FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE — Nov. 18, 2019

CONTACT: Zak Witus, IfNotNow, zakwitus@gmail.com, (248) 930-6655

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 Young Jewish constituents call on Rep Jan Schakowsky to #DefundOccupation and Commit to the full IfNotNow 2020 Platform

CHICAGO — On Monday morning, November 18, young Jewish Chicagoans filled the lobby of Rep. Jan Schakowsky Chicago’s office asking her to use her power in Congress to defund the Israeli military occupation. 

This is part of a nationwide campaign by IfNotNow pressuring public officials to use their office to ensure no U.S. funds go to support the activities of the Israeli occupation, and follows a national gathering in Chicago of 75 IfNotNow leaders from across the country. 

The group of young Jews gathered in her office, singing songs and conducting the traditional Jewish morning prayer service, and presented the Congresswoman’s staff with the IfNotNow 2020 platform to secure her commitment. The staffers promised to pass the platform on to Rep. Schakowsky.

“We told Jan’s staff that as Jewish constituents we’re proud of her record as a champion for human rights and a moral leader in the Chicago Jewish community,” said 17-year-old Toby Straus of West Rogers Park,. “It was cold outside, but right now I’m fired up for her to join with young Jews in calling on the U.S. government to defund the Occupation.”

In recent months, Rep Schakowsky has called out Prime Minister Netanyahu’s racism and bigotry. She is a long-time J Street endorsee and has spoken out against the policies of the occupation, such as home demolitions. But many of her young Jewish constituents are asking her to put real, concrete action behind her anti-occupation rhetoric by committing to the IfNotNow 2020 platform. The platform, released last week, has two planks: defunding the Israeli occupation and standing up to antisemitism & white nationalism.

Every year the United States sends $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel, much of which helps perpetuate its brutal military occupation of Palestinian territories. Rep. Schakowsky has visited the occupied West Bank on congressional delegations in the past, where she saw first hand how the Israeli military, with U.S. backing, demolishes Palestinian homes while expanding its illegal settlements. Her constituents and IfNotNow members noted during the action that she knows better than most public officials the impact of defunding the occupation.

“Jewish Chicagoans are so proud of how Jan has confronted antisemitism and white nationalism in partnership with Representative Ilhan Omar. But we know that the forces threatening Jews are connected to the forces that threaten Palestinians — because the political establishment regularly uses baseless accusations of antisemitism to undermine legitimate criticism of Israel, obscuring the threat white nationalism poses to our community,” said Aviva Schwartz, a constituent of the 9th district, “Young Jews know that defunding the occupation is a Jewish moral imperative, and we want to see Jan to take this next bold step.”

Emily Mayer, IfNotNow’s political director, added: “Throughout the 2020 election cycle, we will be pressuring public officials throughout the country to ensure that U.S. funds do not support the brutality of the Israeli military occupation. We’ll also be rising up against white nationalism and antisemitism in the United States. We see progressive Jewish elected officials like Rep Schakowsky as key champions in both of these fights.”

Rep. Schakowsky’s young Jewish constituents asked for a meeting when she returns to the district in a few weeks, eager for the opportunity to discuss the IfNotNow 2020 platform in greater detail.