Growing up in Des Moines and later in Northern Arizona, Judaism was something I carried—quietly, sincerely—but not always something I felt held by. I knew the rhythms of small Jewish communities, and I met families whose histories echoed parts of my own. Still, I often felt adjacent to the community rather than fully part of it.

That changed because of people—mentors in Chicago who opened doors, and a trip to Israel more than twenty years ago that didn’t just educate me, but connected me. It made Jewish peoplehood and Jewish faith feel immediate, demanding, and alive.

Since then, my Judaism has been anchored in תִּיקּוּן עוֹלָם (tikkun olam)—repairing the world. I’ve tried to live that obligation in practical ways, including volunteering with Jewish organizations like UJA to help implement software that supports food distribution across New York City. And it’s those experiences—serving alongside others, seeing need up close, building tools that help— that have helped shape what I fight for: lasting peace in the Middle East, environmental justice, immigrant rights, and serious investment in underserved communities. That tradition teaches that safety, dignity, and belonging are not privileges for a few, but rights for everyone. Fighting antisemitism is therefore both deeply personal and profoundly American: we must protect Jewish communities, confront hatred wherever it appears, and strengthen the democratic values that make pluralism possible.

Goals

• Prevent antisemitism through education and early intervention

• Protect people and institutions from threats and violence

• Enforce civil rights with clear standards and accountability

• Lead globally against antisemitism as a human-rights and security issue

• Defend free speech while stopping discrimination, harassment, and violence

Domestic Actions + Global Leadership

1) No Taxpayer Dollars for Antisemitic Discrimination or Incitement

• Prohibit federal grants/contracts/assistance to domestic or foreign entities that:

  • Discriminate against Jews in services, employment, admissions, or programming; or

  • Promote, facilitate, or materially support antisemitic violence or targeted harassment.

• Require clear evidence standards, notice, and an appeals process to prevent politicized enforcement.

• Focus on conduct and discrimination, not protected speech.

2) Education That Inoculates Against Hate and Conspiracies

• Tie federal education funding to age-appropriate instruction on:

  • History of antisemitism (global + U.S.), Jewish history/culture, the Holocaust, modern antisemitism, and media literacy.

• Fund teacher training and model curriculum tools with credible partners.

• Encourage adoption across private schools through funding-linked standards and incentives.

3) Strong Civil-Rights Enforcement in Education (Title VI Clarity)

• Codify Title VI applicability to antisemitic discrimination (where based on shared ancestry/ethnic characteristics).

• Require minimum institutional standards:

  • Timely investigations, interim protections, written findings, transparent reporting channels.

• Use a compliance “ramp”: corrective action first, escalating penalties for repeated or willful failures.

• Maintain a bright line: harassment/exclusion vs. protected expression.

4) Protect Jewish Institutions: Expand Security Grants

• Expand and sustain FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program and simplify access for smaller congregations and community orgs.

• Prioritize high-impact measures: access control, cameras, barriers, cyber/communications hardening, and safety training.

• Improve coordination with local law enforcement without over-policing community life.

5) Better Data, Better Response, Better Support for Victims

• Improve uniform reporting and fund implementation of national hate-crime reporting improvements.

• Strengthen federal support for state/local reporting systems, hotlines, and victim navigation services.

• Incentivize complete, accurate reporting and publish regular public dashboards on trends and outcomes.

6) Training Across Federal Law Enforcement, Military, and Veteran-Facing Systems

• Expand mandatory, evidence-based antisemitism training for:

  • Federal law enforcement, relevant DOJ-funded task forces, military leadership pipelines, and veteran-facing systems.

• Standardize protocols to identify threats, respond to incidents, and prevent insider radicalization.

International Leadership

• Strengthen State Department monitoring and coordination to counter antisemitism globally.

• Integrate antisemitism prevention into diplomacy, security cooperation, and rule-of-law assistance.

• Use targeted tools—visa restrictions, sanctions, and conditionality—against actors tied to antisemitic violence or state-tolerated incitement.

What Success Looks Like

• More institutions secured; faster security grants; fewer attacks and threats.

• Higher-quality hate incident reporting; fewer “zero-reporting” jurisdictions.

• Clearer school compliance processes; faster, fairer resolution of discrimination complaints.

• Measurable training completion across federal agencies and improved response outcomes.