Jerusalem Post: U.S. lawmakers endorse group to bridge gap between Democratic Party, Jews

Senior Democratic leaders attended the launch of a new group on Thursday meant to serve as a bridge between their party and the nation’s Jewish community

The Jewish Democratic Council of America will “actively promote to Democratic officeholders and candidates national and local legislative policies consistent with the Jewish community’s values, as well as a strong US-Israel relationship,” the group said in its launch statement

Israel’s ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, attended the Capitol Hill reception alongside Senators Ben Cardin of Maryland, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.

Representing the House side were minority leader Nancy Pelosi of California, Democratic whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Ted Deutch and Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida as well as Eliot Engel, Nita Lowey, Grace Meng and Jerry Nadler of New York, among others.

Organizers of the event offered nearly the entire list of lawmakers the opportunity to speak, resulting in a long and steady stream of remarks on why American Jews are overwhelmingly Democrats, and why their Democratic proclivities have only been reinforced in the era of Donald Trump. Most of them highlighted the commitment of Jews to tolerance and pluralism, to equal rights for all, and to the dignity of immigrants.