March 24, 2021 — New York
The national Latino Jewish Leadership Council (LJLC), convened by American Jewish Committee (AJC), met Monday to discuss policy priorities as the nation and the world continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Council members agreed that their focus will continue to be pursuing immigration reform; strengthening the fabric of American pluralism; combating growing hate, including racism, xenophobia and antisemitism; and advancing the well-being and stability of the Western Hemisphere and of Israel and the Middle East.
Dr. Julio Frenk, President of the University of Miami, provided opening remarks about the current state of the nation and the importance of Latinos and Jews working together to successfully overcome common challenges and preserve democratic values.
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) CEO Sindy Benavides and AJC CEO David Harris addressed the top priorities in their respective communities.
"I've been working with AJC for a long time, and it is great to come together to work on issues that are so important to our respective communities,” said Benavides. "Immigration reform is a huge priority for us in the new administration. We know there is a better way."
Harris said, "Who are the groups most likely to be on the receiving end of scapegoating and conspiracy theories? Latinos and Jews are among the top candidates. This is all the more reason why it’s so important that we come together and act together."
Since its establishment in January 2017, the LJLC, composed of dozens of distinguished leaders from both communities, has worked to strengthen Latino-Jewish cooperation by advocating on issues of shared concern and values cherished by both communities. The Council has strenuously advocated for immigration reform, denounced the rise of antisemitic and anti-Latino rhetoric that has too often infected the nation’s political discourse, and promoted stronger ties among the U.S., Latin America, and Israel.
The full Council statement follows:
LATINO JEWISH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL STATEMENT ON 2021 PRIORITIES
On March 22, 2021, in the aftermath of a presidential election marred by divisive and hateful rhetoric, revealing deep gaps and polarization in American society, AJC’s Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA) convened the members of the Latino Jewish Leadership Council (LJLC) to discuss priorities and action items under the Biden Administration.
Members emerged from that meeting inspired, once again, by the commonalities that bind the Jewish and Latino experiences as diverse immigrant and diaspora communities with strong ties to their ancestral and/or native homelands and as peoples with firsthand knowledge of the consequences of prejudice and discrimination. United by the shared values of freedom, justice, and human rights, and recognizing joint historical and cultural connections, they shared the conviction that this relationship holds great promise as they joined forces to advance the multifaceted domestic and foreign policy interests of the United States.
Our country today is facing dire challenges with the COVID pandemic still raging despite the hopeful arrival of several vaccines. The violent assault on the U.S. Congress on January 6 evinced even deeper gaps than in 2017 when the Council was established. Hundreds of members of white supremacist groups who have increased in number in the last four years and who the FBI has deemed domestic terrorists marched on Capitol Hill brandishing confederate flags and antisemitic signs.
As the American trust in our electoral process grows increasingly contentious, it is our adherence to free and fair elections that will preserve our democracy now and for future generations. We hope that our elected officials will enact bipartisan solutions to guard the security of our electoral system while ensuring able voters have an equal opportunity to cast their ballot.
Today, with prejudice and hate crimes on the rise and entire communities stigmatized and facing dire challenges to their survival, our Council reinforces the notion of shared destiny while underscoring that our nation’s strength and resilience derives from its diversity, inclusiveness, and openness.
We acknowledge the economic, social, and cultural contributions of minorities to the U.S. We particularly salute the tens of thousands of immigrants who, during the COVID pandemic, have continued to play an essential role as front line workers, keeping this country running and alive. We hope that common sense solutions to our broken immigration system will be shortly implemented to honor them and to reinforce our narrative as a welcoming nation.
A stable and prosperous Hemisphere and a peaceful and secure Israel are priorities for our Council. We will continue to advocate for the strategic and mutually beneficial partnership among the U.S., Latin America and Israel based on shared values, historical and cultural affinities and vital interests and based on an attitude of respect and co-responsibility.
We will actively seek to heal the current rifts, find common ground, reenergize democratic and pluralistic values, and bring the Latino and Jewish communities closer together to advocate for shared goals.
