J Street
The political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans
Joe Sestak's Pro-Israel Record
Take Action Posted: Jul 20, 2010
J Street launched a new television advertisement in response to recent right-wing attacks on pro-Israel, pro-peace Members of Congress – in particular Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania. The ad highlights Rep. Sestak’s support for Israel and his commitment to ensuring its long-term peace and security through diplomacy.
In response to distortions of Sestak’s record on Israel in an advertisement by an ad hoc group fronted by Bill Kristol and Gary Bauer among other right-wing activists, J Street’s 30-second ad highlights both Sestak’s military experience – including his collaborative work with the Israel Defense Forces—and his Congressional record to underscore his experience advancing Israeli and American security interests in the region.
J Street Calls for Treasury Investigation Into Settlement Charities
Take Action Posted: Jul 13, 2010
J Street is calling on the U.S. Treasury Department to launch an investigation into whether American charities that fund Israeli settlement activity have broken the law. A recent New York Times report revealed a connection between an American organization that fundraises for Israeli political activity and "a former executive director of the banned Israeli political party Kahane Chai." Kahane Chai was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 1994.
Moreover, these tax-exempt organizations are working to undermine a two-state solution by deepening the occupation. Some even fund settlement outposts that the Israeli government considers illegal.
With the explicit goal of undermining a two-state solution, many of these groups raise tax-deductible contributions from the United States to deepen the occupation in the Occupied Territories. Some even fund settlement outposts that the Israeli government considers illegal. Settlement activity over the Green Line is diminishing the chances of a two-state solution and endangering Israel's very future as a Jewish, democratic home. This isn't a question of whether or not these groups have the legal right to raise funds for causes they believe in. The question is whether or not they have broken the law.
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I TOO AM APPALLED THAT MANY FOLKS ARE NOT STUDENTS OF HISTORY. ISLAM HAS ALWAYS SUPERSEDED OTHER RELIGIONS AND CIVILIZATIONS. SOME EXAMPLES THAT COME TO MIND ARE THE TEMPLE MOUNT, THE CONSTANTINOPLE MOSQUE AND THE CORDOBA MOSQUE.
HOW CAN ANYONE FORGET THAT 911 WAS PERPETRATED UNDER THE AEGIS OF ISLAM THAT HAS A HISTORY OF DEMONSTRATING ITS SUPERIORITY AS REQUIRED BY ITS HOLY WRITINGS?
WHEN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES WILL ALLOW CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES AND CHRISTIANS AND JEWS TO LIVE IN PEACE IN THEIR WORLD THEN LET ISLAM BUILD, BUT NOT THIS INSULT!
J STREET
I'm appalled by opposition to plans by American Muslims to build a community center in Lower Manhattan modeled after Jewish Community Centers (JCC's) and Y's all over the country. [1][2]
Tapping into fear, prejudice, and partisanship, opponents of the project are trampling core values on which our country was founded and on which I was raised. On what possible basis do Muslim Americans have less of a right than Americans of another background to develop this communal center?
The rhetoric being tossed around is not only offensive and wrong, it's a propaganda gift to Islamic extremists globally who hope to whip up anger over the treatment of Muslims and threaten both Israel and the United States with violence.
On Tuesday morning, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission votes on whether or not to allow the project to proceed. [3] I plan to attend in person to present a petition of support for the Center - and I hope that thousands in the J Street community will join me in a statement of support.
Click here to sign a statement of support for the project and against bigotry and intolerance.
I am proud as an American and as a Jew that our heritage is grounded in a strong belief in equality, justice, and religious freedom.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg got it right when he said, "What is great about America, and particularly New York, is we welcome everybody, and if we are so afraid of something like this, what does that say about us? Democracy is stronger than this. And for us to just say no is just, I think - not appropriate is a nice way to phrase it." [4]
I was taught that if freedom can be denied to a single person because of who they are, it can happen to anyone of us.
This is a moment of truth for the American Jewish community and our friends. Will we line up on the side of freedom of religion and respect for all - or give in to the fear and prejudice that have led to the denial of our own rights in the past?
It is time for those of us who share these beliefs to stand up as another religious minority looks to exercise its legal rights in the United States.
Click here to stand with us for tolerance, respect, and freedom of religion.
Here's what Atlantic Columnist Jeffrey Goldberg had to say about the group planning this center:
I know the people who run the initiative; they are, for lack of a better term, "peace-seeking Muslims." I spoke at a program co-sponsored by Cordoba last year, and I came to understand that the organization is interested mainly in battling extremism within Islam, and in building bridges to non-Muslim faiths. It seems to me that its mission makes Cordoba an appropriate fit for Ground Zero. One of the ways to prevent future Ground Zeroes is to encourage moderation within Islam, and to treat Muslim moderates differently than we treat Muslim extremists. The campaign against this mosque treats all Muslims as perpetrators. This is a terrible mistake, for moral and strategic reasons. [5]
Of course, we oppose violent extremism and terrorism in all its forms and we believe that the victims of 9/11 and their families of all religions deserve our deepest respect and sympathy.
But let's remember: In the battle against violent extremism, core democratic values like respect for minorities and freedom of religion can be potent weapons in ensuring security and advancing tolerance and understanding.
Or they can be tossed aside at the call of demagogues and fear-mongers.
Let's stand together for the best of America and remember what really makes us strong and will win the day. Our values.
Please stand with us.
We'll let you know how it goes on Tuesday morning,
Isaac
- Isaac Luria
V.P., Communications and New Media
J Street
August 2, 2010
[1] "Gingrich Calls NYC Mosque Supporters 'Hostile To Our Civilization'," by Ben Armbruster. ThinkProgress, July 27, 2010.
[2] "Debate Heats Up About Mosque Near Ground Zero," by Michael Barbaro. The New York Times, July 30, 2010.
[3] ibid.
[4] ibid.
[5] "Peace-Seeking Muslims Should Refudiate Sarah Palin," by Jeffrey Goldberg. The Atlantic, July 19, 2010.
---------
J Street is the political home of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.
To ensure that J Street messages reach your inbox, please add info@jstreet.org to your address book.
To contact J Street, just reply to this email. You can also write to us at info@jstreet.org.
J --
I'm appalled by opposition to plans by American Muslims to build a community center in Lower Manhattan modeled after Jewish Community Centers (JCC's) and Y's all over the country. [1][2]
Tapping into fear, prejudice, and partisanship, opponents of the project are trampling core values on which our country was founded and on which I was raised. On what possible basis do Muslim Americans have less of a right than Americans of another background to develop this communal center?
The rhetoric being tossed around is not only offensive and wrong, it's a propaganda gift to Islamic extremists globally who hope to whip up anger over the treatment of Muslims and threaten both Israel and the United States with violence.
On Tuesday morning, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission votes on whether or not to allow the project to proceed. [3] I plan to attend in person to present a petition of support for the Center - and I hope that thousands in the J Street community will join me in a statement of support.
Click here to sign a statement of support for the project and against bigotry and intolerance.
I am proud as an American and as a Jew that our heritage is grounded in a strong belief in equality, justice, and religious freedom.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg got it right when he said, "What is great about America, and particularly New York, is we welcome everybody, and if we are so afraid of something like this, what does that say about us? Democracy is stronger than this. And for us to just say no is just, I think - not appropriate is a nice way to phrase it." [4]
I was taught that if freedom can be denied to a single person because of who they are, it can happen to anyone of us.
This is a moment of truth for the American Jewish community and our friends. Will we line up on the side of freedom of religion and respect for all - or give in to the fear and prejudice that have led to the denial of our own rights in the past?
It is time for those of us who share these beliefs to stand up as another religious minority looks to exercise its legal rights in the United States.
Click here to stand with us for tolerance, respect, and freedom of religion.
Here's what Atlantic Columnist Jeffrey Goldberg had to say about the group planning this center:
I know the people who run the initiative; they are, for lack of a better term, "peace-seeking Muslims." I spoke at a program co-sponsored by Cordoba last year, and I came to understand that the organization is interested mainly in battling extremism within Islam, and in building bridges to non-Muslim faiths. It seems to me that its mission makes Cordoba an appropriate fit for Ground Zero. One of the ways to prevent future Ground Zeroes is to encourage moderation within Islam, and to treat Muslim moderates differently than we treat Muslim extremists. The campaign against this mosque treats all Muslims as perpetrators. This is a terrible mistake, for moral and strategic reasons. [5]
Exactly.
Of course, we oppose violent extremism and terrorism in all its forms and we believe that the victims of 9/11 and their families of all religions deserve our deepest respect and sympathy.
But let's remember: In the battle against violent extremism, core democratic values like respect for minorities and freedom of religion can be potent weapons in ensuring security and advancing tolerance and understanding.
Or they can be tossed aside at the call of demagogues and fear-mongers.
Let's stand together for the best of America and remember what really makes us strong and will win the day. Our values.
Please stand with us.
We'll let you know how it goes on Tuesday morning,
Isaac
- Isaac Luria
V.P., Communications and New Media
J Street
August 2, 2010
[1] "Gingrich Calls NYC Mosque Supporters 'Hostile To Our Civilization'," by Ben Armbruster. ThinkProgress, July 27, 2010.
[2] "Debate Heats Up About Mosque Near Ground Zero," by Michael Barbaro. The New York Times, July 30, 2010.
[3] ibid.
[4] ibid.
[5] "Peace-Seeking Muslims Should Refudiate Sarah Palin," by Jeffrey Goldberg. The Atlantic, July 19, 2010.
---------
J Street is the political home of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.
To ensure that J Street messages reach your inbox, please add info@jstreet.org to your address book.
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