Vote Out of Strength and Optimism: Israeli Americans for Kamala

Inspired by Michelle Obama’s charge to “do something,” a handful of us across the United States and in Israel joined forces to address a specific, small, but potentially consequential segment of the electorate. Jewish voters are, on the one hand, alarmed by the fascistic government that Trump is promising and, on the other, have been shaken to the core by the October 7th attack and ensuing explosion of antisemitism and anti-Israel hate in the US.

When fear reigns, it is human nature to grasp for the simplest, strongest-sounding solutions and that has led many Jewish Americans to consider voting for Trump, or stick with him, even if they otherwise would not. Even knowing who he is, they hope that, on the scary schoolyard, we can be protected by getting in the good graces of the class bully.

In response, we have amplified voices of Israeli Americans in both countries–from a variety of professional, social and political backgrounds–who shared their deep concerns about Trump. We demonstrated that, behind the facade, his weaknesses are extremely dangerous for Israel. We spoke at length with former Deputy Director of Israel’s National Security Council, Itamar Yaar, who pointed out that it is the inability to predict what Trump will do that makes him a particularly risky choice.

While true and important, these points are defensive and pessimistic – hoping against hope that we can just avoid a catastrophic outcome. But we are not a pessimistic and fearful people. It is well documented that those who survived the holocaust were more optimistic about a better future, and ‘yihyeh beseder’–’it’ll be ok’–is practically the Israeli national motto.

Not only can we see a better future, but we know that we are much, much stronger than the vulnerability that we have felt for the last year. In Israel, the IDF and security services have retaken the initiative in recent weeks and demonstrated clear military superiority over Israel’s enemies. In the United States, we have financial and political resources, positions of influence in politics, business and society. Jewish communities have organized to fight in areas that we had not contested – campuses, school boards and city councils–and, while the war on ignorance continues, we are winning battles across the country.

In Israel and in the United States, we are not the persecuted, homeless Jews of a century ago. In Israel, we have a national homeland, a state and, in the United States, we are part of the establishment, not persecuted by it.

And, so, we vote out of strength, optimism and hope. Vice President Harris is not just an acceptable alternative to disaster. She is a strong, tough, capable leader who we can be proud of. She cares about Israel and will confront its enemies abroad and antisemitism at home. And, out of strength, we also vote for her because of her agenda, and how she will make America and the world better: by protecting personal freedoms, by expanding opportunity, by trusting science, addressing climate change and, to ensure all of those, by strengthening democracy.

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See our op-eds and video endorsements at: Israeli Americans for Kamala