The fault lines in the Jewish community were on full view as groups on the left, right and center reacted to former President Donald Trump’s resounding victory over Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday night, some describing the outcome as “terrifying” and a “dark moment,” and others expressing hope for fruitful collaborations.

The organizations’ statements reflected their priorities: addressing rising antisemitism in the U.S, securing the U.S.-Israel relationship, defending reproductive rights and preserving the well-being of minorities. Overall, statements were largely consistent with the ones expressed by the same groups after Trump was elected to serve his first term as president in 2016.

“We look forward to working together with the new administration and Republicans and Democrats in Congress to strengthen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship,” AIPAC said in a statement. 

The Orthodox Union also said it “looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and his incoming administration on matters of critical importance to our community, including effectively combating the surge of antisemitism in America, further strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship, and defeating Hamas and Hezbollah, thwarting Iran’s malign activities, expanding educational opportunity and choice for all American children, and defending America’s ‘first freedom’ of religious liberty.”

In a nod to bipartisanship, the OU also congratulated “our Congressional friends in both parties.”

The Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of Conservative rabbis, said that many of its community members were “fearful this week after a long, tense, and difficult election season in which candidates for multiple offices throughout the nation played to hate and fear instead of civility and respect.” 

The RA reminded Trump that he has an “unyielding obligation to call out and fight extremism and antisemitism from every corner of the political spectrum.”

The Reform movement expressed a willingness to work with incoming leaders, saying it stands “ready to join with the new administration and Congress on any efforts to protect ‘the orphan, the widow, and the stranger’” — but stressed that it “will adamantly oppose any further efforts to eviscerate reproductive rights.”

“We will resist any attempt to target the safety and rights of the LGBTQ+ community. We will defend the security of immigrants and the right to claim asylum,” the Reform movement said. “We will reject initiatives that have the effect of harming communities of color. We will counter any steps that undermine the health of our air, water, and land.”

HIAS referred to Trump’s reelection as a “dark moment,” noting his calls throughout the campaign to deport undocumented immigrants.

“In this dark moment, HIAS reaffirms our commitment to stand in solidarity with immigrant and refugee communities around the country, with Jewish communities and with all marginalized populations who may now be in danger. We will not be intimidated into silence or inaction. We will fight every day for people seeking refuge,” the organization said.

The American Jewish Committee highlighted its work with the previous Trump administration, “particularly on efforts to advance Israel’s regional integration – including the Abraham Accords,” it said in a statement. “AJC strongly supported America’s long-overdue recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and welcomed President Trump’s December 2019 executive order to strengthen efforts to combat antisemitism on college and university campuses.” 

It added that “demonization and stigmatization on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, faith or political perspective must be removed from our national discourse. We will continue to speak out against policies and rhetoric anywhere in America or around the world that threaten democracy.” 

“AJC looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and his administration on the domestic and foreign policy concerns that are AJC’s advocacy priorities,” AJC CEO Ted Deutch said in a statement. 

The World Jewish Congress also expressed hope that Trump will combat rising antisemitism — and said it plans to work with him to do so.  

“At a time of rising antisemitism globally, it’s essential for the Jewish people to have a proven ally in the White House,” WJC said in a statement. “Together, we can work toward a safer and more inclusive future for all.” 

The Anti-Defamation League said it “remain[s] steadfastly committed to that timeless mission as we fight the torrent of antisemitism sweeping our society along with all forms of hate and extremism — offline and online, on campuses and in schools, in the US and around the world.” 

Jewish Federations of North America congratulated Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, saying “at this challenging moment in our history, we look forward to working with the new administration and Congress to promote our values, fight antisemitism, secure our community, and maintain steadfast support for Israel.”

JFNA is slated to host a Stand Together event in Washington, D.C., this Sunday. “After a divisive election, we are working to unite our community,” the group said in a statement.  

Several progressive Jewish groups expressed alarm about the Trump victory.  

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs said in a statement that “it’s important to name clearly: this outcome is nothing short of terrifying for so many communities who have been consistently threatened and demonized by his campaign.”  

“Whether mass deportations and immigration bans, dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ policies, attacks on voting and other civil rights, the further gutting of abortion care or the undermining of public education, public health and our institutions — these policies cut to the core of our safety, our democracy, and our freedom. They are so often underpinned by antisemitic conspiracy theories related to Jewish control and power, and directly linked with the safety of our own diverse Jewish community and so many others,” JCPA said.

This JCPA statement stood in marked contrast to the one released by the group after Trump’s first election in 2016, when the organization — under its then president, David Bernstein — congratulated him. 

Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, which raised over $6 million for Harris’ campaign, said that the election results are a “solid gut punch to all of us in the J Street family.”

In a separate statement, Idit Klein, CEO of Keshet, said the “Keshet community is stunned, devastated, and profoundly concerned about the future of this nation.”