Planned Parenthood to Honor Local Rabbi at Roe Anniversary Celebration Tonight

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Rabbi Dennis Ross

ALBANY, NY (01/23/2013)(readMedia)-- PRESS ADVISORY

WHEN: January 24, 2013, 5:30 to 7:30 pm

WHAT: Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood will hold a reception to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Supreme Court Roe v Wade decision. At the event, UHPP will present its annual Advocate for Choice award to Rabbi Dennis Ross. Rabbi Ross is the Director for Concerned Clergy for Choice, an interfaith reproductive rights advocacy network of 1000 clergy dedicated to ensuring access to reproductive health services and education. Ross also serves at Congregation Beth Emeth in Albany, NY and is the author of several books.

WHERE: The Corning Tower Observation Deck, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY.

BACKGROUND: Over 100 people, including local and state politicians, clergy, advocacy and health organizational representatives and women's health advocates are expected to attend this annual celebration of the Supreme Court Roe v Wade decision sponsored by Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood (UHPP). The UHPP Advocate for Choice award is given annually at this event to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary work in the area of reproductive freedom and choice. Past award recipients include New York State Senator Neil Breslin; New York State Assemblyman Ronald Canestrari; David Paterson, when he served as New York State Senate Minority Leaders; the Albany Medical Students for Choice; Shirley Gordon, former Executive Director of Family Planning Advocates of New York State; New York State Division Comptroller Tom DiNapoli; Denise King, then chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee's Executive Committee; and Denise O'Donnell, who now serves as Director of the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance; and the New York Civil Liberties Union Reproductive Rights Project.

RABBI ROSS is the Director for Concerned Clergy for Choice, an interfaith reproductive rights advocacy network of 1000 clergy dedicated to ensuring access to reproductive health services and education. He has been a vibrant and determined leader among those clergy who recognize and advocate for the importance of women's ability to make personal and private decisions about pregnancy and parenthood. Concerned Clergy for Choice has earned national recognition for its advocacy and media work, most particularly in recent years as attacks against access to reproductive health and rights have increased. Concerned Clergy for Choice was also a major voice in the successful struggle to establish marriage equality for same-gender couples in New York State.

Rabbi Ross is also an author and speaker. His latest book, All Politics is Religious: Speaking Faith to the Media, Policy Makers and Community, was published in 2012.

Rabbi Ross serves at Congregation Beth Emeth in Albany, NY and has served synagogues in New York , Washington D.C. and Massachusetts.

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization serving Albany, Columbia, Greene and Rensselaer counties. Each year, more than 13,000 patients make over 20,000 visits to UHPP health centers in Albany, Hudson and Troy. UHPP provides a wide range of reproductive health services including annual GYN exams including PAP tests, breast exams and self-exam instruction, colposcopy, cryosurgery and LEEP, birth control information and supplies, Emergency Contraception, pregnancy testing and options counseling, first trimester abortion (medication and surgical) adoption and prenatal referrals and more. UHPP provides educational programs to more than 5000 participants at more than 500 programs each year and advocates for women's health.