(Washington, D.C., June 24, 2022)—B’nai B’rith President Seth J. Riklin and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

We reaffirm B’nai B’rith’s support of women’s reproductive choice. As our organization and its leaders have said in the past, the issue of abortion is at the very core of a basic human right: a woman’s right to choose what she does with her body.

We lament the loss of federally ensured reproductive choice—guaranteed by Roe v. Wade in 1973 and reaffirmed by Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992—that is now the result of the current Supreme Court’s majority decision striking down these long-standing precedents.

Judaism very clearly puts the rights of a woman ahead of the rights of a fetus in cases where the women’s health is threatened. B’nai B’rith supports the right of women to make decisions regarding their own health. During our long-standing support for bodily autonomy, B’nai B’rith filed an amicus brief in 1989 in favor of upholding Roe.

For nearly 50 years, Roe guaranteed a right that a majority of Americans, in poll after poll, view as fundamental. It is essential that all individuals have the right to control their own health, and that includes the ability to make an informed decision about abortion.

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org.