Core Principles

We believe in relational organizing, not transactional coalition building. Relationships are two-way streets and are imperfect. Relationships allow space for failure so long as there is genuine accountability and commitment to growth.

We believe productive engagement across communal lines requires hearing each other's voices and understanding each other's concerns, as they exist today, in order to build and/or restore trust.

We seek to ensure our community understands the concerns of others and communicates our concerns in ways that can be better understood by those who don't know our full history.

While the immediate threat antisemitism poses is not equal in all spaces, we believe American Jews, and our allies, must fight against the forces of antisemitism regardless of which political party or community it comes from. Further, we must distinguish between a lack of awareness or understanding and actual anti-Jewish bigotry, and respond accordingly.

We believe our community must fight against white supremacy in America. While antisemitism isn't limited to one community, we must recognize that antisemitism is an animating force of modern white supremacist movements, that it presents a uniquely dangerous threat, and that as white supremacy rises so too will antisemitism. Moreover, we must stand up for all who may be attacked by these forces, including those in the Muslim, Black, Latinx, Indigenous (Native American), and LGBTQIA communities. We should recognize many Jews identify as part of these communities as well.

We reject the notion that one must either support Israel or Palestine. We long for a future that honors and protects the dignity, national aspirations, and individual and collective wellbeing of Palestinians and Israelis. The very foundation of a mutually agreeable solution requires honoring the trauma, needs and rights of both peoples.

We recognize that the status quo creates structural barriers which deny Palestinians dignity, safety, and many fundamental rights. And, we recognize the real, present, and persistent threats to the life of Jews in Israel and around the world. We understand that fully reconciling these inherent contradictions is incredibly difficult.

We do not tolerate any attempt to demonize, delegitimize, or erase the narratives, history, trauma, and lived reality of Palestinians, Israelis, or the communities impacted by these issues.