Michigan Jewish leaders petition Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed

A coalition of Michigan Jewish leaders, operating under the initiative ‘Nonnegotiable Michigan’, has launched a petition calling on Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed to commit to specific baseline principles regarding Jewish safety and Israel.

The group, which includes more than a dozen rabbis, is seeking commitments on five key points: Jewish safety, Jewish identity, political participation, self-determination, and Jewish sovereignty in Israel. Leaders expressed concern that El-Sayed’s previous rhetoric regarding the Israeli government and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) could inadvertently fuel antisemitic stereotypes.

Rabbi Josh Whinston noted that certain criticisms could be misinterpreted by those who do not distinguish between the Israeli government and the Jewish people. The initiative is supported by the Zioness Action Fund and aims to foster dialogue rather than issue an ultimatum. El-Sayed, who is running against Republican Mike Rogers, has previously stated that his criticisms of Israel and AIPAC are not directed at the Jewish community.