Bernie Sanders is the longest-serving independent lawmaker in U.S. congressional history and currently serves as the senior federal Senator from Vermont. Born in Brooklyn to a Polish Jewish immigrant father whose family was largely killed in the Holocaust, Sanders was raised in a working-class home. As a young man, he spent several months living and working on an Israeli kibbutz, an experience that intersected with his emerging democratic socialist beliefs.
Over his decades in Congress, Sanders shifted policies like Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage, and tuition-free public college from the political margins into mainstream Democratic platforms, largely through his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. Earned the nickname “Amendment King” during his time in the House for passing more roll-call amendments than any other member, he went on to chair the Senate Budget Committee and currently chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
Sanders is among the most prominent Jewish voices in Washington advocating for Palestinian rights and criticizing U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East. He has publicly condemned the “racist” policies of the Netanyahu government, repeatedly introduced resolutions to block offensive weapons sales to Israel, called for conditioning U.S. military aid on human rights standards, and boycotted Netanyahu’s addresses to joint sessions of Congress. Sanders maintains that supporting Palestinian self-determination and opposing the policies of the Netanyahu government align directly with traditional Jewish ethical principles.