News Provided By Joe Kaufman for Congress June 18, 2026, 10:00 GMT Share This Article
Kaufman Chooses Faith Over Politics
“Americans should never have to choose between serving their country and serving God. Religious liberty is a foundational American value that must be protected.”
— Joe Kaufman
BOCA RATON, FL, UNITED STATES, June 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Republican congressional candidate Joe Kaufman announced on Wednesday that he will not participate in the Republican Party of Florida’s upcoming CD25 “Showdown” debate because it is scheduled during Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath.
Kaufman had respectfully requested that the debate be moved to another day of the week or to Saturday evening after Shabbat so that observant Jewish voters and candidates could participate. The Republican Party of Florida responded that its schedule had already been finalized and that it was unable to make a change.
Kaufman expressed gratitude for the invitation and appreciation for the party’s response.
“I appreciate the Republican Party of Florida’s invitation and understand that schedules are often difficult to change,” Kaufman said.
Kaufman, an observant Jew, emphasized that his decision is not political, but religious.
“I would have welcomed the opportunity to participate in the debate and share my vision for Florida’s 25th Congressional District,” Kaufman said. “However, my faith teaches me that there are certain commitments that must come before politics. Every Saturday, I am in synagogue with my wife and daughter honoring the Sabbath, and I will not compromise that commitment.”
Kaufman said his decision reflects a broader American principle: the freedom of every citizen to practice his or her faith without being forced to choose between religious conviction and public life.
“One of the greatest strengths of our nation is that Americans should never have to choose between serving their country and serving God,” Kaufman said. “Religious liberty is not merely a constitutional right; it is a foundational American value that must be protected.”
Kaufman noted that history has celebrated individuals who remained true to their beliefs despite personal or professional consequences. One of the most famous examples came in 1965, when Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax declined to pitch Game One of the World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day. Though criticized by some at the time, Koufax’s decision has since become an enduring symbol of faith, integrity, and conviction.
“Like millions of Jewish Americans, I grew up admiring Sandy Koufax’s courage,” Kaufman said. “His decision demonstrated that faith is not something to be practiced only when convenient. While my situation is far less significant, the principle is the same: Our beliefs should guide our lives, not the other way around.”
Florida’s 25th Congressional District is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the United States, including many families who attend synagogue and faithfully observe Shabbat each week.
Kaufman said he remains eager to engage voters and would gladly participate in a debate held on any other day of the week. He concluded by wishing the organizers a successful event.
“I appreciate the invitation and wish for a successful event,” he said. “My hope is that this moment serves as a reminder that America is strongest when people of every faith are free to live according to their convictions.”
Joe Kaufman is a nationally recognized counter-terrorism expert, Chairman and CEO of Kaufman Security, and Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in Florida’s 25th Congressional District. In 2024, Kaufman was the Republican nominee against incumbent Democrat Jared Moskowitz, receiving 48% of the vote in what was the closest race in Florida and the strongest performance by a Republican candidate in the district’s history.
More on Joe:
In 2024, Republican Joe Kaufman received 48% of the vote in his congressional race against the Democrat incumbent. It was the closest race in all Florida and the highest vote percentage of any Republican to ever run for the seat.
Recently, Joe successfully led the shutdown of a pro-Hamas conference that was to take place in Coral Springs. The organizers of the conference, including CAIR, repeatedly sued him in federal court, and Joe won every time.
Joe has been involved with the Iranian opposition for the past two decades. 17 years ago, he co-founded the worldwide opposition group Cyrus Force with His Majesty Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah of Iran.
Joe connected the Israeli government with the Iranian opposition and assisted the Israelis with several coordinates, all of which were dealt with during the 12-Day War.
Joe was in the room, when the Israeli government first spoke with the Syrian rebels, one week before the rebels took down Aleppo and then the entire Assad regime. – Joe’s group Cyrus Force brought the parties into communication with one another.
Following the October 7 massacre in Israel, Joe took an oath to forever wear a kippah, which he will be doing always as Congressman.
Joe is married to Emily, a Peruvian and relative of Maimonides. She teaches Hebrew and Spanish at Boca Katz Yeshiva. Joe and Emily have extended family in Venezuela and Cuba. They have a 13-year-old daughter Ruth, who goes to Boca Katz Hillel.
In 2018, Joe was spokesman for the group that introduced school vouchers to then-Congressman Ron DeSantis. That same year, Congressman DeSantis became Governor of Florida and passed one of the largest school choice bills in the nation.
Joe overcame years of antisemitism, after he was greeted by a large swastika hung in his college dorm room, at the University of Maryland, by his roommate Craig, whom Joe soon got thrown out of school.
Joe is endorsed by President Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan, former Israeli intelligence officer Mordechai Kedar, former IDF Brigadier General Yossi Kuperwasser, former Venezuelan political prisoner Ivan Simonovis, Cuban-American Ambassador Dr. Luis Suarez, Leader of the Peruvian Congress (Chamber of Deputies) Cecilia Chacon, Peruvian Senator Jacques Rodrich, former Mexico Deputy Minister of Tourism Simon Levy, and the leaders of the Israeli advocacy group Rolling Thunder, Boaz Edri and Tony Raz.
Subscribe to the JFN WhatsApp Channel
