Friends,

It’s official – Donald Trump is once again the President of the United States of America.

Yesterday, Jeremy shared some reflections on the new chapter we’re entering, namely that while we don’t yet know what this era will hold, our mission is clear: Working to shape the best possible outcomes in the Middle East and here at home.

You can count on us to give voice to your values, push back against those seeking to speak for us as we strategically advocate for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and hold the Trump Administration accountable for any extremist actions it may take.

I know that after everything that’s happened, watching President Trump walk back into the Oval Office is a punch to the gut. We’re all feeling it, too. But I also know that the best way to deal with that pain is to channel it into action. Will you join us in doing so by pitching in a grassroots contribution to help fund J Street’s work?

As the new administration begins, our team will be focused on:

➡️ Ensuring that the long-overdue ceasefire and hostage release plan holds and is built upon. Hostage families have had their hopes crushed too many times, and two million civilians in Gaza are struggling to survive intolerable conditions in a war they didn’t start and have no capacity to end.

➡️ Engaging with pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy leaders – from the halls of Congress, to campuses, to synagogues – to continue building our influence and transforming the harmful politics of Israel-Palestine within the Democratic Party and beyond. Our movement will continue to show that being pro-Israel means advocating for an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict and a better future for all.

➡️ Laying important groundwork to defeat the MAGA majorities in the House and the Senate by re-electing incumbent leaders who’ve earned our endorsement as well as lifting up challenger candidates that are aligned with our mission and truly responsive to the needs of their communities. They’ll need early support to build strong campaigns, so waiting until 2026 will be too late! Expect to hear more from Tali, our National Political Director, in the coming months.

A donation of $18, $36 or $90 – or any other amount – would go a long way in helping to bring these plans to life.

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Friends, I’ll be honest with you: The next four years won’t be easy. As Jeremy’s mantra for the next four years goes, we’ll advance where we can and defend where we must. J Street is clear-eyed and ready to take on this challenge, and we hope you’ll stand alongside us as we do.

Thank you, sincerely, for being a part of this movement.

In it together,

Adina Vogel Ayalon
Vice President and Chief of Staff, J Street

PS. If you haven’t had a chance to read Jeremy’s note from yesterday, don’t miss it! I’ve included it for you below.

Friends,

Tomorrow, J Streeters will watch – most of us with deep concern and some in disbelief – as Donald Trump takes the oath of office for the second time.

A man who has shown such contempt for our values, our democracy and our freedoms will once again be entrusted with upholding and defending them.

We cannot know what this new era will bring, but we do know that to bring about the future we want to see in the United States, in Israel and in Palestine, we will need to work, engage and at times fight as hard as we ever have.

First and foremost, we must ensure that the long-overdue ceasefire and hostage release agreement that we warmly welcome as it goes into effect today, holds and is built upon.

Hostage families have had their hopes crushed too many times before. Two million civilians in Gaza are struggling to survive in intolerable conditions in a war they did not start and have no capacity to end. Families and communities in both Gaza and Israel’s south need to rebuild and heal.

If reporting is correct, the incoming Trump Administration has already shown greater willingness to use US leverage to end this war. We must ensure they continue to do so, and are not manipulated or distracted by extremists baying for the deal to implode.

Longer term, we must be clear. No Hamas 2.0. No settlements in Gaza. No annexation.

Instead, we must make the case to a president who fancies himself as a “Dealmaker in Chief” worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize that there is a true “Deal of the Century” to be had – one that none of his predecessors proved capable of landing. We call it the 23-state solution, and you can read about it on Word on the Street.

To prevent a return to this horrific, politically damaging conflict, the US will need to press the Palestinian Authority to reform, Israel to accept a demilitarized Palestinian state, and every country in the region to normalize relations with Israel and put up the resources to secure and rebuild Gaza.

Only a US president wielding dealmaking and diplomacy – not a blank check for bombs and settlements – can ensure that this new temporary calm is made permanent, and deliver peace, freedom and safety for all.

Donald Trump can do this and – if he does – we will support those efforts.

In parallel, here at home, we will remain fully committed to confronting both the clear long and short-term threats emerging to our democratic freedoms.

The authoritarian streak running through the MAGA movement has clear contempt for checks and balances. Project 2025, the guidebook to the new administration, outlines an alarming blueprint we must be ready to press back against.

And, as President Biden also warned in his final address, “an oligarchy” of “extreme wealth, power and influence” also threatens our democracy.

We must confront these threats in tandem: Protect our institutions while recognizing the need to reform them.

Pro-democracy forces in this country have to convince our fellow Americans that our democratic freedoms are essential to protect us from those who seek unchecked power and ill-gained profit. And to do that, our institutions will need to change and evolve to ensure they deliver for everyday people and meet the challenges of the 21st century.

We must also confront the streams of unchecked money that distort our politics and our policy on every issue, including Israel-Palestine.

In Israel too, we know the fight to protect the country’s democratic future is far from over. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israelis fighting to stop the right-wing’s judicial coup and their relentless march toward endless settlements, occupation and annexation.

Through this all, we will stand by our values and our people.

We must continue to confront the alarming embrace of antisemitism, white nationalism and outright racism by too many leaders in this country – and its proliferation online. We will oppose those whose critiques of Israeli government policy veer into broader prejudice and antisemitism.

We will stand in solidarity with marginalized groups being targeted for political gain in today’s horrific culture wars and expose and resist those seeking to gain power through division.

We cannot know what the next four years will bring, but we do know that our mission is clear:

• To uphold and defend our democratic freedoms and values as best we can.
• To press forward – however and wherever possible – for a future that brings security, freedom and peace to Israelis, Palestinians and Americans alike.
• To stand in solidarity with all those unduly targeted or endangered in this divisive political environment.

Friends, I’m so grateful to have you with us in this fight.

Yours,

Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street