Nearly 200 US Jewish groups and institutions issued a joint statement of solidarity on Wednesday, amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic.

“We join today as representatives of Jewish American communal organizations to urge our political leaders and all our fellow Americans to treat this public health crisis as a moment for kindness and solidarity, and to make extra efforts to reach towards one another in support, not look to blame or scapegoat,” the statement said.

“Jews as a people have a long history of being singled out and stigmatized during times of societal crisis, including being blamed without basis for the spread of disease,” it continued. “Particularly in times of great fear, uncertainty and unrest, that demonization can increase the risk and even open the door to violent outbursts of bigotry and hatred. This history compels us to call on all people and particularly all leaders to reject conspiracy theories and the singling out of Asian Americans, foreigners, immigrants, Jews, or any other communities in this moment.”

“We also request our nation’s leaders to consistently refer to this disease only by its clinical name, COVID-19, and to avoid problematic descriptions for it, such as ‘the Chinese virus,’” the statement went on say. “Use of these terms could lead some people to blame particular groups for a deadly disease that infects equally, without regard for race, ethnicity, or national origin.”

“Now is the time to promote unity, to reach across the aisle in compassion, to show an extra measure of empathy toward all people, and to love our neighbors like ourselves,” it concluded.

The statement’s signatories included the following:

National organizations and institutions –

ADL

AJC

ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal

Ameinu

American Jewish World Service

Americans for Peace Now

Avodah

B’nai B’rith International

Be’chol Lashon

Bend the Arc: Jewish Action

Central Conference of American Rabbis

Habonim Dror North America

Hadassah

Hazon

HIAS

IKAR

J Street

Jewish Council of Public Affairs

Jewish Educators Assembly

Jewish Fertility Foundation

Jewish Labor Committee

Jewish Multiracial Network

Jewish Women International

Jewish World Watch

Jews United for Democracy & Justice

Jews United for Justice

Keshet

MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

Moving Traditions

National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry

National Council of Jewish Women

ORT America

Rabbinical Assembly

Rabbinical Council of America

Reconstructing Judaism

Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association

Religious Action Center

Society for Humanistic Judaism

The Workers Circle

Tivnu: Building Justice

T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights

Union for Reform Judaism

Uri L’Tzedek: Orthodox Social Justice

Women of Reform Judaism

Yaffed

State and local organizations and institutions –

Arizona Jews for Justice

Baltimore Jewish Council

Bay Jewish Community, Inc. dba, Temple B’nai Israel

Bender JCC of Greater Washington

Beth Jacob Congregation

Beth Moshe Congregation

Beth Shalom – Atlanta, GA

Birmingham Jewish Federation

Birmingham Temple Congregation for Humanistic Judaism

B’nai B’rith International – Great Lakes Region

Buffalo Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council

Canton Jewish Community Federation

Carolina Jews for Justice

Charleston Jewish Federation

Chicago Jewish Labor Committee

Colorado Jewish Community Relations Council

Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland

Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater

Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Congregation Bet Haverim, Atlanta, GA

Congregation Beth Ahm, West Bloomfield, MI

Congregation Etz Chaim, Marietta, GA

Congregation Shearith Israel, Atlanta, GA

Delray Orthodox Synagogue

Esther Raab Holocaust Museum & Goodwin Education Center

Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County

Greater Atlanta Jewish Abilities Alliance

Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services

Hadassah Greater Atlanta

Hillel at Florida International University

Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach

In the City Camps

Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council

Institute of Southern Jewish Life

JCC of Dallas

JCC-Federation of SLO

JCRC of Portland

JCRC of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation

JCRC/AJC – Detroit

JELF – Jewish Educational Loan Fund

Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action

Jewish Community Alliance of Northeastern Pennsylvania

Jewish Community Board of Akron

Jewish Community Center – Federation of San Luis Obispo

Jewish Community Federation of Richmond

Jewish Community Relations Bureau|AJC Kansas City

Jewish Community Relations Council of Akron

Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta

Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County, FL

Jewish Community Relations Council of Chicago

Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington

Jewish Community Relations Council of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

Jewish Community Relations Council of Louisville

Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, Contra Costa Counties

Jewish Community Relations Council of South Palm Beach County

Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern NJ

Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis

Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester

Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

Jewish Community Relations Council of the Sacramento Region

Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC – Detroit

Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara

Jewish Council of North Central Florida

Jewish Educational Alliance

Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee

Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne

Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor

Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton

Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg

Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City

Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, JCRC and Anti-Semitism Task Force

Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County, NY

Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix

Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle

Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey

Jewish Federation of Palm Springs and Desert Area

Jewish Federation of Palm Springs and Desert Area

Jewish Federation of San Antonio

Jewish Federation of Springfield, IL and Jewish Community Relations Council

Jewish Federation of the Berkshires

Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys

Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara

Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region

Jewish Federation of Ventura County

Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey

Jewish History Museum (Tucson)

Keys Jewish Community Center

Limmud Atlanta & Southeast

Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust

Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches

Memphis Jewish Federation

Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation

Mobile Area Jewish Federation

MSU Hillel/Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan

New Jersey Jewish Labor Committee

Or Hamidbar, Palm Springs

Orloff Department of Jewish Education and Engagement

Philadelphia Jewish Labor Committee

Ramah Darom

Ramat Shalom Synagogue

Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community

Savannah Jewish Federation

Shalom Austin

Shalom South Florida Radio Show

Shinshinim Atlanta

Social Justice Committee of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center

Temple Beth Am

Temple Beth David

Temple Beth El – Bloomfield Hills, MI

Temple Beth-El, Alpena MI

Temple Beth Emet Cooper City Fl

Temple Beth Shalom of Boca Raton

Temple Beth Tikvah, Roswell GA

Temple Beth Torah of Wellington

Temple Bnai Israel – Petoskey MI

Temple Emanu-El of Greater Atlanta

Temple Emanu-El of Greater Miami

Temple Israel of Detroit

Temple Jacob

Temple Kol Ami

Temple Sinai Atlanta

Temple Solel, Hollywood, FL

The Jewish Federation of Reading/Berks

The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee

The Temple, Atlanta GA

United Jewish Community of the VA Peninsula

Youngstown Area Jewish Federation