Westchester Congressman Jamaal Bowman, left, and Westchester native, Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both voted against a resolution in support of Israel
By Dan Murphy
A letter signed by more than a dozen New York Rabbi’s, including 11 from Westchester, have asked Westchester Congressman Jamaal Bowman to, “change course” on his “anti-Israel rhertoric in Congress.
“Regrettably, Rep. Bowman’s anti-Israel views continue this extremist trend and only stoke further tension and conflict,” states part of the letter, signed by Rabbi Jonathan Blake, Senior Rabbi, Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale and 10 other Westchester Rabbi’s.
Last year, Rep. Bowman Last year removed his support for a bill to expand the Abraham Accords peace accords. More recently, Bowman signed a letter with Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez which called on the Biden adminstration to “to undertake a shift in U.S. policy” toward Israel.
And last week, Bowman, AOC and 16 other House democrats voted against a resolution honoring the U.S.-Israeli relationship and the 75th anniversary of the founding of Israel. The resolution passed 400-19.
“While many community leaders in the Congressman’s district (N.Y.-16) — including each author of this piece — have sought to engage him in constructive conversations about the damaging positions he has taken with regard to the U.S.-Israel relationship, Rep. Bowman has chosen to dig in deeper and align himself with the most caustic anti-Israel voices in Washington,” write The Forward, https://forward.com/opinion/542245/rabbi-jamaal-bowman-anti-israel-congress-policy-us-blinken-biden/. “Congressman Bowman is no longer merely an accessory to anti-Israel rhetoric in Washington. He is now leading the effort to erode support for Israel on Capitol Hill and within the Democratic Party.”
The letter from the NY-Westchester Rabbi’s continues, “We do not condone efforts to undermine the pillars of a robust and longstanding democracy in Israel. Americans and Israelis have each seen firsthand how political extremism can divide a nation. We need to bridge divides to help achieve peace, not inflame tensions with baseless attacks and one-sided policy prescriptions. If Congressman Bowman truly cares about advancing peace, he will abandon his damaging and counterproductive agenda. Those of us who care deeply about the U.S.-Israel relationship call on Rep. Bowman to change course.”
Signed,
Rabbi Jonathan Blake
Rabbi Adam Baldachin
Rabbi Jeffrey Brown
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Rabbi Leora Frankel
Rabbi Howard Goldsmith
Rabbi Daniel Gropper
Rabbi Shmuel Hain
Rabbi Binyamin Krauss
Rabbi Chaim Marder
Rabbi David Schuck
Rabbi Jay M. Stein
Rabbi Annie Tucker
