Overview

• More than 550 rabbis and cantors signed a letter organized by J Street and T’ruah, accusing the Trump administration of politicizing antisemitism to undermine democracy.
• The letter criticizes the administration’s immigration policies, including the revocation of over 1,200 international student visas, some of which are now being reinstated under legal pressure.
• Jewish leaders also oppose the $2.2 billion freeze in federal funding for Harvard, citing it as part of a broader assault on academic freedom and higher education.
• This follows a separate letter from HIAS signed by over 560 Jewish clergy condemning the administration's deportation campaigns as an “immoral use of the law.”
• The clergy emphasize the importance of combating antisemitism while rejecting its exploitation for authoritarian policies that harm vulnerable communities.