On May 20, I joined over 700 proud Jews from across the country for my third consecutive NORPAC mission to Washington. I’ve participated in advocacy missions with several pro-Israel organizations over the years, but this one felt different.

Something has shifted in Washington.

The atmosphere in our meetings revealed a troubling divide. Support for Israel, which was once a bipartisan cornerstone of American policy, is no longer a given. It’s becoming conditional, fragile and dangerously politicized.

Our delegation met with four congressional offices: three Democratic and one Republican. We discussed several vital bills aimed at protecting Jews and supporting Israel. But what I witnessed left me shaken.

One of the most important bills we advocated for was the DETERRENT Act (H.R. 1048), a bipartisan measure to expose foreign influence in American universities, especially from adversarial nations like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. This bill doesn’t suppress speech; it targets hidden funding. It promotes transparency, national security and academic integrity by requiring colleges to disclose foreign gifts over $50,000, or any amount from hostile countries. It even applies to individual professors, especially in sensitive research areas.

You’d think this kind of commonsense legislation would receive broad support, especially amid a surge in foreign propaganda and rising antisemitism on campuses. However, only one of the four members we met, Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) supported it. The three Democrats, Reps. Shontel Brown, Marcy Kaptur and Judy Chu opposed it.

Then came the Antisemitism Awareness Act, another bipartisan bill that simply adopts the internationally recognized IHRA definition of antisemitism to help protect Jewish students on college campuses. It passed the House floor with 320 votes in favor and 91 opposed. However, the breakdown was alarming. Seventy Democrats voted against it, compared to just 21 Republicans. That’s 49 more Democrats than Republicans opposing a bill meant to combat antisemitism.

Some critics claimed the bill would restrict free speech. But let’s be honest: what they’re defending is the freedom to harass, isolate and silence Jewish students, often under the guise of “criticism of Israel.”

This was not a policy disagreement. This was a moral test. And too many failed.

Recent polling confirms the political shift. In 2025, Gallup found that 59% of Democrats now sympathize more with Palestinians, while only 21% support Israel. Meanwhile, 75% of Republicans continue to back Israel. Among Democrats under 30, nearly 70% view Israel unfavorably according to Pew Research (2024).

This isn’t just a trend. It’s a political earthquake.

It began during the Obama administration, when tensions with Prime Minister Netanyahu, particularly over the Iran nuclear deal, exposed growing discomfort with Israel in the Democratic establishment. Since then, figures like Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have helped normalize anti-Israel rhetoric. Terms like “apartheid,” “occupation,” and “colonialism” are now regularly used by elected officials.

Just last year, Tlaib repeated the phrase “From the river to the sea,” a slogan understood by many as a call for Israel’s destruction. These aren’t fringe voices anymore. They hold powerful positions and shape national discourse. She is not just tolerated, but she is celebrated by her base.

This isn’t isolated to Washington. We’re seeing the same dangerous trend at the state and local levels. Look at Zarrar Mamdani, currently polling second in New York City’s mayoral race. He supports BDS, denies Israel’s right to exist, and openly applies double standards. He defends the existence of over 50 Muslim nations, yet denies Israel the right to be the one Jewish state. And his rise within the Democratic Party is a clear warning.

In April, the U.S. Senate approved $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel, with 82 senators voting yes. On the surface, that looks like solid support. But every single “no” vote came from Democrats.

What was once unthinkable is now routine. The Democratic Party is no longer led by its moderate majority. That majority has either been silenced or has surrendered. The radical progressive wing now drives the agenda, often aligning with extremist movements that openly sympathize with terror groups and seek to dismantle Israel.

This is not just a political shift. It is a moral collapse unfolding in real time.

Meanwhile, Republican support for Israel remains strong and clear. Speaker Mike Johnson called support for Israel “a moral obligation.” Sen. Tom Cotton urged America to back Israel “without apology.” President Donald Trump continues to highlight his historic pro-Israel record: moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing the Golan Heights, and brokering the Abraham Accords.

Let’s not pretend this is just about policy.

It’s about Jewish safety, Jewish identity and the future of Jewish life in America.

When elected officials spread lies about genocide or apartheid, or when they question Israel’s right to exist, those words don’t stay in the halls of Congress. They fuel antisemitism on campuses, in our streets and across social media.

The most heartbreaking proof came the day after our mission. The day after we pleaded with lawmakers in Washington to take antisemitism seriously, Jews were murdered in cold blood, for no reason other than being Jewish. Words have consequences.

We are devastated. But we are not defeated.

We must organize. We must speak out. We must hold our leaders accountable.

We must confront lies with truth, reject moral confusion, and defend our people without apology.

We must vote out those who do not stand with our values.

We must walk taller, speak louder, and stand proudly, unapologetically Jewish.

Supporting Israel should never be a partisan issue. It should be a moral one. But if so-called allies refuse to condemn terrorism, defend those who glorify murder, or hide behind excuses while Jews are beaten, doxxed and killed, then they have not merely failed us, they have betrayed the very principles they claim to uphold. They have chosen political convenience over moral clarity, and in doing so, they have abandoned the Jewish people.

This is not the time for silence. This is the time for moral clarity.

As the film “Tragic Awakening” so powerfully states, after Oct. 7, the world can no longer stay neutral.

Everyone must choose a side.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Rivka Sonts is a dedicated Israel activist known for elevating strong voices on Jewish and Israel-related issues through public relations and national speaking engagements. Rivka is the national outreach and strategic partnerships director of “Tragic Awakening” and has organized multiple speaking tours, including a campus tour for Rawan Osman, a tour for producer Rabbi Raphael Shore, and for director Wayne Koping.

Rivka has contributed to organizations such as the Jewish Agency for Israel, UJA Federation, Ateret Cohanim, and Americans Against Antisemitism, and has lobbied alongside AIPAC, ZOA and NORPAC. She currently serves as a board member of Rescuers Without Borders in Yehuda and Shomron and was a delegate on the ZOA slate for the World Zionist Congress elections of 2025. She is a certified life coach and is PR director at The Park Med Spa and founder of the Republican Club of Highland Park, and a the Highland Park/Edison chapter of Sister to Sister. Rivka lives in Highland Park and can be reached at iana.sonts@gmail.com.