Former VP Mike Pence To Speak At New Republican Jewish Community Center

Vice Presidential Debate Between Gov. Mike Pence And Sen. Tim Kaine

Photo: Getty Images North America

Former Vice President Mike Pence will be in Palm Beach County on Monday for the grand opening of the Republican National Committee's first ever Jewish Community Center in the state.

"It's primarily a get-out-the-vote type of effort. We'll be holding events there with local community leaders and having activities for the community."

RNC Florida Communications Director Julia Friedland says the Boca Raton facility comes on the heels of the organization opening Hispanic community centers in Orlando and Doral, as well as a Black community center in Jacksonville.

The goal is to grow these communities in time for the midterm elections this Fall.

Friedland says Democrats take minority and Jewish voters for granted, but claims the Republican party has more in common with their core values.

"Look at our record on Israel...the Trump-Pence administration ushered in a new era of Republican leadership and President Trump became the first U.S. President to visit the Western Wall, which is one of Judaism's holiest sites."

She also cites the Abraham Accords and then points to what she calls "antisemitism festering within the Democrat Party," referring to anti-Israel comments made by Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Talib.

The new community center at 4400 North Federal Hwy opens in an area just north of a neighborhood where residents woke up to find antisemitic flyers last month. They featured a picture of Adolf Hitler and the words "Died fighting the human race's eternal enemy...the Jew." Friedland calls that terrible.

"The Republican party stands firmly against antisemitism in all its forms and discrimination."

She says the community center will be not only a welcoming place for Jews, but will work towards "hearing from the community and being there for the community, especially in moments like that."

Friedland says the Republican party has made progress in getting more of the Jewish vote in recent years, citing a Pew Research poll that shows 75 percent U.S. Orthodox Jews identify as Republicans or lean Republican. She says that's a 57 percent increase since 2013 and she thinks the Trump-Pence administration has a lot to do with that.

The grand opening happens at 5 p.m.


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