‘Standing Up For Our Future, An Evening with Ted Deutch’
On Thursday, March 7th, 2024 at 7 p.m., Ted Deutch, American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO and former US congressman, will present “Standing Up For Our Future, An Evening with Ted Deutch” at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton. Deutch has been a passionate advocate for the Jewish people. As CEO of AJC, Ted has stood up for the State of Israel and the Jewish people with conviction and passion and will share what he has heard and seen and what lies ahead. He joined AJC following more than 12 years of service in the United States House of Representatives, representing Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
In Congress, Ted served as chair of the House Ethics Committee, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on which he served as chair of the Middle East, North Africa and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee. He collaborated closely with members on both sides of the aisle to advance the security interests of the United States, Israel and their allies. Ted authored legislation advancing U.S.-Israel cooperation in energy, agriculture, technology and trade. He fought back against efforts to delegitimize Israel at the United Nations, championed U.S. foreign aid investments that promote global human rights and the protection of religious minorities worldwide and focused on the transformational opportunities made possible by the Abraham Accords. He also passed federal legislation to crack down on companies that financially support Iran’s nuclear weapons program and confront Iran’s dangerous activities around the world.
Deutch expressed AJC’s support for Israel.
“Shortly after the Hamas attack, AJC launched an emergency campaign for Israel that had raised more than $5.3 million by the end of 2023. Those funds were distributed to a wide range of Israeli Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). We have also led seven fact-finding delegations through our Project Interchange program which includes European lawmakers, journalists and social media influencers. They all received an unvarnished view of the situation on the ground and experienced for themselves the impact the war has had on Israeli society. That included visiting the kibbutzim attacked on October 7. You can’t help but come away a changed person after bearing witness to the aftermath of Hamas’ depravity. AJC has also convened numerous meetings across the country as well as in Paris, Rome, and elsewhere in Europe for hostage families to meet with government officials, lawmakers, diplomats and spiritual leaders. Every day since October 7th, we have emphasized the necessity of bringing the hostages home. We have worked to ensure the plight of those brutally kidnapped by Hamas remains front and center on the international stage. Because AJC is a global advocacy organization, engaging with leaders in other nations to reinforce the concerns of the Jewish community and advance support for Israel is an essential part of my job. Not long after October 7, I met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and, more recently, I led an AJC mission to Japan and South Korea, which included a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kushida and the Korean Speaker of the National Assembly, Kim Jin-pyo. Last year we also continued our active engagement with Latin America during trips to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. While some nations in the region actively support their Jewish community and Israel, other Latin American nations have leaders who do not share those views. We still have work to do. I have been to Israel twice since the war began and met with top government officials. But what set those visits apart were our meetings with survivors of the Hamas attack and family members of the hostages. Words of sympathy won’t replace their grief. Those we met appreciated our visits. These families are in our hearts and they will not be forgotten. Before the war, every time my plane landed in Tel Aviv, it always felt like I was returning home. Now our home is under attack. As a nation, Israel can’t just move on from the attacks. It’s still fighting a war of survival and AJC’s support will not waver.”
On February 13th, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) presented its “State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report”. The data was released four months after the October 7th Hamas terror attack on Israel. Deutch explained why the report was released and shared some key findings.
“AJC began this survey in 2019 (the year after the Tree of Life shooting) to examine the impact antisemitism has had on the Jewish community. A year later we launched a parallel survey of the general U.S. adult population. The latest survey, of more than 1,500 American Jewish adults, found 46% had altered their behavior out of fear of antisemitism, such as not wearing or displaying items that could identify them as Jewish or avoiding certain places or events out of concern for their safety. Also, more than six out of 10 American Jews (63%) feel less secure living in the U.S. than a year ago. This is an especially startling number, given that when we asked this question last year, that number was 41%. Even taking into account the rise of antisemitism since the Israel-Hamas war, that increase is startling and cause for concern. The fear is real. More than three-quarters of American Jews who knew about October 7 said the terrorist attacks made them feel less safe. But that does not mean Jews should crawl into a ball and hope all the hate and vitriol will go away. This is the time where we stand up for who we are, express in no uncertain terms that we are proud to be Jewish and we will not back down when Jews and Israel are attacked. American Jews have allies. Our survey found more than nine in 10 Americans believe antisemitism is a problem that affects society as a whole. Cities, counties and states continue to adopt the widely recognized definition of antisemitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. To me, that indicates a growing recognition that antisemitism is a problem that extends beyond the Jewish world and requires a whole-of-society approach in fighting it.”
Deutch shared other projects AJC is currently involved in.
“We have taken a lead role in implementing the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, which includes more than 100 recommendations offered by AJC. The strategy takes a whole-of-society approach to fighting antisemitism, from government agencies and law enforcement, to universities and tech companies. We all have a role to play. As a former member of Congress, I know the wheels of government often grind too slowly if at all. But I’m calling on my former colleagues to pass legislation to ensure that every action item in the strategy is implemented. As the findings of our survey indicated, there’s no time to waste.”
Deutch expressed his thoughts on the unity among Jews since October 7.
“It’s no secret that Jews have no shortage of viewpoints. But as a community, I think we have come together in a remarkably cohesive way, especially since the war. That was illustrated in our survey, when 80% of American Jews said caring for Israel is important to them. We must, as best we can, maintain our unity and must stand together as a proud Jewish community in Israel and around the world. I’m an optimist. I have to be. As a people, we have been through so much adversity. We are always being tested. And we always pass those tests. That will not change. Israel will win this war; the Jewish people will thrive. Am Israel Chai.”
Deutch’s upcoming presentation will take place at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton’s Schaefer Family Campus, located at 333 SW 4th Ave. in Boca Raton. For more information, call (561) 391-8900 or visit tbeboca.org.
Join Temple Beth El for this informative evening of conversation about what is happening in the Jewish community, on college campuses, in the halls of governments and in Israel. Learn how everyone can work together to protect the future of the Jewish people.