Republican candidate for governor Jack Ciattarelli is headed to Israel next week for a multi-day trip in which he will have numerous question-and-answer sessions with business, civic, political and military leaders.
Ciattarelli, speaking at a New Jersey Jewish Business Alliance ‘meet the candidates’ event Wednesday afternoon in Newark, said he’ll let business leaders in Israel know that New Jersey is “open for business.”
He’ll also try to get an answer to a question that has vexed him since he first began running for governor in 2017: Why New York does $14 billion a year in bilateral trade with Israel while New Jersey does less than $2 billion.
“What does New York have that we don’t have?” he asked an overflow crowd at the Robert Treat Hotel.
Ciattarelli and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for governor, each addressed the group for approximately 15 minutes. And while they both discussed various economic issues — energy, workforce development, taxes and regulations — part of their remarks specifically addressed issues in the Jewish community, especially the rise of antisemitism.
Sherrill opened her remarks by discussing disturbing acts in the 11th district (a mix of Essex and Morris County towns) that she represents. She noted a Molotov cocktail thrown at temple and antisemitic remarks written at a temple when children were taking part in religious education.
“I’ve seen the impact of antisemitism on New Jerseyans,” she said — acknowledging incidents with students and business owners, in person and online.
“(There are) students who are scared to go to their college campuses and business owners who’ve been victims of violent crimes and continue to lose customers because of their religion. It’s unacceptable.
“As governor, I will certainly address this appalling surge of antisemitic incidents head on and work to ensure that every business owner in our state has a fair shot. I vow to be an ally in the governor’s office.
“I’ll put the full force of law behind combating antisemitism and making sure that everyone can thrive here in the Garden State.”
Ciattarelli offered similar support.
“My attorney general and my superintendent of state police will be sensitive to the needs and worries of the Jewish community across this state,” he said.
Ciattarelli said he’ll establish an advisory council for Jewish relations that will keep him in constant contact with the Jewish community. He received his biggest applause when he said he supported a bill that will codify the definition of antisemitism as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
Ciattarelli also offered a contrast on how he said he would handle antisemitic acts on college campuses.
“When our current governor was asked about it, he said, ‘It’s complicated,’” he said. “It’s not complicated.
“Anybody who’s violating university policy should be expelled. Anybody’s broken law should be arrested. And anybody here on an academic Visa who has done either of those two things should go back to where the hell they came from.”
