Rabbinic Statement on Reproductive Freedom

Friday, May 7, 2022

As rabbinic leaders representing the Greater Atlanta Jewish community, and members of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association, we are deeply troubled by the possibility that reproductive freedoms in our country and our state could be drastically curtailed with the overturning of Roe V. Wade.

While our different streams of Judaism may differ in their parameters for permitting abortion, we are united in our understanding that a blanket denial of access to abortion would be in opposition to Jewish values and ethics as reflected in the Bible and rabbinic teachings.

Both collectively and as individual rabbis, we commit to offering our full support to any who would be adversely affected by the limiting of reproductive freedoms or access to abortion, and to fostering opportunities to bring the teachings of our tradition to bear on this critical issue.

(Organizational affiliations provided for identification purposes only)

Rabbi Spike Anderson, Temple Emanu-El Atlanta
Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar, Temple Beth Israel, Macon
Rabbi Judith Beiner, Jewish Family and Career Services, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Peter Berg, The Temple
Rabbi Michael Bernstein, Congregation Gesher L’Torah, Alpharetta
Rabbi Sam Blustin, Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Atlanta
Rabbi Lauren Cohn, Marietta
Rabbi Jonathan Crane, Decatur
Rabbi Dan Dorsch, Congregation Etz Chaim, Marietta
Rabbi Dayle Friedman, Atlanta, Congregation Beit Haverim
Rabbi Pamela Jay Gottfried
Rabbi Brian Glusman, Marcus Jewish Communtiy Center of Atlanta
Rabbi Josh Hearshen, Brookhaven, Congregation Or VeShalom
Rabbi Joshua Heller, Congregation B’nai Torah, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Lauren Henderson, Congregation Or Hadash, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Jason Holtz, Temple Kehillat Chaim, Roswell
Rabbi Ari Kaiman, Congregation Shearith Israel, Atlanta
Rabbi Claudio Kaiser-Blueth, Sandy Springs, Congregation B’nai Torah
Rabbi Hillel Konigsburg, Congregation B’nai Torah, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus The Temple
Rabbi Bradley Levenberg, Temple Sinai, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Shalom Lewis, Marietta
Rabbi Rachael Klein Miller, Temple Emanu-El, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Elana Perry, Atlanta
Rabbi Jordan Ottenstein, Congregation Dor Tamid, Johns Creek
Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe, Decatur Ma’alot
Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal, Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Atlanta
Rabbi Neil Sandler, Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Atlanta
Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
Rabbi Ilan Schwartz, Atlanta
Rabbi Ron Segal, Temple Sinai, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Rick Shapiro, Smyrna
Rabbi Larry Sernovitz, Temple Kol Emeth, Marietta
Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner, Temple Beth Tikvah, Roswell
(President, Atlanta Rabbinical Association)
Rabbi Alvin Sugarman, The Temple
Rabbi Natan Trief, Sandy Springs
Rabbi Samantha Trief, Sandy Springs, Temple Sinai
Rabbi Mark Zimmerman, Congregation Beth Shalom, Atlanta