Merlin Ward

This campaign season has been deeply painful for the American Jewish community. We have been told we don’t belong in political spaces. When we’ve spoken out against candidates trafficking in antisemitism, we’ve been brushed aside. We have been told that if we embrace any connection to the state of Israel or express our Zionism, we cannot be allies. The fixation on Israel—and, inevitably, on Jews—has been relentless. This goes far beyond disagreements on foreign policy. No community should become a political scapegoat or be subjected to ideological litmus tests. Yet throughout this election, Jews have found ourselves targeted from both the far left and the far right. What once lurked in the darkest corners of the internet now plays out openly in campaign ads. Hasan Piker and Tucker Carlson, each with his own brand of antisemitism, have become welcome figures on the campaign trail. Their hateful, divisive language does not exist in a vacuum. Antisemitism has real-world consequences for our community. History has taught Jews what happens when political movements decide that blaming, isolating, or scapegoating us is useful. We’ve had enough. However you define your Judaism or your connection to Israel, no one should ever be told they are unwelcome participating in American democracy. We would not accept that for any other minority community, and we will not accept it for American Jews. American Jews have the same right as every other community to advocate for what matters to us and to expect our political leaders to listen. We will make ourselves heard, and we will insist that our concerns be taken seriously. When extremism is normalized and one community is singled out and marginalized, the threat does not stop there—it signals to every community that their seat at the American table is at risk because of identity or beliefs. I remain hopeful that there is a path forward if our leaders are willing to reject those who exploit our differences to divide us. This work is not new for AJC, but this moment requires greater urgency and focus. To those who emerge victorious tomorrow, we are ready to work with you. But we will also expect you to listen, and to confront antisemitism wherever it comes from, even when doing so is politically inconvenient. We will expect you to lead.