MAY 19 • 2022 | 19

in January 2022 to testify
in support of the summary
wording of the initiative.
“For younger women, I
think there was this feeling
that this could never hap-
pen,” Levy said. “There was
a fear [the court] would
merely chip away at Roe, but
this [leaked] draft opinion
shows that there’s an inten-
tion to eliminate it. So that
has mobilized a lot of young
people and people of all ages.
The [1931] law is a throw-
back to a much earlier time
in our country and would
take away the many free-
doms that women have taken
for granted, such as having
the same freedoms as men
when it comes to making
decisions about our health-
care.”
Hadassah is also activating
its constituents, according

to Hadassah of
Greater Detroit
President Mandy
Garver.
“Hadassah has
always unequiv-
ocally stood
for a woman’s
reproductive rights,” Garver
said. “We believe that women
must be able to continue
to make critical healthcare
decisions for themselves and
for their families based on
a person’s own values and
on medical guidance. We
are asking people to become
public champions for repro-
ductive rights by talking with
friends, family and neigh-
bors, and above all contact
their state House represen-
tatives as well as their repre-
sentatives in Congress to let
them know as voters where
we stand on this issue.”

Members of Detroit Jews
for Justice also fear what
the reversal may eventually
mean for gay rights.
“There is
a real risk
that Obergefell
v Hodges, the case
which protected
same-sex mar-
riage, will also be
overturned,” said
Elijah Silver, DJJ organizer
for campaigns and educa-
tion. “If this happens, a 2004
amendment to the Michigan
Constitution will go back
into effect, which would ban
all forms of same-sex mar-
riage in the state. Other rul-
ings that are at risk include
Lawrence v Texas, which pro-
tects all forms of sexual acts
between consenting adults,
and Griswold v. Connecticut,
which protects access to

birth control.”
Planned
Parenthood vol-
unteer and board
member Diane
Orley attended a
Detroit fundrais-
er on the evening of May 10,
where she and 240 donors
secured $225,000 to support
the organization’s in-state
clinics.
Orley, 62, of Birmingham,
fears that the assault on per-
sonal liberties will continue
unless Michigan can get its
legislature back to an ideo-
logical center.
“The only way to get our
legislature back in the cen-
ter is to keep money out
of politics and change how
elections/nominations occur.
Sadly, I don’t see it happening
in our lifetime,” she said.

Elijah Silver

Mandy
Garver

Diane Orley