Joint Statement Led by Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Conservative & Reform Movements

WASHINGTON, DC – A broad coalition of over 100 national and local Jewish organizations have released a new statement expressing deep alarm and concern over the Trump Administration’s attacks on democratic norms and values.

The statement is jointly led by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly. The groups signing on to the statement represent a broad range of the mainstream American Jewish community, including major national and regional advocacy organizations, Jewish Community Relations Councils (JCRCs) and local Jewish federations, and synagogues.

The Jewish organizations note that, while legitimate policy disagreements with any administration are to be expected in a democracy, “[W]hat we are experiencing now goes far beyond policy disagreements with the federal administration. It is a direct assault on the very principles that underpin our democracy – principles including equal justice under the law; the protection of fundamental civil liberties and civil rights; a commitment to rejecting dehumanization and political violence; and the upholding of checks and balances, accountability, and transparency in our government.”

The statement warns of a number of actions by the administration that fundamentally threaten the freedoms and safety of all Americans, including:

• “The scapegoating and dehumanization of immigrants, people of color, transgender people, and other marginalized groups to justify draconian and unconstitutional policies and dismantle fundamental domestic and international programs; further consolidate authority; and avoid accountability and transparency on matters of public safety, public health, and public interest.”
• The pardoning of violent insurrectionists while“public servants have been removed, attacked, investigated, or punished for a perceived lack of loyalty to the President.”
• “The freezing of federal funds – and a takeover of the federal payments system and classified information by Elon Musk, an unelected, unconfirmed, and unvetted ally of the President — intended to force ideological conformity, make it harder for individuals and groups to exercise their rights, and threaten the checks and balances at the core of our democratic system.”

The Jewish organizations warn: “History has made clear that our safety as Jews is inextricably linked with inclusive, pluralistic democracy and with the rights and safety of all people. When the rule of law and democratic norms are threatened, antisemitism invariably increases and Jews – and all communities – are made less safe.”

“Jewish safety is interwoven with the inclusive, pluralistic democracy that has allowed our community to thrive in America for generations,” said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. “These dangerous attacks on fundamental democratic norms and institutions are not simply politics as usual — they threaten our rights, our safety, and the very future of our communities and our country. We know where this leads, for Jews and for so many others, and we are proud that this broad coalition is sending an unmistakable message that Jewish Americans will stand for democracy at this critical moment.”

“The rule of law is fundamental to ensuring that the rights that are enshrined in the Constitution are upheld,” said Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO of the Rabbinical Assembly. “It is the Constitution that has made America a haven for the Jewish people for over 200 years. When we see an administration upend democratic norms and take actions that clearly ignore the law and upend the Constitution, we must stand up for democratic processes, and the rights of all vulnerable people.”

“Threats to democratic norms and our democracy overall make us less safe as Jews and as Americans,” said Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. “The rule of law is vital to ensuring all people can live and thrive in safety and freedom.”

The full text of the statement and list of signers can be found here.