# Jeremy Ben-Ami

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American lawyer and activist (born 1962)

Jeremy Ben-Ami Personal details Born 1962 (age 63–64) Party Democratic Spouse Alisa Biran Education Princeton University (BA) New York University (JD)

**Jeremy Ben-Ami** (born 1962)[1] is an American lawyer and activist who is the founder and president of [J Street](/source/J_Street_(advocacy_group)), a liberal advocacy organization dedicated to promoting American leadership to end the [Arab-Israeli](/source/Arab%E2%80%93Israeli_conflict) and [Israel-Palestinian](/source/Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict) conflicts peacefully and diplomatically. He is also the executive director of JStreetPAC, which endorses and raises money for federal candidates.[2]

## Early life and education

Ben-Ami grew up in [New York City](/source/New_York_City). He is the son of the late Eve and the late Yitshaq Ben-Ami. His father was born in [Mandatory Palestine](/source/Mandatory_Palestine), but moved to the United States. Ben-Ami grew up in a Jewish home and became Bar Mitzvah at Temple Rodeph Sholom in Manhattan.[3] He attended [Collegiate School](/source/Collegiate_School_(New_York)), also in Manhattan.[4] His grandparents fled persecution in [Russia](/source/Russian_Empire) in 1882 and emigrated to "[what was then Palestine](/source/Ottoman_Palestine)" and his father would go on to join the Zionist paramilitary group [Irgun](/source/Irgun). His grandparents were among the first Zionist settlers and his father was said to be the first Jewish baby boy born in [Tel Aviv](/source/Tel_Aviv).[5]

He graduated from [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University) and received a [Juris Doctor](/source/Juris_Doctor) degree from [New York University](/source/New_York_University).[3]

## Career

Ben-Ami was [President Bill Clinton](/source/Presidency_of_Bill_Clinton)'s Deputy Domestic Policy Adviser, and later Policy Director on [Howard Dean](/source/Howard_Dean)'s presidential campaign. He was most recently Senior Vice President at [Fenton Communications](/source/Fenton_Communications).[*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*] Earlier he was the Communications Director for the [New Israel Fund](/source/New_Israel_Fund) and started the Israeli firm *Ben-Or Communications* while living in Israel in the late 1990s.[6] Ben-Ami has worked with Jewish peace groups, including the [Center for Middle East Peace](/source/Center_for_Middle_East_Peace_%26_Economic_Cooperation) and the [Geneva Initiative-North America](/source/Geneva_Initiative-North_America).[7][8]

## Viewpoints

In March 2011, Ben-Ami commented:

We are witnessing a troubling trend across the board — with Israelis narrowing the boundaries of what's acceptable on a number of fronts.... There are efforts to narrow the definition of 'who is a Jew' that leaves many non-Orthodox Jews out of the tent, to narrow who can be a citizen by imposing loyalty oaths or other conditions, and now to narrow the definition of who's a friend to only those who agree politically... Israel's goal—as a small state in an unfriendly neighborhood—should be... to broaden not narrow its base of support, and each of these steps take it in the wrong direction.[9]

Ben-Ami's 2011 book, *A New Voice for Israel* articulates a philosophy and an agenda for pro-Zionist, pro-peace Judaism based on religious and humanist values. He argues for a two-state solution and for U.S. efforts to promote the same. He also analyzes the dynamics and politics of Israel in the U.S. Jewish community.[10] Reviewing the book, [Sari Nusseibeh](/source/Sari_Nusseibeh) wrote "Ben-Ami provides an arsenal of logistical and moral arguments stressing that not only is Israel's occupation over another people a threat to the Zionist dream and American interests in the region, but that it also runs counter to rabbinic values....".[11] Abraham J. Edelheit found the book's thesis to be one that [Peter Beinart](/source/Peter_Beinart) had already discussed, and that while Ben-Ami offers convincing evidence that Israeli policies are alienating young Jewish Americans, he fails to "explain how J Street will achieve anything but cementing their criticism of Israel".[12] Joseph Finlay, reviewing for *[Jewish Quarterly](/source/Jewish_Quarterly)*, wrote that Ben-Ami's critique of contemporary American Jewish leadership is "entirely unoriginal" and too gentle and that instead it is necessary to create "massive pressure on Israel to end the occupation, both directly and via national governments across the world. It needs to harness the energy of [BDS](/source/Boycott%2C_Divestment_and_Sanctions) and pro-Palestinian activists".[13]

### Views during the Gaza War

In 2024, during the [Gaza War](/source/Gaza_war), Ben-Ami criticized the conduct of the [Netanyahu](/source/Benjamin_Netanyahu) government, calling for de-escalation and echoing J Street's call to end the war.[14][15] On 3 August 2025, he published an article on his [Substack](/source/Substack) in which he said, "Until now, I have tried to deflect and defend when challenged to call this [genocide](/source/Gaza_genocide). I have, however, been persuaded rationally by legal and scholarly arguments that international courts will one day find that Israel has broken the [international genocide convention](/source/Genocide_Convention)."[16][17]

## Personal life

Ben-Ami married Alisa Biran in 2001.[3] Biran, who was working in fundraising at a music school, happened to be the daughter of a cantor from Ben-Ami's childhood synagogue.[18]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Katz, Mandy. ["The Man on J Street: The Story of Jeremy Ben-Ami"](http://www.fmep.org/analysis/analysis/the-man-on-j-street-the-story-of-jeremy-ben-ami). Foundation for Middle East Peace. Retrieved April 5, 2014.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Kelemen, Michele (October 27, 2009). ["New Lobby Pushes Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace Mission"](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114215622). [National Public Radio](/source/National_Public_Radio). Retrieved January 12, 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-auto_3-2) [Alisa Biran, Jeremy Ben-Ami](https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/18/style/alisa-biran-jeremy-ben-ami.html), *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, February 18, 2001

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The Man on J Street: The Story of Jeremy Ben-Ami | Page 2 of 8"](https://momentmag.com/the-man-on-j-street-the-story-of-jeremy-ben-ami/2/). October 4, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Maryam Saleh, Ryan Grim (December 14, 2019). ["The Wax and Wane of J Street's Influence Over U.S.-Israel Policy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240728080837/https://theintercept.com/2019/12/14/j-street-israel-jeremy-ben-ami/). *The Intercept*. Archived from [the original](https://theintercept.com/2019/12/14/j-street-israel-jeremy-ben-ami/) on July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Abramowitz2008-04-15_6-0)** Abramowitz, Michael (April 15, 2008). ["Jewish Liberals to Launch A Counterpoint to AIPAC"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402647.html). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. Retrieved April 29, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Besser2008-03-26_7-0)** Besser, James (March 26, 2008). ["New PAC To Offer Pols A Dovish Mideast View"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080403074343/http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c39_a5882/News/International.html). *[The Jewish Week](/source/The_Jewish_Week)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c39_a5882/News/International.html) on April 3, 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Deveson2008-04-16_8-0)** Deveson, Max (April 16, 2008). ["Jewish lobby gains new voice"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7349371.stm). *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*. Retrieved April 26, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Besser, James D. (March 22, 2011). ["For The Love Of Israel?"](http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/israel/love_israel). *[The Jewish Week](/source/The_Jewish_Week)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ANVFI_10-0)** Ben-Ami, Jeremy (2011). *A New Voice for Israel : Fighting for the Survival of the Jewish Nation*. Macmillan. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-230-11274-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-230-11274-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NusseibehReview_11-0)** [Nusseibeh, Sari](/source/Sari_Nusseibeh) (May 6, 2011). ["Jeremy Ben-Ami's "A New Voice for Israel: Fighting for the Survival of the Jewish Nation" (book review)"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/jeremy-ben-amis-a-new-voice-for-israel-fighting-for-the-survival-of-the-jewish-nation/2011/05/06/gIQAklGsuI_story.html). *Washington Post*. Retrieved December 13, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CritReview_12-0)** Edelheit, Abraham (2011). ["A New Voice for Israel: Fighting for the Survival of the Jewish Nation"](http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/a-new-voice-for-israel-fighting-for-the-survival-of-the-jewish-nation). The Jewish Book Council.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-JQ_13-0)** Finlay, Joseph. ["A New Voice for Israel"](http://jewishquarterly.org/2011/09/a-new-voice-for-israel/). Jewish Quarterly.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Ben-Ami, Jeremy (November 17, 2024). ["Senators: As Friends of Israel, Vote To Disapprove What The Gaza War Has Become"](https://jstreetdotorg.substack.com/p/disapproval). *Word on the Street*. Retrieved December 4, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Time for Diplomacy"](https://jstreet.org/press-releases/time-for-diplomacy/) (Press release). J Street. January 22, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Ben-Ami, Jeremy (August 3, 2025). ["Genocide"](https://jeremybenami.substack.com/p/genocide). *Word on the Street*. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Magid, Jacob (August 5, 2025). ["J Street head says he's now convinced Israel committing genocide in Gaza"](https://www.timesofisrael.com/j-street-head-says-hes-now-convinced-israel-committing-genocide-in-gaza/). *[The Times of Israel](/source/The_Times_of_Israel)*. [Jewish Telegraphic Agency](/source/Jewish_Telegraphic_Agency). Retrieved August 27, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Mandy Katz (March–April 2010). ["The Man on J Street: The Story of Jeremy Ben-Ami; He's Been Called a Judas, But Unruffled, Continues Lobbying U.S. Policymakers to Push Israel Toward Peace"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110927122326/http://www.momentmag.com/Exclusive/2010/04/Ben-Ami.html). *Moment Magazine*. Archived from [the original](http://www.momentmag.com/Exclusive/2010/04/Ben-Ami.html) on September 27, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2011.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Jeremy Ben-Ami](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Jeremy_Ben-Ami).

- [Jeremy Ben-Ami](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-benami) blog archives at *[The Huffington Post](/source/The_Huffington_Post)*

- [Staff](http://www.jstreet.org/about/staff) biography at [J Street](/source/J_Street_(advocacy_group))

- [Appearances](https://www.c-span.org/person/?9266109) on [C-SPAN](/source/C-SPAN)

- [Jeremy Ben-Ami](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3060478/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [A New Voice for Israel](http://us.macmillan.com/anewvoiceforisrael) official book site at [Macmillan](/source/Macmillan_Publishers)

- Ben-Ami, Jeremy [Tel Aviv, Then and Now](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/opinion/10iht-edbenami.html) *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, April 9, 2009

**Articles**

- Goldberg, Michelle [Same As It Ever Was?](https://prospect.org/article/ever-was/) *[The American Prospect](/source/The_American_Prospect)*, April 7, 2009

- Traub, James [The New Israel Lobby](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/magazine/13JStreet-t.html), *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, September 9, 2009

- Jacobson, Louis [A moment with ... Jeremy Ben-Ami '84, on speaking out about Israel](http://paw.princeton.edu/issues/2009/10/07/pages/4377/index.xml), *[Princeton Alumni Weekly](/source/Princeton_Alumni_Weekly)* October 7, 2009

- Goldberg, Jeffrey. [J Street's Ben-Ami on Zionism and Military Aid to Israel](http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/10/j_streets_ben-ami_on_being_a_z.php), *[The Atlantic](/source/The_Atlantic)*, October 23, 2009.

- Katz, Mandy [The Man on J Street: The Story of Jeremy Ben-Ami](https://web.archive.org/web/20100405054443/http://www.momentmag.com/Exclusive/currentyear/currentedition/Ben-Ami.html), *[Moment](/source/Moment_(magazine))*, March/April 2010.

- Hoffman, Allison. [Heads Up: J Street chief Jeremy Ben-Ami calls the plays for the first self-confident alternative Jewish establishment](http://www.tabletmag.com/news-and-politics/48730/heads-up/), *[Tablet Magazine](/source/Tablet_Magazine)*, October 28, 2010.

- [Kirsch, Jonathan](/source/Jonathan_Kirsch). [The J Street Zionist](http://www.jewishjournal.com/twelve_twelve/article/the_j_street_zionist_20111117/), *[The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles](/source/The_Jewish_Journal_of_Greater_Los_Angeles)*, November 17, 2011.

- Shabad, Rebecca. [A DC Voice for a Two-State Solution](https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/lobbyist-profiles/199776-dc-voice-for-two-state-solution/), *[The Hill](/source/The_Hill_(newspaper))*, March 4, 2014.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jeremy Ben-Ami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Ben-Ami) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Ben-Ami?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.