Essex, Union rabbis ask Sen. Kim to support Israel

Dear Senator Kim,

We write to you as rabbinic leaders in New Jersey’s Jewish community and lifelong advocates for progressive values.

Our communities are diverse and multifaceted in their perspectives on issues driving the national discourse – including on how best to end the 17-month war following the horrors of October 7. But when it comes to Israel’s security, there is broad consensus: America’s support is essential to saving lives and must never waver.

Starting this week, you will be confronted with votes of critical importance to our communities. Just as he did last year, Senator Bernie Sanders is forcing votes on numerous reckless resolutions to block the sale of U.S. weapons to our ally as it fights a multi-front war of survival. It is essential that you vote against each resolution.

Some of these arms sales were initiated by President Biden, who lobbied senators last year to reject Sanders. As the president said then, voting to block arms sales to Israel would “put wind in the sails of Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas…and prolong the war, not shorten it.”

We are grateful to Senator Booker for his leadership in being among the vast majority who voted against Sanders and with President Biden last year.

The few senators who foolishly backed the Sanders arms embargo thought they were sending a political message to the Israeli government. Instead, they sent a message of disdain and indifference to their Jewish communities.

In Georgia, more than 20 of our rabbinic colleagues aired their frustration in a unified message across denominations, letting their senators know that voting with Sanders was “a failure to hear your Jewish constituents.”

In Massachusetts, Jewish leaders and organizations delivered a similar message: “Siding with Sen. Sanders emboldens Iran and its proxies.”

They were right to be outraged, and that a vote to end military support for Israel “sided with often fanatical and uncompromising organizations and individuals who consistently fight against pro-Israel policies and work to weaken the U.S.-Israel relationship.”

Each day that the hostages remain in Gaza is especially painful for our New Jersey community. Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old from Tenafly, is spending another night in hell as a hostage of Hamas. He has been starved and tortured for more than 520 days without air or sunlight.

A vote to cut off American support for Israel is a vote to embolden Edan’s captors.

We must do everything we can to free Edan. And we must give Israel what it needs to prevent Hamas from ever doing this again.

Senator Kim, your votes on America’s support for Israel’s security are critical.

We urge you to vote no on Bernie Sanders’ dangerous resolutions. Stand with Edan Alexander and stand with our ally Israel.

The letter above was authored by Rabbi Daniel Cohen of Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz of Temple Bnai Jeshurun in Short Hills and Rabbi Erin Glazer of Temple Sinai in Summit and reprinted here at their request. The opinions are their own and the letter was not written on behalf of their synagogues.

  Essex, Israel, Rabbis, Union