The passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5781 is more than just the loss of an inspirational woman, who from her first post-college job as a Social Security clerk to her distinguished career as the second woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, fought for and shepherded in a new era of rights for women—and for all the country’s downtrodden. Her death is a tragedy for our nation and its future, coming at a vulnerable and critical time in history. It is also a tragedy for the American Jewish community and for Jews around the world. A Jew devoted to the pursuit of justice and one of the true heroes of our time, Justice Ginsburg leaves a gaping hole in our hearts and in our lives.
A few weeks ago, Moment asked Justice Ginsburg to weigh in on our next issue’s big question: Is society moving forward or regressing? Here, in part, is what she said:
Despite the considerable progress, a daunting distance remains to be traveled. Most people in poverty in the USA are women and children, women’s earnings are still notably less than the earnings of men with comparable education and experience, our workplaces do not adequately accommodate the demands of childbearing and childrearing, we have yet to devise effective ways to ward off sexual harassment at work, and domestic violence in our homes. While mindful of current realities, the opening of doors long closed makes me optimistic about a future in which daughters and sons alike will be free from artificial barriers, free to aspire and achieve in full accord with their God-given talents, and their willingness to do the hard work needed to make their dreams come true.
Read the full piece here.
It was one year ago on Sept. 18 that Moment honored Justice Ginsburg with its inaugural Human Rights Award. View her interview that evening with Nina Totenberg and her remarks on accepting the award.
Baruch Dayan Emet. Blessed is the true judge.
—Nadine Epstein, editor-in-chief and the entire Moment family