Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, rabbi of the Boca Raton Synagogue - a large and influential Orthodox community in South Florida - has reached out to members of his congregation and made an unusual request: that they register as members of the Democratic Party ahead of the state’s upcoming primary elections.
The goal of the initiative, Goldberg explained in an interview with Jewish Insider, is to help incumbent Congressman Jared Moskowitz fend off a significant political challenge from a candidate identified with the far left.
The main objective of the effort is to prevent Oliver Larkin from winning the Democratic primary. Larkin is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and has publicly launched harsh criticism against Israel and against Moskowitz’s support for the Jewish state.
During his campaign, Larkin accused Israel of “committing genocide," called for an immediate halt to US military aid, and expressed support for “the right of return for Palestinian refugees."
He has also appeared alongside a number of anti-Israel figures, including influencers accused of antisemitism. The district in question, whose boundaries were redrawn in a way that favors the Republican Party, is considered a key swing seat in the upcoming November midterm elections. It also contains one of the largest concentrations of Jewish voters of any congressional district in the US.
Rabbi Goldberg noted that he generally tends to support Republican candidates - although he respects the leadership of pro-Israel Democrats such as Moskowitz - but emphasized that Israel supporters should participate in the Democratic primary in order to block Larkin’s path. Regarding the general election, he clarified that individuals should vote according to their own conscience.
Goldberg said that the response among members of his congregation, which includes more than 1,000 families and largely leans conservative politically, has been overwhelmingly positive, with most members understanding the purpose of the effort and the concerns behind it. However, he noted that opponents of the initiative fall into two groups: some want to preserve their ability to vote in Republican primaries, particularly in the gubernatorial race where a Republican candidate with openly antisemitic views is running, while others feel emotionally uncomfortable with the idea of registering as Democrats.
The rabbi said he understands those who wish to maintain their right to vote in Republican primaries for strategic reasons but stressed that those who reject the move for emotional reasons are missing an important opportunity.