We are American Jews from diverse backgrounds and practices who concerned about extreme ideological capture from multiple directions.
These are our core positions. We have ten – a minyan! ?
- PRO ZIONISM: The Jewish people have a right to self-determination in our ancestral home: Israel. We support and participate in modern Zionist movements such as Zioness (https://zioness.org), but we have no formal financial ties to these organizations.
- PRO JEWS: Judaism is an ethnoreligion that has existed for over 3000 years, indigenous to the land of Israel. Jews have a unique place in human history, and have made tremendous contributions to human civilization and culture everywhere we’ve been exiled. With only 0.2% of the world’s population, Jews have been awarded 24% of all Nobel Prizes in medicine and science. American Jews, who number 2% of U.S. citizens, have received 37% of the American awards. Despite this, anti-Jewish hate is one of the oldest and most deadly forms of racism. And, when it comes to racism, Jews Don’t Count. There are double standards applied to Jews. Anti-Jewish hate is a very complex, shapeshifting form of bigotry composed of several fundamental libels, across centuries. For more on this, see our post on Anti-Jewish Tropes through History.
- PRO MEDIA ACCURACY: There is currently a strong antizionist bias in the mainstream global media, including widely-respected sites like the BBC, New York Times, and NPR, and organizations like the UN, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International. These institutions are promoting libels such as false claims of genocide in Gaza, leading to a massive upsurge in antisemitism world-wide, especially on the left.
- AGAINST TERRORISM: Violence against Jews is rising exponentially globally, driven by antizionism, radical Islamism, and far right Nationalism/neo-Nazism. We also acknowledge that acts of terrorism have been committed by the Israeli government by its support of violence by extremist factions among West Bank settlers. Terrorism is never acceptable.
- PRO TRUTH/AGAINST REVISIONIST HISTORY: Holocaust denial is rising, on both sides of the political divide. We need as accurate an account of history as possible, even when that history is unflattering to Israel. We do not seek to sugarcoat or cherry-pick, but we also seek to understand the full context of historical events in order to properly assess their relevance to the present and future.
- AGAINST EXTREMISM: Political polarization has created bubbles that don’t talk to each other and push people into extreme positions. Both the “progressive” left and the “conservative” right have become proponents of antizionism and – by extension – antisemitism.
- PRO LIBERAL DEMOCRACY: “Liberal” here means classical liberalism (rights, restraints on power), not left/right politics. Democracy is essential for human freedom. The move toward authoritarian rule around the globe must be resisted. Liberal democracies promote the following principles, which are essential for the survival of Jews and other ethnic minorities:
- Strong rule of law (independent courts, constitutional limits)
- Protection of minority rights
- Pluralism, tolerance, and diversity
- Free press vs. state propaganda
- Competitive elections
- AGAINST ANTIZIONIST ACADEMIC INDOCTRINATION: We oppose the use of academic spaces to promote ideological dogma that treats Jewish self-determination as uniquely illegitimate. Universities should foster inquiry and debate, not enforce political litmus tests that marginalize Jewish identity or silence dissenting views.
- AGAINST DEHUMANIZATION: We reject the dehumanization of Jews, Palestinians, Israelis, or any people. Language that erases suffering, excuses violence against civilians, or denies collective humanity makes justice and peace impossible. Human dignity is not conditional or zero-sum.
- PRO PEACE: We affirm Israel’s right to self-defense and the necessity of protecting civilians from violence. At the same time, we recognize the immense human cost of a prolonged war in Gaza and the urgent need for accountability, restraint, and a credible political path forward.
Peace requires acknowledging Palestinian rights, to safety, dignity, self-determination, and a viable future, alongside Israeli security. Lasting peace depends on recognizing the full humanity of both peoples, and leadership on both sides who are willing to take the necessary steps to support peaceful co-existence.