Trump antisemitism official to visit Michigan synagogue weeks before midterms, backed by ZOA

The Trump administration's antisemitism czar, Leo Terrell, will speak at a Michigan synagogue for a Justice Department event that also serves as a fundraiser for the state's Zionist Organization of America chapter. The visit comes weeks before the midterm elections, amid tensions over Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's rhetoric on Jewish safety.

The Trump administration's antisemitism czar, Leo Terrell, will speak at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan, on Wednesday for a Justice Department event that also doubles as a fundraiser for the state's chapter of the Zionist Organization of America. The Justice Department touted the event on its website with a link to a ZOA registration page that solicits donations to become an event co-sponsor. Federal ethics regulations restrict fundraising by government employees and prohibit the use of government property for unauthorized purposes, while allowing authorized official fundraising and certain official speeches at fundraising events. The visit comes weeks before the midterm elections, in which rhetoric on Israel and Jewish safety from the state's Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has put local Jews on edge. The Justice Department is billing the event as the first stop on Terrell's 'American Tour Against Hate.' Terrell will be in conversation with Mort Klein, the national head of ZOA. Rabbi Aaron Starr of Shaarey Zedek said the congregation's co-sponsoring should not imply endorsing one candidate over another, adding they would soon welcome Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin for a veteran's Shabbat. ZOA Michigan's executive director Kobi Erez said the event was nonpartisan but encouraged people to examine candidates' records on Jewish safety.