BALTIMORE (VINnews)-U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., lauded the Coalition for Jewish Values as a steadfast supporter of Jewish causes during a Zoom event this week launching the organization’s successful fundraising drive.

“There’s been no better ally in the work that I’ve done to fight for the Jewish people than the CJV,” Fine said in his keynote address.

Fine, who has faced criticism for his pro-Israel positions, noted that CJV has publicly defended him when other Jewish groups did not.

“When these folks have come after me, and tried to categorize me or miscategorize me, you’ve been willing to publicly have my back, in a time when other so-called Jewish groups … were willing to take the easier path,” he said. “The times when I’ve been attacked the most for doing what is right, you all have been there.”

The May 20 virtual event featured several speakers highlighting CJV’s growing influence in Congress, the media and grassroots advocacy. The organization, which represents more than 2,500 traditional Orthodox rabbis, is the largest rabbinic public policy group in the United States.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., in a pre-recorded message to CJV’s Rabbinic Circle, praised the group’s defense of religious liberty and its stand against antisemitism.

“I am proud to stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, to be able to protect religious liberty in our great country,” Lankford said. “We call it out, we identify it, we push where we can and make sure no one looks away when there are acts of antisemitism.”

Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., credited CJV with helping advance key legislation.

“I am really appreciative of CJV for working with me to get things across the finish line. I look forward to working with you in the future,” he said.

Pastor Dumisani Washington, CEO of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, emphasized the importance of alliances against shared threats.

“Really appreciate the work that you do,” Washington said. “The people that come for the Jewish people are typically the same who come for Black Americans, that’s why it’s so important to build that firewall and to work together.”

Kayla Toney, counsel and amicus brief coordinator for First Liberty Institute, highlighted CJV’s effectiveness in filing friend-of-the-court briefs on religious liberty cases.

“This is something that I think CJV is very uniquely positioned to do really really well as a rabbinic organization,” Toney said. “You are in fact one of our very best Amicus supporters. … To lend that expertise that the lawyers aren’t going to get right. We need the rabbis to help us, and the court in fact needs that guidance.”

CJV Executive Vice President Rabbi Yaakov Menken expressed gratitude for the support.

“We are deeply grateful to our guest speakers for their kind words, and even more to our friends in and beyond the Jewish community who responded so generously to our campaign,” Menken said. “All sent the clear message that our mission matters, and that speaking boldly with clarity and conviction is more important now than ever.”

The Coalition for Jewish Values is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advocates for religious liberty, human rights and classical Jewish principles in American public policy.