WATCH: NYC Mayoral Candidates Forum
On February 18, 2021, the New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA) hosted a mayoral candidates forum, featuring ten front-runners in the 2021 NYC mayors race.
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WATCH: “On the Agenda: Jewish Political Power in New York”
In just over an hour, our panelists covered a ton of ground, offering their unique views on the diversity of New York Jewish voters, the role of Israel in local politics, and what it means for Jewish political figures to do their work explicitly as Jews. We’re so grateful to our panelists, State Senator Liz Krueger, Council Member Stephen Levin, Suri Kasirer, Stu Loeser, and Ruth Messinger, and to our incredible moderator, Sally Goldenberg for their thoughtful and energetic participation in this event.
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Times of Israel: NY Jewish liberals launch new advocacy organization
The Times of Israel reports on the launch of NYJA, speaking with co-founders Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum and Rabbi Rachel Timoner.
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T’ruah: Our Best Leaders May Be Those with the Least Power
A d’var Torah for Parshat Beha’alotecha by Matt Nosanchuk, published in T’ruah, the rabbinic call for human rights.
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Should Jews Oppose Bail Reform?
Undoing bail reform will do nothing to help address the increase in anti-Semitic attacks or increase the safety and security in Orthodox communities. Rather than making incendiary arguments about bail reform, we need to be taking a serious look at strategies that will actually reduce hate and prevent anti-Semitic attacks against Orthodox Jews from recurring.
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Press Release: 120 Interfaith Religious Leaders Across NY Call on Gov to Ensure Vaccine Access in Prisons
Yesterday afternoon, a group of over 120 Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faith leaders from across New York State sent a letter to Governor Cuomo, urging him to ensure that New York State include incarcerated people in the current phase (Phase 1B) of the vaccine rollout, along with all other New Yorkers who live in high-risk congregate settings.
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Patch: Jewish Leaders Urge Cuomo To Pass Police Reforms
This article in Patch covers NYJA’s letter signed by more than 350 Jewish leaders in New York, urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to pass meaningful police reforms.
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Over 25 National and Local News Outlets Cover NYJA’s Rabbinic Statement on COVID-19
The New York Jewish Agenda organized over 450 rabbis to join a statement supporting the data-driven, life-saving public health measures implemented by Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio. This statement, along with our press conference on Friday, received substantial press attention, and succeeded in shifting the media narrative about the Jewish community’s position on this issue.
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On the Agenda: Jewish Political Power in New York – December 18th, 2020
NYJA is delighted to invite you to the next event in our “On the Agenda” discussion series, Jewish Political Power in New York. We are bringing together an incredible group of Jewish leaders to explore what it means to be politically engaged as Jews today, with an eye towards the 2021 municipal elections. The event will take place via Zoom webinar on Friday, December 18th from 12:30 – 1:45 PM.
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NYJA Virtual Event – “Divided We Stand: Allies Debate the Two-State Solution”
On July 24th, the New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA) hosted the first virtual event in our “On the Agenda” discussion series. The event, “Divided We Stand: Allies Debate the Two-State Solution,” featured Peter Beinart, T’ruah Executive Director Rabbi Jill Jacobs, and J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami, in a discussion moderated by NYJA co-founder Rabbi Rachel Timoner.
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NYJA Statement: Annexation must be canceled, not just delayed
PM Netanyahu made clear today that he still intends to follow through on his pledge to annex the Jordan Valley as soon as it is politically viable for him. In response, we reaffirm our demand for the full cancellation of all plans to unilaterally annex territory in the West Bank, as it is clear that annexation would sabotage the possibility of a just, negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
DetailsNYJA Statement on US Supreme Court’s Decision on Red-Zone Restrictions
The New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA) is deeply troubled that five Supreme Court justices decided to invalidate New York’s ‘red zone’ COVID-19 restrictions on the eve of Thanksgiving, just as tens of millions of Americans have drastically curtailed plans for the holiday to protect themselves and their loved ones from this deadly virus.
DetailsNYJA Statement on Proposed Measures to Fight COVID-19 in Hotspots in New York
We applaud the Mayor and the Governor for taking decisive steps to confront and contain these COVID-19 ‘hotspots’ — some of which do indeed include a number of specific Orthodox Jewish communities — based on science and geographic data, and for discussing the issue with neutral and contextualizing language.
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NYJA Press Conference – “Kornbluh, NYJA & Rabbis Call for Compliance with Public Health Measures”
Journalist Jacob Kornbluh, New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA), and a group of Orthodox rabbis today called for communities across New York City to comply with public health measures to contain Covid-19 in New York’s hotspots.
The group called for justice for Jacob Kornbluh and other victims of recent violent incidents. Participants also spoke about the need for data-driven, geographically-based public health efforts to contain Covid-19 in New York hotspots and for compliance in all communities, including NYC’s Orthodox Jewish communities.
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NYJA in The Forward: The Virus is the Enemy — Not Us
This letter to the editor by Matt Nosanchuk was published in The Forward on October 16, 2020. It was written in response to an op-ed written by Avi Shafran of Agudath Israel.
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NYJA Blog: Remove the President now + interfaith vigil Jan. 8 at 3pm
We support efforts by Senator Schumer and other NY Representatives to remove President Trump from office immediately, either via the 25th Amendment or impeachment and removal proceedings. Every day that he is allowed to remain in office poses a threat to our democracy.
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NYJA Blog: NYC Mayoral Candidates Forum – Feb 18 at 2 PM
The New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA) is delighted to invite you to the next event in the “On the Agenda” discussion series, our first-ever NYC Mayoral Candidates Forum. We will hear from the front-runners who are competing to lead New York City through the next four critical years.
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NY Times: Letter to the Editor
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Rabbi Rachel Timoner, and Matt Nosanchuk write a letter to the editor in response to a news article published January 29, 2020, “Attorney General Adds an Arrow to the Quiver of Critics of Bail Reform.”
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NY Jewish Week: Matt Nosanchuk Shares His Reaction to the Biden-Harris Inauguration
Along with other New York Jewish leaders, NYJA President Matt Nosanchuk was asked by The Jewish Week to share his reaction to the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris today.
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NY Jewish Week: Jewish Liberal Group Aims to Fill a ‘Vacuum’
Rabbi Timoner and Rabbi Kleinbaum explain the purpose of NYJA in an article published by The Jewish Week. The new organization will have a New York focus, “a voice that is politically Jewish,” concentrating on such issues as bail reform, criminal justice and anti-Semitism.
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Now Launching: NYJA Blog
NYJA was founded by rabbis, advocates, and leaders with deep ties to the Jewish community and a clear vision of the difference an organized liberal Jewish voice could make in New York City and State. In just a few months, our network has grown exponentially, from Buffalo to Brooklyn. With shared values and in the great tradition of New York Jewry, we have already impacted and shifted the public debate.
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New York Post: Jewish leaders slam de Blasio over comments
This article appeared in the New York Post detailing the letter by NYJA to Mayor Bill de Blasio and announcing Jewish leaders want face time with de Blasio to discuss.
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New York Jewish Week: NYJA Response to DSA Controversy Acknowledged in Op-Ed
NYJA’s response to a controversy surrounding the New York City Democratic Socialists’ 2021 candidate questionaire was highlighted in an op-ed written by two Jewish candidates for city council.
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New York Jewish Week Reports on NYJA’s “Jewish Political Power in NY” Event
NY Jewish Week’s editor-in-chief reported on NYJA’s “Jewish Political Power in New York” webinar, in which panelists shared their unique views on the diversity of New York Jewish voters, the role of Israel in local politics, and what it means for Jewish political figures to do their work explicitly as Jews.
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