Jewish Louisvillians for Peace, representing more than 100 Jewish Louisvillians standing together to stop the cycle of violence, rejected the local Jewish Federations’ expression of “gratitude” for the U.S. bombing of Iran. Here’s their announcement:

Jewish Louisvillians for Peace has released the following statement in the wake of US strikes on Iran and the Jewish Federation of Louisville’s statement thanking President Trump:

“Jewish Louisvillians for Peace categorically reject the local Jewish Federation’s expression of “gratitude” for President Trump’s decision to join Israel in military action against Iran. This escalation bypassed Constitutional checks and increased the risk to civilians across the region. It is an act of aggression that undermines both safety and Jewish values.

“We are deeply troubled that our communal leadership would celebrate such a grave act without acknowledging the complex consequences or human cost. We fully recognize the hazards of a nuclear-armed Iran. But we have no confidence in President Trump, whose reckless and inflammatory rhetoric, unqualified appointees, and associations with antisemitic extremists have fueled global and domestic threats to Jewish safety. His and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions have made all of us less safe and should not be overlooked or excused in the name of loyalty to Israel.

“We reject the bloody philosophies of these administrations and the dangerous rhetoric of the Jewish Federation of Louisville, as well as the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. We reject the idea that solidarity with the Israeli people must come at the expense of moral clarity. Jewish values compel us to oppose violence and to affirm the dignity of all people—Israeli, Palestinian, Iranian, and American.

“Jewish Louisvillians for Peace was founded in solidarity with those in Israel and Palestine working to end violence and build a future of equality and peace. We now extend that same solidarity to the people of Iran, who face enormous risk under both internal repression and foreign aggression.

“To express gratitude for this attack is to betray Jewish ethics, ignore global Jewish dissent, and deepen the dangers we collectively face. We call on our local leadership to reject performative loyalty and instead speak with the gravity and conscience this moment demands.”

Jewish Louisvillians for Peace came together in the wake of the terror attacks of October 7, 2023 to give help give voice and community to hundreds of Jewish Louisvillians who oppose Israel’s war and occupation of the Palestinians. Join us.