“In this life, we are what we do.” – Rachel Goldberg-Polin
As Jewish American Heritage Month comes to a close, it’s important that we each take a moment to reflect on Jewish leadership and sources of light in our community.
For more than 600 days, since October 7th, I have been inspired by the incredible strength, perseverance, wisdom, and moral clarity of Rachel Goldberg-Polin, who recently told Yeshiva University graduates, “We are not what we think. And we are not even what we believe. In this life, we are what we do.”
Rachel’s critical message is important for all of us to consider, especially in this moment. Hoping, wishing, even believing in change is important, but it’s simply not enough. Change will only come about through action, and it’s incumbent on all of us to act on our beliefs and do something consistent with our values.
This is why, in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we’re encouraging you to take two steps to ensure your voices and views are heard by the three people who work for you in government – your two senators and representative. It doesn’t matter if they’re Democrats or Republicans – they should hear from you about issues that matter, so take action today – bring your voice and values to Capitol Hill.
Write to your member of Congress to tell them to defend Jewish values on a range of issues, and join JDCA’s virtual Week of Action on the Hill, June 9-11.
WRITE TO YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS
SIGN-UP TO JOIN JDCA’S WEEK OF ACTION
My Conversation with Stacey Abrams
Earlier this week, in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, I joined a discussion with Stacey Abrams and her organization American Pride Rises. Along with Rabbi Malka Packer-Monroe and Abby Levine, Executive Director of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, we discussed diversity, equity, and inclusion as Jewish values, the rise of antisemitism, and our fight to defend democracy. Here are my answers to the questions Stacey Abrams posed.
Can you explain the link between the fight for DEI and the fight for other Jewish values, like defending democracy?
“Throughout our history, the safety, the security, and the well-being of Jewish Americans has depended on the strength of our democracy, and we know that democracy depends on an inclusive and equitable society.
“So we are out to defend our democracy, which is currently under attack. We are lifting our voices and our values and bringing this fight to the ballot box, organizing across the country to ensure that the overwhelming majority of Jewish voters continue to find their home in the Democratic Party, and that we elect those who believe in the importance of the strength of our democracy.”
In this moment of rising antisemitism, how is Donald Trump responding?
“It appears that Donald Trump has actually weaponized our legitimate concerns about the rise of antisemitism, and is using them as a rationale to erode our democracy…a majority of Jews believe not only that these steps, in terms of defunding universities and deporting pro-Palestinian protesters [without due process], are not just ineffective, but the majority of Jews actually believe that they increase and not decrease this very real problem we face in terms of antisemitism.”
How are Trump’s policies increasing antisemitism?
“As Trump uses antisemitism as an excuse to infringe on the rights of Americans and of foreigners and of immigrants, he’s also taking steps that have actually hurt our efforts to combat antisemitism. He’s frozen security grants that are supposed to protect our Jewish institutions. He canceled funding for efforts to avert hate crimes. He’s cut funding to the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights that is supposed to investigate antisemitism on college campuses. So we are really concerned about not just the rise of antisemitism, but also the steps that this White House is taking, using the rise of antisemitism as a pretext to attack our democracy.”
How is DEI a Jewish Value?
“We believe that tolerance and tolerance for diversity in this country is really a key tenet of ensuring our safety and security. It’s not just for Jews, but for other minorities, including religious minorities in the United States, and we are less safe when those efforts for inclusion and tolerance are suppressed, and we’ve seen this administration from day one attack DEI efforts…federal agencies banned Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorations, among many other holidays, including MLK Day and other critically important recognitions within the federal government. We must understand our past, including the darkest moments of our past, to ensure that the horrors of the past are not repeated.
“We have polling…that shows that 70% of Jewish Americans oppose Donald Trump’s efforts to eliminate DEI initiatives from institutions that receive federal funding. Because we see this really is an attack on a core value of who we are, and that is a community that has really been safest, most secure, and has thrived in an inclusive and tolerant society, and we do believe that diversity is absolutely a critical component of a strong democracy.”
How can we take action and speak out?
“We are encouraging everyone to take action at the ballot box, but given that it’s more than 500 days away until the midterms, in the meantime, it’s really important that your three members of Congress, your two senators and your representative, hear from you.
“JDCA has opportunities to take action with just a few clicks, writing to your members of Congress about a wide range of issues, including Republican efforts to deprive over 14 million people of their health care and food assistance, which is imminent [in terms of a vote] in the Senate. The Senate is now considering this bill that’s going to hurt so many American people, and there are a range of actions that we can all take.”
Our power lies not just with the action we take as individuals, but as a collective, so please join us. And remember Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s words – “we are what we do.”
Thank you for your partnership.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Shavuot Sameach,
Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America