Group legislators in the U.S. Congress
The
Congressional Jewish Caucus
is an organization of members of the
United States Congress
who are
American Jews
. The caucus focused on issues affecting Jews and Israel, such as antisemitism and
U.S.-Israel relations
. The caucus was founded in 2023 during the
118th United States Congress
, spurred by increased
antisemitism in the United States
during the
2023 Israel-Hamas war
.
Background
[
edit
]
There were 36 Jewish members of the
116th United States Congress
, which sat from 2019 to 2021, an increase from 30 during the
115th United States Congress
. In the
117th United States Congress
, there were 26 Jewish lawmakers in the
U.S House of Representatives
, all but two of them members of the
Democratic Party
.
[1]
While there were other Congressional affinity groups, such as the
Congressional Black Caucus
,
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
, and the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus
, none of them were bipartisan with members of both the
Republican
and Democratic Parties.
[2]
History
[
edit
]
In 2019,
Jack Rosen
, president of the
American Jewish Congress
called for a bipartisan Congressional Jewish Caucus as a
Congressional caucus
in response to increasing antisemitism, political factionalism in the Jewish community, and anti-Israel advocacy in Congress.
[3]
An informal group of Jewish members of the U.S. House, almost all members of the
Democratic Party
, led by
Eliot Engel
and
Nita Lowey
, had met since at least to discuss issues such as
antisemitism
. However, there was no formal body similar to the
New York City Council Jewish Caucus
and the California Legislative Jewish Caucus. Following controversial comments by
Ilhan Omar
, in which she referred to Americans who supported Israel as "pushing for allegiance to a foreign country," conversations to formalize the group increased.
[4]
Citing a rising in antisemitic hate crimes and to coordinate a unified policy on U.S.-Israel relations, Jewish members of the
117th United States Congress
had formed an informal Jewish caucus by May 2023. The group was led by
Jerry Nadler
, the longest-serving Jewish member of Congress and the dean of the Jewish delegation. The caucus met as a group with Israeli ambassador
Michael Herzog
during the crisis over the
2023 Israeli judicial reform
.
[5]
During the 118th United States Congress, Congresswoman
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
filed to create a Jewish Caucus in November 2023, in the context of the
2023 Israel-Hamas war
. The caucus was formally approved by the
House Administration Committee
.
[2]
According to Wasserman Schultz, the caucus would be secular and have the purpose of seeking Jewish unity in the U.S. House. The caucus held its first meeting on December 1, 2023, convened by Wasserman Schultz.
[1]
Members
[
edit
]
Nadler announced he would not join the caucus, citing the existence of the informal group and the "chaos" of the Israel-Hamas war.
[2]
Nadler was also upset that Wasserman Schultz had apparently not consulted with all Congressional Jews before creating the caucus.
[1]
David Kustoff
, one of two Jewish Republicans, also did not plan to join, because he does not join caucuses in Congress.
[2]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
Kampeas, Ron (December 1, 2023).
"There's a new Jewish Caucus in Congress. Its mission is still unclear"
.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
. Retrieved
December 5,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Solender, Andrew (November 14, 2023).
"Scoop: Bipartisan Jewish Caucus begins to take shape"
.
Axios
. Retrieved
December 5,
2023
.
- ^
Rosen, Jack (April 15, 2019).
"It's time for a 'Congressional Jewish Caucus'
"
.
The Hill
. Retrieved
December 5,
2023
.
- ^
Kornbluh, Jacob (April 23, 2019).
"Jewish Dems working to organize Congressional Jewish Caucus"
.
Jewish Insider
. Retrieved
December 5,
2023
.
- ^
Solender, Andrew (May 24, 2023).
"Inside Congress' little-known, makeshift Jewish caucus"
.
Axios
. Retrieved
December 5,
2023
.
|
---|
|
|
---|
Membership
| Members
| |
---|
Senate
| |
---|
House
| |
---|
New members
| |
---|
|
---|
Leaders
| |
---|
Districts
| |
---|
Groups
| |
---|
Related
| |
---|
|
|
Powers, privileges, procedure, committees, history, media
|
---|
|
|
|