2026 Candidate Questionnaire

We support candidates who support our agenda and oppose those who oppose our agenda.

Who we are:
The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) is a political advocacy organization that unites Israeli immigrants and Americans who support Israel across the United States. We focus on state and local politics—city councils, school boards, county commissions, and state legislatures—where policy decisions directly impact families and communities. ICAN was founded because while anti-Israel activists have organized effectively at the local level, Israel advocacy voices have been largely absent from these critical battlegrounds.

What we do:
We endorse and actively support candidates who stand with Israel and Jewish communities. We mobilize voters who support Israel advocacy, organize campaign volunteers, and provide direct political support to help our endorsed candidates win. We also work extensively with parents and families in K-12 school districts, as schools are often the first place where antisemitic content and anti-Israel bias appear. We believe protecting Jewish students and ensuring balanced education about Israel starts with electing the right school board members and supporting the right policies.

If we endorse you, we believe you support:

1. Fighting antisemitism with real policy solutions

2. America's alliance with Israel

3. Protecting Jewish and Israeli-American immigrant families from discrimination and ensuring they can celebrate their heritage

When we endorse candidates, we promote them to voters who care about Israel advocacy, host events to connect you with supporters, and help with voter registration.

This questionnaire takes 10-15 minutes and covers the key issues that matter to our community.

For more information about our positions, visit: ICANAction.org/platform

General Information

Candidate Name:

First Last

Office Sought:

Proposed Ballot Designation:

Candidate/Body Person Cell Phone:

Candidate Email Address:

Enter Email Confirm Email

Personal and Political Background

Public Office

Do you currently hold, or have you ever, held public office?

Yes

Public Offices

If yes, which public office(s) have you held, when you appointed/elected, and during what period?

Current Occupation:

Party Registration:

Briefly summarize your personal background:

Work experience, education, community involvement, etc.

Personal & Political Background - Orgs that Mention Israel

In the past five years, have you belonged to an organization that has taken action or formally expressed a viewpoint on Israel or related issues, participated in an organized activity, including a forum, on Israel or related issues, or while holding office, introduced or co-sponsored legislation, or ceremonial items on Israel or related issues?

Personal & Political Background - Radical Groups

In the past five years, have you received support, endorsements, or campaign contributions from any of the following organizations or their local chapters: Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), or Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)? Which organizations or individuals have approached you regarding Israel-Palestine issues, BDS campaigns, or antisemitism concerns? Please describe the nature of these interactions.

Engagement with Israelis in America, Israel, and the Middle East

Travel to Israel

Please describe your last trip to Israel and the Middle East, including the year of the trip and any group that arranged or sponsored the trip. If you have not yet been to Israel, when do you plan on visiting, and what would you most like to see or experience?

Relationships & Views on Israel

Who do you speak with to develop your positions and views on Israel and the Middle East, including people overseas and local leaders from your home city, district, or state? (Feel free to consult your ICAN contact.)

Knowledge & Relationship with Israeli-Americans

Please describe your knowledge of and relationship with, if any, the Israeli-American and pro-Israel communities in your home city, district, or state.

Active Organizations

If elected, what committees and organizations would you try to be active in, and what policy areas would you try to affect that are relevant to your home city, district, or state, and to Israel and the Middle East?

Policy Questions

Please describe your positions on the following issues.

The October 7th Terrorist Attack & Israel at War

What is your view on the October 7th 2023 terrorist attack against Israel and the subsequent war against Hamas?

The Movement to Boycott Israel

What is your view on the Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement?

Combating Antisemitism

What steps would you take (for example, in the education and law enforcement arenas) to help prevent current and future anti-Jewish hatred and antisemitic activity in your jurisdiction? Do you support legislative (local, state, federal) efforts to further codify the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism into law in the United States?

K-12 Jewish Safety and Inclusion

Do you support policies in the K-12 space that would ensure equal treatment for Jewish and Israeli-American students? Policies may include: defining antisemitism, antisemitism prevention training, access to Holocaust museums, recognition of Jewish American heritage, and complete complaint procedures.

Holocaust Education

Do you support efforts to expand, strengthen, and mandate Holocaust education in public schools? What will you do to support these efforts?

Ethnic Studies

There have been efforts to introduce new Ethnic Studies curricula in local school districts that may contain negative stereotypes and false information about Jewish, Israeli, and Israeli-American people. Do you oppose these efforts? And, if so what will you do to prevent the adoption of a discriminatory Ethnic Studies curriculum?

Promoting the Abraham Accords

Do you support the Abraham Accords normalization agreements between Israel and Arab nations? How would you work to promote and expand these agreements at the state and local level? Would you support state and local initiatives that promote trade, cultural exchange, and cooperation between your jurisdiction and Abraham Accords signatory countries?

U.S. - Israel Alliance

Should the U.S. maintain or increase foreign aid to Israel? Do you support the U.S. embassy remaining in Jerusalem? Will you oppose efforts to withhold U.S. funding as pressure on Israel? What role should the United States play in Middle East peace efforts, and how can state and local officials contribute to promoting dialogue and understanding?

U.S. - Israel Alliance - State & Local Collaboration

Do you support local, state, and federal initiatives that promote cooperation with Israel in areas related to sustainable development, high-tech, joint medical and biotechnology research, economic development, and scientific cooperation? Which of these, or other areas of cooperation, would you like to prioritize while in office?

Preventing a Nuclear Iran

What is your opinion on the recent action against the Islamic Republic of Iran led by Israel and the United States. Should the United States stay out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement with Iran? Do you support international, federal, and state-level sanctions against Iran to prevent it from gaining nuclear weapons capabilities?

General Issues and Ongoing Engagement

What other issues do you think are unique or important to the Israeli-American and pro-Israel communities that we haven't addressed? How do you propose to make a difference on these issues? If elected, how will you maintain regular communication with ICAN and the broader pro-Israel community in your jurisdiction?