{{Short description|American progressive Jewish political organization}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox organization | formation = {{start year and age|1999}} | type = Nonprofit | headquarters = Los Angeles | website = {{URL|http://bendthearc.us/}} }}

'''Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice''' is a progressive Jewish American political organization.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gaqFCwAAQBAJ|title=American Jewish Year Book 2015: The Annual Record of the North American Jewish Communities|last1=Dashefsky|first1=Arnold|last2=Sheskin|first2=Ira M.|date=February 3, 2016|publisher=Springer|isbn=9783319245058|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://jwa.org/people/cotler-stosh|title=Stosh Cotler {{!}} Jewish Women's Archive|website=jwa.org|access-date=August 15, 2019}}</ref> The organization supports social justice and focuses strictly on domestic issues. Bend the Arc does not deal with issues related to Israel.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/bend-arc-seeks-solidarity/|title=Bend the Arc Seeks Solidarity|last=Gruskin|first=Rachel Fayne|date=January 12, 2017|website=Atlanta Jewish Times|language=en-US|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bend-the-arc-jewish-israel_n_1681546|title=Jewish Advocacy Group Launches PAC To Take Heat Off Israel|last=Stein|first=Sam|date=July 18, 2012|website=HuffPost|language=en|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref>

==Positions== Bend the Arc has been noted for its work protesting the policies of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/series/forward-50/2018/stosh-cotler/|title=Building A Nationwide Jewish Resistance|website=The Forward|date=December 5, 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> Leaders of the organizations have argued that Trump has emboldened white nationalism, and disrupted an October 2019 speech by Trump in Pittsburgh by chanting "Trump Endangered Jews."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/14-jewish-activists-arrested-protesting-trump-visit-to-pittsburgh/|title=14 Jewish activists arrested protesting Trump visit to Pittsburgh|last=JTA|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US|access-date=October 27, 2019 |issn=0040-7909}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/us-news/jewish-activists-heckle-trump-endangers-jews-during-a-presidential-speech-in-pittsburgh-1.490592|title=Activists heckle 'Trump endangers Jews' during president's speech in Pittsburgh|last=Phillips|first=Aleks|date=October 24, 2019|website=www.thejc.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=October 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-pittsburgh-jewish-protesters-synagogue-1467505|title=Jewish protesters explain why they disrupted Trump's Pittsburgh speech, blast president's "ugly rhetoric and policies of fear"|last=Palmer|first=Ewan|date=October 24, 2019|website=Newsweek|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=October 27, 2019}}</ref>

According to an article in ''Tablet'' magazine, "the group has no active dues-paying members who participate in the shaping of their agenda."<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 27, 2020|title=Bending the Jews|url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/bend-the-arc|access-date=June 17, 2020|website=Tablet Magazine|language=en}}</ref>

In April 2025, Bend the Arc was among ten progressive Jewish organizations that signed an opposing letter encouraging representatives to reject the Antisemitism Awareness Act.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gilson |first1=Grace |title=Progressive US Jewish organizations oppose controversial antisemitism bill |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/progressive-us-jewish-organizations-oppose-controversial-antisemitism-bill/ |website=Times of Israel |access-date=December 27, 2025}}</ref>

The organization endorsed Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City.<ref name="Ynt m416">{{cite web | last1=Edelson | first1=Daniel | title=NYC Jews uneasy as Zohran Mamdani prepares star-studded mayoral inauguration filled with Israel-haters | website=ynetglobal | date=December 31, 2025 | url=https://www.ynetnews.com/jewish-world/article/sjalr1geze | access-date=January 4, 2026}}</ref><ref name="Politico p428">{{cite web | last=Bloom | first=Dan | title=Ramped-up resistance at 26 Fed | website=Politico | date=September 26, 2025 | url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/new-york-playbook/2025/09/26/ramped-up-resistance-at-26-fed-00581779 | access-date=January 4, 2026}}</ref>

== Leadership == Stosh Cotler became Bend the Arc's Executive Vice President in 2011 and CEO in 2014.<ref name=":1" /> When Cotler became CEO, ''The Forward'' noted that she was "one of the few women leading a national Jewish group of its size."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/news/190706/bend-the-arc-leader-stosh-cotler-has-radical-strea/|title=Bend the Arc Leader Stosh Cotler Has Radical Streak — and Black Belt|last=Wiener|first=Julie|date=January 10, 2014|website=The Forward|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref>

== History == The Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA) was founded in 1999 by Douglas Mirell, Steven Kaplan and Joan Patsy Ostroy, after the closure of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Jewish Congress.<ref name="encycjud">{{cite encyclopedia | url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2587516109&v=2.1&u=new27191&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=519b978883006e7d3f29e74131072396 | title=Progressive Jewish Alliance Ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik. Detroit, 2007. 544. Gale Virtual Reference Library. | publisher=Macmillan Reference USA, 2nd ed. Vol. 16. | encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Judaica | date=2007 | accessdate=May 4, 2014 | author=Cohen, Aryeh | pages=544}}</ref> They sought to assert a Jewish interest in the campaigns for social justice in Southern California, which has the United States' second largest Jewish population.<ref name="encycjud" /> Progressive Jewish Alliance expanded in February 2005 by opening a San Francisco Bay Area chapter. The PJA stated goals are social justice, judicial reform, and improved working conditions. They also try to facilitate dialogue between non-violent young offenders and their victims and between Jews and Muslims.

PJA ran the Jeremiah Fellowship, which trains young Jews to be future social justice leaders. In addition, the PJA conducted education programs and quarterly holiday events on the intersection of art, culture and politics.

On June 1, 2011, the Progressive Jewish Alliance merged with Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), and the consolidated group adopted the name Bend the Arc in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/2012/04/03/united-states/merged-social-justice-groups-become-bend-the-arc|title=Merged social justice groups become Bend the Arc|date=April 3, 2012|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|language=en-US|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref><ref name=Freedman2005>{{Citation | title = Muslim Woman Bridges Faiths to Advance Progressive Goals | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/05/us/faiza-ali-uses-faith-to-unite-religious-coalitions.html | year = 2005 | author = Freedman, Samuel G. | journal = New York Times | pages = A21 | accessdate = May 4, 2014}}</ref>

==See also== * Jewish left * Jews Against White Nationalism

==References== <references />

==External links== * {{Official website|http://bendthearc.us/}}

Category:Anti-racist organizations in the United States Category:Jewish charities based in the United States Category:Jewish-American political organizations Category:Jewish anti-racism Category:Social justice organizations Category:Liberalism and religion Category:Progressive organizations in the United States Category:Organizations established in 1999 Category:1999 establishments in California Category:Opposition to antisemitism in the United States