Jews United for Democracy and Justice (JUDJ) is a broad cross-section of American Jews and others who stand together to safeguard the principles and foundations of our constitutional democracy.

Founded in the wake of the 2017 executive orders on immigration and refugees under the Trump administration, JUDJ is deeply concerned about rising threats to religious tolerance, equal rights, a free and fair press, human dignity, and long-held norms of decency and civil society.  We will speak out and take action when our shared Jewish and other religious values coupled with our deeply held commitment to our American democracy require us to counter those threats.

As Americans, we join together in support of the fundamental principles embedded in our nation’s Declaration of Independence and Constitution respecting “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and equal protection under the law. As Jews, and other people of faith, we also are guided by our tradition’s moral and historical imperative to defend the most vulnerable, including the refugee; the Bible commands us to love the stranger and condemns those who would deny them justice (Deut. 10:18, 27:19). In short, we are each called to connect our core values with the aspirations and needs of our neighbors of all backgrounds and creeds.