The world is a divided and divisive place. Within and beyond the Conservative/Masorti Movement, innumerable controversies take our attention. Ending slavery is an opportunity to unite our Movement with a positive, proactive, and relevant agenda that will speak to those already affiliated with Conservative/Masorti institutions and to the unaffiliated. Moreover, working to end forced labor often raises discussions of its root causes, which are of great concern to many of us -  including poverty, migration, a degraded environment for low-wage workers, lack of access to credit, health care, and education, and the low status of women, girls, and LGBTQ people. The RA is inviting all the other arms and organizations of the Conservative/Masorti Movement to join with us in leading and making a difference on slavery. We can all agree that this issue is important. Perhaps surprisingly, it is also time-sensitive.

THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY     

International experts agree that there are more people held in forced labor in the world today than ever before in human history.  Yet, paradoxically, we are closer than ever to eradicating human trafficking for good. Slavery is now illegal everywhere, and there is a major international push to end trafficking in all its forms – whether labor or debt bondage, child marriage, labor trafficking, or sex trafficking.

Global leaders have set 2030 as the goal for ending slavery and trafficking.  This is a specific target, called Sustainable Development Goals 8.7.

The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development meets every four years. It includes heads of state and people in ministry positions in governments from around the world. The next High Level Political Forum will take place in just four months in New York City (July 9-18, 2019) at the United Nations. Its focus will be ending human trafficking and slavery by the year 2030. In “wonk” language, this High Level Forum will “assess progress towards SDG 8.7 and decide on next steps for the way forward.”

What is SDG 8.7? In 2015, the member states of the United Nations joined in establishing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030. Goal #8 (SDG 8) is “Decent Work and Economic Growth.” Within that overarching category is Sustainable Development Goal 8.7:

Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.

The International Labour Organization, which leads all efforts to achieve SDG 8, has created Alliance 8.7. Alliance 8.7  brings together representatives of government, business, trade unions and civil society, including faith-based organizations, to collaborate on ending child slavery in the next six years, and virtually all slavery in the next eleven years. Swift and ubiquitous communication, increased awareness, funding, and the collective will to make lasting change have finally put the goal of ending human trafficking in reach.

We are starting to see large scale movement towards ending slavery today, starting with countries that exhibit large amounts of forced labor and trafficking.

This is a rare moment of synergy, when powerful people are turning their attention to the vulnerable. All the experts in the non-profit world who have been combating slavery for decades see an unprecedented opportunity and focus right now – that we dare not let pass.

To date, twelve nations with significant amounts of forced labor and human trafficking - Madagascar, Nigeria, Uganda, Peru, Albania, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Vietnam - have volunteered to be designated Pathfinder countries, committed to developing and implementing plans that will yield substantial progress towards SDG 8.7.

THE JEWISH ROLE, MISSION, AND OPPORTUNITY

The Jewish people brought to the world the story of liberation that has inspired liberation movements across cultures, time and geography. Yet, ironically and embarrassingly, the organized Jewish community is not leading. We acknowledge and applaud that NCJW, the RAC, T’ruah, Atzum, the Passover Project of Free the Slaves and others who have created targeted campaigns, amidst other important work. Yet the Jewish community has had – so far – no serious role in the global push to end slavery.

The Jewish community has not yet lived up to our historical imperative. The example of the Catholic Church might inspire us.

By contrast, the Catholic Church has already taken a leadership role on this issue. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been particularly active in the fight against human trafficking. Its programs include a Trafficking Victims Assistance Program and a separate program devoted to helping migrants and refugees avoid becoming ensnared in trafficking. There is a 30-member Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Trafficking. Pope Francis has dedicated words, deeds, and funds to make the Catholic Church a leader in eradicating slavery. In April 2016, the Holy See co-sponsored a conference held at the United Nations entitled “Ending Human Trafficking by 2030: The Role of Global Partnerships in Eradicating Modern Slavery.” (The Catholic Church is not alone; LDS Christians, evangelical Christians, the Bahai, and other faith communities have likewise prioritized ending slavery among their social justice activities.)

The Pesah Seder calls us to proactively work now to end slavery in all forms, for all people.

It is time for the Jewish community, which gave the world the Book of Exodus and the notion of God as Liberator and Redeemer, to take a leadership role on this issue. The Conservative/Masorti Movement can be the vanguard of that leadership.

In overwhelming numbers, Conservative/Masorti Jews celebrate Passover, tell the story of the Exodus as a personal and national narrative, and cherish the values of redeeming captives, protecting the vulnerable, and loving the stranger. Jews of every stripe want to feel that their tradition is relevant, meaningful, and an influence for good in the world.

By taking on this issue, the Conservative/Masorti Movement will, first of all, perform a major mitzvah. It will also fulfill our mission to assist Jews in making connections between our ancient texts and our modern world; between what is deemed “Jewish” in the lives and minds of the people we serve and what is deemed “significant.” Further, this is an issue that can unite the Conservative/Masorti Movement, even as it connects us to and helps build our relationships with other Jewish movements and other faiths.