FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2018
Contact: Max Rosenblum
818-304-4551
LOS ANGELES — In response to President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, Rabbi Joel Thal Simonds, Executive Director of the Jewish Center for Justice, released the following statement:
The Jewish Center for Justice is deeply concerned by the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Specifically, we find the decision to be troubling in two critical areas: (1) prioritizing the nomination over reuniting immigrant children separated from their parents at the border; and (2) the nominee’s record potentially jeopardizing hard won fundamental civil rights that are the cornerstone of our society.
The JCJ community strongly disagrees with the Administration’s decision to prioritize the naming of a Supreme Court Justice over the reunification of families, effectively distracting from the issue. Jewish text implores us to welcome the stranger and love your neighbor, and we believe that the individuals we elect for office should hold this moral imperative in highest regard.
Additionally, Judge Kavanaugh’s record suggests he may be hostile toward basic values of openness and inclusion, values we hold dear and fight for on a daily basis. During his time on the bench, Kavanaugh’s rulings were often harmful to our society’s most vulnerable. We fear further decisions could reverse decades of social progress on women’s reproductive choice, marriage equality and voting rights.
JCJ understands the constitutional necessity of a fully functioning body in our nation’s highest court. However, we call on the U.S. Senate to postpone confirmation hearings until every child who has been taken from their parents is reunited. Once this is accomplished, we strongly urge Senate members to conduct a fair hearing and thoroughly vet the next Supreme Court Justice. We implore our elected officials to ensure that the incoming justice protects the rights all of people regardless of race, class, gender, religion or no religion.
The Jewish Center for Justice is a social justice organization providing a platform for current and future Jewish leaders through education, leadership development and advocacy opportunities. Lead by Rabbi Joel Thal Simonds, JCJ empowers leaders to affect change on the ground in their communities and in our society as whole.