Why Jewish Women Should Vote for Harris

In 2012, I co-founded Jewish Democratic Women’s Salon to give voice to the values that Jewish women hold most sacred—healthcare, safety, the wellbeing of our families. Twelve years later, and here we are: those same values are on the ballot.

It starts with Israel. With the country on the brink of a regional war, Vice President Kamala Harris is the candidate we can trust to stand up for Israel—and continue to stand with them amid rising threats from Iran and its allies.

Today, Vice President Harris is one of America’s strongest voices condemning Hamas and the sexual violence they perpetrated on Oct. 7. While others in Congress are calling to stop sending weapons to Israel, Harris has remained unwavering in her commitment to the Jewish people and to ensuring Israel’s right to defend itself.

Compare that to Trump, who has called Hezbollah “very smart,” and whose own national security advisor said not to trust him on Israel, because, as is always the case, Trump only cares about himself. Trump has no enduring principles and is highly manipulable. He will abandon Israel, just as he has abandoned foreign policy positions in the past, the moment it becomes politically expedient to do so.

Here at home, Jewish women also care deeply about the safety of our community —and we fear the escalation of antisemitism in our country.

After Nazis marched in Charlottesville, Trump claimed there were “very fine people on both sides.” He has dined with vile and unabashed antisemites, like the Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, and he continues to associate with conspiracy theorists, like Laura Loomer.

In Harris, we have a true leader in the fight against antisemitism. She and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff created the first-ever National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, which contains over 100 concrete and specific actions to protect our community. For the first time, the Vice President’s residence has a mezuzah.

As Jewish women, we also want our kids to get the best education possible—and to keep them safe in their schools. Trump and his friends at the Heritage Foundation want to destroy the Department of Education, ban books, and censor what our children learn. After a school shooting in Iowa, Trump horrifyingly told his supporters, “We have to get over it.” On Sept. 4, 2024, two Georgia students and two teachers were murdered in their classrooms. We will never get over it.

Vice President Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, want to strengthen our schools and pay teachers a living wage. And, as gun owners themselves, they want to pass common-sense gun safety laws that reduce mass shootings.

As Jewish women, we see voting as an investment in our democracy. Trump has baselessly cast doubt on election integrity in Georgia, threatened Georgia Republicans to “find” him votes, and cheered on members of Georgia’s unelected State Election Board who are making it harder to vote. Vice President Harris will protect our democracy by passing a new voting rights act, named after our beloved John Lewis.

As Jewish women, we believe women have the right to make decisions about our own bodies—while Trump, who was found liable of raping a woman in court, wants to make those decisions for us.

As Jewish women, we believe our daughters and granddaughters should have the same rights we grew up with—not fewer. Weeks ago, due to the bans that Trump’s appointed judges made possible, Amber Thurman died because she could not access abortion care in Georgia. She waited 20 hours for doctors to finally operate on her, and when they did, it was too late. She leaves behind a 6-year-old son.

Now, with the holiest of Jewish weeks just behind us, Jewish women must look at our choices – and then look inward.

Our Torah teaches that time and time again, Jewish women have stood up to protect what is right and stand against hate and injustice. This November, Jewish women are being called upon to do that again.

And so, I urge you to listen not just to me, but to your own conscience. I urge you to adhere to the values that our mothers instilled in us and that we strive to instill in our children and grandchildren. I urge you to cast your vote on the right side of history—to cast it proudly in defense of future generations of Jewish women who cannot vote in this election, who are depending on us now, and who may one day ask you: What did you do?

Early voting starts Oct. 15.

Valerie Habif is co-founder of the Jewish Democratic Women’s Salon, Atlanta (JDWS)