The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) spearheaded “A Jewish Statement on Elections and Democratic Principles,” signed by the community relations network--more than 90 Jewish organizations, including fifteen national member agencies and 76 local Jewish community relations councils and Federations. Click here to read the statement.

The signatories called upon “government leaders, candidates, and elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, at every level and branch of government to recommit to our nation’s core democratic principles and oppose violence emerging from the far right or the far left.” They further stated “in the case of contested or close elections we ask for patience and trust in the system, as we allow for every valid vote to be counted. We ask civic and faith leaders to set a standard of discourse, oppose violence and encourage peaceful engagement in the political process.”

“We are proud that such a diverse swath of the Jewish community speaks in one voice for democracy and accessible and free elections,” stated David Bernstein, President and CEO of JCPA. “Particularly during a pandemic, we need to make sure that all votes are counted and that we do everything in our power to reinforce our democratic norms and values. American Jews, like all Americans, are deeply committed to democracy.”

 

The bedrock of American liberty is a strong, thriving democracy and an engaged citizenry. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered almost every aspect of the way we live, including how we vote in elections. It’s a longstanding tradition that nonpartisan groups across the spectrum do their part by encouraging their members and the larger community to vote. This year, these non-partisan efforts are even more essential to ensuring that every vote is counted and everyone can participate in our democracy.

We call upon all government leaders, candidates, and elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, at every level and branch of government to recommit to our nation’s core democratic principles and oppose violence emerging from the far right or the far left. In the case of contested or close elections we ask for patience and trust in the system, as we allow for every valid vote to be counted. We ask civic and faith leaders to set a standard of discourse, oppose violence and encourage peaceful engagement in the political process. We must sustain and carry out these ideals and principles in both our words and our actions at this critical moment in our history.

National Agencies
American Jewish Congress
Anti-Defamation League 
B’nai B’rith International 
Hadassah 
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A.  
Jewish Women International
National Association of Jewish Legislators
National Council of Jewish Women
ORT America
Orthodox Union 
Rabbinical Assembly 
Rabbinical Council of America
Union for Reform Judaism
Women’s League for Conservative Judaism

JCRCs and Federations
Baltimore Jewish Council
Buffalo Jewish Community Relations Council 
Canton Jewish Community Federation 
Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation
Charleston Jewish Federation
Chicago Jewish Community Relations Council
Colorado JCRC
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh 
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council
JCFR Security Committee
JCRC of Atlantic county 
JCRC-Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, Ohio
JCRC, Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County
JCRC/AJC of Detroit 
Jewish Community Alliance of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Jewish Community Board of Akron
Jewish Community Federation of Richmond
Jewish Community Federation of the Mohawk Valley
Jewish Community Relations Bureau-AJC of Kansas City 
Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Jewish Community Relations Council and Jewish Federation of Springfield, IL
Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta
Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County, FL
Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati
Jewish Community Relations Council of Columbus
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Charleston
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington
Jewish Community Relations Council of Louisville
Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas
Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
Jewish Community Relations Council of Portland
Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern New Jersey
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Birmingham Jewish Federation 
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation 
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford
Jewish Community Relations Council of Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia 
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation 
Jewish Community Relations Council San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, Contra Costa Counties
Jewish Community Relations Council, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Jewish Federation & JCRC of Greater New Haven
Jewish Federation of Central MA
Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne
Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg
Jewish Federation of Greater Naples
Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City
Jewish Federation of Greater Rockford
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Jewish Federation of Madison
Jewish Federation of Northern NJ
Jewish Federation of Reading
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey
Memphis Jewish Federation
Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation
Ohio Jewish Communities
Savannah Jewish Federation
Westchester Jewish Council
Wisconsin Jewish Conference