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The Unraveling of American Jewish Influence and Security
(Los Angeles Jewish Journal) Dr. Steven Windmueller - For 70 years, 1948-2018, American Jews experienced a period of political access, social influence, and winnable outcomes, but have now begun to see the unraveling of our influence and security. Why is it happening? When a minority is perceived to be excessively successful, there is often a counter-response by its opponents to minimize the community's influence and impact. This is the moment in which we find ourselves now. We suddenly understand that the power and influence we believed we held may have been a sad illusion or provided only a temporary interlude. Our place at the table is disappearing. We are being politically erased. A Dec. 2023 Harvard CAPS-Harris poll found that 2/3 of voters between the ages of 18 and 24 believe Jews as a class are oppressors and should be treated that way. For American Jewry, our growing discomfort with the rhetoric of antisemitic hate and our increasing sense of political homelessness will require us to redefine our contract with America. The writer, Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Service at HUC-JIR, Los Angeles, is a Fellow of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.