a black woman, a woman in a hijab, and a latina woman stand together on stage
Women's March leaders (from left to right) Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez at the Women's March "Power to the Polls" voter registration tour launch in Las Vegas, Jan. 21, 2018. (Photo/JTA-Ethan Miller-Getty Images)

Jewish Democrats: party will no longer sponsor Women’s March

The Jewish Democratic Council of America said the party will not sponsor the national Women’s March in the wake of accusations of anti-Semitic associations against the movement’s leadership.

In a statement Tuesday, the JDCA said the Democratic National Committee was joining the increasingly popular strategy of joining local women’s march organizers while avoiding affiliation with the national group.

“JDCA supports the objectives of the Women’s March and stands with sister marches across the country this weekend,” its executive director, Halie Soifer, said in a statement. “At the same time, we welcome the DNC, SPLC, Emily’s List, and other organizations’ decision to not sponsor and participate in the Women’s March and take a principled stand against anti-Semitism.”

Emily’s List is a group that encourages women to run for office. The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks hate groups.

JTA has asked the DNC to confirm its non-participation in the national Women’s March.

The San Francisco Jewish Community Relations Council told J. the national and local marches set for Jan. 19 “have always been completely separate,” and organizers of marches throughout the Bay Area have worked hard to disavow the anti-Zionist comments made by some national march leaders. Also, the JCRC pointed out, many local marches have Jewish women in leadership positions.

Top leaders of the national Women’s March organization have been accused of engaging in or condoning anti-Semitism, of not cutting ties with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and of failing to heed the concerns of its thousands of Jewish backers.

JTA

Content distributed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service.