Opinion | Why Jews Must Mobilize to Save America's Democracy

Since America’s founding, our democracy has offered uniquely fertile ground for thriving Jewish life. The commitment to a pluralistic democracy, however haltingly and imperfectly it has been applied, has allowed Jews of all backgrounds and religious practices to pursue meaning, community, and success.

Indeed, Jews in America have built a remarkably diverse network of more than 9,000 institutions—synagogues, community centers, social-service agencies, schools, camps, and more—forming a meaningful and diverse segment of American civil society. Yet in recent years, amid increasing toxic polarization, an erosion of trust in democratic institutions, and a rise in extremism and political violence, we find ourselves struggling to ensure a healthy democratic future. 

This issue is serious and urgent, especially in the aftermath of repeatedly disproven allegations of election fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election. And in the last month alone, we’ve witnessed events that, regardless of how you might feel about their context and outcomes, set dangerous precedents for our democracy. For example, in Wisconsin, $45 million was spent in a knock-down, drag-out political race for an ostensibly nonpartisan judicial position. In Tennessee, two young, Black state lawmakers were expelled and later reinstated in a display of partisan political theater that briefly left 140,000 citizens without local representation. 

This is not how a healthy democracy operates…