Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will appear at an exclusive reception for members of the Jewish community next week, the first campaign fundraiser geared toward Jewish Americans that Walz has done since Vice President Kamala Harris named him as her running mate in August, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by Jewish Insider. The Harris Victory Fund event, geared toward high-dollar donors, has a minimum contribution of $5,000. 

Amy and Mark Rotenberg, a Washington-based couple who previously lived in Minnesota for decades and met Walz through their work in the pro-Israel community, are two of the event’s co-hosts. Mark Rotenberg is the Vice President and General Counsel of Hillel International.

One person with knowledge of the Oct. 16 event described it as “an event for leaders of the Jewish community to be able to hear from Governor Walz on the issues of concern to our community.”

With less than a month until Election Day, the fundraiser offers Walz a chance to schmooze with key Jewish donors directly and answer questions about his record. Walz has faced scrutiny from some Jewish communal activists for saying anti-Israel activists affiliated with the Uncommitted movement were “speaking out for all the right reasons,” and for a handful of appearances during his tenure as governor with an imam who has shared antisemitic posts on social media.

On the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, Walz visited the “Nova Festival Exhibition” in Los Angeles and released a statement memorializing the victims and reaffirming “our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to the safety and security of the American Jewish community.” 

The event will take place at a private home in Washington. A spokesperson for Walz did not respond to a request for comment.