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ABOUT US

Our Values

The International Progressive Jewish network comprises Jewish organizations from the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and Australia. Together with Israeli organizations, we cooperate to provide a unified voice in support of democracy, religious pluralism, and a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The human and material costs of this conflict are tragic, as attested by the atrocities of October 7, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, continuing violence with loss of lives on both sides, and the threat to the very coexistence between Arabs and Jews inside Israel.


We believe in the deep values and principles of Judaism, which regards human dignity as sacrosanct and justice as an absolute imperative.  Our shared values include the need to uphold pluralism and democracy, ensure the protection of minority rights, and maintain coexistence among diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious identities in open societies. We are concerned by the increasing intolerance, xenophobia, and ultranationalism in the world.  Building a global network of progressive Jewry to oppose anti-Semitism and racism, which undermine democracy and tolerance internationally, is both a moral and an existential necessity.

 

We continue to believe in the values enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, according to which the State of Israel as the democratic homeland of the Jewish people will ensure “complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.”  We are greatly concerned by racist and discriminatory trends that are taking hold in Israel. We oppose prejudicial legislation initiatives such as the Nation-State Law, which discriminates against non-Jewish minorities in the country.  We support movements and parties in Israel committed to ending the occupation and achieving peace between Israelis and Palestinians based on the right to self-determination of the two peoples.  We aim to coordinate campaigns that mobilize Jews all over the world and Israelis who share progressive values to cooperate to defend democracy and the rule of law. 

 

We see a widening chasm between Jews from different regions of the world who are concerned with issues of human rights, equality, and pluralism and the growing number of Israelis who are leaning toward parochial nationalism. Many Jews involved in confronting anti-immigrant xenophobia and a rise in anti-Semitism are finding it difficult to reconcile these values with the illiberal and ultranationalistic spirit that is taking hold in Israel. 

 

We reject the Israeli Government’s campaign to silence opposition to its policies by falsely equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. This contention weakens the struggle against true instances of anti-Semitism and, instead, strengthens the hands of anti-Semites worldwide. 

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J-Link aspires to work with our respective local Jewish communities, our national governments, and international organizations to adopt policies that promote justice, human rights, and a peace agreement between the peoples of Israel and Palestine

Our Approach

Progressive Jewish organizations are often forced to respond to the rapidly shifting Middle East crises with a delay, trailing behind other organizations that sponsor one-sided, one-dimensional positions which capture immediate media and political attention, speaking as if they represent  the entire Jewish community. To close this gap, J-Link serves as an international hub that shares information efficiently and strengthens global and local advocacy, while enhancing the effectiveness of our regional partners. 

 

This strategy works on three levels :  

1. Governmental & Media Advocacy

Members share local advocacy initiatives that can be replicated by others or scaled into international campaigns. Our anti-annexation campaign in 2020 mobilized more than 50 organizations worldwide and resulted in local meetings with dozens of Israeli diplomats across the world. 

 

J-Link Coordinating Committee consists of senior academics, former high-level diplomats, and political analysts that provide J-Link partners with advice and contacts in Israel and around the world.

2. Community Organizing

Our partner organizations collaborate to bring their progressive views to a broader audience, thereby increasing our local and international impact. Through collaboration and knowledge-sharing we demonstrate our strength in numbers, learning from one another effective ways to rally and amplify progressive Jewish voices in an increasingly polarized world.  

3. Raising Awareness Around Peace Initiatives

We work to publicly support coexistence initiatives between Israelis, Palestinians, and diaspora communities. By showcasing the powerful intercommunity work happening worldwide, accessible in all member countries’ official languages, we aim to galvanize more members of our communities into engaging with the international progressive movement.

COORDINATING COMMITTEE

Our coordinating committee consists of six representatives from various regions of the world. They are responsible for spearheading projects and facilitating cooperation between various regions and organizations worldwide.

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

Learn more about our Partner Organizations.

Copyright © 2024 J-Link Network

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