Like you, I receive many calls from candidates on November’s ballot. As a resident of Missouri Senate District 15 (Chesterfield, Town and Country, Ballwin), I was particularly interested in Joe Pereles, who is running to represent me. His campaign materials indicate that he has been involved in many community organizations, including the Jewish Federation.

I was quite surprised when told that Mr. Pereles is also actively engaged in the St. Louis chapter of J Street. The national J Street website notes that “Joe co-founded the St. Louis J Street Chapter, [and] is the chapter’s advocacy chair.” He is also listed as a member of J Street’s National Board of Directors. Why would Mr. Pereles omit this longstanding commitment to J Street from his campaign materials?

For many of us with a strong commitment to the survival of Israel, J Street’s policies – such as supporting the Iran nuclear deal – are, at best, naïve, and at worst, downright dangerous. Its 2024 Congressional endorsements are telling: Colin Allred, who supports withholding aid to Israel to pressure it into a deal with Hamas; Pramila Jayapal, who has labeled Israel a racist state; Squad member Summer Lee; 28 of 37 Democrats who voted against last April’s Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act; Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, to name a few.

I wrote Mr. Pereles to request “that in the name of transparency, you make known this [J Street] affiliation to voters in District 15…it is the right thing to do.”

I am still awaiting a response.

Susan Feigenbaum, Ph.D.
Town and Country