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What I told the DNC Platform Committee

July 10, 2024

Dear friends,

As the voice and political home of Jewish American voters, advocating for policies and supporting Democrats who share our values, JDCA’s mission is more important in this election than ever before.

Yesterday, JDCA fulfilled this mission as the only Jewish organization to testify before the Democratic Platform Drafting Committee. I was proud to represent JDCA, expressing the policy priorities of Jewish Americans and giving voice to our shared values as the Democratic Policy Platform is finalized ahead of the Democratic National Convention.

Watch JDCA’s testimony before the DNC Platform Drafting Committee and share it with your network.

In JDCA’s testimony, I emphasized our strong support for President Biden and Democrats’ support of the U.S.-Israel relationship and leadership in combating antisemitism. This was JDCA’s second opportunity to provide input to the Platform Drafting Committee, and we’re confident the final Democratic Party Platform will represent the views and values of the vast majority of American Jews.

In our testimony, we encouraged updates to the 2020 Platform recognizing the horrors inflicted by Hamas on October 7 and the abiding commitment made by President Biden to Israel and Jewish Americans in the aftermath of the attack. We also advocated for a continued commitment to Israel’s security, including ongoing military assistance for Israel.

We lauded President Biden’s leadership in the face of a direct Iranian attack on Israel on April 13 and his continued efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages. And we made clear our continued support of preserving prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as humanitarian aid for innocent Palestinians living in Gaza.

We recommended the addition of a dedicated section of the platform focused on combating antisemitism, consistent with the President’s unprecedented National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.

Our testimony exemplified why nearly three out of four Jewish Americans continue to call the Democratic Party their home. The Democratic Party shares our core values. Watch and share the testimony today.

JDCA will continue to be your political home and voice, and we thank you for your partnership and support.

Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America