J Street PAC

J Street PAC was founded in 2008, the same year as its parent group J Street. The PAC’s goal is to support a secure Israeli state for the promotion of peace in the Middle East, with special concern for the Palestinians who inhabit the disputed West Bank and Gaza Strip. ³ Critics have accused J Street PAC of supporting candidates and organizations that are anti-Israel. ⁴

Initiatives

J Street PAC interviews candidates for federal office about issues related to American policy toward Israel and the Middle East to judge whether they align with J Street PAC’s positions and donates to those which it says align. J Street PAC also organizes events for voters and constituents to meet with those it endorses, and explicitly opposes “MAGA extremists and right-wing mega donors.” ⁵

2024 Positions

Candidates pursuing J Street PAC support in the 2024 election cycle were evaluated based on several of J Street PAC’s policy positions, including support for left-of-center positions on democracy and the rule of law in the United States and Israel, commitment to Israel’s security and support for U.S. aid to Israel, support for a peaceful two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, support for robust humanitarian aid and other forms of economic assistance to the Palestinians, and opposition to the Iranian regime’s malign activities against its own people and Israel. ²

2024 Endorsements

In 2024, Open Secrets reported that J Street and J Street PAC raised $4,269,331 in contributions for political candidates. This included $314,990 for then-Presidential candidate Kamala Harris (D), $202,234 for Sherrod Brown (D-OH), $168,929 for Bob Casey (D-PA), $160,139 for Mondaire Jones (D-NY), $126,396 for Colin Allred (D-TX), $124,871 for Kirsten Engel (D-AZ), $109,394 for Susan Wild (D-PA), $108,228 for Jon Tester (D-MT), and $87,513 for Emilia Sykes (D-OH). ⁶

In 2024, Sludge reported that the J Street network raised a total of $6,000,000 for Kamala Harris. ⁷

In June 2024, J Street PAC unendorsed then-U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) after he expressed his support for a pro-Hamas scholar following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. J Street used Bowman’s example as a warning to “progressive Jews” that concern for Palestinians should not outweigh concern for Israel. J Street blamed AIPAC for the radicalization of politicians on what it calls “the Israeli-Palestinian question.” ⁸

J Street

J Street is a left-of-center lobbying organization founded to provide an outlet for left-wing Jews who feel misrepresented by other Jewish advocacy organizations. The group has generated a great deal of controversy and is routinely accused of undermining the state of Israel. ⁴ Following the attacks on Israel by the terror group Hamas on October 7, 2023, the organization released several statements denouncing the attacks and advocating for the release of hostages while supporting efforts to resolve what it calls “the Israeli-Palestinian war.” ⁹

J Street claims to hold the position that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, but is opposed to any policies that it believes could inflame tensions in the area, such as building Israeli housing in historically Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem. The group opposed the Trump administration’s relocation of the U.S. embassy to Israel to Jerusalem, putting the group at odds with pro-Israel Democrats including Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY). ^{10 11}

Alleged Support for Extremism

In 2o22, J Street PAC was accused of supporting politicians and organizations who oppose the state of Israel, some even offering support for organizations linked to terrorism. For example, J Street orchestrated a campaign in opposition to Israel’s efforts to shut down organizations that act as front groups for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a terror organization. J Street critics alleged that the group supports the broader international NGO network, including the UN Human Rights Council, that opposes Israel in favor of Palestinians. ⁴

Opposition to AIPAC

J Street PAC founder Jeremy Ben-Ami started the group as an alternative to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has received support from American Republican politicians in addition to Democratic politicians. ¹² The PAC has a  decidedly left-of-center approach and is critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As a result, the group presents “itself as an alternative for Democrats who have grown uncomfortable with both Netanyahu’s policies and the conservatives’ flocking to AIPAC.” ^{13 14}

In 2023, Marc Israel, a rabbi, wrote an opinion editorial detailing his shift in allegiance from APIAC to J Street and J Street PAC. He claimed that AIPAC had abandoned its concern for Israel and was taken over by right-of-center Republican politics. Israel also claimed that Jews in America should support J Street PAC instead of AIPAC, as J Street advocates more left-of-center policies and supports Democratic candidates. ¹⁵

Leadership

Jeremy Ben-Ami is the president and cofounder of J Street. He previously worked as an advisor in the Clinton administration. ¹³ Ben-Ami has come under fire for controversial remarks, such as referring to the Jewish establishment as a “multi-headed hydra.” ¹⁶ Ben-Ami also has been accused of being deceitful when it comes to J Street receiving funding from billionaire philanthropist George Soros. ¹⁷

Financials

J Street PAC is funded primarily through its parent group, J Street. In 2023, J Street reported $3,999,963 in revenue, $2,998,560 in expenses, and $4,450,181 in total assets. ¹

In 2022, left-wing billionaire George Soros donated $1,000,000 to J Street PAC, sparking criticism from AIPAC. ¹⁸