Empowering current and future leaders to build a more compassionate and just society
The Jewish Center for Justice is a distinguished social justice, education, and leadership development platform that meets each individual where they are in their journey to inspire change.
The Micah D. Bycel Fund for Legislative Fellows
On August 27, 2022, the Jewish Center for Justice community suffered a devastating loss with the sudden and untimely death of Board Member Micah Bycel (z”l).
The JCJ community has created a special fund to honor Micah’s memory and secure his legacy. Micah was a kind and compassionate soul. He saw a broken world and was determined to make it better for his kids and the next generation. In his honor, The Micah D. Bycel Fund for Legislative Fellows will help shape the next generation of Jewish justice activists.
In addition to the Fund, we have renamed the program, The Micah D. Bycel Legislative Fellowship. All future fellows will learn of Micah’s memory and advocate for justice in his honor.
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The SAVE Act doesn’t save democracy. It shrinks it.
The Jewish Center for Justice stands in firm opposition to the so-called SAVE Act currently moving through Congress.
Despite its name, this bill is not about safeguarding democracy. Based on our reading of the legislation and our longstanding opposition to voter suppression, we believe the SAVE Act is yet another attempt to restrict access to the ballot under the guise of election security. It is a solution in search of a problem, and its real impact would be to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.
The SAVE Act creates new barriers at nearly every stage of the voting process. It makes registering to vote more difficult, staying registered more precarious, and casting a ballot more burdensome. These obstacles will disproportionately impact young voters, low-income voters, voters of color, seniors, people with disabilities, and others who already face structural barriers to participation. At a moment when trust in democratic institutions is fragile, the answer is not fewer voices but broader, more inclusive participation.
Our Jewish tradition offers a clear moral framework for how we should evaluate policies like this one. A just society is measured by who is included, not who is pushed to the margins. Voting is not a privilege reserved for the few; it is a sacred right that must be protected and expanded. When access to the ballot is restricted, democracy itself is weakened.
JCJ opposes the SAVE Act not only because it is bad policy, but because it violates the core values that underpin a healthy democracy. Protecting elections does not require suppressing voters. Strengthening democratic institutions does not mean erecting new hurdles for participation. The path forward lies in expanding access, building trust, and ensuring that every eligible voter can make their voice heard.
What You Can Do
Outrage alone will not stop this bill. Action will.
We urge you to contact your members of Congress and tell them to oppose the SAVE Act. Ask them to protect the right to vote by rejecting legislation that restricts access to the ballot and undermines democratic participation.
You can also support organizations working to defend voting rights, educate voters, and expand access to the ballot—especially in communities most impacted by these barriers.
Democracy is not self-sustaining. It depends on people who are willing to speak up, organize, and act.
This is a moral issue and a democracy issue. And the Jewish Center for Justice will not be silent.
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