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Bend the Arc

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Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice is a progressive Jewish political organization that blends advocacy, community organizing, and leadership training.[1][2] The organization advocates for a more equal and just society, focusing strictly on domestic issues. Bend the Arc does not deal with issues related to Israel.[3][4]

Positions

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Bend the Arc has been noted for its work protesting the policies of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.[3][5] Leaders of the organizations have argued that Trump has emboldened white nationalism, and disrupted an October 2019 speech by Trump in Pittsburgh by chanting "Trump Endangered Jews."[6][7][8]

According to a profile of the group published by Tablet Magazine, they claim "to speak for American Jewry," though Bend the Arc spokesperson Logan Smith admits the group has "no active dues-paying members who participate in the shaping of their agenda."[9]

Leadership

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Stosh Cotler became Bend the Arc's Executive Vice President in 2011 and CEO in 2014.[2] When Cotler became CEO, The Forward noted that she was "one of the few women leading a national Jewish group of its size."[10]

History

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The Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA) was founded in 1999 by Douglas Mirell, Steven Kaplan and Joan Patsy Ostroy, after the closure of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Jewish Congress.[11] They sought to assert a Jewish interest in the campaigns for social justice in Southern California, which has the United States' second largest Jewish population.[11] Progressive Jewish Alliance expanded in February 2005 by opening a San Francisco Bay Area chapter. The PJA stated goals are social justice, judicial reform, and improved working conditions. They also try to facilitate dialogue between non-violent young offenders and their victims and between Jews and Muslims.

PJA ran the Jeremiah Fellowship, which trains young Jews to be future social justice leaders. In addition, the PJA conducted education programs and quarterly holiday events on the intersection of art, culture and politics.

On June 1, 2011, the Progressive Jewish Alliance merged with Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), and the consolidated group adopted the name Bend the Arc in 2012.[12][13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Dashefsky, Arnold; Sheskin, Ira M. (2016-02-03). American Jewish Year Book 2015: The Annual Record of the North American Jewish Communities. Springer. ISBN 9783319245058.
  2. ^ a b "Stosh Cotler | Jewish Women's Archive". jwa.org. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  3. ^ a b Gruskin, Rachel Fayne (2017-01-12). "Bend the Arc Seeks Solidarity". Atlanta Jewish Times. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  4. ^ Stein, Sam (2012-07-18). "Jewish Advocacy Group Launches PAC To Take Heat Off Israel". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  5. ^ "Building A Nationwide Jewish Resistance". The Forward. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  6. ^ JTA. "14 Jewish activists arrested protesting Trump visit to Pittsburgh". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  7. ^ Phillips, Aleks. "Activists heckle 'Trump endangers Jews' during president's speech in Pittsburgh". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  8. ^ Palmer, Ewan (2019-10-24). "Jewish protesters explain why they disrupted Trump's Pittsburgh speech, blast president's "ugly rhetoric and policies of fear"". Newsweek. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  9. ^ "Bending the Jews". Tablet Magazine. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  10. ^ Wiener, Julie (January 10, 2014). "Bend the Arc Leader Stosh Cotler Has Radical Streak — and Black Belt". The Forward. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  11. ^ a b Cohen, Aryeh (2007). "Progressive Jewish Alliance Ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik. Detroit: , 2007. 544. Gale Virtual Reference Library.". Encyclopaedia Judaica. Macmillan Reference USA, 2nd ed. Vol. 16. p. 544. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Merged social justice groups become Bend the Arc". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  13. ^ Freedman, Samuel G. (2005), "Muslim Woman Bridges Faiths to Advance Progressive Goals", New York Times: A21, retrieved 2014-05-04
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