Jewish Advocates Oppose ‘Immoral’ Federal Reconciliation Budget

On Aug. 5, Jewish groups rallied community members to oppose what they termed the “immoral” reconciliation budget passed by Congress in July, which cuts federal funding for social safety net programs.

Organized by the National Council of Jewish Women, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, “A Moral Response to an Immoral Budget: Jewish Day of Action” engaged advocates both virtually and in person in a joint effort to condemn the federal budget reconciliation law, according to a press release.

The budget cuts funding for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Planned Parenthood and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, among other programs. It will take an estimated 17 million Americans off of their health care coverage and remove food assistance from millions of families and children.

“Congress’ reconciliation budget represents a fundamental betrayal of both our American and Jewish values,” Sheila Katz, NCJW’s CEO, said in the press release. “Choosing to take food from children and strip health care from those in need is a shameful abandonment of our shared responsibility to protect those who are struggling.”

She added that together, Jewish organizations and community members will advocate for the country’s elected officials to return from recess on Sept. 6 and “restore the critical funding that reflects our values of dignity, equity and care.”

The budget reconciliation was previously known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” before President Donald Trump passed it into law on July 4.

Darcy Hirsh, NCJW’s senior director of government relations and advocacy, took the lead in organizing the Jewish Day of Action beginning in early July, although the Washington, D.C., resident has been organizing against this bill since the start of 2025.

“Once the Big Beautiful Bill Act passed the House of Representatives [on July 3] and was about to be signed into law by the president, we knew that we had to do something and we had to do something big,” she told Washington Jewish Week. “We felt that this moment was essential.”

Twenty-five national Jewish and secular organizations serving millions of Americans participated in the Day of Action, including Avodah, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, J Street, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights and the Union for Reform Judaism.

Hirsh helped mobilize community members from across the United States to meet, call and email their representatives on the Day of Action as many of the budget cuts will not go into effect until after the November midterm elections.

The federal budget cuts may impact local organizations in Maryland and Virginia, which could incur higher costs as a result, according to Todd Schenk, the CEO of Jewish Social Service Agency, an agency of the Network.

“That’s where the advocacy comes in for us,” Schenk said. “We’re trying to partner with those more local elected officials so that we don’t just wait to be on the receiving end of what is determined, but that we help to plan for how best to minimize negative impact on our community.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) was among the advocates who spoke up on Tuesday. In a post on the social media platform Bluesky, he wrote, “I’m joining Jews across America and organizations like the National Council of Jewish Women to rally against the GOP’s outrageous tax bill. Tikkun olam demands our refusal to sit idly by as the SNAP food assistance and Medicaid health care Americans depend on is destroyed.”

Hirsh intentionally chose Aug. 5 for the Day of Action because senators and representatives are in their home districts for recess, “so constituents can really hold their lawmakers accountable.”

She said this mission aligns with her work at NCJW because social service programs directly benefit women, children and families: “As Jews, we’re guided by the Torah to feed the hungry, heal the sick and love our neighbors as ourselves.”