"Donald Trump, who announced he was running with attacks on Mexican immigrants and Muslims, and who throughout his campaign has doubled down on his life-long habits of denigrating people of color and women, has now made antisemitic tropes a central theme of his final closing argument. The images and language in the ad are familiar to anyone with even a passing familiarity with antisemitic conspiracy theories, and you can be sure they are well understood by the alt-right movement and white supremacists this campaign has supported and enabled.

"This ad alone, to say nothing of the months of xenophobic, misogynistic, racist and now antisemitic behavior that have surrounded Trump's campaign, should give all Jewish supporters of Trump pause, regardless of party affiliations. We have seen this playbook before, and we know where it leads. It has long since proved pointless to demand an apology from Donald Trump. But it is not too late for Jewish organizations, such as the Republican Jewish Coalition, who have supported or tolerated Trump's candidacy to get on the right side of history. Trump's campaign has been deeply antithetical to Jewish values since it began, and the continued silence of these institutions is an unacceptable assent to hate. In these closing days, we hope all American Jews will join us in our campaign to stop Trump."

Bend the Arc Jewish Action has been a leader in the Jewish community's work to combat the extremism and bigotry seen in this year's presidential race. Last week, Bend the Arc Jewish Action organized a massive 'Let My People GOTV' initiative to mobilize voters in the critical swing states of Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In September, Bend the Arc Jewish Action organized an anti-Trump 'Book of Life' Day of Action in the spirit of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). In June, Bend the Arc Jewish Action organized a series of anti-Trump Vigils Against Violence in 50 cities. Bend the Arc Jewish Action also strongly denounced Trump's plan to start a government registry of Muslims last fall and called on the Trump campaign's chief Jewish supporter – the Republican Jewish Coalition – to rescind its endorsement. Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice also launched a televised campaign, "Heard it Before," comparing anti-immigrant rhetoric in the presidential campaign to what Jewish immigrants faced a century ago. To date, 30,000 American Jews have signed petitions denouncing Trump and joined Bend the Arc Jewish Action's effort to defeat his campaign.

For more information about Bend the Arc Jewish Action's work to oppose Trump, visit www.weveseenthisbefore.org, or contact Elliot Levy at [email protected] or 202-800-7409.

Campaign: We've Seen This Before

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