Rabbi Arthur Weiner

In the landmark decision Roe v. Wade of 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the “concept of liberty” guaranteed by the 14th amendment included a woman’s qualified right to terminate her pregnancy. This landmark decision struck down dozens of state abortion restrictions across the country. For almost five decades, the right to terminate a pregnancy was a protected constitutional right that could be regulated or prohibited by state law only when the fetus became viable.  49 years later, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade . Its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization gave individual states the power to regulate abortion. They ruled that abortion is not a constitutional right, and additionally ruled that it is not a fundamental right implied by the Constitution. The practical effect was a dismantling of almost 50 years of precedent protecting the constitutional right to abortion in the United States. Since the Dobbs case, 14 states hav...

Communities are stronger, and the individuals within those communities are healthier, both physically and spiritually, when people are not needlessly pitted against one another. Clergy Letter Project members represent religious leaders from many faith traditions. Although we do not always agree with each other, our traditions all adhere to the Golden Rule. We listen to each other and we treat each other with respect. Values central to the mission of The Clergy Letter Project are respect for truth, for science, for diverse faith traditions, and for the dignity of all persons. The thousands of religious leaders, from a broad array of religious traditions, who comprise The Clergy Letter Project urge individuals in our country, especially those who hold political power, to think carefully about how their actions may be divisive and harmful. The Value of Human Dignity : The Clergy Letter Project has regularly spoken out forcefully, from both religious and scientific perspectives, abou...

I’m sure Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana was a great doctor. But he’s an irresponsible public servant. Our nation deserves better, especially those whose health will be jeopardized by his irresponsible decision to vote in favor of the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the position of Health Secretary.   What made his vote last week to send the nomination to the Senate floor particularly cowardly is that throughout his medical career, Senator Cassidy was (and to be fair, remains) a passionate supporter and advocate for vaccines.   Bobby Kennedy is not. He is the opposite.   Vaccines are among civilization’s greatest achievements, backed by decades of rigorous research. Kennedy's promotion of debunked claims, such as the false link between vaccines and autism, shows a troubling disregard for science and public welfare that is decades in the making.   Every member of the US Senate knows this.   No reader of this Shabbat message would ever consider going to ...

I had a variety of thoughts and emotions as I watched the release of Israel's captives freed last Shabbat, and yesterday morning, as well as the tragic release of Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons. I felt elation and joy over the return of Israelis to the loving arms of their families and their nation. But that was accompanied by sorrow and anger over the bitter price that Israel paid for their release. I wrote about that in last week's Shabbat message , so I won't rehash that here. Watching the heroes' welcome given to vile terrorists is a troubling reminder of the honor that Palestinian society bestows upon those who injure and murder Israelis. We know from previous lopsided prisoner exchanges that many will resume their terrorist agenda. Israelis will die in the future as a result. That is why I personally opposed every previous such prisoner exchange. I did not oppose this one, simply because of the sheer number of Israeli hostages. But the joy that world ...

What joy and relief the families of the hostages, the people of Israel, and the worldwide Jewish community felt last Sunday as the first of Israel’s hostages were released from their brutal, illegal, and immoral captivity.  Romi Gonen was abducted from the Nova music festival after being shot by invading terrorists while she was on the phone with her mother. Emily Damari was kidnapped from her apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, as was Doron Steinbrecher, also of Kfar Aza.     I personally witnessed the terrible destruction of that community when I traveled to Israel with a group of Rabbis last January. Last Sunday, the Israel Defense Force (IDF)   also announced that it had successfully carried out a covert operation in Gaza to recover the body of a fallen soldier, Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul, who died in combat in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge. His body was held hostage by Hamas for over a decade. It’s been 15 months of bloody war, negotiations, and emotion...