8 | JULY 27 • 2023 

PURELY COMMENTARY

U

ndocumented Michiganders 
deserve dignity and security — 
one critical step to making that 
a reality is to restore driver’s licenses for 
all. 
 Over the last seven years, 
undocumented Michiganders and their 
allies have gotten the Drive SAFE bills 
introduced five times, but the bills 
have never passed. That wait cannot 
continue. We, the undersigned Michigan 
Rabbis, call on the Michigan Legislature 
to pass the Drive SAFE bills in this 
legislative session. 
This is common-sense legislation. In 
Michigan, home of the auto industry, 
a driver’s license is key to moving 
freely and safely. Driver’s licenses allow 
people to go through the basic activities 
of everyday life — getting groceries, 
dropping off children, commuting to 
work — without the fear they will get 
separated from their families. 
Further, driver’s licenses for all will 
make our roads safer since more people 
will have taken driving lessons and 
have access to car insurance. And lastly, 
Michigan is experiencing population 
decline — just as we want to make 
Michigan safe for LGBTQ+ people, 
workers and women, this legislation 
will show that Michigan is a place 
immigrants can build lives. 
As Jews, we are especially called 

to join this effort; we know from our 
history that it is painful and worrisome 
to be denied the same rights as our 
neighbors — to be treated as an other. 
We will not stand for our undocumented 
friends and family to be treated this way. 
As Jews, we also know that whether 
we’re walking down the streets of our 
neighborhoods or through the doors of 
our holy spaces, freedom and safety for 
any of us depends on freedom and safety 
for all of us. Together we can build a 
Michigan for all of us, no exceptions. 
That is why we — a group of rabbis in 
Michigan — have come together to urge 
Michigan Representatives to pass the 
Drive SAFE bills (SB 0267, SB 0265, 

SB 0266, HB 4410, HB 4411, HB 4412) 
before summer recess. It is more risky 
to do nothing than to protect fellow 
Michiganders. 

The letter was signed by Rabbi Asher Lopatin, 

Kehillat Etz Chayim, Executive Director of JCRC/

AJC Metro Detroit; Rabbi Jeffrey Falick, Cong. for 

Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit; Rabbi Alicia 

Harris, Congregation Shir Tikvah, Troy; Rabbi 

David Polsky; Rabbi Alana Alpert, Congregation 

T’Chiyah, Ferndale; Rabbi Nate DeGroot, The 

Shalom Center; Rabbi Simone Schicker, Temple 

B’nai Israel, Kalamazoo; Rabbi David Fain; Rabbi 

Tamara Kolton Ph.D.; Rabbi Ariana Silverman, Isaac 

Agree Downtown Synagogue, Detroit; Rabbi Aura 

Ahuvia; Rabbi Jeffrey Ableser, Temple Beth El, Flint ; 

Rabbi Joe Klein, Temple Emanu-El (Oak Pak), Rabbi 

Emeritus; Rabbi David A. Nelson, Temple B’nai 

Shalom, Benton Harbor; Rabbi David JB Krishef, 

Grand Rapids; Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh, The Well; 

Rabbi Matthew J. Zerwekh, Temple Emanu-El, Oak 

Park; Rabbi Dorit Edut, Temple Beth Israel, Bay City; 

Rabbi Michael Schadick, Temple Emanuel, Grand 

Rapids; Rabbi Lisa Stella; Rabbi Ari Witkin; Rabbi 

Nadav Caine, Beth Israel Congregation, Ann Arbor; 

Rabbi Steven Rubenstein, Congregation Beth Ahm; 

Rabbi Marla Hornsten, Temple Israel; Rabbi Megan 

Brudney, Temple Beth El, Bloomfield Hills; and Rabbi 

Josh Whinston.

open letter to Michigan Legislature

Michigan Rabbis Call on the 
Michigan Legislature to Pass 
Driver’s Licenses for All

Restore Rights

The Drive Michigan Forward Coalition is closer than ever to winning a 

package of bills that would restore the right of undocumented Michiganders 
to obtain a driver’s license. In partnership with the JCRC-AJC, Detroit Jews 
for Justice will be hosting a Jewish community phonebank to urge our 
legislators to vote yes for this vital legislation on Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. More 
information can be found at Detroitjewsforjustice.org/events.

Nachy Soloff nachy@detroithatzalah.org ▪ 845-304-2027 OR David Furman dave.a.furman@gmail.com ▪ 210-542-2030

