JLC Statement on Friedman Appointment for Ambassador to the State of Israel

Jewish Labor Committee Opposes the Nomination of David M. Friedman to be the United States Ambassador to the State of Israel

December 21, 2016, New York, NY

The Jewish Labor Committee opposes the nomination of David M. Friedman to be the United States Ambassador to the State of Israel, as proposed by President-elect Donald Trump.  His many statements and actions over the years make it clear that he will not help, but rather impede, any meaningful progress towards a fair and just negotiated resolution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

The Jewish Labor Committee opposes Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, whether the establishment of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements. We support the consensus desire of most Israelis and Palestinians (long confirmed by polling data) for a reasonably negotiated, fair and secure two-state solution for Israel and its Palestinian neighbors. It is essential that any U.S.ambassador to Israel be supportive of a two-state solution.

The nomination of David M. Friedman, President-elect Donald Trump's bankruptcy attorney, to the sensitive post of United States Ambassador to the State of Israel is a serious mistake for several reasons.  First and foremost, because Friedman is an active supporter of the West Bank settlement movement and has stated in very clear terms that he does not believe in a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian people, we believe he is not an appropriate nominee for this crucial post.

Mr. Friedman has no experience in foreign policy or in diplomacy, and he doesn't even seem to believe in diplomacy.  This is best exemplified by his condemnation of the liberal pro-Israel organization J Street as "worse than Kapos" (Jews who were forced to collaborate with the Nazis in concentration camps) within the context of his refusal in advance to meet with J Street or other groups that believe in a two-state solution.  This alone is a departure for American ambassadors to Israel, who traditionally are open to meeting with a wide spectrum of the American Jewish community.

We are deeply concerned that the incoming U.S. Administration apparently wants to go on record as endorsing the views of a supporter of the settlement enterprise who opposes a two-state solution This will communicate to Israel, the Palestinians, the Arab world and the entire international community that the US is no longer interested in using its good offices to promote a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And we cannot see how the status quo will move forward without at least the supportive involvement of the United States.

Friedman's attitudes and positions are contrary to what have been the bi-partisan policies of the United States for decades. Rejecting a two-state solution would doom Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic state.

If the incoming United States Senate effectively repudiates a peaceful two-state solution by confirming Mr. Friedman's unwise appointment, this would dangerously and unnecessarily inflame extremist passions against both the United States and Israel.  We would not want to see the incoming administration get off to such a bad start, in one fell swoop endangering our national security and that of the State of Israel, and undermining efforts toward Mideast stability.

For all of these reasons, we oppose the nomination of David M. Friedman to be the United States Ambassador to the State of Israel, and ask the United States Senate to reject this nomination when it is asked to deliberate on it early in 2017.

Update on the Domestic Workers and Employers Oral History Project

On Sunday, December 4, almost 50 participants from MataHari Women Workers’ Center, the JLC, and the broader community joined together for "In Our Care: Creating Community Protection in an Era of Uncertainty." This was the first event unveiling the findings of our two year long Domestic Workers and Employers Oral History project. We shared our personal histories around migration and began the important work of building bridges based on our shared experiences of immigration.We encourage people to continue to support the Oral History project and the advancement of immigrants' rights and domestic workers' rights by making a donation here.We look forward to a full presentation of the project in September 2017. Stay tuned!Oral historian Jayne Guberman reporting on the Domestic Workers and Employers Oral History project at "In Our Care: Creating Community Protection in an Era of Uncertainty."MataHari Executive Director Monique Nguyen tells her family's story of migration at "In Our Care: Creating Community Protection in an Era of Uncertainty."

Callahan, Inc: Bad Labor Practices, Bad Results

A survey of Boston-area residential apartments reveals that many residents of Callahan's properties are dissatisfied with the construction quality of their units. Residents expressed particular concern with noise and the quality of materials in their units, writing comments such as "[c]an clearly hear upstairs neighbor walking. Entire apt. vibrates and rattles. Doors rattle from walking in apt."An organization called Tenant Consumer Protection Services, which has been generating surveys about consumer satisfaction in new residential apartment construction, produced the survey.The survey included responses from Callahan-built residences in Malden, Chelsea, and Chelmsford, and asked residents to rate various topics (such as construction quality, noise level, value for money) on a scale from "very satisfied" to "very dissatisfied." It also allowed space for general comments or concerns.A resident of Chelmsford Woods Residences wrote "paint seems to strip off walls too easily. If there is a spot and it is washed, the paint comes off. Particularly, bathroom paint comes off." Another requested that they "use better quality materials so things last longer & don't break so quickly." Others complained that the windows are extremely drafty and poorly insulated, and one wrote that they had to sleep with ear plugs in every night due to noise.A resident of One North of Boston, in Chelsea, wrote that "building construction is cheap and does not protect from outside excessive noise."At 480 Main in Malden Square, residents complained again of excessive noise, writing "[for] the problem of noise, I can hear my neighbors snore..." and "[t]he walls are so thin and there is no sound-proofing, so I can hear my neighbors talk at 4am! Totally unsatisfied with this situation here." Another respondent wrote "and now they are talking of increasing rent...I am very dissatisfied..."Callahan's business model relies on undercutting legitimate bids by hiring subcontractors who illegally misclassify their workers as independent contractors. Some of Callahan's subcontractors also have a long record of lawsuits and safety violations. The survey results confirm that cutting corners impacts the final product in the case of these residences.via CallahanTruth.com and the New England Carpenters Union

Open Letter to President-elect Donald Trump from Jewish American Organizations

On November 18, 2016, the Jewish Labor Committee joined with other American Jewish organizations in sending the following joint letter to President-elect Donald Trump:

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Dear President-elect Trump,

We write on behalf of organizations representing hundreds of thousands of Jewish Americans deeply committed to the values that underpin our people's faith, our country's democracy and our relationship with the people and state of Israel. We wish to raise several serious concerns based on issues and events from the recent campaign.

For centuries, Jews have lived as minorities in the lands of other people. As Americans, we recognize how blessed we are to live in a land that respects religious liberty and works to guarantee freedom and opportunity for all. As Jews, we have been proud to help lead our nation's steady march to fulfill its founding promise that all people are created equal-a promise that echoes the biblical assertion that all human beings are equal creations in the divine image. We have played, and continue to play, a vital role in the process of perfecting our still-imperfect laws that guarantee life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all.

Based on our community's experience, we begin by strongly condemning the many instances of anti-Semitism - both subtle and overt - that appeared around your Presidential campaign. We have been deeply concerned by words and actions during the campaign that attacked and offended Americans on the basis of their gender, race, religion, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation. Expressions of xenophobia, Islamophobia, racism, misogyny and other forms of prejudice, in and around your campaign, threatened to undermine our nation's core values and to erode our people's shared sense of what it means to be an American.

As President, we expect that you will make it absolutely clear that you emphatically reject anti-Semitism in all forms, and that you are committed to ensuring the religious freedom that is at the heart of America's identity. Further, we call on you to forcefully and consistently reiterate our nation's commitment to respect the rights of all citizens and to fight discrimination in all of its ugly and un-American forms. All American citizens have the right to expect no less from our nation's highest elected leader.

Like you, American Jews are the descendants of immigrants. We believe that immigration and successful integration of newcomers into the fabric of American society has been key to our country's strength and prosperity. Because many of our families arrived in this country as refugees fleeing persecution-and because so many died when the borders closed, we are committed to defending our country's identity as a land of refuge.

As such, we will not support efforts to limit or foreclose access to this great country on the basis of a person's religious faith or country of origin. We also oppose efforts to punish those who have made and continue to make great contributions to our society, but who are here without the required documentation, often because of the near impossibility of securing a legal visa.

Finally, as Jewish Americans, we are committed to our country maintaining a strong relationship with the State of Israel - one that must be grounded in our shared values and shared interests. We, and an overwhelming majority of Jewish Americans, support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and an active role for the United States in achieving this vision. We expect the State of Israel to embody democratic principles, as enshrined by its Declaration of Independence and an active role for the United States in efforts to defend those principles.

We cannot support an abandonment of America's fundamental policies on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - which have been recognized as vital to American national interest and supported by Presidents of both parties for 50 years. We therefore have been alarmed by changes in the Republican Platform, as well as statements by your key advisors on Israel, which eliminate the goals of the two-state solution and creation of a Palestinian state living at peace with Israel.

As you prepare to take office, we call on you to commit to be a President for all Americans - including those who did not support you.

We call on you to be a President who protects all Americans, including and especially those in more vulnerable communities who, based on the tenor of the campaign we've just experienced and the upsurge in hate crimes, are increasingly afraid for themselves, their families and their children.

We call on you to protect the great traditions of our country that have been a beacon to "the huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

And we call on you to staff your administration with individuals who exhibit excellence and empathy, and a commitment to protecting the security, honor and dignity of all American regardless of religion, race, gender, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation. Your recent decision to appoint Stephen Bannon to the post of Senior Counselor and Strategist in the White House runs counter to these principles and should be rescinded for the sake of the American people and the honor of the government of the United States.

As you begin your term we are certain that you will find willing partners in the Jewish community to join with your administration if it follows a path that upholds and defends the principles of fairness, justice and freedom on which this country was built.

But, we will not stand idly by if you choose to take actions that violate human rights, or that reverse the progress we have made at home and abroad. You will find us as powerful opponents of any effort to undermine these gains.

With hope for cooperative activity to promote peace, justice, equality, we are sincerely,

AmeinuGideon Aronoff, CEO

Americans for Peace NowDebra DeLee, President

J StreetJeremy Ben-Ami, President

Jewish Labor CommitteeStuart Appelbaum, President

Hashomer HatzairAlexis Karpf, National Director

Habonim Dror North AmericaYasaf Warshai, National Director

National Council of Jewish WomenNancy K. Kaufman, CEO

New Israel FundDaniel Sokatch, CEO

Partners for Progressive IsraelMay Flam, Director of Operations & Development

The Workmen's CircleAnn Toback, Executive Director

T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human RightsRabbi Jill Jacobs, Executive Director

Uri L'Tzedek: The Orthodox Social Justice MovementRabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President

Click here to view original post on the national Jewish Labor Committee page.

In Our Care: Creating Community Protection in an Era of Uncertainty

First Report on Oral History Project of Domestic Workers and Employers of Domestic Workers

WHEN: Sunday, December 4, 3-6 PM

WHERE: 50 Milk Street, 14th Floor, Boston

Facebook event here. Please RSVP.

"In Our Care" is a community building series where we will discuss the future of domestic care in our lives and in our society. How does our view of domestic work/labor impact the way we all care for one another in society?

In a post-2016-election environment, domestic workers, many of whom are immigrants, are seeing an increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric, hate crimes, and proposed anti-immigrant policies. The fear and apprehension in our communities are real. On December 4th, in the first of our series on care, we will come together to begin to build relationships across the lines of immigration status to vision together, to resist division, and to create alternative models of safety and protection.

Background: Two years ago, Matahari Women Workers' Center and the New England Jewish Labor Committee embarked on an oral history project to honor the history and lived realities of those who do care work and receive care. We want to build a bridge between domestic workers and domestic employers and engage in shaping a future free from exploitation, where workers are respected, valued, and families have access to dignified care through all stages of life.

Please RSVP to the Facebook event or to NewEnglandJLC@jewishlabor.org. Email or call with questions: NewEnglandJLC@jewishlabor.org or 617 227-0888.

Action Alert! November 29 Fight for $15 National Day of Action

The Fight for $15 movement began four years ago to uplift low-wage, exploited workers in field predominated by women and people of color. It has already improved the lives of many families. During this post-election season, you can make a significant difference by standing up for a higher minimum wage.On Tuesday, November 29, local fast-food, airport, and other underpaid workers in over 330 cities are taking action in their largest protest yet to demand a $15 an hour minimum wage and the freedom to form a union for 64 million workers making poverty wages.Sign up today to join this historic day of action!

Please join us for any or all of the November 29 actions

• 6 AM Fast Food Strike and Picket
  • Location: Central Square McDonald's (463 Mass Ave, Cambridge)
• 11:30 AM Airport Workers Rally
  • Location: Memorial Park in East Boston (143 Porter St, Boston)
• 1 PM Jewish Community Meet-Up
  • Location: corner of Park St. and Beacon St. in Boston
  • Co-sponsored by JALSA, the Boston Workmen's Circle, the Moishe Kavod House, and the Harvard Progressive Jewish Alliance. Please email us if you would also like to co-sponsor this event.
• 1:30 PM  Raise Up Massachusetts Announcement
  • Location: State House (24 Beacon St, Boston)