August 9, 2026
Esther Wells stands against all hate. No one in Montgomery County should ever face discrimination based on their race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, and genetic information.
In Montgomery County, Jewish residents face a disproportionately high number of hate crimes,[1] according to FBI statistics. Our Jewish neighbors increasingly feel unheard, unsupported, and unsafe as antisemitism soars. Our youngest Jewish residents who attend MCPS as well as Jewish staff, seem to suffer the most from this hate as perpetrators don’t face significant repercussions. Under costly restorative justice programs, in some cases, Jewish students face further discriminatory acts.[2] In 2022-2023, there were 9 incidents of antisemitic hate in MCPS – far too many. Yet in 2025-2026, that number escalated to an astounding 120 incidents.
Esther Wells stands firmly with the Jewish community against Jew hatred. She is also concerned about initiatives of anti-Zionism and BDS which all too often overflow into hostilities against Jews. She will advocate to reverse the new law that prohibits community members from carrying firearms near places of worship. Synagogues of all sizes, small and large, must be able to defend themselves. Next, she will continue Councilmember Andrew Friedson’s strong efforts to fund the protection of houses of worship. In addition, she will pressure MCPS leadership to swiftly address the rising tide of antisemitism in concrete steps that protect Jewish students and staff. She will closely follow the statistics from the Montgomery County Police Department’s monthly bias reporting to ensure our county response to antisemitism is prompt and effective. Candidate Wells believes the county executive must fully address the problem to improve the lives of county residents.
Councilmember Jawando has done nothing of substance as chair of the Education Committee to stop or even slow the rise of antisemitism in MCPS. Although he supports the million-dollar restorative justice program in MCPS,[3] he singles out Israel in scrutinizing the expenditure of a mere $47,000 for the Maryland Israel Development Center [MIDC].
Esther Wells will reinstate the funding to the MIDC, which is a fruitful collaboration between Israeli and Maryland high tech, biomedical, and other innovative companies, providing and growing the kind of high-target companies and high-paying jobs we need in the county. Israel is known as the ‘start up nation.’ Under Esther’s leadership Montgomery County can become the ‘start up county.'[4]
Esther Wells will not tolerate antisemitism. The discriminatory incidents have already become so common, we rarely even read statements of condemnation. Miss Wells will no longer allow the Jewish community of Montgomery County to stand alone.
[1] Data from last five years, two years, six months. Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, from (1) National Capital Park Police: Montgomery County; (2) Montgomery County Police Department; (3) Montgomery County Sherriff’s Office; and (4) State Police: Montgomery County. CDE.
[2] jcouncil.org/statements/jcrc-responds-dr-mcknight-remarks.
[3] ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/reports/2025/Restorative Justice 2023-2024.pdf, page 9. Monthly Hate/Bias Summaries — Montgomery County Police Department; analysis in: How Big of a Problem is Antisemitism in MoCo? — Montgomery Perspective.
[4] jewishinsider.com/2026/06/montgomery-county-executive-race-antisemitism-jawando-friedson.
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