Hundreds of rabbis from across the Jewish community have signed a letter (below) calling on Congress to allow the temporary tax cuts, for those making over $250,000 annually, to sunset. This will avert a fiscal crisis and create a more just tax system to help ensure that the opportunities of America are shared by all.
If you are a rabbi, join us in lending your name to the letter below.
To our elected representatives,
As rabbis, we are called upon to uphold the highest values of our faith, and to teach the laws of our tradition. Deuteronomy 15:4 proclaims “And there shall be no needy among you.” On this pillar was built a history of communal responsibility. Raising revenue in order to support important community institutions was established in the Torah's commandments, extolled by the prophets, and has been a hallmark of Jewish communities ever since.
As Americans, we believe that building a just country requires that those who enjoy this great nation’s opportunities also share in its burdens. We therefore urge President Obama and this Congress to allow the temporary tax cuts passed in 2001, and extended in 2003, to expire, as scheduled, on December 31, for all Americans making over $250,000 a year.
America faces great challenges. If we want our economy to continue to improve and create jobs, and we want a society that is secure, vibrant and just, we must approach those challenges honestly. One of the most significant issues we face – fiscally and morally – is these tax cuts, which have contributed to the escalating inequality of the past decade.
We know that building a healthy, ethical society isn’t just a personal duty, but a communal one. Our needs and our lives are closely bound with those of everyone around us.
Whatever the President and Congress do regarding the tax cuts will have enormous effects on individuals and families across the nation. Allowing these cuts to expire at the end of this year for the wealthiest two percent of Americans – those making more than $250,000 a year – is a crucial step toward increasing the equality and basic fairness that our tradition calls for.
Ending the tax cuts for those who need them the least will bring in hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade. Together with a careful examination of our government spending, one that is not based on once again taking the most from those who have least to spare, this money will enable the crafting of a moral budget, one that protects our social safety net, strengthens our public education system, and increases job growth.
At this moment, as you are tasked with avoiding a fiscal crisis and restoring our economy, we urge you to hear the voices of those with the least among us, those who are so often silenced. Hear the hungry child, the student struggling for his future, and the veteran who served her country and is now working three jobs to find her place in it. These are the voices of America.
We, Rabbis from across this great nation, urge you to hear their voices and to heed their call. It is time to end the tax cuts for those making over $250,000 annually and help move America toward justice and prosperity.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Aryeh Cohen- Bend the Arc Board member
Rabbi Stephanie Kolin- Bend the Arc Board member
Rabbi Sydney Mintz- Bend the Arc Board member
Rabbi Dorothy Richman- Bend the Arc Board member
Rabbi David Saperstein- Bend the Arc Board member
Rabbi Felicia Sol- Bend the Arc Board member
Rabbi Morris Allen- Jewish Community Action Rabbinic Advisor
Rabbi Jack Moline- Jews United for Justice Rabbinic Advisory Council
Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Bend the Arc Rabbi in Residence
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