My first interplay with Jamaal Bowman was in 2021. I used to be advocating for faculties to totally re-open after they closed within the early days of the pandemic. A yr later, many have been nonetheless closed or working with dysfunctional hybrid schedules, but it was not potential to disregard the detrimental toll distant “studying” was having on probably the most susceptible youngsters in our communities. Many different nations and states had already reopened faculties, or had by no means closed them, and as a vital employee, I used to be effectively conscious that the chance of COVID-19 to youngsters was minimal. I joined a bunch of fogeys desperately attempting to get susceptible youngsters again to high school.

We repeatedly reached out to our congressman, Jamaal Bowman. However he was the alternative of receptive. When he did reply to our queries, it was with a flippant tone, like many different progressives. He would generally reply to us on Twitter, and I bear in mind him saying that it was higher for youths to be affected by being out of faculty than for them to be useless, or for his or her academics to get sick.

That is true, in fact, and I’m conscious Rep. Bowman suffered his personal COVID losses. But the best way during which he minimized our issues as mother and father was notable. And he continued to toe the college lockdown line, even after academics have been prioritized for the vaccine.

I did not suppose a lot about him after that—till October 7. That is when his flippant disregard for the issues of fogeys curdled into one thing far more sinister, and I may not prolong the advantage of the doubt to him.

A mere month after Hamas’ brutal assault towards Israel, throughout which militants mass murdered and mass raped, burning males, ladies, and youngsters—complete households—to loss of life, Bowman was already accusing Israel of propaganda, which was the phrase he used to check with the well-documented rapes of Israeli ladies (after his ballot numbers began to tank, he apologized for calling Hamas rapes “propaganda”).

Jews in his district and across the nation began to note how he would regurgitate the Hamas-led “Gaza Ministry of Well being” speaking factors—but would deny or ignore the trauma endured day by Israelis. He known as for one sided ceasefires, not often if ever mentioning the lots of of hostages nonetheless being held by Hamas, and he ignored rising antisemitism in his personal district and all through the nation.

After George Latimer, a Democratic politician with deep roots in Westchester County, entered the race towards him, Bowman turned singularly targeted on AIPAC and their funding for his main opponent, which was important. It by no means appeared to have occurred to him or his many defenders on the Left that possibly AIPAC was spending thousands and thousands to unseat him due to his gross antisemitism.

And it’s antisemitism. He accused Jews of residing in “segregated” communities, in keeping with Politico, invoking the racism of the South. “There’s sure locations the place the Jews stay and focus,” Bowman stated. “Scarsdale, elements of White Plains, elements of New Rochelle, Riverdale. I am certain they decided to try this for their very own causes … however that is why, by way of combating antisemitism, I all the time push — we have been separated and segregated and miseducated for thus lengthy. We have to stay collectively, play collectively, go to high school collectively, be taught collectively, work collectively.”

Apparently, Jews residing in communities the place they will pray and educate their youngsters is an excessive amount of for Jamaal Bowman, and justifies antisemitism!

The quote revealed that the obsession with Israel is about greater than Israel’s defensive battle towards Gaza. Regardless of the host of points we’re coping with in our district—homelessness, drug abuse, the border, schooling, housing, healthcare—Bowman is singularly obsessive about the world’s one Jewish state—and the Jews residing in his state.

This previous Saturday, he held a rally with progressive stars Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders, which appeared targeted on passionately decrying AIPAC. Does Rep. Bowman actually suppose his constituents care a lot concerning the pro-Israel lobbying group? For certain, a dialogue needs to be had on political donations by Tremendous PACs, however specializing in solely this one? He even misplaced J Avenue’s endorsement, and they’re removed from AIPAC ideologically.

Why does not Bowman focus on his accomplishments throughout his first two phrases or objects he’d prefer to work on going ahead?

It feels creepy that Bowman thinks that doubling down on “the Jews” will assist his horrible polling. (Perhaps he’s trying previous this election—to a job with UNRWA, maybe.)

Jews around the globe are traumatized, not solely by what occurred on 10/7 however by the response of a lot of the world instantly after. There have been celebrations, requires ceasefire even earlier than Israel retaliated, and fixed gaslighting about what’s and is not antisemitism. Trace: We’re not cool with you spraying graffiti on our companies, harassing and assaulting our faculty college students, defacing our synagogues, and threatening us with requires resistance “by any means vital.”

Many people additionally need this battle to finish—however making assumptions about American Jews (that all of us stay collectively, as Bowman steered) or blaming them for the actions of a overseas authorities is one thing everybody would know to frown upon if it have been another group.

Bowman might preserve that he’s not an antisemite, however his singular deal with Israel in a various district coping with so many issues is telling.

Here is the actual reality: Having AIPAC as a bogeyman is saving Rep. Bowman from having to speak about his meager accomplishments in workplace.

I’ve all the time voted for Democrats. I used to be born and raised in New York Metropolis and have all the time cherished the range of this metropolis. I bear in mind going to school upstate and instantly noticing the shortage of range, which felt very unusual and inauthentic. I’ve household in Israel, however we aren’t spiritual and are usually politically Left leaning or centrist. However the previous 9 months have made Jews like myself mirror extra on our personal identities and search solidarity throughout the group in methods we hadn’t earlier than.

There are actually Jewish college teams the place mother and father be part of with the intention to know the place it is secure to ship their youngsters. Synagogues are websites of violence, within the title of Gaza. On X, many Jews comment that there’s a new Charlottesville each day.

Mr. Bowman ignores all of that and as a substitute complains about being the sufferer of darkish cash. He calls Israel “the Zionist entity.” However with out even involving Israel, should not this American congressman be involved about defending his constituents in his personal district from antisemitism?

No, as a result of he can not help however to scream about Jewish cash all day.

For these causes, I proudly forged my poll for George Latimer, and encourage my neighbors to do the identical.

Ilana Horowitz is a social employee in New York Metropolis.

The views expressed on this article are the author’s personal.