For liberal Jews, the Trump presidency was a nightmare of regression that brought out the worst in America, fomenting hatred of every hue, magnifying fake news and setting back social justice for generations. For Jewish Trump supporters, it was a moment of glorious defeat of attempts to reshape this nation, a chance to make America great again by returning the country to an earlier iteration —and a boon to Bibi Netanyahu’s vision of Israel.
As we head into the 2024 election, how will Jewish voters cast their ballots? Will they repeat their rejection of Trump, who received only 24 percent of their votes in 2016 and an estimated 30 percent in 2020? Will the Gaza War and the dramatic rise in antisemitism change the calculus? And why are the answers so critically important for American Jews?
We will be joined by three experts in Jewish politics who will assess the electoral landscape and the surprises that might unfold over the coming year.
Panelist include:
Dr. Steven Windmueller, Professor Emeritus at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, where he taught contemporary political issues and American Jewish affairs. A fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, he is author of four books and served as editor of The Impact of the Presidency of Donald Trump on American Jewry and Israel (USC’s Casden Institute, Volume 19, published by Purdue University Press, 2021).
Professor Gilbert Kahn, Professor of Political Science, Kean University; Dr. Kahn’s contribution to the 2021 USC Casden Institute’s Annual volume explored Orthodox Jewish voters.
Melanie Roth Gorelick is CEO of Elluminate, a network of Jewish women working for equitable opportunities for women and girls and just society in the US, Israel and around the world. Former Senior Vice President of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, she has worked on women’s rights and social justice issues at numerous organizations, including UN Women, and founded the NJ Coalition on Human Trafficking.