November 7, 2020
The Central Conference of American Rabbis congratulates former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Kamala D. Harris on their election as President and Vice President of the United States of America. All Americans can take pride in the tremendous voter turnout shown this year, an affirmation of our democracy.
Having recently celebrated the centennial of women’s suffrage in the United States, supported by the CCAR since at least 1912 and enacted with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution in August 1920, we rejoice at long last in the first-ever election of a woman to nationwide office. As the first woman of color elected Vice President, Senator Harris offers hope and an inspiring role model to women of every age, particularly those who celebrate a multiracial heritage.
Reform rabbis note with gratitude that the President- and Vice President–Elect ran on a platform that supports numerous existing CCAR positions, including but not limited to:
- Racial justice, including police and criminal justice reform
- A strong US-Israel relationship
- Economic justice
- Environmental justice
- Women’s rights, including reproductive justice
- Universal healthcare
- LGBTQ+ equality
- A two-state solution for Israeli-Palestinian peace and security
- Comprehensive immigration reform, including a clean DREAM Act
- Protection of First Amendment rights, including religious freedom and the separation of church and state
We urge the President- and Vice President–Elect, and all who will serve in their administration, to pursue these worthy goals with passion, and we pledge our support to their efforts.
The CCAR acknowledges the service of President Trump, Vice President Pence, and their administration. We also urge President Trump, Vice President Pence, and their supporters to accept the will of the American people, expressed in a free and fair election, and we call upon the Trump administration to participate actively and cooperatively in the transition to the Biden-Harris administration.
Reform rabbis call on all Americans to work together to heal the divisions that have weakened our nation. In the words of President-Elect Biden, “It’s time for America to unite. And to heal. We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do if we do it together.”
Rabbi Ronald Segal
President
Rabbi Hara E. Person
Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis