April 30, 2010
Jewish Community Condemns Arizona Law, Urges National Comprehensive Immigration
Reform

In the aftermath of ill-advised legislation, Immigration; Law Enforcement; Safe Neighborhoods
Act (SB 1070), passed last week in Arizona and signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer, we, as
members of We Were Strangers, Too: the Jewish Campaign for Immigration Reform, condemn the Arizona law and call upon Congress to immediately introduce comprehensive immigration
reform legislation with bipartisan support that will provide a path to citizenship for the 11
million undocumented residents of our country and transform the current enforcement system
into one that is both effective and humane.

Laws like the one passed in Arizona are not the answer to our nation’s broken immigration
system. This law, which requires police to stop anyone suspected of being an “illegal,” will
greatly increase the possibility of racial discrimination through racial profiling.

The Jewish community is particularly concerned about requirements for individuals to prove their status
based solely on what they look like and who they are. We call upon the Department of Justice to
closely monitor the implementation of this new law out of concern for widespread instances of
racial profiling and take action against any civil rights and civil liberties violations.

In Deuteronomy 16:12, we are commanded to establish a fair justice system: “and they shall
judge the people with righteous justice.” The Torah tells us: “You shall have one law for the stranger and the citizens alike.” (Leviticus 24:22).

Throughout our history, members of the Jewish community have been considered strangers and outsiders in their communities, and we know too well the pain of living in fear. In the wake of the fear, distrust,
and suspicion that have followed the passage of SB1070 in Arizona, we again urgently call upon
Congress to introduce and pass comprehensive immigration reform.

The We Were Strangers, Too campaign has called for immigration legislation that establishes smart border protection and humane enforcement policies that bolster our national security;
balances enforcement with economic development and human and civil rights; keeps families
together and decreases the waiting time for family reunification; creates pathways to citizenship
for undocumented immigrants; creates a plan for future migration flows in order to protect all
workers' rights; and empowers immigrants to fully integrate into American society by providing
financial support to local governments and community organizations that offer classes and
services.
Sincerely,

National Organizations
American Jewish Committee
B’nai B’rith International
CDEEP: Center for Devotional, Energy and Ecstatic Practice, a project of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc.
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Labor Committee
Joint Action Committee
National Association of Jewish Chaplains
National Council of Jewish Women
Rabbinical Assembly
The Shalom Center
Tikkun Magazine
Union of Reform Judaism
Uri L’Tzedek: The Orthodox Social Justice Movement
Women of Reform Judaism
Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring

Local Organizations
American Jewish Committee Arizona
American Jewish Committee Colorado
American Jewish Committee Greater Miami and Broward, FL
American Jewish Committee Palm Beach County, FL
American Jewish Committee Westchester
American Jewish Committee Western Region
Baltimore Jewish Council
Chicago Jewish Labor Committee
Cleveland Jewish Labor Committee
Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, New York, NY
Congregation Kol HaLev, Santa Fe, NM
Congregation Merkaz Ha-Iyr, Phoenix, AZ
Congregation Ruach Hamidbar–Spirit of the Desert, Scottsdale, AZ
Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Jewish Alliance for Law & Social Action, Boston, MA
Jewish Community Action, St. Paul, MN
Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Birmingham Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New Haven
Jewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit
Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Chicago, IL
Jewish Labor Committee Western Region
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, New York NY
Jews United for Justice, Washington, DC
Mishkan Shalom Congregation, Philadelphia, PA
New England Jewish Labor Committee
Philadelphia Jewish Labor Committee
Progressive Jewish Alliance, California
Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue, Northbrook, IL
UJA-Federation, New York
United Hebrew Trades, the New York Division of the Jewish Labor Committee
Individuals
Cecille Allman Asekoff, Executive Director, National Association of Jewish Chaplains
David Zverow, Director, HIAS Chicago
Gideon Aronoff, President & CEO, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)
Jane Ramsey, Executive Director, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
Mark Pelavin, Director, Commission on Social Action, Union for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Andrew Straus, Temple Emanuel, Tempe, AZ
Rabbi Ayla Grafstein, Ruach Hamidbar–Spirit of the Desert, Scottsdale, AZ
Rabbi Barb Moscow, Congregation Merkaz Ha-Iyr, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Barton G. Lee, Hillel Jewish Student Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell, Temple Chai, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow, Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue, Northbrook, IL
Rabbi Elana Kanter, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Erica Burech, Director of Jewish Life, Pardes Jewish Day School, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Evon Yakar, Director of Education, Temple Chai, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Jack Moline, Agudas Achim Congregation, Alexandria, VA
Rabbi John A. Linder, Temple Solel, Paradise Valley, AZ
Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Founder and Director, Just Congregations, Union for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Linda Holtzman, Mishkan Shalom, Philadelphia, PA
Rabbi Mari Chernow, Temple Chai, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Maynard Bell, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Rabbi Michael Wasserman, The New Shul, Phoenix, AZ
Rabbi Pamela Frydman Baugh, San Francisco, CA
Rabbi Phyllis Berman, New York, NY
Rabbi Sue Elwell, Philadelphia, PA
Ruth Messinger, President, American Jewish World Service2
Seth Brysk, Regional Director, American Jewish Committee Western Region
Sheila Decter, Executive Director, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Vic Rosenthal, Executive Director, Jewish Community Action
2
For identification purposes only.