H.R.3565, the Block the Bombs Act would prevent the Executive Branch from selling or transferring seven of the deadliest US-supplied weapons to the Israeli government. Each of the weapons listed has been documented by international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to be responsible for the killing of civilians in Gaza. They are some of the worst-offender weapons used by the Israeli Government. This includes weapons such as the 2,000 pound bombs and white phosphorus munitions, weapons of war that cause mass civilian casualties and devastation. 

BLU-109 bunker busting bombs, MK80 series bombs, GBU-39 small diameter bomb variants, Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), SPICE gliding bomb assemblies, 120mm tank ammunition, and 155mm artillery ammunition, including white phosphorus munitions.

No, Block the Bombs does not impact defensive weapons such as Iron Dome. The legislation is narrowly written to include just the seven deadliest weapons the U.S. sends to Israel.

82 members of congress support this H.R.3565, the Block the Bombs Act, including 20% of Jewish members of Congress: Representatives Sara Jacobs, Becca Balint, Suzanne Bonamici, Jamie Raskin, Jan Schakawosky, and Seth Magaziner. Sixty six percent of voters - including seventy five percent of Democrats - oppose sending more military funding to Israel.

Supporting the Block the Bombs Act, H.R. 3565 is both a moral imperative and a strategic step toward protecting lives in Gaza. The U.S. has sent over $30 billion worth of weapons and military equipment to the Israeli government over the past almost three years, resulting in the current death toll of more than 75,000. Since the declared ceasefire in October 2025, Israel has killed 1000+ Gazans, 40-70 people a week, in over 300 specific attacks. Israel is moving their area of control west, and has taken over almost 70% of the Gaza strip. 

The weapons that Block the Bombs would restrict include 2,000 pound bombs and white phosphorus, weapons of war which have caused mass civilian casualties and devastation. Continuing to provide devastating weapons to one side and supporting occupation and domination will not bring security and justice for all peoples who will continue to live on the land. Stopping these weapons is a first, essential step toward protecting lives, upholding international humanitarian standards, and advancing the conditions necessary for a just peace and true safety for Israelis and Palestinians.

There is no downside to supporting various strategies to address the urgent crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. The two pieces of legislation are not mutually exclusive, though they have substantive differences. 

The Ceasefire Compliance Act relies on the Trump administration to hold the Israeli government accountable for its violations of international law and allows weapons to keep flowing to the Israeli government unless the Trump administration determines that Israel is failing to meet certain conditions. 

The Block the Bombs Act addresses the popular demand among Democratic constituents for a halt to weapons to Israel by preventing the Trump administration from selling or transferring seven of the deadliest US-supplied weapons to the Israeli government.

Jewish tradition teaches that spilling blood is tantamount to diminishing the likeness of God. This rabbinic letter of support comes as we enter the Jewish season of deep reckoning, answering the call of our tradition to align our actions with our belief that all human beings are made in the image of the Divine. Passing the Block the Bombs Act  is an urgent step to protect Palestinian life in Gaza. The hope is that a rabbinic letter will provide needed backing for congress members as well as inspiration for Jewish community members to also support Block the Bombs.

By signing this letter, signatories are endorsing the following statement: 

We, the undersigned Jewish clergy, implore members of Congress to support H.R. 3565, the Block the Bombs Act, to halt U.S. provision of seven of the most lethal offensive weapons to Israel including white phosphorus munitions and 2,000 pound bombs. H.R. 3565 is a necessary step toward ending U.S. complicity in the Israeli military's excessive violence, and in moving towards a just peace and true safety for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Signing on to this letter is not an endorsement of any organization.

The data collected by this effort will be used to advocate for H.R.3565, the Block the Bombs Act.  Your email address will only be used to contact you in direct relation to that organizing and advocacy. You will not be added to the email list of any organization. The list of signers will be publicized, publicly available, and regularly updated, and will be lifted up in advocacy efforts (press outreach, meetings with elected officials, etc). There might be significant ad buys in national publications. Certain signers (ie. who live in certain congressional districts) may also be invited to engage in advocacy. This website will have a “leave behind” for anyone advocating for Block the Bombs to hand to Congress members during lobby visits.

These Jewish organizations have publicly expressed support for H.R.3565, the Block the Bombs Act: Center for Jewish Nonviolence, IfNotNow, Jewish Voice For Peace, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, New Jewish Narrative, Rabbis for Ceasefire.

This rabbinic letter solely represents its signatories. It does not belong to any organization; rather it is a statement by Jewish clergy joining together across many differences to support this important piece of legislation. Names and contact information will only be used for contact in direct relation to this effort and they will not be added to the email list of any organization. Many Jewish communal leaders have contributed time and effort to organize this effort. This effort/letter is unbranded and unaffiliated, which means that by signing on, individuals and organizations are not stating alignment with nor endorsing any organization, co-signatories, nor anything else beyond the statement of this letter: 

We, the undersigned Jewish clergy, implore members of Congress to support H.R. 3565, the Block the Bombs Act, to halt U.S. provision of seven of the most lethal offensive weapons to Israel including white phosphorus munitions and 2,000 pound bombs. H.R. 3565 is a necessary step toward ending U.S. complicity in the Israeli military's excessive violence, and in moving towards a just peace and true safety for both Palestinians and Israelis.