Am Echad, Lev Echad – One People, One Heart
Historical voting patterns show clearly that an overwhelming percent of American Jews vote for the Democratic candidate for president, typically 70-80%. The latest election was no exception.
Many Americans, including Jews, were tremendously disappointed with Donald Trump’s win, and continue to be incapable of acknowledging his victory by accepting (even tacitly) the new administration, and/or moving forward with plans for the next election.
Opponents of Donald Trump, of which Jews comprise a significant percent, continue to work to undermine the president and his administration. Jews have traditionally been in the forefront of social and political activity, and the current wave of anti-Trump animus is no exception. Jewish elected officials, labor leaders, educators and religious leaders are energetically involved in opposing Donald Trump.
Thus it is refreshing to read an opinion piece in today’s New York Post by a Jewish woman, who wrote an open letter to “Rabbis of liberal congregations in New York City.”
In her letter, she states correctly that the latest spree of anti-Semitic threats were laid at the door of Donald Trump, however incorrectly, holding him and his right-wing appointees responsible. However, as has been proven during the past few weeks including two days ago, those arrested for the threats do not fit the profile of the assumed perpetrators, that is, right-wing, white supremacists. One turned out to be a left-wing Hispanic man, and another is an American-Israeli Jewish teenager.
With this in mind, the letter ends with the statement, we “need to take anti-Semitism and threats to our community spaces seriously.”
It continues, “But this didn’t begin with Donald Trump, and it won’t end with him. Now is the time to admit this and to stand together in opposition to anti-Semitism. It’s time for Jewish leaders to disentangle their justified concern for the safety of Jews from their desire for a different president. Weakening Jewish unity and politicizing threats to Jews won’t do anyone much good.”
Much needed wise words.
Hey, rabbis: Stop dividing us in the name of fighting hate
Please sign the petition:
Help make Jewish civil and religious rights
on Har HaBayit a reality.
Please forward this Friends of the Temple Mount petition
to your own mailing lists and help make
Jewish civil and religious rights on Har HaBayit a reality.
Dear Friends,
The Temple Mount has always been the Jewish People’s holiest site. As you are well aware in this holiest of places Jewish religious and civil rights and Israeli sovereignty are violated daily.
The Friends of the Temple Mount, funded by the Israel Independence Fund, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Israel to stop these outrageous violations of basic religious and civil rights and of Israeli sovereignty.
The rights of diaspora Jews are being violated no less than the rights of Israeli citizens.
By registering using the form linked to below you can become a partner in this petition. As the case progresses we can continue to register co-petitioners…our goal: to have tens of thousands join us in a record shattering petition that will be all the harder to dismiss.
To link to the petition, please click HERE.
There is no better way to commemorate the Jubilee year
of the reunification of Yerushalayim!