June 15, 2018
The theme for JAC's 7th Annual Power of Women Luncheon was See Something, Say Something, DO Something. The event focused on the need for us all to VOTE and end gun violence.
Great job by our Co-chairs Jacki Parmacek and Dana Gordon on a spectacular and successful luncheon.
Thank you to our Keynote Speakers, Fred Guttenberg, Sofie Whitney, Alex Wind, of Parkland, Florida. (l to r: Sofie Whitney, Jordana Comiter, Dana Gordon, Steve Wind, Fred Guttenberg, Jesse Guttenberg, Jennifer Guttenberg, Alex Wind, Jacki Parmacek)
JAC interns, led by Hollis Wein, helped make the Luncheon run smoothly. (l to r: Taylor Shuman, Naomi White, Lizzie Insoft, Hollis Wein, Sara Rosen, Taylor Bondy, Zoe Kaufman)
Last Monday, JAC held its annual Power of Women Luncheon in Chicago. Nearly 400 women (and a few men) attended the event. The theme, SEE SOMETHING. SAY SOMETHING. DO SOMETHING was a call to action to end gun violence by voting and supporting candidates who will stand up to the NRA.

Fred Guttenberg and Parkland students, Alex Wind and Sofie Whitney, joined us for an emotional and inspiring afternoon. Their courage and resiliency empowers all of us to take action. They cannot change this country alone. They need our help.

This November we have a chance to stop the NRA's hold on Congress. We need to send legislators to Washington, D.C. who will put our children's safety over the NRA's interests. We can only do this if we VOTE, and if we get all our friends and family to vote.

"It's not fair," said Sofie Whitney. "Our politicians haven't been taking action. Politicians have loyalty to the NRA that secedes their loyalty to their constituents. Voting them out is the only way to get anything done."

Every member of Congress votes on every issue. If you can't vote them out, then fund them out. Your donation to JAC and our candidates helps us elect candidates from across the country, who will fight to end gun violence by passing common sense gun safety laws.

"Gun violence can happen anywhere. We can't stand on the sidelines and be complacent,"  said Fred Guttenberg. "We will break the gun lobby and we will win."

Watch and share our JAC video on gun violence. Then urge your friends and family to get involved. Join JAC. Donate to JAC-endorsed candidates.
And vote.  
JAC's 2018 Video - #Enough


We need to stand up and DO SOMETHING now. Tomorrow may be too late.

Elections matter. Elections have consequences.

TAKE ACTION

  
Donald Trump wants to deregulate the export of assault weapons and other powerful firearms by moving export licenses from the Department of State to the Department of Commerce. The NRA and gun industry have pushed hard for these changes to increase international gun sales. This change would: 
  • Allow more U.S. guns to fall into the hands of criminal organizations, human rights abusers, and terrorist groups across the world
  • Weaken control over exports of semi-automatic assault weapons
  • Increase export of U.S. guns and ammunition globally
  • Roll back controls on gun imports
  • Eliminate Congressional oversight for important gun export deals
Make your voice heard now. Tell the State and Commerce Departments we object to the loosening of these regulations and the endangerment of lives around the world.  
 
Click below and add your comment in opposition.  
 
 
Sample text:
  "Do not make the export of assault weapons easier. The export of firearms should be subject to more controls, not  less." 
 
Comment period ends July 9th. 
 
#ENOUGH #StopTheViolence #GunSense

ISRAEL
Nikki Haley Scolds UN General Assembly for Anti-Israel Resolution
 
The United States UN Ambassador Nikki Haley reprimanded members of the General Assembly as the body convened to vote on a resolution condemning Israel for violence that has gripped the Gaza border in recent weeks. "This resolution blames everything on Israel," Haley said in her remarks, adding that "it does not even mention Hamas."  
Trump Team Seeks to Avoid 'Dead on Arrival' Peace Plan

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is engaged in an internal debate over the timing and method of launching its Middle East peace plan, concerned their proposals may be "dead on arrival" if they proceed with haste. Israeli government officials originally anticipated the U.S. plan would land this summer, but White House officials have not yet settled on that time frame and may delay its rollout into the fall or even beyond.  
Israel Claims 200 Attacks Predicted, Prevented with Data Tech   

Israeli authorities have foiled over 200 Palestinian attacks by monitoring social media and sifting through vast amounts of data to identify prospective assailants ahead of time, according to Israel's public security minister. These preemptive actions put Israel at the forefront of an increasingly popular -- and controversial -- trend used by intelligence and law enforcement agencies around the world that use big data technology to track would-be criminals.  
ANTI-SEMITISM & BDS
Virginia Republicans Nominate Senate Candidate with Anti-Semitic Ties
 
Corey Stewart, a politician connected to neo-Confederates, the "alt-right" and a well-known anti-Semite, is the Republican nominee for Senate in Virginia. The Republican establishment battled hard to thwart Stewart in the three-way primary race Tuesday to decide who faces Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine in November, backing State Delegate Nick Freitas. Stewart is seen as unlikely to unseat Kaine, who is popular in the state.
CHOICE
The 8th Circuit Strategy: How Abortion Foes Are Lining up Cases to Challenge Roe

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out a lower court ruling that let a pregnant illegal immigrant minor held in federal immigration custody obtain an abortion last year at age 17 over the objections of President Donald Trump's administration. A 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalized abortion nationwide. One of the issues raised by the current case is whether illegal immigrant women have the same right to an abortion as American citizens and legal residents.
Midwest Has Fewest Abortion Clinics per Woman Than Any Other Region, Study Says
 
The Midwest has fewer abortion clinics than any other region in the United States based on the population of women of child-bearing age, according to recent research from the University of California, San Francisco. The report comes amid increasing reproductive rights restrictions in various states as well as on the national level, most recently a Trump administration plan outlined earlier this month that would curb federal funding to family planning programs that provide abortions or refer for abortions.
In Growing Number of States, Women Seeking Abortions Face the Problem of Where to Go
 
The legal restrictions for getting an abortion in certain states are getting tighter and tighter, but new laws aren't the only obstacle women face when they are looking to end a pregnancy. Across the country, there are simply fewer places for them to go. Iowa, Louisiana, and Arkansas are three states where multiple abortion clinics have closed in recent years, and now those states are also rolling out new laws shortening the time frame that women have to seek legal abortions.
SEPARATION
Sessions Announces Initiative on Zoning Regulations for Religious Institutions

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an initiative aimed at boosting the Justice Department's role protecting religious institutions from cumbersome zoning rules. The initiative marked another step by Sessions to steer the power of the department toward religious organizations and individuals. Last fall, Sessions announced sweeping guidance on 'religious liberty' protections.     
DOJ Cites Bible in Defense of Breaking up Families, Blames Migrant Parents

Attorney General Jeff Sessions offered a full-throated defense of the Trump administration's policy of separating children from their parents at the border, saying that having kids does not give migrants immunity from prosecution - and found justification for his policies in the Bible. 
BEYOND THE CORE
America's Doctors Call for Strongest Gun Control Measures to Date

Frustrated with a lack of action on gun control by the country's lawmakers, the American Medical Association adopted a series of sweeping policies aimed at preventing gun violence during its annual meeting. The country's largest physicians group voted to support nearly a dozen policies including: A call for banning all assault-type weapons, bump stocks and related devices, high-capacity magazines and armor-piercing bullets; and opposing the arming of teachers in schools and keeping schools gun-free zones.
Disney Faces Pulse, Parkland Protest for Support of 'NRA Sellout' Putnam

Survivors of the mass shootings at Pulse nightclub and Parkland are planning to pressure Walt Disney Co. to withdraw its support of self-described "NRA sellout" Adam Putnam by holding a "die-in" at a Disney property sometime this month. Putnam labeled himself a "proud #NRAsellout" on Twitter. A government agency he was responsible for failed to adequately process background checks of concealed carry permit applicants.
Scott Pruitt's Anti-Choice, Anti-Environment Protégé Is About to Become a Federal Judge

At 37 and with little more than a year of experience on the bench, if confirmed, Patrick Wyrick would be the youngest federal judge of the 42 so far confirmed under Trump. The Senate Judiciary committee approved his nomination, now sending it to the full Senate for a vote. Wyrick is also on the president's shortlist for the Supreme Court. He would be the youngest Supreme Court justice in modern history by a long shot (a few early justices were younger). Wyrick's record is in line with the administration's goals of rolling back reproductive rights and ending environmental protections. 
POLITICAL BYTE
3 Key Takeaways from Tuesday's Primary Results
  
For many years, Republican voters in Virginia's affluent and highly educated Washington suburbs tended to reward mainstream candidates who could be competitive in the general election. But on Tuesday, it was Fairfax County, the population hub of the region, that delivered victory for Corey Stewart, the flame-throwing Trump acolyte who has won national attention with his paeans to Confederate emblems.
Mark Sanford's Primary Loss Shows the Peril of Crossing Trump
 
Mark Sanford survived the fallout from his "hike" on the Appalachian Trail, but he couldn't survive the backlash to his past criticisms of President Trump. His upset is the latest proof point that personal loyalty to Trump has become a litmus test in the GOP for anyone seeking public office. Sanford's defeat will likely have a chilling effect going forward that deters GOP lawmakers who might otherwise be inclined to publicly speak out about Trump's policy pronouncements or controversies of a more personal nature.
26 Jewish Groups Sign Letter Condemning Policy That Separates Children from Migrant Parents
 
Twenty-six Jewish groups signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen opposing the government policy of separating children from their migrant parents. The letter, which was organized by the Anti-Defamation League, calls the policy "unconscionable."
Continued Reading 
FYI
All 36 Jewish Things That Happened at the Tony Awards
 
Mein damen und herren. Citizens of River City. Momsies and popsicles. And all people who want to succeed in business without really trying. Attend this tale - Sunday night was the 72nd annual Tony Awards ceremony. Don your singing  kippah  and let's start at the very beginning. After all, it's a very good place to start. 
Miss Iraq Meets Miss Israel... in Jerusalem
 
For several months in 2017, Miss Irag, Sarah Idan, was celebrated across Iraq for her beauty and grace as the Miss Iraq winner. But by the end of the year, she and her family were no longer welcome in the country after death threats following her selfie with Miss Israel, Adar Gandelsman. Now they are reuniting in Jerusalem. 
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.

The LA chapter's first event hosted Elissa Slotkin, candidate for the U.S. House in Michigan's 8th district on June 10th. Watch for more events.
 
JAC II LA co-hosts Rachel Levy and Brian Kurtzman with Elissa Slotkin at event in Los Angeles.

Chicago's chapter will host a happy hour Monday, June 18th at Townhouse Restaurant & Wine Bar beginning at 6:00 pm. Come get to know the local group, networks, and discuss current events over drinks. Feel free to invite friends. Contact the JAC office for more information and to RSVP.

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
"Common sense gun safety is not partisan. It is not Democratic nor Republican. It is not red nor blue. It's life and death."  

Fred Guttenberg, gun safety activist
and father of slain Parkland student Jaime Guttenberg
    
JAC II Chicago
Happy Hour
Monday, June 16
6:00 pm
Townhouse Restaurant & Wine Bar
111 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago 
__________________________________   
 
Reception & Comedy Show Honoring
U.S. Senator
Tim Kaine (D-VA) 
Friday, July 13
5:00 pm
Highland Park, IL
Click here for details or call the JAC office:
847.433.5999

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 contributed to JACPAC. 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.