NEW YORK – Jordan Acker, an alternate delegate from the Detroit area representing Michigan this week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, understands why some members of the Jewish community are feeling seen by former President Trump’s campaign.However, from his perspective, both the Democratic and Republican campaigns are missing American Jews’ biggest concern of not feeling heard, as well as the amount of disagreement within the Jewish community throughout Israel.According to Acker, there is no change since pre-October 7 days; what has changed is a central focus on safety.
Jewish communities in America who see Israel as a proxy for their safety are looking at both parties and saying, “Which party is more likely to keep me safe in America?” Acker told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday morning.
Acker noted that since American Jews are repeatedly harassed and made to feel responsible for the actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, being acknowledged by Trump is helping the former president’s polls.
“So when President Trump says something like, ‘it’s an unsafe time to be Jewish in America,’ it actually, I think, rings a bell of being heard in the way that a lot of parties, and a lot of candidates, are not doing right now,” he said.
Acker claims that he is supporting Vice President Harris because of her history of protecting the Jewish community, whether as a prosecutor, attorney general, or senator representing California in the Bay Area.
Safety is not an abstract concept for Acker, who sits on Michigan’s elected Board of Regents, the governing body of The University of Michigan, and other state institutions.Acker said in May, when the university removed the pro-Palestinian encampments from campus, that at least one masked protester came to his home in the middle of the night with a list of demands.
Acker's Stance Was Met With Pushback From Protesters
More than a week later, his law office in a Jewish neighborhood, sustained $100,000 worth of vandalism including “DIVEST NOW,” “F OFF,” “F YOU ACKER” and “UM KILLER” spray painted on the building.
Acker’s Democratic support never wavered.
"Vice President Harris has shown her commitments to the Jewish community in all of her roles. She gets it," Acker said. "That's a central reason why I'm here and why I'm supportive of this party."
“This election is a lot more than just about Israel,” Acker added.“There’s a lot of people who support Trump, almost entirely Jews, I should say, because of Israel. I support Harris because of her commitment to women’s rights, because of her commitment to social justice, because of her commitment to all of these other values which are very important to me.”Acker mentioned his three daughters who don’t want to live in a dystopia where they’re not able to seek medical care because of Trump’s abortion bans.He also said that, as a Jewish person, the idea of a mezuzah in the White House is something his grandparents and great-grandparents who came to this country would have never possibly dreamed of.“It’s those values that she brings, alongside her relationships in the Jewish community in the Bay Area, which is why I think she will be a good voice for our community,” Acker said. “I would just urge her and her team to continue to listen to the Jewish community.”Acker was among a small group of Jewish community leaders invited to meet with Harris last week ahead of her campaign rally in Detroit.
After the rally, he was followed outside by a group of protesters who were members of the Students for Justice in Palestine organization at the University of Michigan.
Despite this experience, Acker described the rally as incredible and the small group meeting as productive.
At the DNC, he’s hoping to continue those conversations with Harris and her campaign.Acker explained that the Jewish communities who have worked with Harris know she’s a real ally to the Jewish community, despite not being very well-known.“Having those understandings and getting to know the Jewish community nationally is going to be really important and helpful for her as she navigates some very difficult situations in the Middle East over the next hopefully four to eight years,” he said. “I’m confident that they’re having those conversations now, but I think there’s a lot more work to do.”