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Women Will Be Heard!

A very popular question recently has been, “So what did you really accomplish with all those Women’s Marches?” I have watched TV, followed Facebook, and spoken with family and friends and heard very different answers. Everybody marches for their own reason. At the very least, the marches made a statement to our government that you cannot marginalize women and their issues because we are here and we will make ourselves be heard!

There were organized marches held in about 270 cities around the US and over 100 other cities around the world. Over 3 million people showed their support by marching, including men and children. No matter the specific motivation for each marcher, there was an incredible feeling of empowerment and camaraderie and support for each other.

It will come as no surprise that the Women of Reform Judaism came out to take their stand. We had members of the Northeast District marching in New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Providence, and other cities around the country – including our District President Vivian Blumstein, who is currently in Florida and marched proudly with her husband at her side in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Sara Charney who flew down from Toronto to join our New York area sisters.

Some of the reasons we marched include:

the freedom to make choices regarding our own bodies
the right to a quality public education
the need for affordable medical care
truth in science and in reporting
protecting our environment
supporting groups in our country that are made to feel marginalized
supporting our LGBTQ communities
the rights for “minority communities” including blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, and immigrants
and that we will not keep quiet when our rights and liberties are being threatened

And this is just the beginning... an opening statement if you will. Our government is on notice that we are watching what is going on and we are ready to act if necessary to protect ourselves and our sisters (and brothers) – our fellow Americans. It is my greatest hope that this statement has been heard by Washington and by our politicians and that things will not be as bad as people fear they might be – but if not, then look out because we are organized and ready to take action.

Alissa Woska
Committee Chair for Technology

New York City

On a bright crisp day, I walked in solidarity with my WRJ sisters to show them that they are not alone and that the world is watching very closely what the new administration is doing vis-a-vis human rights and women's rights in the USA. Don't think there aren't repercussions around the world –whenever there are seismic changes in the United States, the effects are felt in Canada and elsewhere. I was impressed with the march in New York – it was peaceful and very family-friendly. There were marchers of every nationality walking side-by-side and it really felt good to chant: "Tell Me What Democracy Looks Like? This Is What Democracy Looks Like!" – Sara Charney, Canadian

Boston

As we sang “America the Beautiful” at the Women’s March in Boston on Saturday, January 21, I spontaneously inserted the word sisterhood into the phrase “and crown thy good with brotherhood.” When women organize and gather, amazing things can happen. I was proud to be standing with my sisters from WRJ-NE District, Trina Novak and Betty Weiner. As I search for ways to harness the energy from my concerns about women’s rights and human rights, WRJ’s social activism is now more important to me than ever. – Marsha Moller

Providence

The Sisterhood of Temple Beth-El (Providence, RI) stood in support of the Rhode Island Women's Solidarity rally, advocating for women's rights, civil liberties and social justice. The air at the rally was clear, the spirit high. The chant was, "Rise up!" We are ready to do that and stand for our rights. This is a wake up call which our sisterhood is answering.
– Cheryl Greenfield & Barbara Brown

Washington DC

As I climbed aboard the bus waiting at the train station at 3:45 am I knew this would be a very special day. My friend handed me a pink “pussy hat" that she had knitted for all of us, saying she hoped people would really wear them. When we arrived at the Metro station, we were greeted by hundreds of people in pink hats just like ours.

We heard America Ferrera and Scarlett Johansson speak passionately about civil rights and how to protect our America. Gloria Steinem, Angela Davis, Michael Moore, Cecile Richards, and many more took the stage and inspired us. The signs were amazing. One of my favorites was, “Girls just want to have Fun-damental rights!”

I think the best part for me was finally feeling hopeful again. We can still make a difference. – Diane Heiman

Next Steps

Wondering what you can do now? The key is to keep on top of the issues about which you feel passionately. Here are some resources to help you...

Stay up to date on other WRJ advocacy by signing up here: WRJ Advocacy Signup

On January 21, we came together by the millions, across the globe, to raise our voices. But our march forward doesn’t end here: now it's time to get our friends, family and community together and continue to make history. Join us in launching a new campaign: 10 Actions for the first 100 Days.
Womens March: 10 Actions

Religious Action Center "Urgency of Now" site is a resource for future actions suggested by the Reform movement. You can learn more about how to quickly seek out and act on the Reform Movements most urgent action alerts.
"Urgency of Now"

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