Normally, when a national organization brings thousands of people to our city, it serves as a point of civic pride. However, the upcoming national membership meeting of the anti-Zionist organization Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) in Baltimore this weekend raises deep concerns for Maryland’s Jewish community.

Jewish Voice for Peace is an extremist group that manipulates the Jewish identity of some of its members to support terror, disrupt public life, and undermine the very essence of Jewish faith, identity and tradition.

JVP hides behind a façade of “peace,” but their own statements expose their support for violence. In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 attacks on Israel — when over 1,200 people were murdered and 250 taken hostage — JVP’s George Washington University chapter declared, “our solidarity with Palestine must encompass any and all modes of resistance,” and the Columbia University chapter stated, “We stand in full solidarity with Palestinian resistance.”

No organization that promotes peace would offer support for the kidnapping, rape and murder of innocent civilians, including Israeli peace activists, even with the veiled euphemism of “resistance.” More explicitly, JVP advocates for the “death of Israel” and touts calls to “Free Palestine by any means necessary.” On the night of Oct. 7, while rockets were falling on Israeli cities and Hamas terrorists were still inside Israel’s borders, JVP mobilized to end defense aid to Israel.

JVP’s radical agenda is not just confined to inflammatory rhetoric — it is translated into real-world harassment, interruptions and public disturbances, such as violent and illegal demonstrations and snarling rush hour traffic, for which it is currently facing legal action. This extremism is consistent with JVP’s unwavering opposition to the existence of a Jewish state within any part of historic Israel. By distorting Judaism to minimize, or even erase, the Jewish connection to Israel, JVP seeks to undermine one of the most sacred tenets of our faith and identity. Their position rejects the possibility of compromise and coexistence, choosing radical zealotry instead.

Despite JVP’s efforts to present itself as a significant voice within the Jewish community, its ideology is far from mainstream. Polling consistently shows that more than 85% of Jewish Americans support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, and that 85% of Americans deem the phrase “Israel has no right to exist” so extreme that they consider it antisemitic. Yet, for JVP, denying this antisemitism is central to their mission. Jewish Voice for Peace openly declares on their website that one of their primary goals is “defending our Palestinian partner organizations, when they are accused of antisemitism.”

Because Jewish Voice for Peace is so marginal in the Jewish community, the group recruits non-Jewish members to grow its ranks. Some JVP chapters have been founded by non-Jews, while the limited public data demonstrates that other chapters are at least 50% non-Jewish. These are damning facts for an organization that seeks to redefine Judaism to exclude Zionism.

By distorting who they are, whom they represent, and what they stand for, Jewish Voice for Peace undermines the Jewish people, the principles of our faith and our indelible connection to the land of Israel. This is why I stand united with dozens of other Maryland rabbis and hundreds of Jewish Baltimoreans to inform the public about the true nature of this group and its dangerous ideology.

Jewish Voice for Peace has a long history of disturbing civic life and engaging in violent demonstrations. As the group convenes in Baltimore, we must ensure that their extremist actions do not disrupt public activity or incite further harm. Should JVP engage in public disruptions or incite violence, law enforcement must step in immediately to maintain order and protect the safety of all citizens. Legislators must also take a firm stance, swiftly condemning any dangerous incidents and making it clear that actions undermining public peace, safety and our shared values will not be tolerated. It is imperative that our elected leaders stand against extremism in all its forms and that we uphold the dignity, security and unity of our community.

Chai Posner is the senior rabbi at Beth Tfiloh Congregation in Pikesville.