The following statement was issued by Ameinu, Americans for Peace Now, Habonim Dror North America, J Street, New Israel Fund, New York Jewish Agenda, Partners for Progressive Israel, and T’ruah.
Last week our organizations sent a letter to the heads of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and Jewish Federations of North America expressing our unease regarding the upcoming Stand Together event taking place on November 10, in Washington, DC. We appreciated that the executives of these organizations took the time to meet with us and hear our concerns directly as to why we, unfortunately, cannot comfortably participate in this event. At a time of such divisiveness in our public discourse, it was incredibly important that we were able to discuss our differences with civility while also acknowledging our shared commitment to the Jewish people.
We continue to be committed to the safety and security of Israelis and believe that Israel – like all countries – has the right to self-defense. We demand the release of all hostages still in captivity in Gaza, and we unequivocally reject and combat antisemitism in all forms.
This is a critical moment in history for Jewish unity. But unity should not be misconstrued as uniformity – as there are multiple ways to advocate for these policies.
Standing with Israel can and should include solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have protested in the streets over the past many months, calling for their government to end the war, to prioritize the redemption of captives, and to choose democracy over a messianic settler agenda.
Support for Israeli security can and should include calls for advancing diplomacy and political means to reach comprehensive arrangements that marginalize extremists, ensure that Israel remains a secure and democratic state and promote Palestinian self-determination.
Support for the hostages can and should include calls for the Netanyahu government to prioritize pidyon shevuiim (releasing the captured) over other war goals and to make every effort possible to sign a deal that will bring home the hostages and end the war.
Combating antisemitism can and should include pressure on university administrations to strengthen and enforce anti-hate policies to protect both Jews and other minorities, along with a clear articulation that not all criticism of Israel is antisemitic, and that students and others have a first amendment right to criticize or protest Israel – even if we ourselves may disagree with their messages.
A rally for Jewish unity and a demonstration of strength within our community should showcase the diversity of those committed to the safety of Israelis and of Jews around the world and the various approaches to achieving those goals, instead of papering over such differences by promoting a noncritical perspective at the expense of others.
We look forward to the day when our views, representative of so many within our community, are also featured prominently at such events.