Sixteen years ago today, Ruth Bader Ginsburg took her seat as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. 

From This Week in History:

In nominating Ginsburg to the Supreme Court, President Clinton described her as "one of our nation's best judges, progressive in outlook, wise in judgment, balanced and fair in her opinions." He also said that "Ruth Bader Ginsburg cannot be called a liberal or a conservative. She has proved herself too thoughtful for such labels." Ginsburg's record as a centrist likely helped to ease her confirmation; the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously endorsed her nomination, and the full Senate voted 96-3 in her favor. Read the full text here.

I thought it would be fitting to honor this important anniversary with some quotes from one of our favorite Jewesses.

"A judge steps out of the proper judicial role most conspicuously and dangerously when he or she flinches from a decision that is legally right because the decision is not the one the home crowd wants."  ~ in Women in American Law, 1996

"I do think that being the second woman is wonderful, because it is a sign that being a woman in a place of importance is no longer extraordinary." ~ in Women in American Law, 1996

"There can be no doubt that our Nation has had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination.  Traditionally, such discrimination was rationalized by an attitude of 'romantic paternalism' which, in practical effect, put women, not on a pedestal, but in a cage." ~ in The Encylopedia of Women's History by K. Cullen-DuPont, 1987.

*Quotes from The Quotable Jewish Woman: Wisdom, Inspiration & Humor from the Mind & Heart edited and compiled by Elaine Bernstein Partnow.