((( joyce )))

Exit polls indicate that 79% of American Jews voted for Kamala Harris. If that figure is accurate, then Trump received the lowest share of the Jewish vote in 24 years. The reason for this is that for non-Orthodox Jews, liberalism has become an integral element of what being Jewish means to them. Liberal and progressive values are now baked into non-Orthodox American Judaism, so defending these values and supporting the notion of America as a multiracial, secular, liberal democracy drives much of American Jewish political behavior. Most American Jews rightly regard Trump and his MAGA movement as a threat to America’s status as a multiracial, secular, liberal democracy. The white, Christian nationalism that Trump embraces and empowers threatens Jews in the US, along with other minorities. And while American Jews have been deeply dismayed and alarmed by the rising number of antisemitic incidents in the US over the past year, they haven’t forgotten the white nationalist terrorism that increased during Trump’s last term in office, which resulted in the worst antisemitic attack in American history. They also know that demagogues like Trump are dangerous for Jews and that living in a stable democracy is their best guarantee of security. So, because of their values and their interests, the vast majority of US Jews voted for the candidate who would protect democracy and the rights of minorities.