Friend --
One year ago today, I was working from my apartment just blocks away from the US Capitol, helping to manage a webinar discussion panel with three Israeli experts about the then-upcoming fourth round of Israeli elections.
Twenty minutes into the call, I got a text from my mom: “Are you safe? Stay away from the Capitol.” As I quickly learned, pro-Trump insurrectionists had attacked the Capitol building in an attempt to stop the official certification of the 2020 election results. I looked out my window to see droves of far-right rioters making their way through our neighborhood on their way up Capitol Hill. What they targeted that day were the very foundations of our democracy -- the peaceful transfer of power and our collective freedom to choose our own leaders.
One year later, we know that the attack on our democracy isn’t over -- it’s ongoing. Powerful politicians and movements are openly working to suppress our right to vote, and preparing to subvert and overturn the results of future elections.
That’s why, with the theme of “Living Our Values, Defending Democracy,” J Street’s 2022 National Conference will bring together top lawmakers, activists, and experts to explore how we can best mobilize to take on and defeat the far-right, at home and abroad. And we need you there standing with us.
Can you register right now to join us at the National Conference, April 2-4? This year’s conference will be accessible both virtually and in-person in Washington, DC -- and we’ve extended our early-bird registration pricing until January 14 >>
On the anniversary of the attack on the Capitol, I’m proud to continue to work at an organization that is committed to fighting for our community’s democratic values, both in the US and in Israel/Palestine. I’m proud that J Street has challenged fellow pro-Israel groups to join us in a pledge to NEVER support a candidate or elected official who voted against certifying the 2020 election or otherwise supported Trump’s Big Lie.
As the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, I’ll never forget seeing insurrectionists with Nazi regalia marching 20 feet from my home. I’ll never forget locking myself in my apartment with my wife and dog on January 6, unsure in that moment whether we'd have to flee the city. I'll never forget how my wife did not leave the apartment for four days, and didn’t feel comfortable walking in our neighborhood after dark for three months.
Our community knows all too well where this horrifying brand of antidemocratic, ethno-nationalist politics can lead. Whether we see its impact in our own country, in Israel, or elsewhere around the world, we know we can never ignore or excuse it.
This April, we will have the opportunity to gather in DC, the city that I love, to showcase the strength of our movement, to demonstrate our resolve to fight back against the forces of hatred, and to stand up for the core democratic values -- peace, justice, freedom and equality -- that guide, inspire and protect us.
Whether virtually or in DC, I hope you will join us. Register today and take advantage of our early-bird conference pricing >>
Thank you,
Nathan Wolfson
Associate Digital Director
P.S. All in-person conference attendees will be required to provide proof of vaccination before attending. If we are ultimately unable to gather in Washington, DC due to current health data, the conference will continue virtually.
