JEI Advocates for Jewish American Security

September 23, 2026

September 23, 2026


The Honorable Mike Johnson

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515


Dear Mr. Speaker:


 I submit this statement for the record in support of H.R. 9211, the Jewish American Security Act.


I am deeply grateful to Representatives Dan Goldman and Mike Lawler for leading this important bipartisan effort to confront antisemitism and strengthen protections for Jewish Americans. At a time when too many Jewish families, students, educators, houses of worship, and community institutions face fear and intimidation, their leadership brings moral clarity and urgently needed Congressional attention to a crisis affecting communities across the country.


I also thank the bipartisan group of House members who joined them in introducing this legislation and the chairs, ranking members, and members of the committees of jurisdiction who will guide its consideration. Their engagement reflects a basic but essential principle: protecting Jewish Americans and confronting antisemitism should command the attention of Congress and the conscience of the country.


The Jewish American Security Act addresses the realities Jewish communities confront every day. Antisemitism now reaches into schools and campuses, threatens houses of worship and communal institutions, spreads online in ways that can contribute to real-world violence, and requires federal agencies to respond with coordination, consistency, and seriousness.


The bill also brings needed attention to an important and often misunderstood issue. Its findings recognize that antisemitism can arise when others hold Jewish individuals responsible for the policies of the Israeli government or attack, disparage, or demonize them because of their real or perceived connection to, affiliation with, or support for Israel as a Jewish state. That recognition matters. Anti-Israel campaigns can cross the line into antisemitic discrimination, harassment, and exclusion when they target Jewish Americans because of who they are, what they believe, or how others perceive their relationship to Israel and the Jewish people.


At the same time, language touching on Israel, antisemitism, civil rights, campus life, and protected expression requires careful drafting. We welcome continued work with the sponsors, committees of jurisdiction, civil rights experts, Jewish communal organizations, constitutional scholars, educators, and other stakeholders to refine the bill and ensure it protects Jewish Americans while respecting constitutional rights and legitimate policy debate.


The central issue before Congress remains urgent. No Jewish American should face discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or violence in schools, houses of worship, workplaces, public spaces, or online because they are Jewish or because of their actual or perceived connection to Israel and the Jewish people.


Combating antisemitism requires more than statements after attacks occur. It requires prevention, enforcement, education, data, accountability, and resources. It also requires Congress to recognize that Jewish safety and American democracy stand together. A pluralistic democracy cannot thrive when hate forces any community to live with fear, hide its identity, or question whether public institutions will protect them.


 I strongly support the goals of the Jewish American Security Act and urge Congress to continue refining and advancing this legislation in a bipartisan manner. Protecting Jewish Americans is not a partisan question. It is an American obligation.



Sincerely,

Barbara Goldberg Goldman

Chair

Jewish Electorate Institute



cc: The Honorable Mike Lawler, U.S. House of Representatives

cc: The Honorable Dan Goldman, U.S. House of Representatives

JEI LATEST MIDTERM POST-ELECTION POLL: THE MELLMAN GROUP SUMMARY MEMO

November 9, 2026
To: Jewish Electorate Institute From: The Mellman Group Re: The Jewish Vote Was Overwhelmingly Democratic, Though Down Slightly, As Concerns About Antisemitic Rhetoric In Both Parties Continues Date: November 8, 2026

JEI POST-ELECTION POLL: JEWISH VOTERS REMAIN STRONGLY DEMOCRATIC, BUT WARNING SIGNS EMERGE FOR BOTH PARTIES

November 9, 2026
CONTACT: Michael Bloomfield, Mellman Group Managing Director (202) 251-0793 Barbara Goldberg Goldman, JEI Chair, (202) 695-0531 69% of Jewish voters supported Democrats, even as concerns over antisemitism, political extremism and Israel expose growing tensions within both parties (This analysis is based on the findings of a national survey of 800 Jewish registered voters who voted in the November 2026 election. The survey was conducted using a high-quality online national panel from October 29–November 6, 2026. The margin of error for the sample is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence, higher for subgroups). JEI will host an open-to-the-press public briefing on Tuesday, November 10, at 11:00 a.m. ET, featuring the pollsters from The Mellman Group ** who conducted the poll. They will present the findings, explore their implications for both political parties, and answer questions. Register HERE for the briefing. The latest Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI)* post-midterm election poll results confirm that the Jewish electorate is one of the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituencies. However, this latest poll by the nine-year-old independent, nonpartisan JEI reveals a far more complex political landscape beneath that loyalty. It found that 69% of Jewish voters supported Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections, even as Israel, antisemitism, and the Jewish community itself became unusually prominent, and at times deeply troubling, campaign issues. Since 2024, Jewish Democratic voter support for Democratic candidates has declined, albeit modestly. It stands below the levels recorded during the Democratic wave in President Trump’s previous midterm election. The Mellman Group summary memo can be found HERE. The findings reveal significant concerns within both parties: ● Antisemitism crosses party lines. Among Jewish Republican voters, 25% believe the GOP is too accepting of antisemitic rhetoric, while 24% believe it is becoming too much of a home for white nationalists and the far right. ● Jewish Democrats are raising alarms as well. More than one-third (36%) believe their party is too accepting of antisemitic rhetoric, while 24% worry it is becoming too much of a home for socialists and the far left. ● Israel remains a point of tension. More than one-quarter (28%) of Jewish Democratic voters report supporting candidates whose positions on Israel concerned them, choosing those candidates because of other considerations. A LOYAL ELECTORATE, BUT NOT WITHOUT RESERVATIONS Michael Bloomfield, Managing Director of The Mellman Group says: “In this historic landslide, the Jewish vote was driven in great part by the national concerns that swept the country. Even as Israel, antisemitism, and the Jewish community itself became campaign issues, they were overwhelmed by the larger referendum on Trump and rising costs. But the underlying potential flash points have not gone away, and they will be key factors to consider as we move away from the midterms and into the complete reshaping of Congress and the presidential primaries.” Barbara Goldberg Goldman, Chair of JEI: “As we head into the 2028 election cycle, these findings are an important guide to the changing political landscape for the American Jewish community.” AMERICAN JEWS ALSO WEIGH IN ON ISRAEL’S POLITICAL FUTURE Former Israeli General Gadi Eisenkot remains relatively unfamiliar to American Jews, but those expressing an opinion view him favorably by more than two to one: 30% favorable compared with 12% unfavorable. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, continues to face substantial disapproval, with 63% of American Jews viewing him unfavorably. JEI’s September pre-midterm election poll conducted by The Mellman Group found that only 16% wanted Netanyahu to remain prime minister, compared with 60% who favored replacing him. To register for the NOVEMBER 10 ,11: 00 am open-to-the-press briefing : Register HERE . *ABOUT JEI The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is an independent, nonpartisan, politically unaffiliated, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the active and informed participation of the Jewish community in the democratic process. ​​** The Mellman Group Named “ Pollster of the Year ” three times by the American Association of Political Consultants, The Mellman Group has provided sophisticated opinion research and strategic advice to political leaders, public interest organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies for over 30 years. All told, The Mellman Group has helped win over fifty Senate and gubernatorial races, and nearly one hundred House race contests.

JTA: ‘Politically homeless’ is the new mantra for American Jews. Will it change their vote?

November 1, 2026
That evidence includes a September survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute , conducted by the Democratic-aligned Mellman Group. It found that Jewish voters favored Democratic congressional candidates over Republicans by 71% to 23%. The Democratic advantage was virtually unchanged from their similar survey in March. Among Jewish Democrats, 97% said they would vote Democratic. At the same time, the survey found real unease within the party. More than a third of Jewish Democrats said the rise of anti-Israel candidates had made it harder for them personally to identify as Democrats. A majority of Jewish voters said antisemitism was increasing within the Democratic Party, and a similar share said it was increasing within the Republican Party.