Social Action >> Convention Resolutions >> Resolutions by Year >> 1993 >> Welfare Reform

Welfare Reform (1993)

WHEREAS, Judaism teaches that all human beings are created b'tzelem Elohim - in the image of God - and thereby posses an inherent claim to dignity and self-respect; and that poverty, especially when passed down from parent to child, serves to obscure human dignity and erode self-respect; and

WHEREAS, Jewish tradition encourages the advancement of economic self-sufficiency as the most desirable and effective means of poverty; and

WHEREAS, the nation's current welfare system, while providing basic support to many in need, often works to create dependency on government assistance by discouraging work and marriage.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM urges the American government to undertake reform of the nation's welfare system with the primary aim of enabling American's working poor, as well as those dependent solely on public assistance to become economically self-supporting, specifically:

  1. Welfare benefits must be reconstructed to "make work pay," such that no family with at least one full-time worker will be in poverty. To achieve this goal, reform of the government's primary welfare program - Aid to Fmilies with Dependent Children (AFDC) must occur within the context of a broader anti-poverty strategy, including elements as an expansion of the earned income tax credit, stronger child support payment enforcement, increased job training and educational opportunities and the extension of health care benefits to working families who are currently not covered by Medicaid.
  2. Welfare programs should provide maximum encouragement and opportunities for moving off government assistance to economic self-sufficiency. However, arbitrary time limits on the receipt of AFDC benefits in the absense of guaranteed jobs represent an unacceptable tear in the social safety net. Training, education, and work requirements should be undertaken in tandem with job creation programs to ensure the availability of decent jobs at a living wage once benefits are withdrawn.
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