  

Women of Reform Judaism
Economic and Social Welfare (1981)
Economic Justice (1985)
Social and Economic Justice (1987)
Economic Justice (2001)