Jewish Leaders Meet with White House to Talk Social Justice
It’s been encouraging to see prominent Christian leaders form a Circle of Protection around the most vulnerable as Washington is mired in ideological battles over debt and spending. But the members of this group aren’t the only faith leaders who have met with the White House lately. The Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, a group of Jewish nonprofit organizations committed to advancing economic and social justice as a core tenet of their faith, met with White House officials this past Friday. The key topics of discussion were issues such as health care and education.
The Nathan Cummings Foundation convened the Roundtable two years ago, joining over 20 organizations with a commitment to collective justice as informed by their prophetic Jewish values. Friday’s meeting was an important step in bringing their priorities into the public sphere. Simon Greer, the outgoing President and CEO of Progressive Jewish Alliance & Jewish Funds for Justice, explains:
“The fact that 170 Jews are coming to the White House to talk about housing, healthcare, education and food justice shows that these issues are priorities for millions of American Jews. The number of Jews and Jewish organizations engaged in social and economic justice work has grown exponentially over the past two decades….To spend the day in conversation with some of our government’s top leaders about the pressing issues facing our nation was an incredible
 validation of the Jewish social justice movement.”
We’re glad to see religious communities taking their issues to the White House and continuing to advocate for the common good. It’s important for our politicians to continue to hear from diverse groups of faith leaders whose work is rooted in shared values.
Photo: Jewish Social Justice Roundtable participants. Credit: Jewish Council on Urban Affairs