Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader GinsburgReuters

World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder shared the following statement in response to the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

“As Jews across the United States and the world welcomed the hope that comes with the first night of Rosh Hashanah, we learned of the devastating loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazer on behalf of gender equality, and she paved the way for women in the law and on the courts. She fought fiercely and unflinchingly to advance and defend the rights of women and minorities, and, in the tradition of Justices Louis D. Brandeis and Benjamin Cardozo, embodied the principle of equal justice for all under the law, as well as the Jewish value of ‘tzedek, tzedek, tirdof’ – ‘justice, justice shall you pursue.’

“Her life is a legacy and a testament, and her memory will be a blessing and a lesson forever more. May we follow in her solid footsteps, may we heed her words:

‘The greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government.’

“May her courage, resilience, and wisdom guide us all as we enter a new year. On behalf of the World Jewish Congress, I extend deepest condolences to Justice Ginsburg’s family, friends and colleagues.”