June 18, 2021
What's On Our Mind ...

This Saturday is Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the emancipation of American slaves. Congress has now designated it as a federal holiday, thereby calling attention to the end of a dark period in American history. 
 
Juneteenth is a grave reminder that equality, justice, and freedom are not guaranteed. Our journey in pursuit of civil rights does not end with a holiday, rather it is ongoing.
 
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that religious organizations can discriminate against same-sex couples seeking to adopt. The Court is enabling religion to be used to deny civil rights.
 
Also this week, Texas banned public schools from teaching critical race theory which examines how race and racism have shaped American history and present-day society. 
 
Acts of violence based on religion and ethnicity have dramatically risen in the U.S. and around the world. The ADL found that 60 percent of American Jews have personally witnessed antisemitism just this month. The Asian American community has experienced a spike in hate crimes against them as well.
 
States across the country continue to pass restrictive voting laws aimed to keep Black people from voting. At the same time, these states’ anti-abortion laws are denying women access to the full range of reproductive health care. Even the right to have law enforcement protect our citizens equally under the law is uncertain.
 
It is critical that Congress immediately pass legislation to protect women, minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination. The Senate must pass the For the People Act (HR 1), Equality Act (HR 5), Women’s Health Protection Act (S 1975), and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 (HR 1280).
 
We will never reach our full potential as a democracy until there is equality for everyone. This is why JAC tirelessly works to elect candidates who believe that civil rights and freedoms are rights for everyone, not a just a privilege for a few.
 
Support JAC candidates today.
Postcards Are Back!
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Upcoming Events
Special Event for Current Members Only
Congressional Update with
Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL)
Co-Chair, House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force
Wednesday, June 23rd
6:00 pm ET | 5:00 pm CT | 3:00 pm PT
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
Instagram of the Week
June 16, 2021 Today, the Department of Education announced that Title IX protections extend to transgender students. This announcement is a reversal of dangerous, anti-LGBTQ+ Trump-era policies and will protect transgender students from harassment, exclusion, and discrimination in schools. This policy is a welcome change, as states across the country continue to pass harmful anti-trans legislation💙💕🌈

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In the News
ISRAEL
Although Netanyahu is leaving office, he leaves behind a wealthier, divided Israel and a stalled peace process – including the most recent tensions with Hamas, balloons strapped to explosives. What this will mean for Israel's popularity overseas is still undetermined, though the past three years has seen a notable drop in young Evangelical support.
ANTISEMITISM AND BDS
Black Lives Matter protesters have adopted the Palestinian movement as their own. This news is not welcome to 3/4 of American Jews who report feeling more concerned about antisemitism after the recent Israeli-Hamas conflict. TikTok has also faced backlash, as Jewish content creators say they feel silenced.
CHOICE
In good news, the Vatican warns bishops against denying communion to Biden and other pro-choice politicians. This comes at a precarious time, with the success of the anti-abortion movement potentially ending Roe-era protections in Louisiana.
RELIGION AND STATE
Biden's Department of Education has ruled that transgender students are protected at school under Title IX. The Supreme Court ruled on the side of Catholic Social Services in denying same-sex coupled the right to foster children in a win for discrimination.
BEYOND THE CORE
2020 may have been the deadliest gun violence year in the history of America, but 2021 is looking worse. As we return to post-Covid "normalcy," climate change is also getting worse. The Biden Administration has appointed as many minority women in four months as former President Trump appointed in four years.
POLITICAL BYTE
This week, Congress passed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday. The Affordable Care Act has survived its third challenge in the Supreme Court. In the Senate, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has released his own voting rights plan, giving Democrats hope that one can be passed in the Senate. Senate Democrats are also hopeful that they could pick up a seat in Alaska, with the introduction of ranked-choice voting.
FYI
Jewish charities have started accepting bitcoin. 2022 will see the first quarter with a women's face on it. Learn about a surprising connection between yeast and the Catskills. Many wonder how Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett keeps a kippah on his bald head–find out how here.
The Last Word
“No parent should face discrimination when adopting or fostering a child or be denied the opportunity to build a family because of who they love or how the identify.”

– Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), on the Fulton v Philadelphia decision. Rep. Craig faced similar challenges when her and her partner tried to adopt.
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.
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