The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies
News Release: August 10, 2026
For more information, contact:
info@wymaninstitute.org / 202-434-8994
200 JEWISH LEADERS PROTEST THREAT
TO MICHIGAN JEWISH DEMOCRATS
Two hundred Jewish community activists, rabbis, professionals and academics have signed a petition to the chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, urging him to take security measures to protect Jewish delegates at the upcoming party convention.
The petition follows the statement by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Jewish Democrat, that she will not attend the upcoming Michigan Democratic Convention, because as a Jew, “I don’t feel safe going…I don’t want to get chased around. I don’t want to get harassed. I don’t want to get yelled and screamed at…And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen.”
The signatories include prominent Michigan Jewish leaders, such as the president of the Michigan Board of Rabbis; former and current presidents of the Rabbinical Council of America, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the Rabbinical Assembly. past presidents of major academic institutions such as the National Academy of Education, the American Academy of Religion; the American Association of University Professors; and the Association for Jewish Studies; and former senior officials of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The petition was organized by Dr. Rafael Medoff, historian and director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, in Washington DC, and Prof. Thane Rosenbaum of Touro University, author and human rights and constitutional scholar.
The full text of the petition follows below.
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August 10, 2026
Hon. Curtis Hertel, Jr., Chairman
Michigan Democratic Party
Dear Chairman Hertel:
We are writing to express our concern at the announcement by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel that she will not attend next month’s Michigan Democratic Convention, because, as a Jew, “I don’t feel safe going…I don’t want to get chased around. I don’t want to get harassed. I don’t want to get yelled and screamed at…And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen.”
We urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Attorney General Nessel and all other Jewish delegates to the upcoming convention.
We believe you need to make it clear, publicly, that anyone who chases, screams at, or otherwise harasses Jews at your convention will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Antisemitic harassment is un-American and contrary to the core values of the Democratic Party. Moreover, it will set a terrible precedent. If Jews—including the highest-ranking Jewish state official in Michigan—are intimidated into staying away from your convention, it will not stop there.
Outside a New York City synagogue last year, anti-Israel extremists chanted, “We need to make them scared!” Is that threat succeeding? The treatment of Jews at the Michigan Democratic Convention will be a test.
Cordially,
Dr. Rafael Medoff
The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies
Prof. Thane Rosenbaum
Touro University
Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein
Director, Global Faith Engagement, Israel 365
Amir Ahimor
Business Management Analyst
Leigh Ahimor
Writer/Producer/Editor
Rabbi Thomas M. Alpert
Temple Etz Chaim, Franklin MA (emer.)
Rabbi Marc D. Angel
Founder and Director, Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals
Rabbi Aviva Bass
Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth, Rockville Centre NY
Prof. Ronald H. Bayor
Georgia Tech (emer.)
Rabbi Irvin S. Beigel
Retired Healthcare Chaplain, Syracuse NY
Prof. Joseph W. Bendersky
Virginia Commonwealth University
Rabbi Cantor Danielle Bensimhon
Temple Beth David, Palm Beach Gardens FL
Prof. Michael Berenbaum
American Jewish University
Prof. David Berger
Yeshiva University
Rabbi Dr. Michael Berger
Yeshiva University
Rabbi Marc E. Berkson
Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Milwaukee WI
Prof. David E. Bernstein
Executive Director, Liberty & Law Center, Antonin Scalia Law School
George Mason University
Rabbi Janet Bieber
Temple Beth Emet, Burbank CA
Rabbi Amy Bigman
Congregation Shaarey Zedek – East Lansing, MI
Rabbi Joseph R. Black
Temple Emanuel, Denver CO (emer.)
Prof. Mia Bloom
Georgia State University
Prof. Bennett Blum, MD
University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson AZ
Rabbi Neil F. Blumofe
Congregation Agudas Achim, Austin, TX
Rabbi Lisa Bock
Jewish Community of Ojai
Rabbi Alex Braver
B’nai Jeshurun, New York City
Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor
Congregation Shirat HaYam, Nantucket MA
Rabbi Nadav Caine
Beth Israel Congregation, Ann Arbor MI
Prof. Ellen Cannon
Northeastern Illinois University
Dr. Phyllis Chesler
Author
Prof. Barry R. Chiswick
George Washington University
Rabbi Yisroel Ciner
Beth Jacob Congregation of Irvine, CA
Rabbi Eli Cohen
Santa Cruz, CA
Eric Cohen
Co-founder, Investors Against Genocide
Former president, Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur
Rabbi Howard A. Cohen
Congregation Shirat Hayam, Duxbury MA (emer.)
Rabbi Michael M. Cohen
Israel Congregation, Manchester Center VT (emer.)
Rabbi Paul F. Cohen
Temple Jeremiah, Northfield IL (emer.)
Saar Conde
Cognitive Warfare Science Researcher
Rabbi Abraham Cooper
Associate Dean, Director Global Social Action
Simon Wiesenthal Center
Joanne Sherman Deutchman
Democratic Committeeperson
Steven P. Dlott, Esq.
Rabbi Mark Dratch
Rabbinical Council of America (emer.)
Prof. R. Amy Elman
Kalamazoo College
Rabbi Rachel Esserman
The Reporter Group
Rabbi Jeffrey L. Falick
Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit
Prof. Margarete Myers Feinstein
Loyola Marymount University
Prof. Michael J. Feuer
George Washington University
Rabbi Reuven Fink
Young Israel of New Rochelle, NY
Rabbi Moshe Frank
Congregation Ezrath Israel, Ellenville NY (emer.)
Cator Daniel Eli Friedman
Temple Ramat Zion, Northridge CA
Prof. Zev Garber
Los Angeles Valley College (emer.)
Rabbi Thomas A. Gardner
Riverdale Temple, Bronx NY
Rabbi Eli Garfinkel
Temple Beth El, Somerset NJ
Rabbi David Gelfand
Temple Israel of the City of New York (emer.)
Rabbi Menachem Genack
Orthodox Union
Rabbi Stuart Gershon, D.D.
Temple Sinai, Summit NJ (emer.)
Rabbi Gary S. Gerson
Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion, IL (emer.)
Rabbi Aaron Glatt, MD
Young Israel of Woodmere NY
Rabbi Prof. Miriyam Glazer, Ph.D.
American Jewish University (emer.)
Prof. Norman JW Goda
University of Florida
Rabbi Jay H. Goldberg
Young Israel of Wavecrest & Bayswater, NYC
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin
Congregation Ahavath Torah, Englewood NJ (emer.)
Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin
President Emeritus, The Schechter Institutes, Inc.
Barbara Goldberg Goldman
Chair, Jewish Electorate Institute
Rabbi Jordan Goldson
Temple B’nai Israel, Easton, MD
Rabbi Lisa J. Goldstein
Congregation Shalom of San Antonio TX
Rabbi Dan Gordon
President, OHALAH: Association of Rabbis, Cantors
and Rabbinic Chaplains for Jewish Renewal
Rabbi Steven M. Graber
Temple Hillel, North Woodmere NY
Rabbi Roberto Graetz
Temple Isaiah, Lafayette CA (emer.)
Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg
Senior Scholar in Residence, Hadar Institute
Dr. Hank Greenspan
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (emer.)
Rabbi David Greenstein
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Alex Grobman
Senior resident scholar, John C. Danforth Society
Rabbi Dr. Victor Gross
Congregation Pardes Levavot, Boulder CO
Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz
Congregation B’nai Shalom, Westborough MA
Prof. Judith Peller Hallett
University of Maryland (emer.)
Prof. Edward C. Halper
University of Georgia
Prof. Jaroslava Halper
University of Georgia (emer.)
Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A.
New York Medical College
Prof. Kenneth Hanson
University of Central Florida
Rabbi Carmit Harari
Shir Tikvah, Homewood IL
Dr. Allan Havis
Jewish Studies Faculty Director, UC San Diego
Prof. Joel Hecker
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (emer.)
Prof. Kathryn Hellerstein
University of Pennsylvania
Prof. Jeffrey Herf
University of Maryland, College Park (emer.)
Prof. Shale Horowitz
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Rabbi Daniel Horwitz
Houston, TX
Rabbi Herbert Horowitz
Ohev Sholom Synagogue, Williamsport PA
Deborah Isaak-Shapiro, LCSW
Jerry D. Isaak-Shapiro
Kadima Hebrew Academy
Rabbi Debbie Israel
Congregation Emeth – Morgan Hill CA (emer.)
Harriet Jackson, M.Phil.
Historian and Educator
Dr. Steven Jacobs
University of Alabama
Prof. Marvin Kalb
Harvard University
Rabbi Wes Kalmar
Congregation Anshe Sfard Kehillat Torah, Glendale WI
Prof. Debbie Kaminer
Baruch College/City University of New York
Dr. Joshua Karlip
Yeshiva University
Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum
Congregation B’nai Harim, Pocono Pines PA (emer.)
Prof. Tomasz Kitlinski
Academy of the Arts in Szczecin (Stettin)
Rabbi Michael Klayman
Lake Success Jewish Center (emer.)
Long Island Board of Rabbis
Rabbi Manes Kogan
Hillcrest Jewish Center, Flushing NY
Rabbi Lori Klein, Capitola CA
Cantor Zachary Konigsberg
Spiritual Leader, Temple Sholom of Flatbush
Prof. Nancy Koppelman
Evergreen State College
Rabbi Cary Kozberg
Temple Sholom, Springfield OH
Jason Kravitt, Esq.
Former Adjunct Northwestern and NYU Law Schools
Julie Krigel
Past president, Silicon Valley Jewish Federation
Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff
Temple Emanu-El, Westfield NJ (emer.)
Rabbi Claudio Kupchik
Shelter Rock Jewish Center, Roslyn NY
Rabbi Paul Kurland
Congregation Shir Shalom, New City NY
Prof. Barbara Laster
Towson University (emer.)
Dr. Bluma Lesch
Yale University
Prof. Alan Levenson
University of Oklahoma
Rabbi Shalom Lewis
Congregation Etz Chaim, Marietta GA (emer.)
Rabbi Dr. Richard Libowitz
Temple University
Joyce S. Lipton, Esq.
Dr. Keren McGinity
Rabbi Alan Litwak
Temple Sinai, North Miami Beach FL
Rabbi Dr. Haskel Lookstein
Congregation Kehilat Jeshurun (emer.)
Prof. Reneo Lukic
Laval University, Quebec
Prof. Shulamit S. Magnus
Oberlin College (emer.)
Prof. Armand Makowski
University of Maryland
Prof. Graeme F. Mason
Yale University
Dr. Olivia Mattis
Sousa Mendes Foundation
Rabbi Gary Menchel
Rosh HaYeshiva/Head of School, Yeshiva Har Torah
Rabbi Joel H. Meyers
Executive Vice President (emer.)
Rabbinical Assembly
Rabbi Avis Miller
Adas Israel, Washington DC (emer.)
Rabbi Jason Miller
West Bloomfield, Michigan
Rabbi Michael Mishkin
Temple Beth Israel, Port Washington, NY
Rabbi Steven Morgen
Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Houston TX (emer.)
Prof. Cary Nelson
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Prof. David Patterson
Hillel Feinberg Distinguished Chair in Holocaust Studies
University of Texas at Dallas
Rabbi Daniel Pernick
Beth Am Temple, Pearl River NY
Cantor Moshe Pinchover
The Emanuel Synagogue, West Hartford CT
Professor Kenneth Prager, M.D.
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Rabbi Joseph Polak
Chief Justice, Rabbinical Court of Massachusetts
Rabbi Eric Polokoff
B’nai Israel, Southbury CT
Edward Pont, MD
Janet Pont
Jewish educator, Detroit
Rabbi Michael Pont
Marlboro Jewish Center, Marlboro NJ
Reuven Rabinovici, MD, FACS
Tufts Medical Center (ret.), Boston MA
Rabbi Steven H. Rau, RJE
The Temple, Atlanta GA
Lauri B. Regan
Scholars for Peace in the Middle East
Prof. Gil Ribak
University of Arizona
Prof. Monika Rice
Lafayette College
Rabbi Seth Daniel Riemer, Ph.D.
Rabbi Mario Rojzman
Rabbi Scott B. Roland
Congregation Shaarey Tikvah, Beachwood OH
Rabbi Ira Rosenfeld
Or Echad / HomeShul
Rabbi Francine Green Roston
Glacier Jewish Community, MT (emer.)
Prof. Hannah Rothstein
City University of New York (emer.)
Prof. Jeffrey Rubenstein
New York University
Rabbi Robert Rubin
Rabbi Amy J. Sapowith
Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation, Ashburn VA
Prof. Jonathan Sarna
Brandeis University (emer.)
Joel J. Seidemann, Esq.
White Plains, NY
Rabbi Ahud Sela
Temple Ramat Zion, Northridge, CA
David Sender, Esq.
Former Director of Development
Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City
Susanne Bleiberg Seperson, Ph.D.
Chair, End Antisemitism and Promote Peace
Prof. Robert Shapiro
Brooklyn College – City University of New York
Prof. Karen Shawn
Yeshiva University
Joshua Shemtov
Miami-Dade Jewish Democratic Caucus
Prof. Shimon Shetreet
Former Israeli cabinet minister
Hebrew University of Jerusalem (emer.)
Rabbi Natalie Shribman
Temple Kol Ami, West Bloomfield MI
Rabbi Suzanne Singer
Temple Beth El, Riverside CA (emer.)
Rabbi David Sirull
Adas Yeshurun Synagogue, Augusta GA
Rabbi Felicia Sol
B’nai Jeshurun, New York City
Prof. Matthew Spiegel
Yale School of Management
Rabbi Michael Stanger
Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation, Old Westbury NY
Rabbi Aaron Starr
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield MI
Rabbi Jay M. Stein
Greenburgh Hebrew Center, NY
Rabbi Paul Steinberg
Congregation Kol Shofar, Tiburon CA
Prof. Suzanne Last Stone
Yeshiva University
Rabbi Joshua Strom
Temple B’nai Chaim, Wilton CT
Rabbi Gerald Sussman
Congregation Temple Emanu-El, Staten Island NY
Prof. Karen Sutton
Touro University
Prof. André Swanström
Åbo Akademi University
Prof. Zoltán Tibori-Szabó
Director, Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Rabbi Etan Tokayer
President
Rabbinical Council of America
Howard Trachtman MD
University of Michigan
Prof Gil Troy
McGill University
Rabbi Avrohom Union
Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Prof. Jeremiah Unterman
Resident Scholar – Herzl Institute
Prof. James Wald
Hampshire College (emer.)
Rabbi Mayer Waxman
Executive Director, Queens Jewish Community Council
Debra S. Weinberg
Executive Director, Jewish Grandparents Network
Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt
Chairman, Zionist Rabbinic Coalition
Rabbi Arthur Weiner
Jewish Community Center of Paramus NJ
Congregation Beth Tikvah
Rabbi Rebecca Weintraub
B’nai Jeshurun, New York City
Rabbi Elie Weinstock
Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach, NY
Rabbi Yosef Weinstock
Young Israel of Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale FL
Rabbi Matt Weisbaum
StandWithUs/RabbisUNITED
Sarah Westfall, Ph.D.
Rabbi David Wise
Etz Hayim at Hollis Hills, Bayside NY
Dr. Linda Yellin
Prof. Randall C. Zachman
University of Notre Dame (emer.)
Dr. Dov S. Zakheim
Rabbi Dr. Wendy Zierler
Hebrew Union College
Prof. John C. Zimmerman
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Rabbi Mark Zimmerman
Beth Shalom, Atlanta GA
Rabbi Dr. Gary P. Zola
Hebrew Union College (emer.)
Prof. Laurie Zoloth
University of Chicago
(Institutions listed for identification purposes only.)