Republican Jewish Coalition

The RJC Weekly Newsletter

December 31, 2020

Your weekly look at the latest news, analysis, and RJC activities around the country.

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— Featured —

An RJC volunteer on the ground in Georgia

 

RJC in the News

 

JNS reports on the RJC’s efforts to get out the Jewish vote in Georgia: 

The Republican Jewish Coalition, which endorsed [Kelly] Loeffler and [David] Perdue, has been doing targeted Jewish outreach in Georgia since the runoffs were declared shortly after the Nov. 3 election, the organization’s national political director, Sam Markstein, told JNS. The campaign strategy has included sending 25,000 text messages, 100,000 phone calls and canvassing by knocking on thousands of doors in the Atlanta suburban countries including Fulton, Cobb and DeKalb.  

The RJC plans to do tens of thousands of text messages and phone calls every day until Jan. 5, added Markstein

…“We’re going to be focusing on is to turn out the Jewish vote is to hyper-targeting grassroots ground game in Georgia, whether it’s in-person canvassing, virtually through phones or texts as well as raising money directly for the campaigns from our generous supporters from across the country.”  

The RJC’s political action committee, RJCPAC, has raised around $700,000, while RJC national chairman and former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) raised around $1 million, according to Markstein. RJCPAC has a portal through which RJC members can donate to the candidates in accordance with campaign finance laws.  

At The Algemeiner, Larry Brook looks at how the Senate runoff elections in Georgia have affected the local Jewish community:   

The only shot for the Democrats to wrest control [of the US Senate] is by winning both Georgia seats and having 50-50 ties broken by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, while for Republicans, retaining at least one seat is vital to keeping control of the Senate.

That has made Georgia the national focal point in the political world with contributions and volunteer labor pouring in from around the country. Issues such as Israel and antisemitism have made prominent appearances in both races.  

…“What you have is Trump and the Republicans being so strong in their support for Israel,” countered Chuck Berk, a local chair of the Republican Jewish Coalition. “Democrats need to look in the mirror and ask themselves what they haven’t done to support Israel.”  

A commitment to Israel, he adds, “is not making statements. It is action. I would love to see the Democratic Party be as strong for Israel as the Trump administration has been.”  

The political climate in Atlanta’s Jewish community is challenging these days, Berk acknowledges. “With some of my golfing friends, who are more liberal, I can’t even bring up politics. They get so emotional. If I try to express my views, then I am one of those ‘deplorables’,” he says.  

Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue of Georgia

 

Getting to the Finish Line in Georgia

The Georgia runoff elections for US Senate are very close and couldn’t be more crucial. Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have strong records on the issues that matter to our community, including their support of Israel, but the national spotlight is on Georgia because these two races will decide which party holds the majority in the Senate. A Republican-led Senate will be a bulwark against the radical agenda of the Democrats in the House.

 

That’s why the RJC PAC has worked so hard to raise money for Senators Perdue and Loeffler and why RJC volunteers have invested thousands of hours in persuasion and get-out-the-vote messaging to voters in the state.

 

 The election is next Tuesday. You can still help!

 



Help Senators Perdue and Loeffler keep the Senate majority in Republican hands!

Donate to the GOP candidates

Volunteer for Virtual Days of Action (phone & text from home)



As we say goodbye to 2020, we must thank the leaders, members, donors, and volunteers of the RJC. We accomplished so much this year, despite COVID-19 and all the disruption and difficulty it brought, and our success was all because of you. We look forward to continued activism, growth, and accomplishment in the year to come. Thank you, and best wishes for a healthy and happy 2021!

 

 

Israeli PM Netanyahu, Pres. Trump, Bahrain FM Abdullatif al-Zayani, and UAE FM Abdullah bin Zayed at the signing ceremony for the Abraham Accords.

A Year of Achievement for President Trump

Michael Goodwin writes at the New York Post that President Donald Trump did the impossible this year by brokering deals between Israel and Arab/Muslim states that are bringing real peace to the Middle East. Goodwin writes

When Trump took office, just two Arab nations, Egypt and Jordan, had treaties with Israel, a situation that had existed without change since 1994. There are now six regional nations with diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.

… That they were signed with Trump in the White House was a direct result of his policies. Foremost among them was his position on two fundamental issues: He would move America closer to Israel, and treat Iran as the dangerous pariah it is.

Both positions represented a reversal of the policies of the Obama-Biden administration, which had treated Israel like a problem and Iran like an opportunity.

Other highlights of 2020 for the Trump administration include:  

 

• The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in January, which seriously affected Iran’s terrorism capabilities.  

 

• Operation Warp Speed, which helped American scientists develop, test, and deploy a coronavirus vaccine in record time.  

 

• The swearing in of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the third Supreme Court justice President Trump placed on that Court.  

 

• Transforming the judiciary: As Nicholas Rowan notes at the Washington Examiner, President Trump has transformed the nation’s courts by placing conservative judges on the bench at every level. Rowan writes, “By the end of 2020, the Republican-led body will have confirmed 234 of his Article III judicial nominees, 54 appeals court nominees, and 174 district court nominees. His performance sets several records for a one-term president.” 

 

 

Remembering Two RJC Leaders

2020 saw the passing of two former RJC National Chairmen, Richard J. Fox and David M. Flaum.

 

Their leadership and dedication shaped our organization and contributed significantly to our growth and success. We honor their memories. 

 

See our tributes to Mr. Fox and Mr. Flaum here.

____________

 

We still have the RJC/Trump kippah! 
Our extremely popular red Trump kippah is now for sale for just $18. This includes shipping and handling. Supplies are limited. 


BUY YOUR KIPPAH HERE.

 

— Short Takes —

2020's Good News

John Stossel manages to find things to be grateful for this year, including: a) in 2020, we finally had the technology to create mRNA vaccines, which are the game-changer against coronavirus, and b) families and businesses adapted, innovated, and created in the face of the COVID-19 challenge, in ways that will benefit us all in the future.

 

— Tweets —

 

 

   

      

— Events —

 

RJC Victory Team
Georgia Runoff Days of Action

 

We are holding Virtual Days of Action and making calls EVERY DAY through Election Day on January 5 (except for New Years Day). We're working hard to get out the vote in Georgia for the very important runoff elections. Click here to sign up and help! When you sign up, a team member will reach out to give you 1-on-1 training on our outreach app, so you’ll know exactly what to do.

 

Join us on Wednesday, January 13 at 6:00 PM for a virtual meet and greet event with Congresswoman-Elect Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). Malliotakis defeated incumbent Democrat Max Rose in a hotly contested race, flipping NY-11 back to the GOP.  

 

You can watch these past virtual events on the RJC web site:

  • Closing Arguments: What's at Stake for the Jewish Community, featuring Jason Greenblatt
  • A Conversation with Boris Epshteyn
  • A Conversation with Senator Ted Cruz
  • A Conversation with Jason Miller
  • RJC Town Hall with Nikki Haley and Mark Levin

You can access all of them by going to the RJC homepage and scrolling down to the "RJC Live" section. There's a drop-down menu there to select the video you want to see.

 

 

 

While RJC offices are closed and our staff are teleworking, you can reach us by email or by phone (please leave a voicemail message and your call will be returned). Contact information for our offices can be found on our web site. Please visit us online for the latest RJC news, to volunteer for our 2020 outreach efforts, to see details of upcoming events, and to donate to the RJC.

 

— Connect —

Join the RJC Community

If you like the work we’re doing, consider joining us on Facebook and Twitter, and renew or upgrade your RJC membership. Ensure that your voice is heard in our party and our community!

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Share your comments and ideas with us here.

Republican Jewish Coalition | 50 F Street, N.W., Suite 100 | Washington, DC 20001
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