American Jewry is facing one of its hardest moments in our history as bold antisemitism has reached heights not seen for decades. On May 21, two Jewish Israeli embassy staff members were murdered by a pro-Palestinian terrorist in Washington, D.C. who was screaming “Free Palestine.” This is a tragedy that cannot go unanswered. It is also part of a larger issue of unchecked and growing anti-Jewish presence on our college campuses and in our own streets.
The New Jersey gubernatorial election will affect hundreds of thousands of Jews across the state. With several leading candidates taking different stances on how to approach the growing antisemitism in our numerous large Jewish communities, we face a critical decision this upcoming Primary election in June.
Josh Gottheimer, a Jewish native of the State of New Jersey, has a reputation for being among the most productive members of Congress on all issues. Of our major concern, he has a long and proven record of combating Jew-hatred in Congress. In 2023 he co-authored the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA) that passed with broad bipartisan support. The AAA mandates adoption of the definition of antisemitism used by the widely respected International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) for federal investigations involving attacks against Jews.
Additionally, Josh has secured millions of dollars in federal grants for security programs benefiting synagogues, churches, mosques and community centers across New Jersey. This funding goes toward training and security technology, and it addresses the numerous safety concerns of religious spaces.
Josh has been steadfast in supporting Jewish students on college campuses such as Rutgers, which has witnessed a tremendous spike in antisemitic incidents by both students and some professors. He has argued against biased anti-Israel rhetoric and fought against giving a platform to Jew-hatred at our universities.
Over the last several years I have gotten to know Josh personally and professionally through advocacy on the Hill. He not only understands the issues facing American Jewry, but he is at the forefront of combating antisemitism and anti-Israel bias, and he has the record to prove it.
The voters of New Jersey have in this election a clear advocate who will stand up for our community and be the leader this state needs. In a primary where turnout has historically been low, it is expected that each vote will count to a far greater degree than the general election in November. We must come out and vote, and make sure our voices will be heard on June 10.
