Influence of Jewish Voice for Peace

In the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) has faced scrutiny for its statements attributing the violence to "Israeli apartheid and occupation." This has drawn criticism from the Coalition for Jewish Values, which represents over 2,500 Orthodox Jewish rabbis, urging the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (WBNG) to cease its representation of JVP employees. The Coalition argues that JVP's stance is fundamentally opposed to the values of workplace safety and equality that WBNG promotes. The Washington-Baltimore News Guild, formed from a merger of two historic newspaper guilds, represents various left-leaning nonprofits and news outlets. However, these organizations have not responded to inquiries regarding their relationship with JVP. The Communication Workers of America, the umbrella union for WBNG, also did not comment on the matter. This silence has raised questions about the alignment of these organizations with JVP's controversial positions. Rabbi Ze’ev Smason of the Coalition for Jewish Values emphasized the contradiction between JVP's anti-Israel sentiments and WBNG's stated commitment to ensuring a harassment-free workplace. He highlighted the irony of an organization that supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign against Israel being represented by a union that claims to uphold values of equality and safety. While most organizations involved have remained silent, an unofficial response came from Kyle Vass, an employee of the ACLU of West Virginia, who shared his views on social media, indicating a broader discourse surrounding the implications of JVP's actions and affiliations.