Cruz Announces Jewish Leadership Team
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz launched his campaign’s “Jewish leadership Coalition” on Sunday, consisting of three dozen Jewish community leaders and activists from around the country.
As first reported by Jewish Insider, Cruz earned the backing of Dr. Ben Chouake, president of NORPAC, the nation’s largest pro-Israel political action committee, as well as Sarah Stern, president and founder of EMET (Endowment for Middle East Truth).
Additional prominent members of the Jewish leadership team include Ken Abramowitz, Dr. Joe Frager, and Rabbi Zev Reichman, spiritual leader of the East Hill Synagogue in Englewood, NJ, and director at Yeshiva University, among others.
“Since the day we announced our campaign, we have been honored to see tremendous support from the Jewish community.” Cruz said in a statement. “I have been privileged to speak at synagogue services from New York to California to Florida, to celebrate Passover Seders with my friends in Texas, and to participate in events with Elie Wiesel and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. My commitment to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people began long before my days as a senator or presidential candidate: it began with the experience my father had as a refugee fleeing oppression in Cuba to come to this country. As president, I will stand unapologetically with Israel, prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and cut off federal funding to any institution that adopts B.D.S. measures.”
Last September, Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced his “National Jewish Leadership Committee” consisting of 71 members. None of these members joined the Cruz campaign since Jeb quit the race.
Read the full list of members who have joined team Cruz below:
Ken Abramowitz, Connecticut
Raanan Agus, New York
Dr. Alan Berger, New Jersey
Dr. Marc Berger, New York
Dr. Ben Chouake, NORPAC President, New Jersey
Edward Czuker, California
Elissa Czuker, California
Rabbi Pini Dunner, California
Joseph Frager, New York
Saul Gamoran, Washington
Eli Gold, London Center for Policy Research, Maryland
Todd Hanik, Maryland
Rabbi Shmully Hecht, Founder, Yale Shabtai Society, Connecticut
David Horwitz, New York
Benjamin Klein, New Jersey
Batya Klein, New Jersey
Melissa Jane Kronfeld, New York
Hon. Adam Kwasman, Former Arizona State Representative, Arizona
Orit Kwasman, Faith & Freedom Coalition, Arizona
Barbara Ledeen, Maryland
Dr. Michael Ledeen, Foundation for Defense of Democracy, Maryland
Esther Lerer, New Jersey
Arie Lipnick, Washington, DC
Steven Mitzner, Texas
Ira Mitzner, Texas
Kevin Pailet, Texas
Rabbi Shlomo Pollak, New Jersey
Rabbi Elchanan Poupko, New York
Rabbi Zev Reichman, Yeshiva University, New Jersey
Rabbi Yaakov Rosenblatt, Texas
Dr. Pejman Salimpour, California
Dr. Joseph Schwartz, New Jersey
Chaya Schwartz, New Jersey
Trudy Stern, New York
Sarah Stern, President, Endowment for Middle East Truth, Maryland