Many Jewish and non-Jewish pundits are headlining the fact that Donald Trump last week in Washington told his Jewish audience that the Jews will be to blame if he does not win election. It may be true, but no one in the audience took it as an insult or a threat to the Jewish people. We took it as a sad reality from a politician who is not good at word salads and actually says what’s on his mind, to a fault.

How do I know? I was there! I had the privilege, as an officer of the Coalition For Jewish Values, of being invited to the gathering. The event was organized by a businessman from Florida and Miriam Adelson, wife of the late, great, pro-Israel philanthropist Sheldon Adelson a”h.

Trump was Trump, and he listed all the indisputably great things that he has done for Israel. From total support of Israel in the UN to the move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, to recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel, to the walking away from Obama’s disastrous Iran nuclear deal to the Abraham Accords. (“If it had been Obama who arranged those accords, they would make up new prizes to give him. But me, they ignored. It’s okay; I’m used to getting mistreated.”)

He went on to note that in his first election he received 27% of the Jewish vote. The second election he received 29%, and for the upcoming election, 40% is forecast. “How can 60% of the Jews vote for a candidate that will destroy (sic) Israel?!” For that, he received polite applause, expressing the mixed feelings of reluctantly agreeing with him, while feeling upset that more Jews do not understand which candidate is the more supportive of Jews in Israel and here in the US.

Truthfully, I’m impressed that 40% of Jewish voters are willing to vote Republican. Reagan did not do better than that with the Jews. Of course, Trump did not see it that way. I don’t blame him.

There is a gentleman with whom I have been very close on a personal level for many decades. Yet we have often differed politically. Lately, however, it has become serious. He is an ardent fan of Harris/Walz, causing us to get into sometimes nasty exchanges on WhatsApp. You may not agree; but in my opinion, a Jew who votes for Harris is being treacherous to his people. Yes, I do take it that seriously.

My friend did what most leftists do. Whenever I would bring up a good point, he would say I am deflecting and only resorting to name-calling. Finally, I said, let’s keep this simple. I will list several key issues in the election; tell me who you think will do the better job, Trump or Harris.

The issues were: 1) Crime 2) Israel 3) Immigration 4) Economy 5) Containment of Iran 6) Character 7) Represent politically the values dear to us, and 8) Fighting anti-Semitism. I had to concede on something, so I conceded on character.

He absolutely refused to respond. Try that with any person who gives you a hard time about voting for Trump. Dare him or her to take the eight-point survey.

*****

With all the troubling politics giving us anxiety, I did have a heartwarming experience this week. I was returning from a local simchah with my wife and drove up Steel Street, which is a very narrow road, especially with cars parked on both sides of the street. In front of me was a car driving painfully slowly, and as a native New Yorker, my inclination was to beep him to oblivion. But I said to my wife: For all I know this is some little old lady and I don’t want to scare her to death. Finally, the car pulls to the side and out of the window, a black man’s hand waves me on. I then continued to go around the corner to my house.

I was about to enter my door, and that same car pulls up and starts looking around my house. I asked him if there was anything I could help him with. He started making small talk about the house next to me, which is under reconstruction due to a fire.

Then he said, “I just wanted you to know that I love Israel. We are so stupid for not letting Netanyahu finish the job.” I got a little choked up and told him he doesn’t know how much that means to me. He then told me there are so many who feel the same way in the African American community. “It’s ridiculous that the communities are not great friends anymore.”

The impression we get in the media portrays an entirely different story about African American support for Israel and Jews. I would like to think that this is another case of the fake media doing its damage.

Image credit: Kampus Production on Pexels

I was recently sent an Instagram under the name Carlasesenco, in which a young Jewish woman with watery red eyes pitifully expresses how abandoned she feels as a Progressive Jew, which had been her world. As she states. “It is an incredibly sad and confusing time” for Progressive Jews.

She cannot believe that all those in whom she believed and trusted have said nothing to speak out against anti-Semitism. “What is so hard about the left speaking out against the hatred of Jews?” she sighed.

“But there is no universe in which I will vote for a Republican or Donald Trump whom we in New York have always known is garbage [sic],” she bellowed.

Okay… So, allow me to ask you, Ms. Sesenco, if that is your name. What is your universe? The Progressive Left?

When was the last time you saw that progressivism included caring for Jews? From the Congressional “Squad” of AOC, Jamaal Bowman, Rashida Tlaib, or Ilhan Omar, et al? Bernie Sanders? George Soros? Susan Sarandon?

Do you recall anyone from your leftist friends calling them out for their unabashed hatred of Israel? How about your sanitary current president of this country? I do know that he recently held a joint press conference with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, chief spokesperson for the hateful progressives, to talk about climate change. He also advised people to listen to this “smart woman.” Zilch on Ilhan Omar, Tlaib, or all the other haters. He has huge donors such as George Clooney and his wife, who have worked tirelessly to get Israel to be accused of war crimes. Look who hangs around with garbage!

Didn’t you get the hint years ago when the LGBTQ community in Chicago refused to allow any members supportive of Israel into their march?

Hunter College professors failed students for the sin of mentioning anything pro-Israel in their reports. Did that not tell you something? Did you not get it when CUNY featured graduation speakers who promoted hatred against Israel and Zionism?

Did it not bother you that diversity on college campuses included special sensitivities for all ethnicities except Jews? When you saw the call for diversity, didn’t you realize that spelled trouble for Jews?

When the #MeToo movement’s credo was believing women when they claim abuse, did you believe them? Did you believe they meant all women? How long after October 7 did it take for you to realize “all women” did not include Jewish victims?

Didn’t the ultra-progressive Black Lives Matter movement give you pause when they tied their struggle to the Palestinian cause, way before October 7? When they scrawled anti-Semitic graffiti on synagogues throughout the country, didn’t that tell you something?

When some of the great civil rights movements such as the NAACP, who owe so much historically to the Jewish people, call for the Biden administration to halt arms shipments to Israel (6/4/24), does that not let you know how all those you thought your liberal Jewish heart was engendering friendship, just kicked you firmly in the teeth?

Don’t you realize that you and your progressive Jewish friends have been duped all along? Don’t you realize that progressivism is at the core a collection of empty virtue signaling that means absolutely nothing for those who don’t fit their sharply defined profile?

Is your universe the one in which violent murderers and molesters can enter this country with impunity? The one that robbed the innocence of Kissena Park, my childhood favorite in Queens, with that unspeakable incident involving the violation of two children last week?

Is that your universe?

Is your universe the one in which, after four years of peace in the Mideast, it found itself embroiled in a forgotten missile war with Hamas within three months of replacing the universe of “garbage”? Is your universe the one that coddled Iran, thus embroiling the Mideast in conflict today? Is your universe the one in which the United States abandoned Afghanistan, leaving 13 Americans dead with no apologies to follow?

Is your universe the one in which it has become standard to weaponize the legal system in an effort to bring down a political opponent? Is your universe the one in which its progressive District Attorney in Manhattan refuses to indict the vicious and violent anti-Semitic protesters on college campuses? Is your universe the one that promoted unlimited Islamic entry into our country and around the globe? How is that working out for Jews?

You ask why is it so hard to condemn anti-Semitism? Why not ask Elise Stefanik, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Mike Johnson, Mike Huckabee, or Lindsey Graham how they do it.

I understand how disillusioned you must feel to realize that your belief system was a fraud.

See Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch on B’reishis (Genesis 27:1) how earthshattering it was for Isaac to realize that everything he held about his son Esau was wrong. One of the hardest things to do in life is to deal with a reality that lets you know your lifelong conception was a tragic deception.

Rashi, in his commentary on B’reishis (26:13) states that people would comment, concerning Isaac’s prosperity, “The dung of Yitzchak’s mules is worth more than the silver and gold of Avimelech.” When calling someone “garbage,” perhaps it’s worth considering: compared to what?

Originally published in the Queens Jewish Link

Photo Credit: Ted Eytan

I did not think I would be able to write this week. Like most Jews, my head has been spinning since the news of the atrocities in Israel broke out on Sh’mini Atzeres. “If only someone would turn my head to water and my eyes to a spring of tears, then I would cry all day and all night for the slain of my daughter’s people” (Yirmiyahu 8:23).

I really did not want to write. But I must, even though I have not much I can say. We are seeing the horrors of the Tochachah (Rebuke) (D’varim 28:25-68) unfold before our eyes. How can I write? I am not the Prophet Yirmiyahu who could express the tragic events in holy words.

An old rabbi friend of mine called me to let me know he was speaking in his town in one of the countless gatherings around the world in solidarity with Israel. He asked me if I had any thoughts on the scene in Israel that he could share at the gathering. I told him I did not. My mind is numb. But I did refer him to a remarkable biblical commentary of the Netziv in his classic Haameik Davar (first published in the early 20^th century). In the above-mentioned Tochachah (D’varim 28:34), the pasuk states, “And you will go mad from the sight that your eyes will see.” The Netziv comments: You will go mad from seeing bands of thugs who will inflict so much damage. You have the ability to overcome them, but you cannot.

This is what Israel is facing now: murderous bands of inhuman thugs who rendered the country totally traumatized. The world is first beginning to witness what the Arab enemy is all about. Rape and murder have been their hallmark as they scream “Allahu Akhbar” (God is great!) while committing the atrocities. This has been their way going back to the 1929 massacre in Hebron. But the world, and unfortunately many Jews, have turned a blind eye, with the dream that we can talk peace with them.

I know about the atrocities committed by Hamas committed against men, women, and children. I shudder at their description, so I have not watched any of the videos. Maybe I should. But I would be traumatized for life. And maybe I should be.

“Listen, all you people, and behold my pain, my maidens, and my youth have gone into captivity” (Eichah 1:18, composed by Yirmiyahu). “They ravaged women in Zion, maidens in the towns of Judah (ibid 5:11).

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article titled “Convulsions in Israel,” in which, based on the words of my dear Uncle, Lord Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits zt”l, I warned of Israel’s overconfidence, and that we must be forever weary of convulsions taking place in Israel, G-d forbid. I did not realize how eerily correct these words would soon be.

There will be plenty of finger-pointing in the months to come. But right now, we need to hold on to our precious unity, our greatest weapon in defeating the enemy.

We must daven for the safety of our brethren in Israel and for the safety and success of the heroic members of Tzahal, Hashem yishmereim. We must donate as generously as we can.

So, you see, I have nothing profound to offer. What is there to say other than that we will trust in Avinu She’baShamayim, our Father in Heaven, to bring the captives back alive and for the obliteration of our heinous enemy?

To conclude, I once again rely on Yirmiyahu: “Bring us back to You, Hashem, and we shall return; renew Your days of old” (Eichah 5:21).

Originally published in the Queens Jewish Link

Photo Credit: Adam Fagen on Flickr

I will be taking off to Israel for a family wedding in a few moments. But I wanted to get this thought in before I left.

Israeli minister and firebrand Itamar Ben-Gvir has once again been universally condemned by the entire Left, including by the Biden administration and the US State Department.

What was the outrage about this time? It seems that Mr. Ben-Gvir, in a conversation with a Palestinian representative, mentioned that the security of his wife and family to live without threat of being killed is more important than the freedom of Palestinians to roam free and do what they want.

“Apartheid! Racist! War monger!” was the knee-jerk reaction from the Left – as expected.

Here’s my question before I leave. Even assuming that Mr. Ben-Gvir was not careful in choosing his words, why is it that we never hear equal condemnation of Mahmoud Abbas when he calls for the continuation of the “resistance”? Why is his support for terror not universally condemned? Why does his “pay for slay” program, which encourages terrorists to murder innocent Israeli citizens, allowed to go on unabated under Mr. Biden? Why are Israelis murdered simply for getting gas in an Arab village? (Yes, Huwara again…Please note all those, including Orthodox, who condemned the violent reaction to the murderers from this village a few months ago.) Why is Abbas not charged with racism, terrorism, apartheid, etc.? Why does the media not say anything about the murder of Jews until Israel reacts? Why nothing about the kindergarten teacher who was brutally shot down in Qiryat Arba last week? Why does the media not report on Hamas missiles until Israel reacts…only to condemn Israel for “disproportionate response”? Why is Abbas never referred to as an “obstacle to peace”? Why??

The answer is one of two choices: either because these people hate Jews, or because they don’t expect more from Arabs; they only have high expectations from Israeli Jews. Pick your poison. These two approaches apply to Jewish leftists, just as they do to non-Jewish ones. Either way, they are guilty of the very racism they accuse the Ben-Gvirs of this world.

For those who accuse the “settlers” of terrorizing Arabs, I leave you with a question: If you were given a choice of being dropped off in a right-wing Jewish settlement wearing an Arab keffiyeh or in a Palestinian village wearing a yarmulka, which would you choose? Why?

Originally published in the Queens Jewish Link

Photo Credit: דוד דנברג on Wikimedia Commons

Last week, the local Jewish media carried the story of a very prominent Upper East Side (Manhattan) Orthodox synagogue and its falling out with its leading candidate to succeed the current rabbi, who is 92 years old.

The candidate, hailing from Lubavitch circles in London, was very impressive to the synagogue’s membership in both character and scholarship. At some point, he addressed the membership for about an hour and had them regaled.

However, a particular member publicly called out this rabbi for being radically anti-LGBTQ and for using a harsh name reserved for Jewish supporters of Arab terrorists. One thing led to another, and the candidate announced that he wished to be dropped from consideration as their rabbi and will head back to his community in England where he is more welcomed.

This story is incredible. Imagine a rabbi being scorched because he is vehement about one of the main prohibitions in the Torah. Or because he was too expressive about Jews who betrayed their people by siding with the enemy.

Yes, I will agree that words always must be chosen carefully, especially a rabbi’s words. But was there no room to discuss the issue over these essential matters? Especially with a candidate who was agreeably very capable and learned.

Here is another case of a Modern Orthodox community choosing Liberal/Woke values over Torah norms. Yes, this is quite a left-leaning shul, but it is not that much different from what takes place at many other shuls: the creep of today’s social values into the mainstream.

This situation is urgent. It is becoming apparent that the message of Modern Orthodoxy is increasingly sidelined by other values.

This goes a long way in explaining why there hasn’t been a popular Modern Orthodox convention in years. Think of your favorite Modern Orthodox or Religious Zionist organization. Can you name the last time they held a convention? Or any organizational gathering of more than a hundred people? Have you read any reports on their program?

Yet the Agudah holds an annual convention that attracts over a thousand people plus a live electronic audience. Tapes and reports of the convention highlights can be heard for weeks to follow.

Perhaps the Modern Orthodox movement cannot find the means to reach and inspire its adherents. Perhaps, a message is missing.

So here are some suggestions for convention topics just might pique the interest of the Modern Orthodox constituency:

Does Modern Orthodoxy have a hashkafah – a set of core values?

How can we be one homogeneous organization yet represent a “big tent”?

Do we still believe in the Religious Zionism of Rav Kook zt”l?

How do we balance the allures of secular society with belief in Torah values?

How can we reach not just the minds but the hearts of our children in our yeshivos?

Do we still believe in Torah U’Mada as a Torah principle?

How can we instill a respect for t’filah in our youth?

How can we motivate the young generation to be involved in community events?

How can we increase Torah study among today’s young marrieds?

Should Modern Orthodox organizations take a public stand on the social/political/religious issues of the day?

I believe these and other meaningful topics are not only real food for thought but will make for a much more attractive program than the milquetoast ones being offered to date.

Try it. Absolutely nothing to lose.

Originally published in the Queens Jewish Link

Photo Credit: Jonatan Svensson Glad on Wikimedia Commons

Last week, the great governor of New York signed a bill that a person may sign an agreement that, after death, his or her body will be used as compost. Yes, compost to fertilize a garden. I guess she is taking the verbatim meaning of the pasuk in B’reishis (13:19): “For you are dust, and to dust shall you return.”

Compare this attitude to that of the Torah, drawn from this past week’s parshah (B’reishis 47:29). Yaakov bids his son Joseph, “Please do a kindness and truth with me and bury me not in Egypt.” Rashi famously comments that the kindness that we perform with the dead is the ultimate kindness, as we can never look forward to being repaid by the deceased.

My sister Vicky and her husband Rabbi Meyer Berglas, who currently reside in Israel, are friendly with a Jewish convert named Rose from their days in Toronto. Rose, born a Catholic, was a student of nephrology, who studied at a major hospital in Toronto. She observed that the Jewish religious medical students were the ones who treated the dead, whether a deceased patient or a cadaver, with the greatest respect. That inspired her to investigate the Jewish religion. Today, Rose is Shoshana, happily married to a wonderful Jewish man, living in Upstate New York, and has three wonderful children, all shomrei mitzvos.

It has been said that you can judge the living by how they treat the dead. Now our society has reached a new low.

Rabbi Elchonon Zohn, Executive Director of NASCK (National Association of Chevra Kadisha), held a Zoom-based workshop on Motza’ei Shabbos on the crisis of cremation. Rabbi Zohn reported that in Florida and elsewhere, over 50 percent of Jews are opting for cremation rather than in-ground burial. Their reasons may be financial, emotional, or even environmental, but Jews are voluntarily committing the ultimate offense against their holy bodies. To try to persuade them that the Nazis cremated our bodies no longer works with today’s Jewish generation. It is beyond awful.

The signing into law that a person can request to be used for compost is about as low as you can go. Do you recall, following the destruction of the World Trade Center, the painstaking efforts that were expended to find any body part of human remains? Then through DNA, the attempt was made to identify the miniscule part so it could be given the dignity of some form of burial.

The fact that, today, zero dignity is assigned to the human body and fetus is an indication that society no longer has respect for life. That is why murder is rampant. Six-year-old children shoot their teachers. That is why a 12-year-old is authorized to radically mutilate his/her body. Nothing means anything. He is she. She is he. Right is wrong, wrong is right. Now you know why the Torah forbade tattoos.

Years ago, noted Israeli-American author and columnist Ze’ev Chafets, who is generally to the right politically, wrote a column in which he condemned yeshivah students for not being able to do anything. “Can they grow a tomato?” he asked with dripping sarcasm.

Rabbi Berel Wein at that time responded to Chafets and pointed to his journalistic career, which relies on brain and no brawn.” Can Mr. Chafets grow a tomato?” he shot back.

Can Governor Hochul and those who follow this bill grow a tomato? The answer is, quite literally… Yes!

Originally published in the Queens Jewish Link

It has become a routine of mine here in Baltimore to attend the weekly Motza’ei Shabbos history lectures given by Rabbi Dovid Katz in Congregation Shomrei Emunah. Currently, Rabbi Katz is focusing on modern Israeli history. The best way to describe Rabbi Katz is that he is very similar in style and substance to Rabbi Berel Wein. Both are known to be fine talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars) while being experts in Jewish history. Both are as entertaining as they are informative and have a very earthy way of communicating.

Rabbi Katz always has a PowerPoint presentation showing facts, figures, pictures, and an occasional video on a large screen. In his latest lecture, Rabbi Katz spent a few moments talking about Professor Mordechai Kedar. Dr. Kedar is an Israeli-born, Ashkenazi, Arabic-speaking, retired professor of Arabic History, having taught in Bar-Ilan University. He lectures the world over, including at one time at our Young Israel.

Although raised as a religious Zionist, belonging to Bnei Akiva, Professor Kedar surprisingly was once affiliated with the Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) movement. He now is quite to the right in Israeli politics.

Rabbi Katz played a brief clip of Dr. Kedar referring to his “aha! moment” when he realized that making peace with Arab terrorists was a futile dream. In this clip, Kedar describes how at some point in the early 1990s, he represented the peace movement, which had arranged for a private meeting with Yasser Arafat ym”sh. Knowing that Professor Kedar was fluent in Arabic, the group positioned him to sit the closest to Arafat. Arafat, however, was not aware that Kedar spoke Arabic.

Before the meeting was called to order, Arafat leaned over to his aide and asked who these people are. The aide told him that they were a group of pro-peace activists. “What do I tell them?” asked Arafat. “Nafsil qunana (the usual garbage),” answered the aide. At that point, Kedar realized that Arafat was a fraud, and talking peace with him was a waste of time.

Now we are faced with the nafsil qunana coming from so many different places, but in particular from The New York Times, the liberal bible that portends to detest bigotry. To question Black Lives Matter – and their ensuing violence – gets you quickly branded as a racist, and any discussion on that topic is banned.

Yet we know that The Times is dishonest, biased, anti-Semitic, and anti-Israel. If this was not well known before, it became clear when former editorial staffer Bari Weiss resigned from The Times about three years ago. You can check her resignation online. She confirmed that The Times covered up stories favorable to conservatives, was anti-Israel, and, above all, bullied her for being too Jewish.

The fallout? Very little. Do you know of more than a half-dozen Jews, or for that matter any objective thinkers, who canceled their subscriptions? It’s like asking people to disconnect their oxygen supply. It is the paper that people love to hate, but they still imbibe their lies and regurgitate them.

And their hate continues. They relentlessly criticize Israel with fabricated lies. This has resulted in immense damage to the Israeli cause in the public arena.

Worse is their blatant mistreatment of Orthodox Jews. Just last week, they headlined their 12^th story against Orthodox Jews in three months. Is it just harmless rhetoric? When you consider that anti-Semitic attacks against Jews in New York and across the country have gone up about 125% in the last year, much of the blame can be laid at the door of the racist New York Times.

What are we organized Jews doing about it? Basically, nafsil qunana, the same old garbage. True, the Agudah arranged for a terrific billboard focusing on The Times’ anti-Semitism outside the Lincoln Tunnel in Manhattan, and for that they are to be commended. But the nice stuff alone does not produce results. Noise does. There has been a huge sign displayed right opposite The Times building for years decrying the paper’s slanted reporting on Israel. I believe it is sponsored by the CAMERA organization, which monitors biased reporting on Israel throughout the globe. That’s also terrific. But as we see, The Times’ hatred of Jews and Israel goes unabated.

Just over a year ago, a rally was indeed held in front of The Times building. Speaking were Sid Rosenberg, a WABC Talk Radio host, and Curtis Sliwa. The crowd was embarrassingly small, which made the gathering counterproductive. In the First Book of Samuel (15:17), which we read as the haftarah for Parshas Zachor, Shmuel HaNavi famously scolds King Shaul for not dispatching Agag the king of Amalek. “Though you are small in your own eyes, you are the head of the tribes of Israel!”

We are not small! We are huge! Orthodox Jewry, if organized efficiently, should be able to bring tens of thousands of Jews to a rally. Please, Agudah! Don’t tell us you don’t do rallies. We remember how you joined Satmar in bringing about 50,000 Jews to downtown Manhattan to protest the Israeli government for considering the drafting of yeshivah students to the Israeli army.

I know I’ve been saying this for years, and to no avail unfortunately. But the time has absolutely come for Orthodox Jews to finally take themselves seriously. We have the numbers. We have the influence. We have the muscle. Let’s use it!

The Orthodox Union is now under new leadership. So is the National Council of Young Israel. The Agudah has the drive. Let’s get other parts of Orthodox Jewry together to unite and rally in front of the headquarters of anti-Semitism, The New York Times. Remember, the chasidim are perhaps the greatest victims of violence against Jews today. They must break old taboos and join forces to battle this scourge of hatred against us.

In fact, if we were not mired in our internecine politics, we would work with the non-Orthodox on this common cause, as well. This has nothing to do with sanctioning their approach to Judaism. It has everything to do with Jewish unity, the battle cry of every Jewish organization. Years ago, that was the norm, even with the Agudah under Rabbi Sherer z”l. A concerted effort needs to be made to get all of our shuls and yeshivos to attend this rally. Of course, this needs time to organize, but time is on our side. Jew-hatred will always be a hot-button issue. As surely as the sun rises, there will be another anti-Israel, anti-Orthodox, anti-Semitic article in The New York Times.

Last week, Mishpacha Magazine’s cover story was about rats in New York City. Must have been a slow news week. Let’s give Mishpacha and all the media something to write about: Jewish pride, Jewish unity, and Jewish action. Not nafsil qunana.

Originally published in the Queens Jewish Link

The parshah we just read, Toldos, is undoubtedly one of the most enigmatic in the Torah. We are told of Rivkah favoring Yaakov, while Yitzchak favored Eisav due to “his game that was in his mouth” (B’reishis 25:28). Subsequently, we are told of the highly unusual story of Rivkah advising Yaakov to dress up in goat’s skin in an effort to parade as Eisav and usurp Eisav’s brachah from the unsuspecting Yitzchak.

Finally, when Yitzchak realizes that he was duped into believing that Eisav is the better child, he cries out in great trepidation, “Who…where is the one who hunted game for me?!” (ibid 27: 33). Rashi in his commentary writes at that point that the gates of Gehinom opened before Yitzchak.

The great Mirrer Rosh HaYeshivah, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz (Sichos Musar 5732:4), explains that Yitzchak’s trembling was due to his sudden realization that he had lived a life of having been deceived in his basic beliefs. Here he was believing against the judgment of his wife Rivkah that Eisav was the better of the two sons. Now he sees how easily he was fooled, and his belief system is falling apart. That is like having Gehinom open before your very eyes.

There were few people who were bigger fans of Donald Trump than me – especially now that we see the disaster brought upon us by Biden and the Democrats in just a few short months following the booming years of Trump. Absolutely no US president was as good to Israel and the Jews as Trump: the appointing of David Friedman as Ambassador to Israel and Nikki Haley to the United Nations, the departure from the Iranian Nuclear Deal, the defunding the Palestinian Authority (especially “Pay for Slay”), moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing the liberated territories and the Golan Heights, releasing Rubashkin, etc., etc.

Now we all knew that Donald Trump was a grubber ying, a coarse man with an inflated ego. But admirers of Trump were willing to look past that, owing to his great work on behalf of the country and of Israel. Most liberal Jews were not. They could tolerate reprehensible behavior from Bill Clinton and even the weird behaviors of Joe Biden, but not Donald Trump.

Over the years, we had to watch as Donald J. Trump put his own foot in his mouth on many occasions, including saying there were very fine people on both sides of the issue in the Charlottesville, Virginia, racist rally. We dismissed it as Donald Trump being careless Donald Trump.

But last week, he crossed the line. Mr. Trump invited the virulent racist anti-Semite Kanye West and his pal, notorious anti-Semite Nick Fuentes, to join him for dinner. His feeble excuse was that he did not know who Fuentes was.

Puleeese…How can an ex-president of the United States invite someone to his house without vetting him? Especially since there are so many top secrets held in Mar-a-Lago. Isn’t that a reckless breach of security?

More importantly, who cares about Fuentes? Why did he invite Kanye West? As Ben Shapiro succinctly put it: “A good way not to accidentally dine with a vile racist and anti-Semite you don’t know is not to dine with a vile racist and anti-Semite you do know.”

This is quite hurtful to a guy like me, who admired Trump for all the good he has done. I don’t know how I can get past it. To their credit, the ZOA, which last week honored Donald Trump at a gala event, this week was very critical of his decision to invite West and Fuentes. I haven’t seen anything yet from Jonathan Greenblatt of the ADL on this topic; perhaps he feels he does not need to say anything, as the situation is obvious. Like a broken clock, he can be right twice a day.

Very interesting is the fact that the OU issued a critical statement on Trump. They did not speak up against BLM anti-Semitism, nor President Obama’s association with Jeremiah Wright, nor the mistreatment of Governor DeSantis by the Jewish Heritage Society, nor Ben & Jerry’s, etc., but here they found their voice. Maybe we will see more of the OU speaking up in the future.

But my dear Warren and friends: This is not a time to gloat and say, “I told you so.” If it were, then I could gloat that “I told you about Biden’s refunding “Pay to Slay.” I told you about the drive to renew the Iranian Nuclear Deal. I told you about the Biden administration’s recent interference with the Israeli democratic process. I told you about the ineptness that led to the catastrophic pullout from Afghanistan. I told you about out-of-control crime. I told you about the border disaster. I told you about runaway inflation, etc., etc.”

This is a time to realize that our good friend Donald Trump has shown a terrible case of bad judgment, perhaps even a fatal flaw. Remember, Donald Trump has what many of his secular Jewish detractors do not have: Jewish grandchildren.

I am not going to easily forgive or forget what Donald Trump has done with his kashering of West or Fuentes. It is truly painful. But as Jews, we always must consider the alternatives. I know there are good ones in the GOP.

Originally published in the Queens Jewish Link

Photo Credit: Wally Gobetz on Flickr