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Please join our Caucus by clicking the button above and become involved. Be sure to choose the Hillsborough Chapter. You will receive a welcome email upon your membership submission.
Please use the Hillsborough County Contact Form to tell us how you want to become involved.


You do not need to be a member of the Hillsborough County Jewish Caucus, though, of course, we urge you to join, in order to Donate to the Hillsborough County Jewish Caucus.

If you would like to donate to our chapter, to help us in our mission, press the 'Donate to the Hillsborough County Democratic Party Jewish Caucus' button below.

If you would like to donate to the Florida Jewish Caucus, which includes all chapters, please select the Donations button on the top menu.

Thank you for your support!
Donate to the Hillsborough County Democratic Party Jewish Caucus

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Statement on the Judicial Reform in Israel


As members of the Florida Democratic Party Jewish Caucus, we wholeheartedly support the recent protests in Israel against the weakening of the judiciary. The government's actions are undemocratic and threaten the very essence of justice and equality that a democratic society upholds.

An independent judiciary is vital to ensure the rule of law prevails and guarantees fairness and impartiality for all individuals, regardless of their political affiliation. We stand in solidarity with the protestors who are raising their voices to protect the principles of democracy and demand a strong, impartial judiciary that can truly hold a government accountable while acting as a check on the legislative branch.

We express our concern about any moves that may be seen as protecting specific political figures, as it could undermine public trust in democratic institutions. Israel must remain a beacon of democracy in the region, and safeguarding the independence of the judiciary is essential to achieving this goal. This occasion also reiterates the importance for the Knesset to do the job it was meant to do 75 years ago, and promulgate a full written constitution for the Israeli people.

We would like to thank civil society leaders, including the opposition, members of the judiciary, millions of protestors and President Isaac Herzog for their opposition to this so-called reform package. They have demonstrated their commitment to democratic values, and we call on the Israeli government to listen to their voices and preserve the integrity of the judiciary.
This is a critical time for Israeli democracy, and with recent indications that the Israeli Defense Forces may be weakened by reservists disenchanted by these reforms, and calls for nationwide strikes, the whole Israeli state is less secure than at any point since 1967.

We encourage leaders in Israel to prioritize the protection of democratic institutions and restore public confidence in the fairness of the judicial system. Together, let us ensure that the spirit of democracy remains vibrant and strong in Israel.

Thank you,

FLDP Jewish Caucus

Please take a moment to view this extremely important message from the Hillsborough County Democratic Party


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Click For a LIst of External Resources
Click For a LIst of External Resources

Hillsborough County Democratic Party Official Website  (HCDEC) provides valuable candidate and voter information to the voters of Hillsborough County.




Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections (SOE) is the official Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections website for all information about the upcoming midterm elections and individual voter information.





Tampa Jewish Communitiy Centers and Federation (JCC) serves the Jewish community of Tampa.

 





The Jewish Community Relations Council   (JCRC) is a standing committee of the Tampa JCCs and Federation. The JCRC’s primary purpose is to develop and carry out a unified community program to broadly represent the interests of the local Jewish community in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties as well as support and promote Israel advocacy and education for the Tampa Jewish community.

 




The Third Opinion Podcast is a podcast about current events and the pressing issues facing the Jewish Community and the state of Israel.

 




The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) is a non-partisan, global grassroots movement of individuals and organizations, across all religions and faiths, united to combat antisemitism.



 

United Jewish Appeal now the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) represents 146 Jewish Federations and over 300 Network communities, which raise and distribute more than $3 billion annually and through planned giving and endowment programs to support social welfare, social services and educational needs.






ADL Florida strives to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all. 




Jewish Famiy Services serves Tampa Bay area residents. The agency is headquartered in South Tampa at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC. Also offers Counseling services and a Community Food bank at the North Tampa location at the JCC on the Cohn Campus, and the Community Food bank at Congregation Beth Shalom in Brandon.

 




International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is the leading non-profit building bridges between Christians and Jews, blessing Israel and the Jewish people around the world with humanitarian care and life-saving aid.

 




MIDPOINT with Shelley Reback discusses topical issues of importance to Hillsborough County residents.The show may be accessed as a podcast,or live every Wednesday at 10 AM on the website or by tuning into 88.5 FM radio.





Florida Jewish Caucus Newsletters

August 2023 News:

 

As we head into the last days of summer, here’s all the news you need to proceed as active Jewish Democrats:

At our last meeting, we heard from the dynamic Anna Eskamani, State Representative from the Orlando area. If our party has a future in this state, she is certainly a big part of it.  If you missed the meeting, make sure to watch for future opportunities to hear her speak.

Other news:  Just recently, our caucus sent a representative to a Kathy Castor thank-you fundraiser.  This event was hosted by AIPAC and included some of our Democratic elected officials such as Andrew Warren and Ben Diamond (former congressman from Pinellas County).  Kathy Castor has taken strong positions in support of Israel, and the crowd was very supportive of her.  We made some good contacts and had some great conversations (welcome to the newsletter, New Friends of the Caucus!).

AUGUST MEETING INFORMATION



Our next meeting features Rocky Brancato, COO for our local Public Defender’s office.  Mr. Brancato has been with the Public Defender’s office for 20 years, and he also chairs the Circuit 13 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. He serves on the board of directors of DUI Counterattack and the Hillsborough Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (HCACDL). He is past vice chair of the Safe and Sound Hillsborough Youth and Gun Violence Committee, and he is a past member of the board of directors for the Pace Center forGirls, Hillsborough. Mr. Brancato will be speaking about criminal justice reform from the perspective of one who represents indigent defendants.



The meeting will be Sunday, August 27 at the HCDEC offices in Temple Terrace (13220 N 56th St. Temple Terrace, FL 33617) and also available via Facebook Live.  Join our Facebook group (click the little f at the bottom of this email to join), and the video will pop up automatically at the scheduled time.)  If you want a ride, let us know so we can find someone coming from near your home.


If you are joining us in person, note that the doors open at 2:30 for shmoozing and snacks, and the meeting starts promptly at 3:00.  


RSVP  Here


 

REMINDERS: If you have not formally joined the caucus, you can do so here.  If you aren’t following our Facebook group, you can find us at Florida Democratic Party Jewish Caucus.

 

 

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