Brad Lander, Democratic winner of New York’s 10th congressional primary, spoke before a Jewish Shabbat to his followers on social media, “Fighting for Palestinian human rights doesn’t make me less proud to be Jewish or less committed to fight antisemitism; those aren’t two different jobs; they’re the same job.” Lander then sang the Torah reading for the week,
“How beautiful are Your dwelling places?
How Beautiful are Your Tents?
Oh Jacob, your dwelling places, oh Israel.”
The tents, according to Lander, sheltering the Levant right now aren’t full of Israelites. More than a million Palestinians in Gaza live in ramshackle tents without running water or sanitation because Israeli bombs we paid for destroyed their homes. Lander asked, “What if we blessed their dwellings instead of cursing them?”
Brad Lander won with 65% of the vote in his district. He criticized Israel for creating a genocide against the Palestinians and defeated the incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman, backed by the infamous AIPAC, in one of the most Jewish districts in the country.
Lander, along with others in the progressive Jewish community, have shown that Jews can legitimately criticize the actions of the Israeli state without being accused of anti-Semitism. The election was a referendum in the Jewish community between two views: one view consists of AIPAC-funded out-of-touch candidates and another view based on all-people centered programs based on human rights and dignity for all.
“Not in our Name”
Jewish Americans realize they are not safer by insisting on unconditional support for Israel while it commits human rights violations against Palestinians, and that this goes against their Jewish values. According to a poll, 61% of American Jews believe Israel is committing war crimes, and roughly 40% say the country is perpetrating genocide against Palestinians.
Since October 7th, 2023, progressive Jewish organizations like the United Jewish Peoples Fraternal Order have spoken out against the Israeli genocide while supporting Israel’s existence alongside Palestine. Brad Lander’s victory shows that Jewish identity doesn’t equate to Israeli state policy.
Coalition Building
Brad Lander, who identifies as a liberal Zionist, was endorsed by Muslim Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his bid for Congress. The Lander-Mamdani coalition is a multiracial progressive effort that is growing because it speaks to the concerns of American workers, both Jews and non-Jews.