July 2, 2021
What's On Our Mind ...

Unlike last year, this Independence Day we will be with friends and families at barbeques, parades, and fireworks.

But for me, this occasion feels surreal. On Thursday, the House voted to form a committee to investigate the January 6th Capitol attack, an event that still leaves deep scars on our nation’s soul. I won’t forget that day, the day my country let me down.

This July 4th we celebrate our freedom, yet much of our freedom feels fragile and desperately needs protecting. That is exactly what I have been working for at JAC for the past four years.

When I began at JAC during the summer of 2017, Donald Trump was trying to take healthcare away from millions of people. By the end of that summer, Nazis and white supremacists marched in Charlottesville chanting “Jews will not replace us.”

Health care, antisemitism, and women’s reproductive rights were topics I had heard about. JAC opened my eyes and showed me that these issues would impact my life and those close to me. They were not just headlines and Facebook posts.

During the Trump years, I felt a pit in my stomach. I was in constant disbelief about the actions of officials who swore an oath to protect our Constitution — for all.

Yet my JAC coworkers continued to encourage me to stay involved. Giving up the fight, as disillusioned as I was, was not an option.

I am proud that I worked with JAC to help elect Joe Biden and other candidates. Our effort enabled common sense, honor, and good government to return to the White House.

JAC has shown me that through perseverance, dark days can give way to better days. Setbacks still discourage me, like when the GOP filibustered just voting rights. Now, I am determined to fight harder.

JAC has laid the foundation for what I know will be my lifelong involvement in public advocacy. I’m looking forward to returning to JAC after law school and getting involved in JAC’s NextGen group with other young women intent on making a difference. This is my future and I am not going to sit on the sidelines.

Sydney Box
JAC Senior Fellow
Special Note

JAC extends its sympathy to the families of the victims of Surfside. To those that are awaiting news about their loved ones, we pray for their strength during this difficult time. When tragedy strikes, we are one community in pain.
Postcards Are Back!
Click here to order postcards for 2022 swing state voters.
Upcoming Events
NO FEAR: Rally in Solidarity with the Jewish People
Against Antisemitism
Sunday, July 11th
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm ET
Washington, DC
Informational Event hosted by JAC NextGen
Why YOU Should Join JAC's NextGen
Tuesday, July 13th
11:30 am ET | 10:30 am CT | 8:30 am PT
RESCHEDULED DATE
Special Event for Current Members Only
Congressional Update with Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL)
Co-Chair, House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force
Monday, July 19th
8:00 pm ET | 7:00 pm CT | 5:00 pm PT
Instagram of the Week
June 28, 2021 Decisions not to hear cases are just as important as decisions to hear cases. Today, the Supreme Court decided NOT to take up a case that would challenge the rights of transgender students to use the gender bathroom of their choosing. This decision leaves in place a lower court ruling that allows transgender students to use whatever bathroom they identify with and protects them from discrimination in schools. This is a massive win for the LGBTQ+ community and a fitting end to pride month. #TransRightsAreHumanRights🏳️‍🌈💙💕

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In the News
ISRAEL
Israel has reached a compromise with Jewish settlers over an unauthorized outpost in the occupied West Bank. President Biden assured outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin that he would not tolerate a nuclear Iran. The U.S.'s largest teachers’ union will consider a resolution condemning Israel’s ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Palestinians.
ANTISEMITISM AND BDS
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) defended her statements comparing Israel and the U.S. to terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the Taliban. Nearly half of QAnon followers believe Jews are plotting to take over the world. Scientific American retracts anti-Israel opinion piece blasting “Israeli settler colonial rule.”
CHOICE
Britney Spears’ forced birth control has a long, dark history in the U.S. A federal judge blocked an Indiana law that would require doctors to tell women about ‘abortion reversal.’ Republicans have started to blur the lines between birth control and abortion in the hopes of making it harder for American women to get both birth control and abortions.
RELIGION AND STATE
The Supreme Court refused case of florist who sought to deny service to a same-sex wedding. California is banning state-funded travel to five other states over their anti-LGBTQ laws. As we approach the 2022 election, the GOP is demonizing the left with religious arguments..
BEYOND THE CORE
Amid record temperatures, the GOP is trying to prove their climate resolve. A federal judge in Florida reaffirmed a ban on gun sales to those under the age of 21. The Supreme Court just completed its first term with former President Trump’s nominees – here are the five takeaways.
POLITICAL BYTE
House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy is threatening to strip GOP members of their committee assignments if they join the January 6th commission. Republicans have the ability to win the 2022 elections through gerrymandering alone. A federal judge has blocked a Florida law that punishes social media companies that block politicians' posts.
FYI
Adam Fox, who was just named the NHL's top defensemen, is the first Jewish player to win a major NHL award. A hurricane-chasing Jewish chef is feeding the first responders in the Surfside condo collapse. Frieda Fritzshall, who founded the Illinois Holocaust Museum, has passed away.
The Last Word
“Never has a statute done more to advance the nation’s highest ideals. And few laws are more vital in the current moment. Yet in the last decade, this court has treated no statute worse.”

– Justice Elana Kagan's dissent in the Supreme Court's Ruling to uphold Arizona's voter restrictions.
Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC) is a pro-Israel PAC with a domestic agenda. We support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and advocate for reproductive health and the separation of religion and state and incorporate other issues of importance to the Jewish community, including gun violence prevention and climate change. In addition to providing financial support for U.S. Senate and House campaigns, JACPAC educates our membership with outreach events designed to inform and activate their participation in the political process.
Paid for by Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs. Contributions or gifts are not tax deductible. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle. Corporate contributions and contributions from non-US citizens who are not lawfully admitted for permanent residence are prohibited. All contributions by individuals must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed or paid by another person.