December 7 , 2018
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Thank you to Mark Mellman of The Mellman Group, a renown pollster, for joining us for Talking Points to provide analysis on the 2018 election and what that could mean for 2020. And special thanks to Lisa Lavin for hosting us.
Great turn out for Talking Points this week with special guest Mark Mellman.
JAC members came out to a special lunchtime Talking Points to discuss the Jewish vote and the outcome on the 2018 election. (l to r: Laura Gold, Julie Dann, Lois Morris, Karyn Lev, Jacki Parmacek)

It is no secret that Iran is committed to destroying Israel. Iran is seeking to create a terrorist base along Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Recent reports that Hezbollah is digging tunnels from Lebanon into Israel is creating great concern for Israel.

The U.S., the European Union and other states have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Hezbollah's sole purpose is to inflict violence on Israel's citizens and destabilize the region.
 
We stand with Israel in defending its country from these tunnel threats which constitute a flagrant and severe violation of Israeli sovereignty. Israel has a right to self-defense from Hamas and any other foreign attacks.

Thanks to bipartisan support for Israel the 2019 budget included $3.3 billion in funding to Israel, as well as $705 million for its state-of-the art Iron-Dome Missile Defense System. The Iron Dome has stopped thousands of missiles fired into Israel since it was first deployed in 2011. That budget also included funding to help Israel establish anti-tunneling technology.

The 116th Congress, which will begin in January, will have nine new Senators and 93 new House members. They are coming to Congress with varying familiarity with Israel. Some have never even visited Israel.

If the steadfast, close relationship between Israel and the U.S. is to continue, it must have support across the board in Congress. These new members are key to perpetuating the U.S.-Israel bond. The better informed they are about Israel, the deeper understanding and appreciation they will have for one of our country's most significant allies.

Besides working to elect candidates who are committed to the U.S.-Israel relationship, JAC also maintains an ongoing dialogue with those we help elect. You can help us with this mission too. When you see or communicate with your elected officials, talk about Israel. Share with them your personal experiences. Let them know why you feel the U.S.-Israel bond is special and critical to our national interests as well.

Join JAC Tuesday, March 12 thru Thursday, March 14, 2019 in Washington, DC for our annual meeting. This a unique opportunity to visit in small intimate groups with Members of Congress to discuss Israel and other important issues.

Let your voice be heard.

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Do you know a high school or college student who would like to intern at JAC during the school year or next summer? Call the JAC office at 847.433.5999 about opportunities.

ISRAEL
U.N. Security Council to Meet on Hezbollah Tunnels  
  
The UN Security Council will hold a meeting in the coming days on the uncovering of Hezbollah terror tunnels that have penetrated into Israel. Israel's Ambassador Danny Danon said the meeting will deal with Hezbollah's infringement of Israeli sovereignty, as well as the violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 from 2006 that called for southern Lebanon - the area from the Litani River to the border with Israel - to be free of foreign forces.  
Continued Reading

ANTI-SEMITISM & BDS
UN General Assembly Approves 6 Anti-Israel Resolutions 
 
The United Nations General Assembly approved six anti-Israel resolutions, including two that reject Jewish ties to the Temple Mount and Jerusalem.
The Temple Mount is widely believed to be the location of the two ancient Jewish temples, which stood on the site in Jerusalem's Old City for a total of nearly a thousand years.  
Continued Reading

CHOICE
The Abortion Fight Is About to Move from Congress to the White House

As Democrats prepare to take over the U.S. House of Representatives, abortion foes are shifting their efforts to a friendlier branch of government: the Trump administration. Specifically, abortion opponents are targeting the Title X program, which provides federal funding for family planning services for low-income Americans.  
Continued Reading

SEPARATION
Several States Pass Laws Authorizing 'in God We Trust' Motto in Schools and Other Public Buildings 

Public schools could provide a new legal battleground on religion in public venues as more states pass laws authorizing the posting of "In God We Trust" in public schools. Seven states passed laws this year requiring or permitting schools and other public buildings to post "In God We Trust. Arizona, meanwhile, allowed schools this year to post the state's motto, "God Enriches."
Continued Reading

BEYOND THE CORE
Appeals Court Upholds NJ Ban on High-Capacity Magazines

A federal appeals court ruled that a New Jersey law banning the sale of high-capacity magazines in the state does not violate the Constitution, handing a victory to gun control advocates and the state's attorney general. The three-judge panel said in their ruling that the law limiting the size of a magazine to 10 rounds did not violate the constitutionally protected right of New Jersey residents to self defense and did not present an undue burden for gun owners who currently own magazines that would become illegal under the new law.  
Continued Reading



POLITICAL BYTE
Pro-Choice Caucus Preps for Democratic Majority
  
An influential House caucus hopes to use the Democrats' majority next year to counteract Republican efforts to restrict abortion and family planning, although the group still faces an uphill battle against a Republican Senate and administration with strong ties to the anti-abortion lobby. 
FYI
NFL Player Honors Israel on His Cleats After 'Life-Changing' Trip
 
One player in the National Football League was so moved by a trip to Israel in March, that he dedicated his cleats to Israel and the group that brought him there. Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce chose "Israel Collective" to be featured on his blue-and-white cleats for the NFL's "My Cause, My Cleats" campaign. "Israel Collective has been a life-changing thing for me," Pierce said. "Having the Israel flag in front and center was paramount for me. I needed that to be right where it is."
JAC II
Introducing JACII, a JAC group for young professionals, advocates, and those young at heart who are looking to get involved. Groups have started in Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Events will feature elected officials and speakers in lively settings. JACII is by and for young people. Now is the perfect time to get involved.

Know someone who would be interested in joining or hosting a meeting? Let us know at [email protected]. We will be happy to help organize a JACII in your city.
The Last Word
"We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood, and town better than he found it."
 
 

- Former President George W. Bush eulogizing his father, former President George H. W. Bush 
    
 
Save the Date!
Join JAC in Washington, D.C. for our  
Annual Conference
March 12-14
More information to follow.
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(Want to host a JAC event? Contact the office and we will help organize it. 847.433.5999 or [email protected]) 
Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC) is a pro-Israel PAC with a domestic agenda. We support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and advocate for reproductive health and the separation of religion and state and incorporate other issues of importance to the Jewish community, including gun violence prevention and climate change. In addition to providing financial support for U.S. Senate and House campaigns, JACPAC educates our membership with outreach events designed to inform and activate their participation in the political process.
Federal law requires political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation and employer for each individual who contributes over $200 in a calendar year. Maximum contribution per person may not exceed $5,000 per calendar year. According to law, JACPAC cannot accept corporate contributions. Membership, gifts, or other payments to JACPAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.