Alienation of Jews in progressive spaces

For much of modern political history, Jewish voters have strongly supported progressive candidates and policies. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, Jews are among the most consistently liberal voters in the country, with over 70% of American Jews identifying as Democrats.

Yet recently, specifically since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, progressives seem to be sending the message that they don’t welcome Jews in their circles anymore. Jewish voters feel abandoned, especially in Minneapolis, where progressives are adopting a narrative that consistently and unapologetically endorses anti-Jewish movements and sentiments.

The latest offense comes from a usual suspect- Ward 2 Councilmember Robin Wonsley, who has become one of the DSA’s (Democratic Socialists of America) leading voices in recent years. Wonsley has a record of supporting staunch anti-Israel groups and policies. In January, she spearheaded a controversial ceasefire resolution, blatantly ignoring Jewish community leaders who identified the resolution as inflammatory and anti-Semitic. After it passed, she then went on to celebrate with hundreds of anti-Israel protestors, chanting the anti-Semitic “From the river to the sea” chant.

Now, she’s seemingly trying to compete with Rep. Ilhan Omar’s otherwise untouched anti-Semitic resume. On Oct. 21, dozens of pro-Palestine protestors at the University of Minnesota broke into and barricaded Morill Hall. They harassed the University employees who were in the building, essentially holding them captive. The University of Minnesota Police Department arrested 11 of the protesters for their illegal actions. After law enforcement cleared the area, Wonsley released a statement calling for the release of the protestors, saying their demands to divest from Israel were “reasonable,” and that the protest was “non-violent.”

It should be worth noting that this is the first public statement made on Wonsley’s X account since May 31. For Wonsley, stepping in to advocate for violent protestors was clearly of utmost importance for her. These student protests, which have swelled in intensity and frequency since the Oct. 7 attacks, are completely saturated with anti-Semitic rhetoric. Jewish students in colleges across the country have reported calls to “go back to Poland” and physical assault from anti-Israel demonstrators. Just two weeks previous to the Morris Hall incident, on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, anti-Israel protesters stationed themselves outside of the University of Minnesota Hillel building, intimidating Jewish students who were attending a memorial for the 1,200 victims who were brutally tortured and killed at the hands of Hamas terrorists. While she’s radio silent about the ballooning antisemitism on campus, Wonsley is quick to come to the defense of the perpetrators.

Wonsley isn’t the only one, though. Minneapolis progressives, led by Rep. Omar, have completely normalized inflammatory and dangerous rhetoric toward Jewish people. Last spring, Omar identified Jewish students as either being pro- or anti-genocide. This is just the latest page in the long book that is Omar’s anti-Semitic history. Yet, Minneapolis progressives seem to endorse this behavior repeatedly, as Omar is on her way to securing a 4th term in office.

This sets the precedent that others can be anti-Semitic too, with no repercussions. In addition to Wonsley, fellow Councilmember Jamal Osman, who represents the 6th Ward, also has a rich history of antisemitism. From 2011 to 2013, Osman made a series of anti-Semitic remarks online, ranging from calling Israeli Jews “dogs” to speaking approvingly about Adolf Hitler. Despite this, he was elected to the City Council in 2020, where he still serves today.

Many Jewish voters, even those who are highly critical of the Israeli government, feel lost. What can they do when the party they identify with platforms voices that endorse anti-Jewish sentiment and actions? Progressive leaders have repeatedly made it clear that they do not seem interested in hearing out their concerned Jewish constituents. Simply put, Jews are being ignored, and with no change in behavior in sight, a Jewish presence in progressive spaces will soon disappear.