Action Center Update: Washington State Legislative Session Now Open

Autopsy Case Taken Up by Senate Judiciary Committee

Late last year, a Jewish man died while hiking on Mount Rainier. Because a precise cause of death couldn't be determined, the Pierce County Medical Examiner insisted on performing an autopsy -- against his family's wishes. The family successfully blocked the autopsy by pursuing the matter in court citing Jewish law and belief, which looks unfavorably at desecration of a body. Currently, Washington State doesn't allow a medical examiner to consider the opinion of the family and the deceased's religious background when making the decision to perform an autopsy.

SB 6068, introduced last week and sponsored by Senator Adam Kline, Senator Joe Zarelli and Senator David Frockt changes this omission. The bill will be heard in committee this week. A companion bill sponsored by Representatives Reuven Carlyle and Roger Goodman will be introduced in the State House soon. The Jewish Federation supports this legislation and will be working to see it passed in the current legislative session.

Please take a moment to email your State Senator and ask him or her to support SB 6068.

You can read more about this issue in the Tacoma News Tribune.

State House Takes Up TANF at Committee Work Session

On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services took up the issue of TANF and WorkFirst by holding a two-hour work session on the impact of sustained, multi-year cuts to Washington's most critical safety net for women and families. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and Jewish Family Service submitted comments to committee members describing the struggles of families affected by these cuts and assisted by Jewish Family Service. The Jewish Federation will be working hard this session to minimize the impact of these cuts.

You can watch the TANF work sessions here.

Members of Washington's Jewish Community Support Marriage Equality

Organizations, rabbis, and synagogues in Washington's Jewish community have joined a broad based coalition in support of civil marriage equality in Washington State. The campaign is supported by organizations like the Union for Reform Judaism, Jewish Family Service, Anti-Defamation League, and Kline Galland. It is also supported by both Conservative and Reform rabbis: Rabbis Danny Weiner, Jim Mirel, Jonathan Singer, Jay Rosenbaum, Jill Borodin, and Rachel Nussbaum to name a few.

These organizations and others, believe civil marriage equality is not just a matter of fair treatment under the law and human dignity; but that it is also a matter of fundamental religious liberty. It should be up to individual clergy to decide for themselves which marriages they choose to solemnize.

Take a moment to lend your voice to this effort by sending a note to your state senator and state representatives on the subject.

National Council of Jewish Women Hosts Advocacy Training

The National Council of Jewish Women is once again hosting training for Jewish activists. This year's workshop will happen on January 22, 2012 from 12-2 pm at the Summit on First Hill (1200 University Street, Seattle, WA). Those in attendance will learn the secrets of being an effective lobbyist from Laura Ruderman a former state representative and Randi Abrams-Caras. To RSVP email ncjw [at] ncjwseattle [dot] org.