WOW.......

Shine a Light is an amazing platform for organizations, companies, institutions and individuals to unite in shining a light on antisemitism in all its modern forms.  Over 95 groups are partnering to make this impactful.  Resources galore on their website.  Check them out. http://shinealighton.com

Jewish Leaders of Florida Release Open Letter Slamming DeSantis's Refusal to Condemn Nazis.  Oct. 2022. https://charliecrist.com/open-letter-from-jewish-leaders/

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Florida Democratic Party Jewish Caucus  Antisemitism Resolution

March 2022

WHEREAS, antisemitic attacks, vandalism, and demonstrations have dramatically escalated since 2015 worldwide; latest data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Anti-Defamation League indicate that Jewish people comprise approximately only 2% of the US population but are targets of 60% of religious hate crimes in this country; the rise in antisemitic activity has been fueled by former President Donald Trump's collusion with, enabling of, and reinforcement of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, the Klan, Proud Boys, and other violent hate groups; and

WHEREAS many Republican leaders and politicians in Florida and the US refuse to unequivocally condemn these groups and their antisemitic and anti-democratic behavior; these leaders publicly articulate support for these hate groups despite their links to domestic terrorism and the January 6^th insurrection; and

WHEREAS our focus on violent white supremacist groups, and domestic terrorism, as a real danger to not only Jews, but to our civil society itself, is not meant to minimize those within our own party who espouse antisemitic beliefs, and who foster old antisemitic tropes dressed in modern clothing. However, we point out not only that these antisemitic attitudes are far from the mainstream of thought within the Democratic Party, but rather represent a fringe, though worrisome, element within our party, but also that the exaggerated influence attributed to them is at odds with the fact that support for the violent white supremacist groups, we here condemn, comes not just from fringe elements of the Republican Party, but from its very highest levels, including the former President himself; and

WHEREAS no individuals should be harassed, intimidated, or threatened because of their ethnicity, race, or religion; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Florida Democratic Party denounces all forms of antisemitism; we oppose condemnation, criticism, and censure against the national and international Jewish community because of ancient anti-Jewish hate as well as because of the Jewish community’s ties to Israel; we call on all office holders including unaffiliated, Libertarian, Republican, and Democratic office holders to condemn antisemitism and denounce extremist groups who promote antisemitic behavior; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Florida Democratic Party will continue to stand with the Jewish people as well as Black, Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, other people of color, and the LGTBQIA+ community, and we will work to combat antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry, wherever we find it.

Sponsors: Rabbi Mark Winer, Caucus President,Jerry Fleischer, Resolutions Committee Member

Click here to watch. Use passcode: k=C8UQ%!

 "Lessons from Ian – What Next?"

Speaker Bob Bunting, CEO and Chairman of the Climate Adaptation Center.

The Climate Adaptation Center, Inc. (CAC) is an independent, non-profit organization headquartered in Sarasota.  CAC is bridging the gap between state-of-the-art scientific research and public sector understanding of our changing climate.  Founded in 2019 by Bunting, CAC is led by a team of climate scientists, executives, and entrepreneurs.

The focus will be local as we hear a summary of the 30-year Florida Climate Forecast and then talk about what can be done to help mitigate and adapt to climate warming.  It will have a positive focus on how we can help solve the problem.

CAC is focused on the immediate need to address Florida’s present and future climate warming issues.  Foremost among these are sea level rise, hazards to human health, red tide, changing hurricanes, and threats to the natural environment.

Mr. Bunting is a scientist, serial entrepreneur, and educator, moving between private enterprise, government, and academic spheres, making him uniquely qualified to lead the CAC.  He is the CEO of Waterstone Strategies, a consulting firm that assists its early stage high technology clients to “plan and execute” their business and funding strategies. 

Visit the climateadaptationcenter.org for a comprehensive look at the organization and their work.  

School Board Elections 2022

The August 2022 school board elections were extremely important for the future of our county's children.  In the age of book banning, conspiracy theories, and attacks by Governor DeSantis on school boards, it was vital to come out strong for the best candidates.  We did what we could.

Antisemitic hate in Sarasota

The Sarasota County Democratic Party Jewish Caucus and the Sarasota County Democratic Party strongly condemn and denounce all forms of antisemitism. It has no place in our community.