Have you heard? Huge win for the Jewish people!

Dear friends,

We at The Lawfare Project are celebrating the incredible news that the very first U.S. passport was issued to an American citizen born in Jerusalem with the place of birth designated as "Israel." Congratulations to Menachem Zivotofsky—the recipient of the passport—and his family, and their accomplished legal team at Lewin & Lewin LLP, for this triumph.

This historic development has been a long time coming. Some of you may remember that, 9 years ago, The Lawfare Project filed an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Mr. Zivotofsky's case.

This is a monumental achievement for the Jewish people. It is long past time we are granted recognition of the basic civil right to self-sovereignty in our homeland. Mr. Zivotofsky first applied for this designation 18 years ago and was forced to litigate the case twice before the U.S. Supreme Court. In a ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman officially handed him his passport—a momentous conclusion to a hard fought battle.

The Lawfare Project's 2011 amicus brief argued that the State Department acted illegally in refusing to obey a federal statute requiring the Department to identify Israel as his place of birth.

Jerusalem is a sacred place for Israelis and Jews around the world. The nearly two-decade-long effort to deny Mr. Zivotofsky his right to his birthplace was unconscionable, but the result will have resounding ramifications across the globe.

The United States standing by its friends in Israel sent a clear message to the rest of the world—Israeli sovereignty is unquestionable.

Thank you, as always, for your support as we fight for the Jewish people's right to sovereignty in our ancestral homeland.

Sincerely,

Brooke Goldstein
Executive Director, The Lawfare Project