Reproductive freedom is a Jewish value. The Torah portion this Shabbat is Mishpatim, which contains the verses commonly used as the foundation of Judaism's approach to reproductive rights. On this Shabbat we will uplift the importance of reproductive freedom and reinforce our commitment to reproductive health, rights, and justice.

Our guest speaker will be Laura Guren, Rodriguez, Florida State Policy Advocate Chair for the National Council of Jewish Women. The Oneg will be sponsored by the Blum Family in honor of Barbara Blum's B'nai Mitzvah.

Laura Lee Rodriguez is the President of Your Write Hand and works as an Independent Contractor offering services to non-profits. She currently serves as the Florida State Policy Advocate for the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), Chair of Pro-Truth Florida (an NCJW campaign to expose Fake Clinics), Chair of the Courts Matter Florida Coalition and is a Past President, and is on the current Board of the Greater Miami Section of NCJW.

A graduate of Boston University, Laura has worked her entire adult life in the non-profit world as both a volunteer and professional. For nearly 20 years she served at Lehrman Community Day School as a PTA President, Board Member, Librarian and Director of Institutional Advancement. She was a Senior Campaign Director and Director of the Jewish Volunteer Center at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and served as the Chair of JPRO (Jewish Professionals Organization). Laura also completed the Jewish Learning and Torah 2-Year Study Program of the Florence Melton School of Jewish Learning of the Hebrew University.

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, Laura remembers a childhood filled with friends around the corner, riding bikes to Dairy Queen and secret paths to get to friends’ houses. To this day, she has childhood friends who share her ideals.

Laura’s parents instilled a fierce sense of equality, justice, and women’s rights in her. She has used this passion to engage Florida’s NCJW sections in legislative actions as well as bringing a sense of camaraderie. Laura has led advocacy groups to Tallahassee and Washington DC for over seven years. This past year she testified before several state legislative committees on the unconstitutionality of HB 5 (the 15-week abortion ban). Laura was instrumental in moving the Miami section forward in the past four years, reaffirming its place as a progressive force in Miami and Florida.

Laura’s volunteer and professional accomplishments have been recognized in receiving the NCJW Hannah G. Solomon Award, NCJWGMS Myra Farr Volunteer Service Award, the NCJW Emerging Leader Award and Awards of Service and Recognition from both Lehrman Community Day School and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Recently asked what accomplishment she was most proud of, she responded with her first thought was that she was able to raise three kind, loving and giving people. She added, “of course, being in a committed relationship with the same person, Silvio, for 33 years ranks a very close second.”