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On Sunday, June 2nd, over 100 Jewish New Yorkers gathered in Hastings-on-Hudson for bagels and coffee with Rep. Jamaal Bowman. After speaking with and rallying with the Congressman, the group embarked on a door-to-door canvass to talk to NY-16 voters about reelecting Rep. Bowman.
NY-16 constituent and Jews for Jamaal leader Howard Horowitz introduced Rep. Bowman, saying: “As Jews, we know that fighting antisemitism and building Jewish safety depend on mobilizing a broad cross-section of people to defend inclusive, multiracial, multifaith democracies and to hold governments to account for their mistreatment of citizens, migrants, and Indigenous peoples. We cannot achieve real safety if we fail to acknowledge the interconnectedness of our struggles, if we let fear be weaponized or allow our own past traumas to silence resistance against the traumas of others. That is why it is so important we elect leaders who are committed to combating antisemitism without fanning the flames of racism and Islamophobia; leaders like Congressman Bowman.”
When it came time for him to speak, Rep. Bowman announced “I’m going to turn into Principal Bowman now…anyone who works in education knows what a restorative circle is.” He gathered the crowd of over 100 people into a giant circle, telling the group: “This is our restorative circle, and we are going to restore justice to the world! Our work is about ensuring that we take care of every single person, whether we know them or not, whether we agree with them or not. Making sure our children have clean water and food and healthcare should be our north star. Winning this election and beating back big money and MAGA and AIPAC is going to be a major step forward in accomplishing that.”
“As is the case for many other Jews, the conversations in my household about this election have often centered around issues that do not take place in NY-16 at all, but are happening thousands of miles overseas. And while I care very deeply about the tragedies unfolding in the Middle East, there are also issues right here at home that make Jamaal’s voice so important in Congress,” said Jon Mermelstein, a Scarsdale resident and NYC public school teacher. “This is a deeply unequal district. I grew up around multiple kids of billionaires, while families nearby struggle to pay rent or afford the basic cost of living in New York. We all see the underlying issues of housing, healthcare, underfunded social services, mass incarceration, gun violence, and the consequences of environmental racism being compounded by an affordability crisis that Democratic party leadership has had no answer for. But Rep. Bowman has answers, whether it’s the Green New Deal for Schools, advocacy for single payer healthcare, or tackling gun violence.”
Rep. Jamaal Bowman has been a champion of the issues so many Jewish New Yorkers care about. He is a proud co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, an advocate for public education, an ally in fighting antisemitism and hate, and an outspoken voice for a permanent ceasefire and full hostage exchange in Gaza. While Republican mega-donors pour millions into his race in an effort to smear and unseat Rep. Bowman, our diverse coalition of Jews for Jamaal is mobilizing to re-elect this truly progressive candidate who shares our values, and vision for a future with freedom for all.