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Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV)

Website:

coalitionforjewishvalues.org/
Location:

Baltimore, MD
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Formation:

2017 1

References

  1. Coalition for Jewish Values. LinkedIn. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/cjvalues/

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The Coalition for Jewish Values says it represents more than 1,000 rabbis across America and advocates for public policy positions based upon traditional Jewish thought rooted in Biblical and Rabbinic teachings through millennia of Jewish history. 1 2 The coalition was founded by seven Orthodox rabbis led by Pesach Lerner. 3 4

The group contends many modern liberal Jewish movements reject Jewish tradition. It opposes secular, left-wing ideals cloaked as Judaism and misrepresentations of Jewish beliefs. 5 6

Coalition for Jewish Values says its positions on moral and ethical issues, national security, immigration, economics, education, public safety, and America’s relationship with Israel are sometimes described as “conservative,” but its members assert that its positions follow traditional Jewish teachings. 7

Background

The Coalition for Jewish Values says it represents more than 1,000 rabbis and argues that authentic Jewish values can only be rooted in Biblical and Rabbinic teachings through millennia of Jewish history. 8

The group contends many modern liberal Jewish movements reject Jewish tradition. It opposes secular, left-wing ideals cloaked as Judaism and misrepresenting Jewish beliefs. 9 10

The coalition was founded by seven Orthodox rabbis: Dov Fischer, Avrohom Gordimer, Pesach Lerner, Yaakov Menken, Steven Pruzansky, Yoel Schoenfeld, and Aryeh Spero. 11

The founders were mostly from the New York and New Jersey area. The founders were members of three Orthodox Jewish organizations: the Orthodox Union, an organization that supports synagogues and conducts advocacy; Young Israel, an association of Orthodox synagogues; and Agudath Israel, which focuses on Orthodox Jewish advocacy. 12

Some of the founders were already high profile in Orthodox Jewish activism. Lerner campaigned for the release of Jonathan Pollard, a former U.S. intelligence analyst who was convicted of spying on behalf of Israel in 1985. Pruzansky, a former lawyer who is a rabbi in Teaneck, New Jersey, called the government of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who negotiated the Oslo Accords with the Palestine Liberation Organization, the “Rabin Judenrat.” 13

Lerner explained the founding of the group, saying: “Whenever there’s a public discourse on any issue, anything that Judaism has something to say about, skilled spokesmen from Reform are quick to express their opinion, and the people accept their words as the Jewish view on the subject. Usually, the views they express are absolutely contrary to the view of Torah Judaism. We’re determined to change that.” 14

Lerner said the group’s plan was to flood the public opinion arena with press releases, op-eds, and position papers. He added: “The public arena will no longer be taken over by falsifiers. The pure and unadulterated Torah view will be out there as well, in all its strength.” 15

Policy Positions

The Coalition for Jewish Values says it supports what are characterized as “Judeo-Christian ethics” of valuing human life, peace, universal education, family, social responsibility, and equal justice that are in Jewish scriptures. 16

The CJV asserts that anti-Semitism is a global problem and is becoming a larger problem on American college campuses. 17 In November 2021, the coalition condemned the Duke University student government for “Jew-hatred” after it refused to recognize Students Supporting Israel on campus. 18 The group calls for support of Israel against its enemies, both in the Middle East and in the United States. 19

The coalition defends religious liberty, and says government should not be able to force business owners to facilitate same-sex weddings in violation of their religious beliefs. 20 In July 2022, the group launched the CJV Healthcare Council to protect conscience rights for medical practitioners. The group said it is responding to both Orthodox Jewish physicians and other pro-values health organizations. 21

The organization says that Judaism opposes abortion except for when it is to protect the mother’s life. The group also opposes euthanasia. 22 In June 2022, the coalition expressed support for the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade. 23 The organization has also supported a federal 20-week abortion ban. 24

The CJV has criticized the left-leaning Anti-Defamation League after it issued a list of controversial figures it called “alt-light” (an allusion to the “alt-right,” a radical, often racist faction of far-right activism). The CJV said, “The ADL has become a dangerous organization of the ‘Alt Left’ itself.” 25

In April 2021, the CJV led a letter of 1,500 rabbis that came to the defense of Fox News host Tucker Carlson after the Anti-Defamation League accused Carlson of promoting “replacement theory,” the assertion that supporters of liberal immigration policies wish to “replace” native-born Western populations. 26

Trump Administration

The Coalition for Jewish Values launched one month after President Donald Trump took office. 27

The coalition opposed rabbis that refused to arrange a High Holidays phone call with then-President Donald Trump, as was customary with past American presidents. 28

The organization referred to Trump administration Vice President Mike Pence as a role model for his practice of not dining alone with women other than his wife. 29

Leadership

Yoel Schonfeld is the president of the Coalition for Jewish Values. Schonfeld was previously spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills in Queens, New York, where he worked for more than 30 years. He is a past president of the Vaad Harabbonim of Queens, The Queens Board of Rabbis. He is a member of the Executive of the Rabbinical Council of America and a member of Agudath Israel of America. 30

Dov Fischer is the vice president of the CJV. Fischer is an adjunct professor of law at two Southern California law schools. He was previously a lawyer at Jones Day, as well as at Akin Gump. He was rabbi of Young Israel of Orange County, California. He is a senior contributing editor at the American Spectator, a politically conservative commentary and news magazine. 31

Pesach Lerner is president emeritus of the CJV and was president for the group’s first five years. He is the founder and chairman of the Eretz HaKodesh party in the World Zionist Organization, which campaigns to represent Diaspora Orthodox Jews in that body. He is executive vice president emeritus of the National Council of Young Israel, where worked for more than 20 years. 32

Yaakov Menken is the managing director of CJV. He is the founding director of Project Genesis, operator of Torah.org, and TorahMedia.com. He is co-founder and editor of Cross-Currents, an online journal of Orthodox Jewish thought and opinion. 33

Jonathan Guttentag of Manchester, England was named as the CJV International Liaison in 2022. He is a member of the Standing Committee, the governing board of the Conference of European Rabbis. 34

References

  1. “About Us.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/about-us/
  2. Coalition for Jewish Values. LinkedIn. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/cjvalues/
  3. Resnick, Elliott. “A Torah Voice In The Public Square: An Interview with Rabbi Yaakov Menken.” Jewish Press. June 21, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/interviews-and-profiles/a-torah-voice-in-the-public-square-an-interview-with-rabbi-yaakov-menken/2017/06/21/
  4. Rabbi Moshe Grylak zt”l. “Will the Real Judaism Stand Up?” Mishpacha Jewish Family Weekly. August 22, 2018. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://mishpacha.com/will-the-real-judaism-stand-up/
  5. “About Us.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/about-us/
  6. “Our Platform.” Coalition for Jewish Values. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/platform/
  7. “About Us.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/about-us/
  8.  “About Us.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/about-us/
  9. “About Us.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/about-us/
  10. “Our Platform.” Coalition for Jewish Values. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/platform/
  11. Resnick, Elliott. “A Torah Voice In The Public Square: An Interview with Rabbi Yaakov Menken.” Jewish Press. June 21, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/interviews-and-profiles/a-torah-voice-in-the-public-square-an-interview-with-rabbi-yaakov-menken/2017/06/21/
  12. Guttman, Nathan. “Inspired By Trump Era, Orthodox Rabbis Launch New Political Group.” Forward. November 10, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://forward.com/news/386842/inspired-by-trump-era-orthodox-rabbis-launch-new-political-group/
  13. Guttman, Nathan. “Inspired By Trump Era, Orthodox Rabbis Launch New Political Group.” Forward. November 10, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://forward.com/news/386842/inspired-by-trump-era-orthodox-rabbis-launch-new-political-group/
  14. Rabbi Moshe Grylak zt”l. “Will the Real Judaism Stand Up?” Mishpacha Jewish Family Weekly. August 22, 2018. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://mishpacha.com/will-the-real-judaism-stand-up/
  15. Rabbi Moshe Grylak zt”l. “Will the Real Judaism Stand Up?” Mishpacha Jewish Family Weekly. August 22, 2018. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://mishpacha.com/will-the-real-judaism-stand-up/
  16. “Our Platform.” Coalition for Jewish Values. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/platform/
  17. “On the Issues.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/issues/
  18. O’Neil, Tyler. “Rabbis condemn Duke student government’s ‘despicable double standard’ on ‘Jew-hatred’” Fox News. November 29, 2021. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/us/rabbis-condemn-duke-student-governments-despicable-double-standard-jew-hatred
  19. “On the Issues.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/issues/
  20. “ On the Issues.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/issues/
  21. RNS Press Release Distribution Service. “Coalition for Jewish Values launches Healthcare Council.” Religion News Service. July 14, 2022. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://religionnews.com/2022/07/14/coalition-for-jewish-values-launches-healthcare-council/NS Press Releases
  22. “On the Issues.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/issues/
  23. JNS and ILH Staff. “US Jewish groups divided over Supreme Court’s abortion ruling.” Israel Hayom. June 26, 2022. Accessed October 21, 2023. https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/06/26/us-jewish-groups-divided-over-supreme-courts-abortion-ruling/
  24. Guttman, Nathan. “Inspired By Trump Era, Orthodox Rabbis Launch New Political Group.” Forward. November 10, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://forward.com/news/386842/inspired-by-trump-era-orthodox-rabbis-launch-new-political-group/
  25.  Guttman, Nathan. “Inspired By Trump Era, Orthodox Rabbis Launch New Political Group.” Forward. November 10, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://forward.com/news/386842/inspired-by-trump-era-orthodox-rabbis-launch-new-political-group/
  26. Spencer, Christian. “1,500 rabbis accuse ADL of ‘grossly misplaced charges of anti-Semitism’ in attack on Tucker Carlson.” The Hill. April 15, 2021. Accessed October 20, 2023.  https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/diversity-inclusion/548429-1500-rabbis-accuse-adl-of-grossly-misplaced/
  27. Guttman, Nathan. “Inspired By Trump Era, Orthodox Rabbis Launch New Political Group.” Forward. November 10, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://forward.com/news/386842/inspired-by-trump-era-orthodox-rabbis-launch-new-political-group/
  28. Guttman, Nathan. “Inspired By Trump Era, Orthodox Rabbis Launch New Political Group.” Forward. November 10, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://forward.com/news/386842/inspired-by-trump-era-orthodox-rabbis-launch-new-political-group/
  29.  Guttman, Nathan. “Inspired By Trump Era, Orthodox Rabbis Launch New Political Group.” Forward. November 10, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2023. https://forward.com/news/386842/inspired-by-trump-era-orthodox-rabbis-launch-new-political-group/
  30. “Officers.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/rabbinic-board/
  31.  “Officers.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/rabbinic-board/
  32. “Officers.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/rabbinic-board/
  33. “Officers.” Coalition for Jewish Values.” Accessed October 20, 2023. https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/rabbinic-board/
  34. Sheva, Arutz. “Coalition for Jewish Values adds international liaison.” Israel National News. January 6, 2021. Accessed October 21, 2023. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/294402
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Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV)

: 2833 Smith Ave. Ste. 225
Baltimore, MD 21209