Statement from Simon Wiesenthal Center on Jewish Political Affiliation

August 21, 2019

Statement from Rabbis Rabbi Marvin Hier, Simon Wiesenthal Center Founder and Dean and Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action:

“We believe that since 1948 the overwhelming majority of American Jews, irrespective of party affiliation, unequivocally support the State of Israel. We also affirm that this bipartisan support is absolutely essential to the future well being and security of the Jewish State. To say otherwise, and depend only on one party, particularly in these turbulent times of increased hate and anti-Semitism, only weakens and divides the most important Jewish community in the Diaspora.

"It was President Jimmy Carter who presided over the Camp David Accords and Republican Ronald Reagan who helped open the gates of freedom for Soviet Jewry.

"It was Democratic President Harry Truman who made the historic decision that the US would recognize the State of Israel and Republican Donald Trump who moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

"The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which has never endorsed candidates or political parties, reiterates its call for both parties to reduce the rancor that harms the bipartisanship so desperately needed by our democracy."

For more information, please contact the Center's Communications Department, 310-553-9036. join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).

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