JFASD Statement on the 2024 Election

November 6, 2024 — Five years ago, when the Society for Humanistic Judaism first launched the Jews for a Secular Democracy pluralistic social justice initiative, we searched for the phrase “Christian Nationalism” on the Jewish Forward Newspaper website. We got two results. Today, there are hundreds.

It brings no joy to have been in the vanguard of the Jewish community sounding the alarm about white Christian Nationalism, when it now feels that all our work—and that of our friends and allies at much larger organizations—suffered a major setback.

Today, it’s okay to feel dread and despair.

Tomorrow, we get back up and fight.

We will renew our fight for women’s equality, abortion rights, and reproductive justice.

We will keep fighting for full equality of our LGBTQ+ loved ones, and for their safety.

We will continue demanding public education free from religious indoctrination.

And we will hold close the victories that we have been a part of, including abortion ballot initiatives and the growing awareness of and responses to the threats against First Amendment religious freedoms.

In the coming days and months, we may be told that the plan for a white Christian Nationalist takeover of our government spelled out in Project 2025 was “just politics” and won’t really happen. But if Jewish history teaches us anything, it is that when authoritarian forces show us their playbook beforehand, BELIEVE THEM.

White Christian Nationalism does not represent all Christians. It is not actually even Christianity. It is a political ideology that claims America was founded as a Christian nation (it was not) and therefore Christians should have dominance in all spheres of government and society, with American laws based on (their version of) Christian theology.

Join us and together we will fight back. Here are some ways to help right now:

• Ask your friends and family who may be supportive of Jews for a Secular Democracy to sign up for our updates here and follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
• See if there is a JFASD chapter in your state or be in touch about bringing JFASD to your Jewish community.
• Support our work through your tzedakah/philanthropy with a tax-deductible donation here.

Your friendship and support mean more to us at JFASD today than ever before. Thank you for all that you do to defend the American values of freedom, inclusion, and equality.