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The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), formerly the National Jewish Coalition, founded in 1985, is a Republican political lobbying group in the United States that promotes Jewish Republicans. The RJC claims that it is the most important voice on conservative political issues for the Jewish-American community. The RJC has 44 chapters throughout the United States.
The official mission statement of the RJC is to foster and enhance ties between the American Jewish community and Republican decision makers in the United States. According to its website, the RJC "works to sensitize Republican leadership in government and the party to the concerns and issues of the Jewish community, while articulating and advocating Republican ideas and policies within the Jewish community."
The RJC also claims to be striving to build a "strong, effective and respected" voice of Jewish Republicans that can influence activities, policies and ideas in Washington and across the country.[1]
The group's policy platform objectives include terrorism, national security, United States-Israel relations, Mideast peace process, The Palestinian Authority, Syria, Iran, immigration, energy policy, education, school prayer, affirmative action, the Workplace Religious Freedom Act, adoption, crime, taxes, welfare reform, faith-based initiatives, health care, Medicare reform, Social Security reform, and government reform.[2]
The RJC has hosted successful activities and events such as the Presidential Candidates Forum, leadership trips to
The Republican Jewish Coalition is fervent in its uncritical support of and loyalty to Israel. At a RJC event in Los Angeles on February 1, 2010, guest speaker Rep. Michele Bachmann answered a question propounded to her by stating that "if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States".[14]
During the 2012 election campaign, the RJC stepped up activities to include direct mailings to specific Jewish people, claiming that a Jew should not vote for Obama, and that Jews that had voted for Obama will not do so again.[13]
In the 2012 United States presidential election, casino owner and political contributor Sheldon Adelson is supporting the RJC in a campaign to win over Jewish voters in battleground states.[12]
The RJC has been highly critical of the Obama administration's policies. The group has questioned Obama's relationship with Zbigniew Brzezinski, Samantha Power, and Chas Freeman, whom it believes to "possess strong anti-Israel biases that are well documented".[10] The RJC has also attacked Hillary Clinton for having made remarks regarding the United States putting more pressure on Israel. These arguments received attention and were significantly challenged by the National Jewish Democratic Council.[11]
During the 2008 election campaign, the RJC ran a series of advertisements in Jewish newspapers around the United States, mostly critical of Barack Obama and linking him to individuals such as Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and Patrick Buchanan.[8] Salon.com also claimed the RJC was participating in polling phone calls ("push polls") made to potential voters in Pennsylvania and Florida that reportedly asked negative questions about Obama.[9]
In certain state and local elections, Republicans have received support from the Jewish community:
[3]
Barack Obama, Democratic Party (United States), Republican Party (United States), Bill Clinton, John Kerry
Capital punishment, Long Beach, California, Claremont, California, Missile defense, Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
Barack Obama, Ralph Nader, Iraq War, Solar energy, Environmental protection