Welcome Jews into the Big Tent

The Democratic Party must continue to be a Big Tent party that fights for ordinary Americans. It must continue to recognize the important place of the broad Jewish community in the Big Tent. To be a Big Tent party, the Democratic Party, its leaders, its candidates, and its constituents must be inclusive and welcoming to Jewish voices.

The appalling rise in anti-Semitism violence and hateful rhetoric in America shows how important it is for the Democratic Party to lead in protecting Jews and all minorities from hate. Jews know better than just about anyone that liberal, pluralistic societies are safer societies for all, and for Jews especially. We know that as fascism takes hold, Jewish safety and security plummets.

Yet, while Democrats rightly have been quick to denounce right-wing anti-Semitism, the rise of Nazism, neo-Nazism and all forms of racism on the Right, Democrats have been increasingly reluctant to denounce anti-Semitic tropes, antizionist slogans, and the demonization of Israeli Jews. Increasingly, Jewish voices, including those of the 80% of the Jewish community in America that considers themselves Zionist, are being excluded or marginalized in Democratic-aligned spaces, social justice and other advocacy circles. Antisemitic, antizionist, and anti-Israel voices are magnified on the Left and mainstream Jewish voices are marginalized or even demonized under newly-prevalent "no Zionists welcome here" litmus tests. Long before October 7, we witnessed an escalation of anti-Semitic exclusion of Jewish voices from social justice circles and advocacy movements (such as the Women's March and the Chicago Dyke March in 2017). For more information about why anti-Zionism on the Left is a cause for such concern in the rise of antisemitism, see Movement against AntiZionism.

Run Positive Campaigns

Historically, Jews have disproportionately voted for Democrats. Jews have made extraordinary contributions to the strength of the Democratic party, to civil rights movements, and to other social justice and economic equality efforts. Recognition of the importance of the Jewish community to the fight for Democracy is essential. As they fashion platforms and their messages, Democratic Party leaders and its candidates must understand and respect the Jewish conceptions of Zionism and not adopt the antisemitic positions of antizionists to demonize a core belief in the right of the Jewish people to a national homeland in Israel, a belief held of the vast majority of American Jews as well as a majority of Americans.

Reclaim the Issue of Antisemitism

The Democratic Party and its leaders must combat anti-Jewish hate and foster anti-Semitism education and Jewish inclusion, which are too often fostered by anti-Semitic tropes that paint Jews as powerful white oppressors rather than a persecuted minority. Given that the Trump administration is cynically using its campaign against anti-Semitism to tear down institutions that have historically been disproportionately represented by Jews (science, academy, journalism, the arts), Democrats much counter the Republican anti-anti-Semitism agenda with support for Jewish inclusion and denunciation of anti-Semitism in all its forms, including antizionism and anti-Israelism.

Stand Against Antisemitic Chants

It should be unacceptable for Democrats to equivocate about slogans that call for Israel's destruction. These slogans are deeply traumatic to Jewish ears. The vast majority of Jews hear chants like "Free Palestine," "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" and "Globalize the Intifada" as calls to drive Jews into the sea and eliminate their homeland, where more than ½ of the world's Jewish population lives. In light of the persecution against Jews and the violence against Jews that is spreading at an alarming rate, Democrats should be sounding the alarm about antisemitic hate, not apologizing for hate-coded slogans and calls for genocide against Jews.