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CIESJ Presents: The Attack on Civil Liberties in Israel
October 19 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am
A year before October 7th, the Netanyahu government launched an unprecedented attack on Israel’s judicial system—and with it, an assault on civil liberties. This radical overhaul was widely condemned by Israelis across the political spectrum and sparked weekly mass protests involving hundreds of thousands of citizens.
Today, this struggle continues as the government intensifies its aggressive campaign against civil society organizations and openly challenges judicial, security, and even military leadership. The crisis has escalated, leading to continued protests and public strikes. Israelis are taking to the streets to demand action on multiple fronts: the release of hostages, an end to the prolonged war, and a solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Noa Sattath serves as Executive Director of ACRI (the Association for Civil Rights in Israel), Israel’s equivalent of the American Civil Liberties Union. Since November 2021, she has led the organization through its most challenging period, confronting both the government’s judicial overhaul and unprecedented human rights violations following October 7th.
Under her leadership, ACRI has fought pivotal legal battles through High Court petitions that curb government overreach, protect prisoners’ rights, defend freedom of expression, and challenge abuses of power by authorities.
An ordained Reform Rabbi, Noa previously led the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance where she helped organize Jerusalem’s first Pride March, and MEET, a technology-focused organization affiliated with MIT that develops joint leadership programs for young Israelis and Palestinians.
In 2023, Temple Sinai established the Committee for Israel Engagement and Social Justice (CIESJ) to grow Temple Sinai’s engagement in issues concerning Israel, to support Israel’s as it strives to achieve its ideals as a Jewish and democratic State, and to work with the wider Jewish community to achieve these objectives. Learn more.