More Than 100 Jewish Leaders, Activists, Rabbis Pen Letter of Support for Levin
May 5, 2022
ROYAL OAK, MI – First reported in the Forward, a group of more than 100 Jewish leaders, activists and rabbis issued a letter of support for Congressman Andy Levin. They join a long and growing list of Levin endorsers, including J Street and several of Levin’s Jewish colleagues, House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler and Congressmen Steve Cohen, Alan Lowenthal and Jamie Raskin. In March, these members joined other current and former Jewish Senators and Representatives condemning attacks against Levin. Building a broad and diverse coalition of support, Levin has also earned every national union, environmental, climate and progressive foreign policy endorsement in the race.
The letter reads:
We are leaders from throughout the American-Jewish community, in Michigan and around the country. While we bring together diverse identities, perspectives and denominations, we are united in our proud support of Congressman Andy Levin in his quest for re-election in Michigan’s new 11th District. Andy’s demonstrated record of moral leadership, informed deeply by his Jewish values and spirituality, inspires us and informs our commitment to supporting him in this race.
Evident across his work in the labor and environmental movements and his advocacy for human rights, Andy’s career and commitments are shaped by his connection to Judaism. He is a former synagogue president, board member and leader of Jewish congregations in Oak Park and suburban Washington, DC, and is one of the founding members of Detroit Jews for Justice. As a Member of Congress, Andy’s connection to Jewish identity and community have served as a touchstone for him. He’s been able to mobilize Jews of all ages to fight for racial and economic justice in Detroit and southeast Michigan, channeled his capacity as a bridge builder to lead with nuance on Israel and Palestine, and organized communities to tackle white supremacy and hatred in unison.
Andy’s leadership in Congress reflects his consistent alignment with the values and priorities of America’s Jewish community. Andy grasps the importance of building resilient, diverse coalitions in pursuit of racial, economic and environmental justice. In this Congress alone, Andy has introduced legislation that speaks to core concerns of Jewish and Democratic voters, including bills to protect children from gun violence, honor abortion providers, uphold voting rights and address climate change. His broader record on health care, labor, reproductive justice, Social Security and human rights highlights how strongly Andy leads with his Jewish values and principles.
Further, we believe Andy is well equipped to lead in the fight against antisemitism, white nationalism and other forms of bigotry and hate wherever they arise, and we are grateful for his active participation in the Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations, the Latino Jewish Caucus and the Task Force for Combatting Antisemitism. He loudly and consistently calls out antisemitism in all of its forms—and knows how personal and difficult grappling with the impacts of antisemitism can be for our community. After all, Andy was raised in Berkley, Michigan in the shadow of Father Coughlin’s Shrine of the Little Flower. He has seen and experienced undisguised expressions of antisemitism from early childhood and throughout his life.
We also welcome a Jewish member so willing to express his support for Israel by taking up policy questions seriously, thoughtfully and empathetically. Especially as Congress and the Jewish community continue to evolve, Andy’s strong voice advocating for a Jewish and democratic state and a just, two-state resolution to the conflict is critical.
We’ve all seen Andy repeatedly step into action and embrace the Jewish community in his life-long work towards progress and justice. As proud members of the Jewish community, we are thrilled to endorse Andy Levin wholeheartedly and enthusiastically.
Signed:
Patti Aaron
Rabbi Rebecca Alpert
Stuart Appelbaum
Sharon Baseman
Nancy Becker
Jeremy Ben-Ami
Talia Benamy
Rabbi Phyllis Bernstein
Rabbi Rena Blumenthal
Kenneth Bob
Heather Booth
Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav
Anna Boswell-Levy
Jessica Brown
Nancy Buck
Alicia Chandler
Alan Channing
Diana Shaw Clark
Rabbi Emily Cohen
Rabbi Meryl Crean
Nina Dodge Abrams
Elaine Driker
Eugene Driker
Rabbi Emeritus Laurence Edwards
Rabbi Barat Ellman, Ph.D.
Susan Falk
The Fenster Family
Rabbi Michael Fessler
Rabbi (ret.) Zev-Hayyim Feyer
Peter Frey
Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer, Ph.D.
Larry Gellman
Gili Getz
Lori M. Goldman
Rabbi Shelley Goldman
Michael Goldstein
Rabbi David N. Goodman
Virginia Gordon
Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb
Mary Ellen Gurewitz
Keri Hasuner
David Hecker
Ada Horwich
Jonathan Jacoby
Nancy Kaufman
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum
Jim Klutznick
Jonathan Kopp
Victor A. Kovner
Rabbi David Lazar
Fmr. U.S. Rep. Mel Levine
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling
Benjamin Linder
Carolyn Lowe
George Lowe
Lori Lutz
Rabbi (ret.) Shana Margolin
Ruth Messinger
Judson Miner
Rabbi Emeritus David Mivasair
Jo Ann Mort
Paul Nidich
Matt Nosanchuk
Norm Ornstein
Marcie Paul
Arnold Portner
Terry Pristin
Kevin Rachlin
Rabbi Michael Ramberg
Nancy Reichman
Linda Samelson
David Sandberg
Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb
Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz
Rabbi Sid Schwarz
Stephen C. Segar
Cantor Lisa Shapanka Arbisser
Stewart Shevin
Dr. Debra Shushan
Becky Silverstein
William Singer
Phyllis Snyder
Fmr. Amb. Alan Solomont
Alan Solow
Alexandra Stanton
Rabbi Dr. David E. S. Stein
Robert S. Stein
Judith Z. Steinberg
Rabbi Sharon Stiefel
Hadar Susskind
Rabbi Robert Tabak
Rabbi David Teutsch
Ron Vogl
Rabbi Arthur Waskow
Rabbi Deborah Waxman
Rabbi Micah Weiss
Rabbi Ora Weiss
Rabbi Rachel Weiss
Rabbi Alex Weissman
Dylan Williams
Carol Hunter Winograd, MD
Terry Winograd
Rabbi Emeritus Joseph Wolf
Rabbi Michael Woll
Michael D. Young
Rabbi Linda Zerbarini
Mark Zivin
Cantor Michael Zoosman
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