2025-12-05 03:38:PM <br/> Tags: #organization #AmericanJewry #LeftwingJewry ![[image-192.png]] # Jewish Labor Committee (JLC) - The Jewish Labor Committee is a far left secular Jewish labor organization founded in the United States in 1934. - The JLC has been involved in almost all left wing social movements since its founding, civil rights, lgbt, feminism, mass non-White immigration, etc. - Since its founding, the JLC has been closely associated with the American Federation of Labor which in 1955, was renamed the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). - The AFL-CIO is the largest umbrella organization for American Unions. #### Early History - The JLC was founded in New York's Lower East Side, a historical Jewish stronghold. - The JLC was founded as an umbrella of Jewish trade union members and fraternal groups for the purpose of opposing the rise of Nazism in Europe. - Unions like the International Ladies Garment Workers, the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, [[The Workers Circle]], [[The Forward]] Association, and the Jewish Socialist Verband were involved in founding the JLC. - [[Baruch Charney Vladeck]] was elected as the JLC's first president. - Other key founders included [[Adolph Held]], [[David Dubinsky]], - The JLC's founding conference of 1,000 delegates representing 400,000 unionists charged the organization with a number of tasks: - Support for anti-Hitler underground movements - Support for the enemies of the Nazis - Backing American labor unionization and using it as a political force - Fighting antisemitism in the United States - The JLC immediately began coordinating anti-Nazi boycotts, demonstrations, and propaganda. - The JLC worked with the [[American Jewish Congress]], the [[The Workers Circle]], the [[American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)]], etc. on anti-Nazi matters. - The JLC and its allies backed the European Bundist movement in an effort to oppose Hitler. - Bundism is a Yiddish Jewish socialist movement born in Eastern Europe in the late 1800s. #### JLC, Israel, and Organized Jewry - Though the JLC was not formed as a Zionist organization, given the typical anti-Zionist stance of Jewish Bundists and socialists, it became a staunch supporter of Israel after its declaration in 1948. - The Israeli national labor union, [[Histadrut]], had been closely involved with the JLC since its founding in 1934. - The JLC has [been described](https://laborforpalestine.net/2015/12/01/labor-for-palestine-challenging-us-labor-zionism-american-quarterly/#:~:text=Histadrut%E2%80%99s%20US%20mouthpiece) as "the Histadrut's US mouthpiece." - The JLC has strongly opposed the BDS movement since is inception in 2005. - In 2011, the JLC, the [[Histadrut]], and the [[World Jewish Congress]] partnered to "combat economic assault on Israel." - The JLC operates an "Educators Chapter" for the purpose of holocaust remembrance and holocaust education. - The JLC is a founding member of: - The [[Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)]] - The [[Conference of Presidents]] - The [[Claims Conference]] - In modern times, the JLC is a smaller organization, largely focused on union led pro-Israel lobbying of the U.S. government. #### Post WWII involvement in Left Wing Movements - The JLC was founded with strong socialist leanings. - Its early leaders (Vladeck, Held), the unions it represented (ACWA, ILGWA), and the publications that backed it ([[The Forward]]), were all socialist. - Soon after WWII, the JLC founded its "Anti-Discrimination Department." - The Anti-Discrimination Department worked to aid the pro-black Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. - The Department ran a number of "anti-racism" committees that spread Civil Rights messaging and coordinated labor union lobbying efforts for civil rights. - The JLC was part of a larger network of left wing Jewish organizations that fueled the civil rights movement ([[ADL]], [[American Jewish Congress]], [[American Jewish Committee (AJC)]], [[Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)]], etc.) - The JLC is highly feminist and highly pro-abortion. - The JLC is a member organization of the Jewish Abortion Access Coalition (JAAC). - The JAAC boasts of the Jewish impact in favor of abortion. - On the JAAC's "Our Impact" list, gems like "Creating a storybank of Jewish abortion storytellers" are listed. - The JAAC cites Jewish law in its justification and even "requirement" that abortion be performed. - The JLC has taken part in many other pro-abortion appeals and coalitions. - --- - Since 2001, the JLC has been led by homosexual Stuart Appelbaum. - The JLC celebrated Appelbaum 'coming out' in 2009, boasting that they have "the first lay-leader of a national Jewish organization and international labor leader in the United States to openly affirm that he is gay." - Appelbaum's prideful 2009 announcement of his homosexuality was tied to JLC lobbying efforts for same-sex marriage. - In 2011 Appelbaum co-authored an article in [[The Forward]] in which he bragged about Israel's LGBT progressiveness. - In the article Appelbaum praised a number of gays and Jews and gay Jews. - [[Bayard Rustin]], a gay black Zionist civil-rights activist was honored by Appelbaum. - In 2004, the JLC joined an [[ACLU]] initiative opposing the Marriage Protection Amendment. - The amendment defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. - In 2022, the JLC joined 100+ Jewish organizations in a letter to the Senate in support of the Respect for Marriage Act.[^1] - The Respect for Marriage Act codified the principles of three Jewish favorites: - *Loving v. Virginia* - 1967 - Federally legalized interracial marriage. - *United States v. Windsor* - 2013 - Corrupted the definition of marriage by ruling section three of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. - *Obergefell v. Hodges* - 2015 - Legalized gay marriage federally, removing state sovereignty regarding marriage policy. - In 2023, the JLC joined a coalition of 90+ Jewish organizations lobbying in opposition to an "anti-transgender sports ban."[^2] - The coalition cited "Jewish tradition" and "Jewish legal text" to bolster their support of transgender children. [*I am not making this up*](https://rac.org/press-room/us-jewish-organizations-letter-house-representatives-opposing-anti-transgender-sports#:~:text=Jewish%20tradition%20teaches%20that%20all%20people%20are%20created%20b%27tzelem%20Elohim%2C%20in%20the%20Divine%20image%2C%20and%20are%20worthy%20of%20dignity%20and%20respect.%20Judaism%20also%20specifically%20recognizes%20the%20diversity%20of%20gender%20identity.%20In%20fact%2C%20our%20Jewish%20legal%20texts%20mention%20at%20least%20six%20different%20genders.) - Co-signatories included: [[A Wider Bridge]], [[Bend the Arc]], [[J Street]], [[Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)]], [[Jewish Women International]], [[Keshet]], [[Rabbinical Assembly]], [[Jews for Racial and Economic Justice]]. --- - The JLC is a longtime proponent of immigration. - In 2013, the JLC partnered with [[Bend the Arc]] on "immigrant protections" in Los Angeles regarding Mexican workers. *Translated: JLC works to facilitate illegal immigration.* - In 2018, the JLC joined a 26 Jewish groups in opposition to Donald Trump's immigration policies. - In their letter, they condemned Trump's "child separation" policies and called for better treatment of third world asylum seekers. - The Jewish organizations citied their Jewish heritage and faith to explain their position. - In 2019, the JLC joined the [[Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)]] on a "Jewish Letter of Support for the No Ban Act." - The No Ban Act aimed to force the United States to take infinite Muslim, African, and third world "refugees" and "asylum seekers," without the ability of an administration to restrict their entry. - The legislation was proposed in response to Donald Trump's notorious "Muslim travel ban." #### Leaders - [[Baruch Charney Vladeck]] - President 1934-1938 - [[Adolph Held]] - President 1938-1969 - Charles Zimmerman - President 1969-1974 - Jack Sheinkman - President 1974-1979 - Donald Slaiman - President 1979-1983 - Herb Magidson - President 1983-1989 - Lenore Miller - President 1989-1999 - Morton Bahr - President 1999-2001 - Stuart Appelbaum - President since 2001. *Appelbaum is a homosexual. He is 'married' to an Asian man.* #### Funding - Today, the JLC has quite a small budget, with ~$344,000 in 2023 revenue. #### References - *Wikipedia.* "Jewish Labor Committee," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Labor_Committee - Lebowitz, Ariyeh. “_Labor and the Holocaust: Jewish Labor Committee History._” _Remember.org_. [https://remember.org/educate/labor](https://remember.org/educate/labor). - Letwin, Michael, Suzanne Adely, and Jaime Veve. “_Labor for Palestine: Challenging U.S. Labor Zionism._” _Labor for Palestine_, December 1, 2015. [https://laborforpalestine.net/2015/12/01/labor-for-palestine-challenging-us-labor-zionism-american-quarterly/](https://laborforpalestine.net/2015/12/01/labor-for-palestine-challenging-us-labor-zionism-american-quarterly/). - World Jewish Congress. “World Jewish Congress, Histadrut and Jewish Labor Committee Join Forces to Combat Economic Assault on Israel.” _World Jewish Congress_, March 8, 2011. [https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/world-jewish-congress-histadrut-and-jewish-labor-committee-join-forces-to-combat-economic-assault-on-israel](https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/world-jewish-congress-histadrut-and-jewish-labor-committee-join-forces-to-combat-economic-assault-on-israel). - Jewish Labor Committee. “Jewish Labor Committee." *Cause IQ.* Accessed December 5, 2025. [https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/jewish-labor-committee,131675650/](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/jewish-labor-committee,131675650/). - Harris, Ben. “Jewish Labor Committee president comes out.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, June 30, 2009. [https://www.jta.org/2009/06/30/culture/jewish-labor-committee-president-comes-out](https://www.jta.org/2009/06/30/culture/jewish-labor-committee-president-comes-out). - Weinthal, Benjamin, and Stuart Appelbaum. “LGBT Activists Should Know Friends From Foes.” _The Forward_, March 30, 2011. [https://forward.com/opinion/136643/lgbt-activists-should-know-friends-from-foes/](https://forward.com/opinion/136643/lgbt-activists-should-know-friends-from-foes/). - American Civil Liberties Union. “List of Organizations Opposing the Federal Marriage Amendment.” _ACLU_, February 25, 2004. [https://www.aclu.org/documents/list-organizations-opposing-federal-marriage-amendment](https://www.aclu.org/documents/list-organizations-opposing-federal-marriage-amendment). - Jews for Abortion Access. “Jewish Abortion Access Coalition (JAAC).” _Jews for Abortion Access_. [https://www.jewsforabortionaccess.org/jewish-abortion-access-coalition](https://www.jewsforabortionaccess.org/jewish-abortion-access-coalition). - Weiner, Rex. “Jews Unite Behind Push for Immigration Reform.” _The Forward_, June 26, 2013. [https://forward.com/news/179296/jews-unite-behind-push-for-immigration-reform/](https://forward.com/news/179296/jews-unite-behind-push-for-immigration-reform/). - United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. “USCJ Co-Signs Letter Condemning U.S. ‘Zero-Tolerance’ Immigration Policy.” _USCJ_, June 20, 2018. [https://www.uscj.org/uscj-co-signs-letter-condemning-u-s-zero-tolerance-immigration-policy/](https://www.uscj.org/uscj-co-signs-letter-condemning-u-s-zero-tolerance-immigration-policy/). - HIAS. “Jewish Letter of Support for The NO BAN Act.” April 10, 2019. HIAS. [https://www.hias.org/wp-content/uploads/no_ban_act_jewish_letter_.pdf](https://www.hias.org/wp-content/uploads/no_ban_act_jewish_letter_.pdf) [^1]: Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, “U.S. Jewish Organizations’ Letter to Senate Supporting Respect for Marriage Act,” _RAC.org_, September 6, 2022, [https://rac.org/press-room/us-jewish-organizations-letter-senate-supporting-respect-marriage-act](https://rac.org/press-room/us-jewish-organizations-letter-senate-supporting-respect-marriage-act). [^2]: Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, “U.S. Jewish Organizations’ Letter to the House of Representatives Opposing Anti-Transgender Sports,” _RAC.org_, April 17, 2023, [https://rac.org/press-room/us-jewish-organizations-letter-house-representatives-opposing-anti-transgender-sports](https://rac.org/press-room/us-jewish-organizations-letter-house-representatives-opposing-anti-transgender-sports).