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Jewish Leadership Project (JLP)

Website:

jewishleadershipproject.org/
Type:

Pro-Israel Activist Group
Formation:

2022 1

References

  1. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “American Jewish Leaders Should Lead Or Get Out Of The Way.” The J.CA. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.thej.ca/2022/07/28/american-jewish-leaders-should-lead-or-get-out-of-the-way/
Founders:

Charles Jacobs and Avi Goldwasser. 1

References

  1. Jacobs, Charles. “US Jewish leadership is failing to defend the community.” Jerusalem Post. June 2, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-744853

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Jewish Leadership Project is a right-leaning group founded by pro-Israel activists Charles Jacobs and Avi Goldwasser in 2022 that contends establishment Jewish organizations fail to understand the nature of anti-Jewish bigotry in the United States. 1 2

The JLP says it is a national network of Jewish-community activists who challenge the established left-leaning Jewish community groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and others to “break out of their failed ideological straitjackets” to combat anti-Jewish bigotry. 3 The organization accuses the ADL and others of catering to Democratic Party politics rather than focusing on Jewish issues. 4 5

The JLP says there are four ideological camps that foment anti-Jewish bigotry: white nationalists, Black nationalists, left-wing progressives, and Islamists. 6

Background

The Jewish Leadership Project is an organization founded in July 2022 7 that contends “Jewish leaders and establishment organizations have failed to understand the nature of the new Jew-hatred” in the United States. The group demands “Jewish leaders prioritize the safety and welfare of the Jewish community over all other concerns.” 8

JLP has established chapters in Boston, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northern California, Northern Virginia, Ohio, Philadelphia, Southern California, and Washington, D.C. 9

The Jewish Leadership Project reportedly adopted a more right-leaning philosophy than the largest Jewish organizations, and says it seeks to undo the damage caused by the establishment Jewish organizations that made a near total embrace of Democratic Party politics. 10

Activities

Identifying Sources of Jew Hatred

The Jewish Leadership Project says there are four ideological camps that foment anti-Jewish bigotry: white nationalists, Black nationalists, left-wing progressives, and Islamists. 11

The JLP contends that establishment Jewish groups point to task forces and committees established to deal with antisemitism that focus almost exclusively on the threat of white supremacy and Neo-Nazis. The JLP claims that these committees ignore or downplay the Jew-hatred of left-wing progressives, Black nationalists, and radical Muslims. 12

The group identifies the threat from the left being anti-Israel professors, biased media, liberal churches, radical left-wing movements that include Jewish groups, biased school curricula, Islamic supremacists, and anti-Israel representatives in Congress. 13

In August 2022, the JLP criticized the CNN special “Rising Hate: Antisemitism in America” for “whitewashing” antisemitism on the left. 14

Targeting Establishment Organizations

The Jewish Leadership Project says it is a national network of Jewish community activist that challenges the national and local Jewish leadership organization to “break out of their failed ideological straitjackets” to combat anti-Jewish bigotry. 15 The JLP says it wants to challenge establishment Jewish leaders and donors that is says enables them. 16

The JLP considers the failing organizations to include the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Community Relations Councils, local Jewish federations, and most of the rabbinate. 17

The JLP criticized the Anti-Defamation League for its 2020 support of the Black Lives Matter movement, even as the Movement for Black Lives supported the boycott, divest and sanction (BDS) policy toward Israel. 18

The JLP further said that the ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt appeared on the talk show hosted by Al Sharpton, despite Sharpton’s past antisemitism. The group pointed out that the ADL created a technology initiative funded by Omidyar Network, which has funded professors such as Hamid Dabashi of Columbia University, who has called American Jews “diehard Fifth Column Zionists.” 19

JLP-endorsed Jewish organizations include the Zionist Organization of America, CAMERA, StandWithUs, Club Z, Endowment for Middle East Truth, Aish HaTorah, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, and Students Supporting Israel. 20

Truck Campaigns

In November 2022, the Jewish Leadership Project protested the Anti-Defamation League during its national convention in New York City. The organization used a large ad truck placed in front of the convention with messages on a large screen criticizing the organization. 21

In September 2023, the organization sent two trucks with screens to the University of Pennsylvania campus during the school’s Palestine Writes Literature Festival, with messages that accused certain speakers at the event of having a record of antisemitism. 22

Also in September 2023, the JLP sponsored a truck with a mounted jumbotron screen to drive around the Princeton University campus. The screen showed slides and images criticizing Princeton president Christopher Eisgruber and the Alliance for Jewish Progressives for supporting the inclusion of the book, The Right to Maim: Debility, Capacity, Disability, on the syllabus of a Near Eastern studies course. The book was criticized by the Center for Jewish Life’s Rabbi Gil Steinlauf and an Israeli minister. The truck’s screen also included messages criticizing Princeton for hiring Robert Malley, a former U.S. diplomat to Iran who was under federal investigation for allegedly mishandling classified information. 23

One of the slides showed Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer, with a photo of Eisgruber and a crying tiger. The slide said, “The University that provided refuge to Jewish scientists fleeing Nazi Germany is now promoting blood libel against Jews & hiring apologists of a nuclear-armed genocidal regime in Iran.” 24

Founders

The Jewish Leadership Project was founded by pro-Israel activists Charles Jacobs and Avi Goldwasser. 25

Charles Jacobs previously co-founded the Boston branch of CAMERA in 1998. Four years later, he founded The David Project, a pro-Israel campus group. Jacobs is also the president of Americans for Peace and Tolerance, a Boston-based organization that combats Islamist antisemitism. 26

Jacobs said Democratic partisan adherence is a problem for Jewish groups because of “the progressive’s assault and demonization of the Jewish state and its supporters.” 27

Goldwasser is the co-founder with Jacobs of Americans for Peace and Tolerance as well as The David Project. He is the executive producer of several documentaries. 28

Goldwasser said the JLP will court the disaffected American Jewish population who “are frustrated by ineffective Jewish leadership, which seemed more concerned about non-Jewish issues.” 29

Jacobs and Goldwasser also co-edited the book, Betrayal: The Failure of American Jewish Leadership, a collection of 22 essays published in 2023. 30 It includes essays by prominent academics and writers such as Alan Dershowitz, Jonathan Tobin, Morton Klein, Thane Rosenbaum, Caroline Glick and Richard Landes. 31

The two founders said in June 2023 that the Biden administration had released a mostly meaningless strategy to combat antisemitism, and said the support from U.S. Jewish leaders illustrated how Jewish groups were easily satisfied with access to power and refuse to hold political allies accountable. 32

References

  1. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “American Jewish Leaders Should Lead Or Get Out Of The Way.” The J.CA. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.thej.ca/2022/07/28/american-jewish-leaders-should-lead-or-get-out-of-the-way/
  2. “Mission.” Jewish Leadership Project. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://jewishleadershipproject.org/mission/
  3. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “American Jewish Leaders Should Lead Or Get Out Of The Way.” The J.CA. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.thej.ca/2022/07/28/american-jewish-leaders-should-lead-or-get-out-of-the-way/
  4. Jacobs, Charles. “US Jewish leadership is failing to defend the community.” Jerusalem Post. June 2, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-744853
  5. Kredo, Adam. “New Jewish Group Slams ‘Progressive Assault’ on Israel.” Washington Free Beacon. July 11, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/new-jewish-group-slams-progressive-assault-of-the-jewish-state/
  6. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “American Jewish Leaders Should Lead Or Get Out Of The Way.” The J.CA. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.thej.ca/2022/07/28/american-jewish-leaders-should-lead-or-get-out-of-the-way/
  7. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “American Jewish Leaders Should Lead Or Get Out Of The Way.” The J.CA. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.thej.ca/2022/07/28/american-jewish-leaders-should-lead-or-get-out-of-the-way/
  8. “Mission.” Jewish Leadership Project. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://jewishleadershipproject.org/mission/
  9. “Team Members.” Jewish Leadership Project. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://jewishleadershipproject.org/team-members/
  10. Kredo, Adam. “New Jewish Group Slams ‘Progressive Assault’ on Israel.” Washington Free Beacon. July 11, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/new-jewish-group-slams-progressive-assault-of-the-jewish-state/
  11. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “American Jewish Leaders Should Lead Or Get Out Of The Way.” The J.CA. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.thej.ca/2022/07/28/american-jewish-leaders-should-lead-or-get-out-of-the-way/
  12. Rhea, Karys. “New Group “Jewish Leadership Project” Formed to Challenge “Failing Jewish Leadership” On Threats To Community.” Legal Insurrection. July 31, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://legalinsurrection.com/2022/07/new-group-jewish-leadership-project-formed-to-challenge-failing-jewish-leadership-on-threats-to-jewish-community/
  13. “Mission.” Jewish Leadership Project. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://jewishleadershipproject.org/mission/
  14. Murray, Justine Brooke. “Jewish Groups Lambast CNN For ‘Whitewashing’ Left-Wing Antisemitism.” Daily Caller. August 25, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://dailycaller.com/2022/08/25/jewish-groups-lambaste-cnn/
  15. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “American Jewish Leaders Should Lead Or Get Out Of The Way.” The J.CA. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.thej.ca/2022/07/28/american-jewish-leaders-should-lead-or-get-out-of-the-way/
  16. “Mission.” Jewish Leadership Project. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://jewishleadershipproject.org/mission/
  17. Jacobs, Charles. “US Jewish leadership is failing to defend the community.” Jerusalem Post. June 2, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-744853
  18. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “The ADL Has Corrupted Its Mission and Betrayed the Jewish Community.” Newsweek. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.newsweek.com/adl-has-corrupted-its-mission-betrayed-jewish-community-opinion-1728500
  19. Jacobs, Charles and Goldwasser, Avi. “The ADL Has Corrupted Its Mission and Betrayed the Jewish Community.” Newsweek. July 28, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.newsweek.com/adl-has-corrupted-its-mission-betrayed-jewish-community-opinion-1728500
  20. Jacobs, Charles. “US Jewish leadership is failing to defend the community.” Jerusalem Post. June 2, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-744853
  21. PR Newswire. “Jewish Activists of JLP Protest Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Failure to Protect Jews.” 11 News CBS. November 10, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.kktv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/10/jewish-activists-jlp-protest-anti-defamation-league-adl-failure-protect-jews/
  22. Vazhaeparambil, Anna. “Image: 09-18-23 Anti-Palestine Writes Festival Messaging.” The Daily Pennsylvanian. September 18, 2023. https://www.thedp.com/multimedia/972c2adb-a29a-476d-8b04-1ffa374ddc1c
  23. Dobson, Jasmyn. “Jumbotron truck funded by an external activists targets student group over ‘Right to Maim’ petition.” Daily Princetonian. September 21, 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/09/princeton-news-adpol-billboard-jewish-right-maim-larson
  24. Dobson, Jasmyn. “Jumbotron truck funded by an external activists targets student group over ‘Right to Maim’ petition.” Daily Princetonian. September 21, 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/09/princeton-news-adpol-billboard-jewish-right-maim-larson
  25. Jacobs, Charles. “US Jewish leadership is failing to defend the community.” Jerusalem Post. June 2, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-744853
  26. Israe, David. “These US Jews Are Mad as Hell and They’re Not Going to Take It Any More.” Jewish Press. August 1, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/jewish-news/these-us-jews-are-mad-as-hell-and-theyre-not-going-to-take-it-any-more/2022/08/01/
  27. Kredo, Adam. “New Jewish Group Slams ‘Progressive Assault’ on Israel.” Washington Free Beacon. July 11, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/new-jewish-group-slams-progressive-assault-of-the-jewish-state/
  28.  Israe, David. “These US Jews Are Mad as Hell and They’re Not Going to Take It Any More.” Jewish Press. August 1, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/jewish-news/these-us-jews-are-mad-as-hell-and-theyre-not-going-to-take-it-any-more/2022/08/01/
  29. Kredo, Adam. “New Jewish Group Slams ‘Progressive Assault’ on Israel.” Washington Free Beacon. July 11, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/new-jewish-group-slams-progressive-assault-of-the-jewish-state/
  30. Jacobs, Charles. “US Jewish leadership is failing to defend the community.” Jerusalem Post. June 2, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-744853
  31. Jacobs, Charles. “US Jewish leadership is failing to defend the community.” Jerusalem Post. June 2, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-744853
  32. Tobin, Jonathan S. “The cowardice and failure of Jewish leadership.” Jewish News Syndicate. June 15, 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023.  https://www.jns.org/video/the-cowardice-and-failure-of-jewish-leadership/23/6/15/295514/
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