September 3, 2025
National Council of Jewish Women-New York and New York Jewish Agenda drafted the letter of support below for three key pieces of legislation that protect the reproductive rights and health of all New Yorkers. The letter is signed by close to 100 New York Jewish clergy and leaders, and urges Governor Hochul to sign each piece of legislation, all of which passed both chambers of the legislature during the 2025 legislative session:
Dear Governor Hochul,
As Jewish clergy and leaders, our values compel us to speak out and take action to ensure all
people have unfettered access to safe, high-quality reproductive health care and that they not
be penalized for accessing or providing such care.
We are writing today to urge you to protect the reproductive rights and health of all New
Yorkers by signing three bills that passed both chambers of the legislature during the 2025
session.
● NY Health Information Privacy Act (A.2141 Rosenthal/S.929 Krueger): to protect New
Yorkers’ private health information and ensure that nobody’s personal health information is
used against them;
● Furthering Legal Protections for Gender Affirming and Reproductive Health Care (Shield
2.0) (A.5480 Bronson/S.4914 Hoylman-Sigal): to ensure that everyone who needs care in New
York can receive or provide it without fear of retribution;
● Hospital Transparency (A.3862 Rozic/S.3486 Hinchey): so patients can determine where
they can get the care they need before they are admitted to a hospital or in crisis.
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we have seen abortion restrictions enacted across the
country. Patients cannot access crucial health care, providers have faced legal action, women
are being criminalized for pregnancy outcomes, and the results are devastating. These bills seek
to address some of these harms that threaten patients’ rights to privacy and quality, life-saving
healthcare.
In Judaism, the life, health, and well-being of the pregnant person takes precedence over that
of the fetus. Jewish law not only permits abortion but even requires it when the life or health of
the pregnant person is at risk. We have already seen dangerous outcomes in other states when
patients experiencing pregnancy complications are denied crucial care by medical providers. No
one’s health care options should be limited by the narrow religious beliefs of others or
providers’ fear.
New York must require hospitals to clearly disclose what reproductive health services they
provide so patients can make informed decisions before admission. Without transparency,
people may unknowingly be denied critical care such as abortion or emergency contraception,
especially in religiously affiliated hospitals.
The state must also protect individuals from prosecution for providing or accessing reproductive
health care, ensuring that no one faces legal threats for exercising their rights. Judaism affirms
the dignity, autonomy, and moral agency of every person. Jewish tradition values life and
health, and supports the right to make deeply personal decisions— including those about
reproductive care—without fear or coercion.
Ensuring transparency and legal protection with regard to these decisions aligns with these core
Jewish values and upholds justice and compassion for all. New York has been a leader on
abortion access and reproductive justice and must continue to expand and protect those rights,
which the legislation above will do.
For that reason, we, the undersigned Jewish clergy and leaders, urge Governor Hochul to sign
these bills into law.
Sincerely,
Andrea Salwen Kopel, Executive Director, National Council of Jewish Women New York
Phylisa Wisdom, Executive Director, New York Jewish Agenda
Anita Altman
Rabbi Renni Altman
Cantor Dana Anesi
Rabbi Emily Aronson
Rabbi Guy Austrian
Cantor Kathy Barr
Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker
Talia Benamy
Rabbi Stacy Bergman
Rabbi Cantor Jennifer Bern-Vogel
Rabbi Rena Blumenthal
Rabbi Neal Borovitz
Leslie Boyer, Cantorial Associate
Cantor Josh Breitzer
Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor
Rabbi Alison Brody
Rabbi Caleb Brommer
Rabbi Jeff Brown
Rabbi Adam Cerino-Jones
Cantor Gerald Cohen
Cantor Jonathan Comisar
Cantor Melanie Cooperman
Rabbi Joshua Davidson
Rabbi Nikki DeBlosi, PhD.
Rabbi Billy Dreskin
Cantor Ellen Dreskin
Rabbi Dr. Andy Dubin
Rabbi Joan Glazer Farber
Rabbi Paula Feldstein
Rabbi Michael Fessler
Rabbi Marla J. Feldman
Adam Fisher
Rabbi Bob Gluck
Rabbi Dr. Laura Gold
Rabbi Deborah Goldberg
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Rabbi Stephen Goodman
Melanie Roth Gorelick
Rabbi Lisa D. Grant
Rabbi Matthew Green
Rabbi Rachel Gross-Prinz
Rabbi Yael Hammerman
Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman
Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann
Rabbi Miriam Herscher
Rabbi Margo Hughes-Robinson
Cantor Stefano Iacono
Rabbi Lisa Izes
Iris Karlin
Rabbi Juliana Karol
Jonathan Kopp
Rabbi Gabriel Kretzmer-Seed
Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie
Cantor Janet Leuchter
Rabbi Janet B. Liss
Rabbi Marc Margolius
Cantor Jenna Mark
Rabbi Cantor Jacqueline Marx
Cantor Fredda Mendelson
Rabbi Shira Milgrom
Rabbi Joel Mosbacher
Rabbi Linda Motzkin
Cantor Sarah Myerson
Cantor Sally Neff
Cantor Katie Oringel
Rabbi Dan Ornstein
Rabbi Shuli Passow
Rabbi Rachel Rembrandt
Rabbi Max Zev Reynolds
Stephen Ring
Cantor Chanin Becker Rosen
Rabbi Jennie Rosenn
Rabbi Benjamin Ross
Rabbi Dennis Ross
Rabbi Emeritus Jonathan Rubenstein
Rabbi Jill Rubin
Noa Rubin, Rabbinical Student
Cantor Eric Schulmiller
Cantor Lisa B. Segal
Cantor Judith Seplowin
Rabbi Jaimee Shalhevet
Rabbi Rebecca Shinder
Rabbi Felicia Sol
Rabbi Abby Stein
Rabbi Arielle Stein
Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh
Rabbi Joshua Strom
Rabbi Burton Visotzky
Rabbi Marcey Wagner
Rabbi Daniel Wolpe
Rabbi Mara Young
Rabbi Lina Zerbarini