Jews for Racial and Economic Justice

Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) is an American left-wing non-profit grassroots Jewish organization. JFREJ describes itself as a "movement to dismantle racism and economic exploitation" and is based in New York City. It operates both a 501(c)(3), also known as JFREJ Community and a 501(c)(4) known as JFREJ Action.[1][2]

Jews for Racial and Economic Justice
Founded1990 (1990)
TypeNonprofit
HeadquartersNew York City, NY, U.S.
Executive Director
Audrey Sasson
Volunteers
6,000+
Websitewww.jfrej.org

History

JFREJ was founded in New York City in 1990. Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz served as the organization's first director.[3] The creation of JFREJ was inspired by Nelson Mandela's 1990 visit to New York City, during which many local Jewish groups and leaders, including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, snubbed Mandela due to his support for the Palestinian cause. JFREJ's first event, held on 15 June 1990, honored Nelson Mandela and raised $50,000 for the anti-apartheid cause.[4][5][6][7]

During the Trump administration, JFREJ was active in the movement to Abolish ICE.[8][9]

In 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke at a JFREJ event where she discussed her Puerto Rican ancestors' distant Sephardi Jewish heritage.[10]

JFREJ is critical of calls for more security as a way to counter the growth of violent antisemitism in the United States, citing the concerns of Black Jews and other Jews of color that security would not make them safer and would increase racial profiling.[11]

In June 2022, the Anti-Defamation League condemned JFREJ as "out of touch" with mainstream Jewish-American opinion. The ADL's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt retweeted a Twitter thread singling out JFREJ and the Jewish Vote as a "far-left scam". An ADL spokesperson later confirmed the organization's agreement with the sentiment that JFREJ isn't representative of Jewish opinion or Jewish values. Sophie Ellman-Golan, communications director for JFREJ, criticized the ADL for attacking the Jewish identity of JFREJ members.[12]

The Jewish Vote

The Jewish Vote is the electoral arm of Jews for Racial & Economic Justice Action. Their goal is to endorse and help elect a new generation of "reformers and radicals" who will fight for Medicare for All, universal rent control, a Green New Deal, publicly funded elections, fair wages and working conditions for all, and an end to mass incarceration and criminalization of people of color.[13]

Members

See also

References
  1. https://www.jfrej.org/about
  2. https://www.jfrej.org/jfrej-community
  3. "Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz, Feminist, Activist and Author, Dies at 72". The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  4. "Our History". Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  5. "An honest conversation about JFREJ". The Forward. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  6. "Don't Test Mandela on Israel". The New York Times. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  7. "JEWISH GROUPS QUESTION ANC LEADER OVER ISRAEL". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  8. ""You Have Blood on Your Hands": Jewish Protesters Call For Palantir to Drop Its ICE Contract". Vice Magazine. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  9. "The liberal Jewish resistance goes far beyond #DisloyalToTrump". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  10. "Ocasio-Cortez reveals her Jewish heritage: 'I knew it! I sensed it!'". NBC News. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  11. "Jewish community grapples with how to stem growing anti-Semitic violence". NBC News. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  12. "ADL condemns NY progressive group Jews for Racial & Economic Justice as 'out of touch'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  13. "Who We Are - The Jewish Vote". The Jewish Vote. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  14. "Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz, Feminist, Activist and Author, Dies at 72". The New York Times. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  15. "Don't Test Mandela on Israel". The New York Times. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
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