Women’s March names 3 Jewish women to its steering committee

The Women’s March names three Jewish women to its new 32-member steering committee. The Jewish members are transgender rights activist Abby Stein; Union for Reform Judaism staffer April Baskin; and Jewish diversity activist Yavilah McCoy.

Stein, a formerly Hasidic transgender woman, has worked to raise awareness for transgender people as well as those leaving ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Baskin is the former vice president of Audacious Hospitality for the Union for Reform Judaism and is a former president of the Jewish Multiracial Network. McCoy is the founder of Ayecha, a Jewish nonprofit that advocates for Jews of color.

The Women’s March has come under fire in recent months due to its leaders’ handling of allegations of anti-Semitism, with celebrities and activists openly criticizing the organizers’ actions.

The controversy started when organizer Tamika Mallory attended a speech by and then praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has a long history of anti-Jewish and homophobic statements.

More recently, a report in Tablet said that Mallory and fellow organizer Carmen Perez had made anti-Semitic statements at two Women’s March planning meetings, claims which the organizers deny.

A number of organizations have dropped out as March sponsors, including the National Council of Jewish Women, Southern Poverty Law Center and EMILY’s List. Last week, the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, a major Reform congregation in New York, announced it was disassociating itself from Women’s March, Inc.

— JTA