JCRC’s Hineni Series - The State of Abortion Rights in the State of Arizona

In 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutionally-protected right to abortion, leaving the legislation of abortion access and other fundamental aspects of reproductive healthcare to individual states. That decision, Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, caused an unprecedented health and human rights crisis for pregnant people in our country.

 The JCRC for Tucson & Southern Arizona recently partnered with the National  Council of Jewish Women, Arizona Section; the YWCA for Southern Arizona; and the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson for Past, Present, Future – The State of Abortion Rights in the State of Arizona. The program brought attention to the ways in which ambiguity around laws and restrictions and to access are causing harm to pregnant people in our state.

Attendees got to hear from an all-star panel of women who have been fighting for reproductive rights and women’s health care on several fronts: Jodi Liggett, founder of the Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement, lobbiest, and NCJW-AZ’s senior policy advisor; Julie Gunnigle, activist, attorney, and NCJW-AZ’s Vice President for Legal Affairs; and Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick, founder and medical director of Camelback Family Practice and a fierce advocate for pregnant people and their families.

Civia Tamarkin, President of NCJW-AZ, moderated the panel. She is also a documentary filmmaker who has been following the struggle over reproductive rights for several years and her 2007 film, Birthright: A War Story, chronicled the ways in which women had become collateral damage in the aggressive campaign to take control of reproductive healthcare, even before Roe  was overturned.

The program included updates on the Arizona Abortion Access Initiative - the statewide, coalition-based effort to enshrine the right to abortion in the Arizona State Constitution – and  training was provided for those who want to help in the effort. Volunteers will need to gather almost 400,000 signatures from registered voters to get this issue on the November 2024 ballot. To learn more, visit tiny.cc/aaai.

This event was part of the JCRC’s Hineni series. Hineni is typically translated from Hebrew as "Here I am." Our lecture series takes a deeper dive into the concept, inviting participants to reflect on the ways that Judaism and social action intersect in their personal and communal lives. The program is designed for members of the Jewish community, along with their allies, to explore contemporary social issues in a way that creates opportunities for engagement, collaboration, and long-term impact in our community.

To watch the full video of the presentation, visit our YouTube channel.