2025-11-26 10:43:AM <br/> Tags: #organization #KeyOrganizations #AmericanJewry #Lobby #USGov ![[image-185.png|455x350]] # Republican Jewish Coalition - The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) is an American Jewish lobbying organization that works to infuse vigorous U.S. support for Israel and Jewish-backed policy with the GOP. - At the 2025 RJC Annual Leadership Summit, the RJC was described by American-born Israeli politician [[Ron Dermer]] as "as influential as any single organization working on strengthening the U.S.-Israel relation." - Seconds later Dermer called for a round of applause for the soldiers of the IDF. The crowd erupted. *American troops received no mention.* #### Founding and Early History - 1980s - The RJC was founded in 1985 by [[Max Fisher]] under the name National Jewish Coalition. - RJC founders were primarily prominent Republican Jewish businessmen including: - [[Max Fisher]] - oilman and highly influential Republican-Jewish operative - Gordon Zacks - Businessman and Middle East advisor for [[George H.W Bush]] - George Klein - New York real estate CEO - Richard J. Fox - Real estate developer - First RJC national chairman - The RJC's early activities included meeting with Republican lawmakers in small personal meetings and publishing newsletters and pro-Israel materials. - The RJC became a fixture of the establishment GOP in a country where Jews are among the most consistently left wing voters. - Ostensibly the RJC aimed to bring left wing Jews to the Republican party by aligning Republican politics with Jewish interests. - The RJC has become highly powerful within the American Jewish lobby, yet the share of Republican Jews remains mostly the same as it was in 1985. *Jews are about 70/30 Democrat.* - The reasonable conclusion is that the RJC's success is derived from its influence on elected officials and its major Jewish benefactors, not its ability to influence the Jewish electorate. - The RJC's initial mission was to provide a base of pressure on Republican law makers regarding all matters important to Jews. - Support for Israel has always been the most important RJC demand. - Support for Soviet Jewry was a useful early RJC initiative. The Soviet Jewry issue allowed the RJC to mask a pro-Jewish position with Reagan-era anti-communism. - In 1987, the RJC backed the massive _Freedom Sunday for Soviet Jews March_ held in D.C. The rally was the largest American Jewish demonstration ever held at the time. The rally's organizers included the [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]] and far left groups like the [[Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)]]. - In 1988, the RJC hired [[Matt Brooks]] as its political director. - Brooks was deeply involved in the 1988 election, working for the [[George H.W Bush|Bush]]-Quayle campaign on Jewish-outreach strategy. - In 1990, Brooks became the executive director of the RJC, a position he still holds. - The RJC platform around the 1988 election was carefully constructed, using broad terminology to limit alienation. - The RJC mixed bland GOP positions like 'low taxes' with concealed Israeli interests like 'anti-dictatorship' - code for anti Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi, Hafez al-Assad, etc. - The RJC has always avoided positions on domestically polemical issues (abortion, lgbt, race, etc.). The RJC almost exclusively sticks to pro-Israel and pro-Jewish issues. - *If the RJC avoids taking right wing positions, it seems obvious to ask, in what way is the RJC even right wing? The truth is that the RJC is simply the GOP wing of the Jewish influence matrix*. #### General RJC Activity - In 1999 the National Jewish Coalition was renamed to the Republican Jewish Coalition. - The RJC is headquartered in Washington, D.C. - The RJC is a 501(c)(4) organization. - The RJC has a sister 501(c)(3) think-tank, the [[Jewish Policy Center (JPC)]]. - The JPC [advocated](https://x.com/KhalilJeries/status/1960736886705492083/photo/1) for the killing of Christians in Gaza in August 2025 during the [[Gaza War]], implying they must be seeking martyrdom for not leaving the battlefield. *This statement came soon after Israeli tanks targeted the Holy Family Church in Gaza.* - The RJC operates a number of regional chapters, usually corresponding to large Jewish enclaves: Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, Florida, etc. - In 1998, the RJC sponsored a "governors' trip to Israel," wherein governors of U.S. states were given highly curated trips to Israel. - Famously, [[George W. Bush]], as governor of Texas, attended the trip, taking a guided helicopter tour of Israel led by [[Ariel Sharon]]. ![[image-187.png|583x413]] *L-R; [[George W. Bush]], Mike Leavitt, and [[Ariel Sharon]]. Sharon leads a guided helicopter tour of the occupied territories during the 1998 RJC sponsored "governors trip to Israel."* - The presidency of [[George W. Bush]] marked a rapid rise in the RJC's influence. - Bush delivered for Israel on many of the RJC's top demands. - Bush was the keynote speaker at the September 2005 RJC 20th anniversary luncheon. - During his speech, Bush honored [[Max Fisher]] as a "friend of my family's." - Bush also eulogized [[Simon Wiesenthal]], the famous "Nazi hunter" and fixture of holocaust orthodoxy. - Bush paid tribute to [[Danny Ayalon]], the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, who was in the audience. - Bush also praised [[Sheldon Adelson]] and [[Bernard Marcus]], two major RJC benefactors who were in attendance. - The RJC's CEO, [[Matt Brooks]], became a major public spokesman for the Bush administrations War on Terror, and its byproduct, the [[Iraq War]]. - In a [2022 newsletter](https://www.rjchq.org/rjc_e_newsletter_20220324#:~:text=occupation%20of%20Iraq.-,Victoria%20Coates,-and%20Robert%20Greenway), the RJC highlighted a Washington Post op-ed by [[Victoria Coates]], which called for a hawkish position on Iran. - Coates is the vice president of the [[Heritage Foundation]] and the architect of [[Project Esther]]. #### Annual Summit and RJC Events *The 2025 Annual Leadership Summit is covered in depth under its own header.* - The RJC often hosts events adjacent to large Republican conferences and conventions. - These RJC gatherings provide an ever-present Jewish pressure at Republican events. - The RJC hosts many smaller events throughout each year, fundraising dinners, candidate vetting, chapter meetings, etc. - The RJC also holds its own large "Annual Leadership Summit." - The summit is usually held in the fall, and usually takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada. - The summit is often held at the Venetian casino and resort in Vegas. - The Venetian was owned by [[Sheldon Adelson]], a major RJC donor. - The RJC annual summit is a major platform for Republican candidates and elected representatives. - Past speakers at RJC events include: - [[Donald Trump]] - [[Nikki Haley]] - [[Mark Levin]] - [[Dick Cheney]] - [[George W. Bush]] - Mike Pence - Ted Cruz - [[Marco Rubio]] - Tom Cotton - Ron Desantis - [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] - Chris Christie - [[Vivek Ramaswamy]] - Kevin McCarthy - Mike Pompeo - Lee Zeldin - [[Mike Waltz]] - Ronna McDaniel - Brian Hook - In 2019, [[Donald Trump]] spoke at the RJC Annual Summit. During his speech Trump referenced Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] as "your prime minister." - Trump also told the RJC crowd that the Democrats would "leave Israel out there all by yourselves." - At the 2024 Republican National Convention (RNC), RJC CEO [[Matt Brooks]] [gave a speech](https://youtu.be/IrHCu4x-6Ug). - The first words uttered by Brooks were, "Hello Milwaukee. Let me hear you cheer if you support Israel! [RNC crowd goes wild]" - Every single word of Brook's short four minute speech was about Israel and Jews. Nothing about immigration, inflation, trade, or any other top election issues. ![[image-186.png|556x410]] *RJC CEO Matt Brooks presents his MAGA kippah during his 2024 RNC speech.* #### Lobbying and Positions - During the [[George W. Bush]] era, the RJC created its "Legislative Affairs Committee," which lobbies Congress on behalf of Jewish and Israeli interests. - The RJC backed the infamous 2001 Patriot Act and subsequent extensions for Patriot Act provisions. - The RJC lobbied for the 2003 Syria Accountability Act (SAA). - The SAA was introduced by Eliot Engel, a Jewish Congressman from New York. - The SAA called for maximum pressure on the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. - The SAA demanded Syria withdraw from Lebanon, give up alleged WMD, and stop "supporting terrorism." (Mearsheimer and Walt 2007, 274) - President Bush attempted to avoid the bill, yet was outmaneuvered by the Israelis, an Israeli influenced Congress and his own administration. - In August of 2003, amid frustration with Bush's hesitancy, Representative Engel traveled to Israel with a cohort of politicians. On this trip, Prime Minister [[Ariel Sharon]] directly praised Engel for his work on the Syria Accountability Act. - The Bill was signed into law on December 12, 2003. (Mearsheimer and Walt 2007, 276) - The SAA represents a clear intent by the Israelis and their allies in the American government to fulfil the 1996 [[Clean Break Memo]]. #RedPill *It is crucial to understand that legislation like the Syria Accountability Act is not in the interest of the U.S. The SAA is however completely aligned with Israeli interest. Our Jewish contemporaries and their allies tell us that U.S. and Israeli interests are indistinguishable. This is a lie. In 2003, the U.S. needed cooperation with the Syrians, not confrontation.* - The RJC through its Legislative Affairs Committee strongly lobbied for the 2004 Global Antisemitism Review Act. - The Global Antisemitism Awareness Act established the office of the [[Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism]], which was later upgraded to a ambassador level position. - The first [[Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism]], was former RJC director of congressional affairs, [[Gregg Rickman]]. - The Global Antisemitism Review Act was introduced by American Jewish Senator Tom Lantos. - The RJC lobbied for the 2006 Iran Sanctions Act. - The Iran Sanctions Act was a renewal and renaming of the 1996 Iran and Libya Sanctions Act - The RJC lobbied for the U.S. to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. - Their efforts paid off when [[Donald Trump]] moved the embassy in 2018. - The RJC lobbied for the 2018 Taylor Force Act, which cut aid to the Palestinian Authority. - The RJC lobbied for the [[2020 Never Again Education Act]], which expands funding for the [[United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM)]] for "holocaust education programming." - In 2021, the RJC lobbied against the Biden administration's plan to seek an agreement with Iran. - Previously the RJC had been a major opponent of the 2015 [[Iran Nuclear Deal]]. The RJC's wishes were fulfilled by [[Donald Trump]] when he withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018. - In a November 2021 newsletter, the RJC warned that the Biden admin might seek to soften relations with Iran. - To validate their argument the RJC quoted former [[Mossad]] chief, [[Yossi Cohen]], who argued that Israel should "take action alone" against Iran. - The RJC is currently lobbying for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which was introduced in early 2025. - The Antisemitism Awareness Act forces the Department of Education to adopt the [[International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)]] definition of antisemitism. - The Antisemitism Awareness Act was introduced by Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina. - The RJC supports strong U.S. military prescence and almost all instances of U.S. military intervention. - The RJC backs Israel during all its wars, applying constant pressure on the U.S. government to furnish Israel with weapons. - The RJC works to thwart isolationist strains of the American right wing. - At the 2023 RJC National Convention, held shortly after [[October 7th]], Republican presidential candidate [[Nikki Haley]] [stated](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-republican-jewish-donors-2024-candidates-gather-under-shadow-war-2023-10-28/#:~:text=Those%20who%20would%20abandon%20Ukraine%20today%20are%20at%20risk%20of%20abandoning%20Israel%20tomorrow%2C), "Those who would abandon Ukraine today are at risk of abandoning Israel tomorrow." - The RJC leans heavily on the term "Judeo-Christian" and "our shared Judeo-Christian values" to blend in with the socially conservative aspects of the Republican party. - *The term "Judeo-Christian" is a misnomer at the minimum. It is a fabrication, a made up term to infuse Jewish interest with American and "Western" values. Whatever that means.* #### 2025 Annual Leadership Summit - Attack on America First - Post [[October 7th]], as the American right wing began to fracture over U.S.-Israel policy and awaken to Jewish influence, the RJC has increasingly taken the fight to the "antisemitic" and "isolationist" right. - On October 27th, 2025, [[Tucker Carlson]] released an interview with Nick Fuentes, the most battle-hardened America First voice on the right. Organized Jewry as a collective immediately went on the offensive. - The RJC had already condemned Fuentes and anyone who associated with him for years. In a 2022 press release the RJC stated, "RJC will actively oppose anyone who associates with Nick Fuentes, AFPAC, and their ilk." - The RJC's Annual Leadership Summit was coincidentally held from October 31 - November 2, 2025 at the Venetian in Las Vegas. *The Venetian was the crown jewel of [[Sheldon Adelson]]'s casino empire. Adelson was a major RJC donor.* - The RJC's summit became a metaphorical fortress in the Jewish battle against America First. - The summit was mired with gloom as "[nearly every speaker this year](https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/naming-jew-carlson-fuentes-rjc#:~:text=nearly%20every%20speaker%20this%20year%E2%80%94politicians%2C%20media%20figures%2C%20and%20social%20media%20influencers%E2%80%94mentioned%20the%20growing%20antisemitism%20on%20the%20right.)—politicians, media figures, and social media influencers—mentioned the growing antisemitism on the right." - The summit's speakers repeatedly defined the rising criticism of Israel as "poison," "vile," "noxious," etc. - They define their enemies as antisemites, and then define antisemitism as a product of insanity, failure, anger, disaffection, etc. - They offer no rebuttal to the underlying argument. - 2025 RJC Annual Leadership Summit speakers included: - Mike Johnson - Speaker of the House - [[Ted Cruz]] - Senator *Coverage of Cruz's speech on his page.* - Sarah Huckabee Sanders - Arkansas governor - [[Donald Trump]] - by video - Rick Scott - Senator - Brandon Tatum - Lindsey Graham - Senator - [[Danny Danon]] - Israeli politician - [[Yechiel Leiter]] - Israeli Ambassador to the United States - [[Matt Brooks]] - RJC CEO - Douglas Murray - Homosexual 'married' to a Jewish man. - [[Randy Fine]] - Congressman - [[Mark Levin]] - Media personality *Coverage of Levin's speech on his page.* - [[Frank Luntz]] - Political pollster and consultant - Michael Masters - CEO of the [[Secure Community Network (SCN)]] - [[Joel Pollak]] - [[Elan Carr]] - CEO of the [[Israeli-American Council]] - Joe Gruters - RNC Chairman - Chris Ruddy - CEO of Newsmax - [[Ron Dermer]] - Israeli politician - [[Shabbos Kestenbaum]] - Far left Jew turned Trump supporter because of Israel. - Scott Jennings - Token "Republican" at CNN - Siggy Flicker - Israeli Twitter propagandist - The speeches of [[Ted Cruz]] and [[Mark Levin]] are particularly relevant. Coverage of their speeches is held on each of their pages. #### Notable Figures - [[Max Fisher]] - Founder - [[Matt Brooks]] - Longtime director 1990-present - Ari Fleischer - Early RJC "master of ceremonies" and later board member. Fleischer was President [[George W. Bush]]'s press secretary from January 2001-July 2003. *Importantly, Fleischer was press sec during 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq.* - [[Norm Coleman]] - National chairman - [[David Friedman]] - Board member - [[Jason Greenblatt]] - Board member #### Major Donors *As a 501(c)(4) organization, the RJC does not report its donors publicly. The ones listed are verified, but the list cannot be exhaustive.* - [[Sheldon Adelson]] and [[Miriam Adelson]] - In 2014, Adelson and the RJC summoned most of the 2016 presidential-hopefuls to his Las Vegas Venetian resort. - The result was a stringent vetting of presumptive candidates, each one prostrating himself before a wheelchair bound Adelson for a chance at his benefaction. - [[Bernard Marcus]] - [[Jan Koum]] - [[Paul Singer]] #### References - Republican Jewish Coalition, “About,” [https://www.rjchq.org/about#:~:text=Republican%20Jewish%20Coalition%20Political%20Action%20Committee](https://www.rjchq.org/about#:~:text=Republican%20Jewish%20Coalition%20Political%20Action%20Committee) - “Matthew Brooks,” *Republican Jewish Coalition*, [https://www.rjchq.org/matthew_brooks](https://www.rjchq.org/matthew_brooks). - “Republican Jewish Coalition,” _Jewish Virtual Library_, [https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/republican-jewish-coalition](https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/republican-jewish-coalition) - “Republican Jewish Coalition,” _Wikipedia_, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Jewish_Coalition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Jewish_Coalition). - “President’s Remarks at Republican Jewish Coalition 20th Anniversary,” _The White House_, September 21 2005, [https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050921-1.html](https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050921-1.html). - InfluenceWatch, “Republican Jewish Coalition,” _InfluenceWatch_, [https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/republican-jewish-coalition/](https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/republican-jewish-coalition/). - “Iran and Libya Sanctions Act: Renewal and expiration,” _Wikipedia_, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_Libya_Sanctions_Act#Renewal_and_expiration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_Libya_Sanctions_Act#Renewal_and_expiration) - David Drucker, “The Republican Jewish Coalition: David Becomes Goliath,” _The Dispatch_ (published via the Republican Jewish Coalition website), July 23 2025, [https://www.rjchq.org/the_dispatch_the_republican_jewish_coalition_david_becomes_goliath](https://www.rjchq.org/the_dispatch_the_republican_jewish_coalition_david_becomes_goliath) - “S. 558 - Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025,” 119th Cong. (2025–2026), [https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/558](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/558). - Alexandra Ulmer, “US Republican presidential candidates tout Israel support in speeches to Jewish donors.” _Reuters_, October 28 2023, [https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-republican-jewish-donors-2024-candidates-gather-under-shadow-war-2023-10-28/](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-republican-jewish-donors-2024-candidates-gather-under-shadow-war-2023-10-28/) - Republican Jewish Coalition, “RJC Condemns Reps. Greene and Gosar for Participating in Antisemitic White Nationalist Event,” February 28 2022, [https://www.rjchq.org/rjc_condemns_reps_greene_and_gosar_speaking_at_white_nationalist_event](https://www.rjchq.org/rjc_condemns_reps_greene_and_gosar_speaking_at_white_nationalist_event) *The RJC condemns Fuentes, 2022.* - David Reaboi, “Naming the Jew,” _Tablet Magazine_, [https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/naming-jew-carlson-fuentes-rjc](https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/naming-jew-carlson-fuentes-rjc). *Covers the RJC 2025 Summit. A truly ludicrous article.* - “ToI Staff "Trump tells US Jews that Netanyahu is ‘your prime minister'" _The Times of Israel_, April 7 2019, https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-tells-us-jews-that-netanyahu-is-your-prime-minister/. - “All Full Remarks from the 2025 RJC Annual Leadership Summit,” _Republican Jewish Coalition_, November 03 2025, [https://www.rjchq.org/all_full_remarks_from_the_2025_rjc_annual_leadership_summit](https://www.rjchq.org/all_full_remarks_from_the_2025_rjc_annual_leadership_summit). - Kenneth P. Vogel, “Sheldon Adelson’s Weekend Retreat Tests Candidates, Mocks Democracy,” _Politico_, March 31 2014, [https://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/sheldon-adelson-las-vegas-2016-elections-republicans-105192](https://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/sheldon-adelson-las-vegas-2016-elections-republicans-105192). - Arno Rosenfeld, “Forward: As Spending by Jewish PACs Soar, Two Billionaires Give GOP Group Major Fundraising Advantage,” _Republican Jewish Coalition_, October 31 2024, [https://www.rjchq.org/forward_as_spending_by_jewish_pacs_soar_two_billionaires_give_gop_group_major_fundraising_advantage](https://www.rjchq.org/forward_as_spending_by_jewish_pacs_soar_two_billionaires_give_gop_group_major_fundraising_advantage). - Michelle Celarier, “Paul Singer’s Fight for the Soul of the GOP,” _Institutional Investor_, October 30 2017, [https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/2bsw3hq9l8lt16xa3v3sw/corner-office/paul-singers-fight-for-the-soul-of-the-gop](https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/2bsw3hq9l8lt16xa3v3sw/corner-office/paul-singers-fight-for-the-soul-of-the-gop).