Category Archives: USA

Catherine Parker Is Coming For Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s Congressional Seat

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Catherine Parker, a resident of Rye, NY, is running for Congress in New York’s newly redrawn 16th district, one of the most Jewish districts in the country. She has much to say about the district’s current representative, Jamaal Bowman, and it’s and not pretty.

Parker agreed to be interviewed about issues of concern to the Jewish community, as she gets her message out to her constituents.

Catherine Parker, active in politics in lower Westchester for 15 years, is running for Congress to unseat Rep. Jamaal Bowman

On Israel and United Nations

Among the three people running for the seat in the Democratic primary, Parker is the only one who put Israel on her website as part of her agenda. Her website specifies:

“Israel is an important ally to the United States, and in Washington, Catherine will be a steadfast ally of the Middle East’s only democracy. Unlike her opponent who has consistently opposed U.S. policy supportive of Israel, Catherine would have voted in support of Israel’s right to defend itself and protect its citizens and she would have voted for funding of the Iron Dome.

“Catherine opposes the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement which aims to end international support for Israel. She believes wholeheartedly in a two state solution. When it comes to a deal with Iran regarding nuclear – a new Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – we need to see that it will be more protective and longer, stronger and broader than what was negotiated by President Obama in 2015. And unlike her opponent, Catherine supports strengthening the Abraham Accords and would have voted in support for the Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021.“

These very supportive statements about the Jewish State served as a basis for our conversation.

On BDS, Parker said that it’s “just a version of anti-Semitism.” She believes that it should have no standing or support in our government.

She said that aid to Israel should not be conditional, much as President Biden has stated. She offered that Israel’s security has enhanced America’s security, and with “Israel being attacked all the time from terrorist groups like Hamas, it [Israel] deserves our support.”

Parker added that she supported the Taylor Force Act which limited funds to the Palestinian Authority as long as it pays the families of terrorists. “If the PA is going to be paying stipends to terrorists, then as a country, we shouldn’t be providing economic aid [to the PA].”

Parker added that she doesn’t think that the United Nations is fair in regards to Israel. In particular, she pointed to the UN Human Rights Council which continues to target Israel, a theme the State Department discussed a few weeks ago. She had no comment about the unique perpetual agency devoted to the descendants of Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, and said she would look into it.

Parker has never been to Israel but aligns herself with the Jewish State. While she has no position on Israelis living east of the Green Line in “settlements,” she is eager to visit the country and to learn more.

Iran’s Nuclear Program

Parker called the Islamic Republic of Iran “bad actors.” She was disappointed that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s attempt at diplomacy had seemingly broken down, and said she is “open to listening” to alternatives to deal with the menace, including military action.

Anti-Semitism

Parker supports the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism. She discussed her family’s long connection to former Rep. Nita Lowey and supports having Holocaust education in every school in the country. Parker views this as important to combat anti-Semitism and to benefit all of society.

Why She’s Running: Bowman

Parker went through a lengthy list of reasons why she’s running for Congress and it centers around Rep. Jamaal Bowman.

She said that she believes that Bowman’s advocacy for “Defund the Police is absolutely ridiculous.” The country has “many wonderful people serving us” and the key to combating some rogue officers is to have “implicit bias training” for active police officers.

Parker thinks that Bowman has made terrible policy decisions for the lower Westchester district and for the country, including voting against the infrastructure bill, against aid to Ukraine, and against supporting Israel.

She contrasted her style with Bowman who has a terrible working relationship with fellow Democrats in Westchester (writer’s note: I have repeatedly heard the same criticism). Parker commented about how she strives for bipartisanship in her dealings with Republicans and Democrats in passing laws that benefit the community, and wants to bring that kind of care to Washington, DC. She pondered that Bowman seems to be driven by personal motivation or his ties to the socialist fringe of the party, and clearly not to his constituents.

Summary

Catherine Parker is a seasoned local politician who is learning about the larger national and international issues that concern her Westchester constituents, including Jews. Her instincts seem good and she avoided wading into unfamiliar topics until learning more. I would not be surprised to see her win endorsements for her positions on anti-Semitism and Israel from a variety of groups including Democratic Majority For Israel (DMFI) which normally doesn’t fight incumbents, AIPAC, America’s Pro-Israel lobby, as well as other pro-Israel Democrats like Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), just to the south of her district.

By way of comparison, Bowman is supported as part of the extremist “squad” endorsed by the Sunrise Movement and the Working Families Party, which also support Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush, all of whom have cast votes and made comments deeply hurtful to the Jewish community. Consider that the DC Chapter of the Sunrise Movement actually banned progressive Jewish groups from an event, including the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and the Jewish Council on Public Affairs (JCPA). Even far left groups like Americans for Peace Now were appalled at the Sunrise Movement’s action, as the president and CEO said “This is boycotting groups because they are Jewish and state a general … support of Israel,” even though it’s not a core component of their mission, making the action blatantly anti-Semitic.

The differences between Bowman and Parker are dramatic.

The Democratic primary will be held on August 23rd with early voting beginning on August 13.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MN), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), members of the far-left “squad.” (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Related articles:

Rep. Ritchie Torres Doesn’t Want To Be the Only Progressive Pro-Israel Unicorn

Vedat Gashi, Running To Unseat Jamaal Bowman in Congress, Talks to The Jewish Community

The Disgraceful Promotion of Refugee-Washing ‘Nakba’ In The U.S. Congress

Politicians In Their Own Words: Why We Don’t Support Defending Jews

The Right Number of Anti-Semites in Congress

Biden Enables Anti-Semitism On College Campuses

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The terrible news seems to come out daily: anti-Semitism on the rise in cities and towns across the country. One of the worst locations is college campuses, where the government has the power to reduce the scourge, and refuses to do so.

Beyond The US And Beyond This Year

To be clear, the problem is not just local and not only recent.

In March 2022, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “I think that our universities, for far too long, have been tolerant of casual or indeed systemic anti-Semitism… it’s important that we have an anti-Semitism task force devoted to rooting out anti-Semitism in education,” calling out the Jew hatred in universities.

US President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 13899—Combating Anti-Semitism in December 2019 to address the problem, stating “my Administration is committed to combating the rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic incidents in the United States and around the world. Anti-Semitic incidents have increased since 2013, and students, in particular, continue to face anti-Semitic harassment in schools and on university and college campuses.”

The United States government was trying to tackle the issue in November 2017 when it held a hearing to consider interpreting Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect Jewish students and other religious minorities from discrimination. At that time, Rabbi Cooper, Associate Dean, Director Global Social Action Agenda, Simon Wiesenthal Center called out for the government to help combat the hatred, arguing that “The failure of schools and Federal Government to protect Jewish students on campus from harassment is one of the most pressing issues for the American Jewish Community.”

But educational institutions and the government are backing away from providing protections to Jewish students on campus.

Failure of Leadership

The City University of New York (CUNY) has seen an enormous spike in anti-Semitic incidents. To combat the menace, over 100 non-profit institutions wrote a letter on June 28, 2022 to the NYC Council Committee on Higher Education to address “the alarming rise of antisemitism on campuses across the country, and at CUNY in particular.” After being postponed once, the committee finally met to address this serious issue, but CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez did not attend. Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov was angered at the chancellor’s absence and said “last night, in a very cowardly fashion, the chancellor said he won’t appear. Instead he sent a lawyer to represent him. What a sham, what an insult to the Jewish community of New York.“

President Biden is similarly aware of the scourge of anti-Semitism on campuses and opted to delay action until after mid-term elections.

President Biden is aware of the scourge of anti-Semitism on campuses and opted to delay action until after mid-term elections.

Shortly after Biden took office in February 2021, Kara McDonald, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, embraced the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism. She said “we must educate ourselves and our communities to recognize antisemitism in its many forms, so that we can call hate by its proper name and take effective action. That is why the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, with its real-world examples, is such an invaluable tool.”

It was the logical and appropriate time for Biden to follow-through on Trump’s EO 13899 and the federal government’s efforts to apply the IHRA definition to Title VI. Title VI “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance.” As most colleges receive federal funds and would collapse without them, and the fact that Jews do not fall neatly into “race, color or national origin,” Jews were counting on inclusion in the Title VI clause together with the working definition of anti-Semitism.

But Biden decided to postpone a decision on the Title VI matter until December 2022, after mid-term elections.

Biden Fears the Far-Left Anti-Zionists

While Biden was willing to champion the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, he fears members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) within his party, and the threat that they will primary incumbent party centrists out of office. The IHRA definition has several references to Israel including “Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel“, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” and “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” These anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic statements often come from the mouths of Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Cori Bush (D-MO), members of the DSA. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY), a leading shrill voice of the DSA, has stated plainly that her squad will come after centrists if the Democratic leadership doesn’t bend to their extremist policy demands, including lambasting Israel. Biden doesn’t want to anger the squad and risk his party’s slim majority.

President Biden with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (left) and Rep. Debbie Dingell, May 2021. (photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

While studies have shown that “much of the antisemitic activity [on college campuses] was perpetrated by anti-Zionist students and student groups” at schools with “faculty academic boycotters,” and the federal government has a clear pathway to clamp down on the Jew hatred, President Biden has chosen to place party politics ahead of the safety of the young adults of the most persecuted minority in America.

Related articles:

Hamas And Harvard Proudly Declare Their Anti-Semitism And Anti-Zionism

Courageous Jews On Hostile Campuses

Hamas’s Willing Executioners

The Joy of Lecturing Jews

The Holocaust Will Not Be Colorized. The Holocaust Will Be Live.

Please Don’t Vote for a Democratic Socialist

Rashida Tlaib’s Modern ‘Mein Kampf’

Of Kings On July 4th, In Newport, RI

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The refreshing breeze came through the open windows in the Congregation Jeshuat Israel Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday morning. Better known as the Touro Synagogue named for its first cantor Isaac Touro (1738-1783) and his son Judah Touro (1775-1854) who was its benefactor, the small building was lightly filled for Sabbath services on the July Fourth holiday weekend.

Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, July 3, 2022

America’s oldest synagogue which opened in 1763, was a logical place for Jews to come to celebrate America’s birthday. In addition to being the only Jewish temple still standing in the United States from colonial days, America’s first president, George Washington (1732-1799), wrote a letter to the congregation in August 1790 which affirmed religious liberty:

“The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.“

Washington made clear that all religious groups were not simply “tolerated” but very much a fabric of society. It was an incredible message for Jews to hear in the nascent country, as members of a persecuted faith who had first fled from Europe and then Brazil due to the Catholic Inquisition empowered by local governments.

Bima of the Touro Synagogue

My appreciation for religious liberty in this amazing country brought me to that synagogue for America’s birthday. As I climbed the few carpeted steps to recite the haftorah that Sabbath, my mind considered the text I read, which also tied Judaism to the founding of the United States.

The haftorah this July 4th was for Parshat Korach, which read from Samuel I: 11:14 – 12:22. The portion relayed how the Israelites demanded a king, and how the Prophet Samuel rebuked them for their plea. Samuel communicated that God had met their every need so it was shameful that they would seek to follow the example of other nations for a king to rule over them. Samuel anointed Saul to be the first king of the Jews but it was done reluctantly, as he admonished the Israelites that God is actually the only king.

America’s founding fathers believed as much.

Thomas Paine’s (1737-1809), pamphlet Common Sense of 1776, called on the colonies to rebel against the king of England – and against all kings. He cited the story of the Hebrew Bible above in making his case:

“As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can it be defended on the authority of scripture; for the will of the Almighty as declared by Gideon, and the prophet Samuel, expressly disapproves of government by Kings…. Near three thousand years passed away, from the Mosaic account of the creation, till the Jews under a national delusion requested a king. Till then their form of government (except in extraordinary cases where the Almighty interposed) was a kind of Republic, administered by a judge and the elders of the tribes. Kings they had none, and it was held sinful to acknowledge any being under that title but the Lord of Hosts…. Monarchy is ranked in scripture as one of the sins of the Jews, for which a curse in reserve is denounced against them. The history of that transaction is worth attending to…. The hankering which the Jews had for the idolatrous customs of the Heathens, is something exceedingly unaccountable; but so it was, that laying hold of the misconduct of Samuel’s two sons, who were entrusted with some secular concerns, they came in an abrupt and clamorous manner to Samuel, saying, ‘Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways, now make us a king to judge us like all the other nations.’… That the Almighty hath here entered his protest against monarchical government is true, or the scripture is false.“

Paine argued vociferously against trading one sovereign (British) for a new one in America. He and the other founding fathers instituted a system of government where there was no place for a hereditary monarchy but a democratic republic with leaders chosen by the people.

George Washington was that first leader in this new experiment in governance. Not only did he believe that a monarchy was distasteful but also in the power of God. When he resigned his military post in 1783, he wrote of handing over “the Interests of our dearest Country to the protection of Almighty God.”

Seven years later, Rhode Island was one of the last colonies to adopt the U.S. Bill of Rights which enshrined that “all men, have an equal, natural and unalienable right to the free exercise of religion according to the dictates of conscience; and that no particular religious sect or society ought to be favored or established by law in preference to others.” Washington’s letter to the Touro Synagogue just a few months later, cemented not just the “free exercise of religion” but that Jews will be protected as full citizens as part of the nation’s foundational laws, not the whims of a monarch.

The fame of the Touro Synagogue is very much tied to Washington’s letter which affirmed religious liberty. It should not be a surprise that Washington wrote such letter to the Jews, whose bible served as an inspiration for the American constitution and views of both religion and leadership.

Related articles:

Israel & the United States Repel the Force of the World

The Haggadah as Touchstone for Harmony

“Jews as a Class”

Shabbat Hagadol at the Third Hurva Synagogue, 2010

Being Purple, I’m Neither Anti-Abortion Nor Pro-Abortion. I’m Anti-Infanticide

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The Supreme Court voted to overturn the 1973 ruling of Roe v. Wade, putting the issue of abortion to each state to decide. In the coming months and years, lobbyists and legislators will lob arguments as they listen to constituents on the rights of women and the unborn. Extremists will win the day in both deep blue and red states, while purple ones may find compromise positions.

The extreme wings are fortified with devotees of deeply-held dogma. Religious conviction will drive some to seek the banning of abortion at the very moment of conception, when the potential life is simply a cluster of cells. The religion without deity has christened the desire of a woman supreme, and push legislation to permit abortion for any reason until the very moment of birth.

Both positions are nonsensical and harmful.

A cluster of cells is just that. Women likely have monthly periods that pass as much without notice. The mass has neither brain nor heart, so the basis of calling the coagulation “life” seems as silly and mundane as “What is a Woman?” To deprive women the right to manage their lives early in pregnancy is invasive and draconian.

At the other extreme, to sanction infanticide before a baby is born, is to legalize and bless the murder of the innocent. Even pro-Choice people say that if an eight-month pregnant woman dies in a car accident, doctors should save the fetus. They therefore admit that the fetus is an actual life worth saving, at least once the mother’s desire is no longer a factor. Such flawed reasoning could permit a mother to kill her two-year old if her finances or relationship become impaired (the main reasons for having an abortion are about bad timing, and financial or relationship difficulties according to a study by the Guttmacher Institute).

Each side protests that their cause is just. The desires to protect a woman and the infant are noble as each party is worthy of protection. And rights.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 95% of abortions occur during the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. Roughly 4.1% occur between weeks 16 and 20, and 1.3% happen after the 21st week. Using 2017 data suggests that approximately 11,200 abortions in the US were late term. To put the late term abortion statistic in perspective, in 2018, there were 19,660 deaths among children 1-19. The leading causes were motor vehicle accidents (20%), firearms (15%) and cancer (9%). In other words, the number of late term abortions in the US far exceeds the number of deaths for all children under 20 years old from car accidents, firearms and cancer COMBINED.

While there is not a large recent comprehensive study on who gets these late term abortions and why, there was a study conducted between 2008 and 2010 and published in 2013 on this very issue. It reported that “data suggest that most women seeking later terminations are not doing so for reasons of fetal anomaly or life endangerment. (emphasis added)” More specifically, it added that “Most women seeking later abortion fit at least one of five profiles: They were raising children alone, were depressed or using illicit substances, were in conflict with a male partner or experiencing domestic violence, had trouble deciding and then had access problems, or were young and nulliparous.”

The Bizarre Contradictory Liberal Laws of New York State

New York has some of the most left-wing laws in the country. When it comes to protecting the very young, recent laws have been enacted that are at odds with each other.

In August 2018, the state passed a law banning smoking in any facility that provides child care services. Governor Andrew Cuomo said at the time that “the dangers of secondhand smoke are indisputable and we must do everything in our power to protect children.” Other people in the State Assembly added that “second and third-hand smoke is a detriment the development of our kids.“

Five months later, Cuomo signed the Reproductive Health Act which decriminalized abortion at any time for any reason. The act specifically removed the killing of an “unborn child with which a female has been pregnant for more than twenty-four weeks” from the definition of a homicide. Somehow, the danger of secondhand smoke are “indisputable” but the targeted killing of a fully viable fetus is not a “detriment to its development.”

Fetus at 34 weeks. Current New York State law permits terminating pregnancy up until birth for any reason.

Summary

Most Americans are very disturbed by late term abortions. According to a 2018 Gallup poll, 77% of people believe that an abortion should be illegal in the third trimester if the rationale is a woman’s wishes / “choice”, although attitudes flip if the mother’s life is in danger. In the May 2022 polling, the favorability of banning abortions jumped from 27% to 55% to 71% during the first, second and third trimester, respectively.

The 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling was thrown out because the Supreme Court justices concluded that there wasn’t a constitutional right to the procedure and pushed each state to decide for itself how to handle the matter. Now the states must consider the rights of the unborn and of women, and whether they change based on time and circumstances. Citizens in states like New York should look to the original Roe decision that they celebrated, and pressure the legislature to adopt Roe’s delineation of fetal viability, and repeal the repeals that the far-left extremists enacted just a few years ago.

The nation has been in the throws of being pulled apart for several years now and the abortion map may set the borders of the Mason-Dixon Plaid for years to come.

Related articles:

When It Becomes

Fertility Rates and Household Wealth

Magnifying the Margins, and the Rise of the Independents

The Misogyny of Treating Women like Victims

Vedat Gashi, Running To Unseat Jamaal Bowman in Congress, Talks to The Jewish Community

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New York’s 16th Congressional district has been reshaped by the latest census, and now includes more of Westchester than it had earlier, and drops sections of the Bronx which are now in NY-15 held by Rep. Ritchie Torres. The current congressman for NY-16 is Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who is facing a number of challengers in the Democratic primaries to be held on August 23rd (early voting begins August 13).

According to the non-partisan website fivethirtyeight, the newly redrawn NY-16 leans heavily towards the Democratic Party, voting for Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election by a margin of +40. That means that the Democratic primary is truly the election for this congressional seat.

One of the Democratic contenders, Vedat Gashi, spoke with me about issues of particular concern to the Jewish community.

General Background

Gashi describes himself as a “common sense” Democrat who has nothing in common with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) which has backed Bowman. Gashi grew up in Kosovo and came to the United States at age four. He later returned to Kosovo as an adult to work for the United Nations as the country gained its independence in the dissolution of Yugoslavia. His memories of Israel’s involvement with Kosovo – even before it became independent – left a positive mark on him.

Gashi is appreciative of the Jewish community as well. As a secular Muslim, he said he was appalled at President Trump’s so-called “Muslim ban” which would have restricted people like him from coming to the US (writer’s note: Trump did not ban all Muslims, but people from seven Muslim-majority countries, which did not include Kosovo). When Gashi went to JFK Airport to protest the ban, the first people he saw protesting were Jewish groups. These incidents gave Gashi a sense of warmth toward the Jewish community.

A full background of Gashi’s background can be found on his website. Unfortunately, there is little else on the site, such as his positions on important issues.

Vedat Gashi, running for congress in 2022 to represent NY-16

On Israel

Gashi is instinctively pro-Israel but not very well versed on specific topics.

As it relates to Bowman’s vote against supporting the Abraham Accords in April 2021, Gashi said he was “disappointed” in Bowman’s vote because the Accords clearly advanced US’s foreign policy interests. He assumed that Bowman did so because of pressure from the DSA, and Gashi used that point to highlight that he would not abide by any party orthodoxy but consider each issue as it impacted the people in his district. He added that the DSA’s comments which blamed American and NATO policies for causing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as indicative of the far-left group’s “tenuous grasp of reality.”

Gashi said that the people behind the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) of Israel are anti-Semitic. He believes that people who call Israel an “apartheid state”, such as Bowman’s senior policy advisor Rajiv Sicora, “don’t want Israel to even exist”. In contrast, Gashi believes that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and is a strong American ally.

Bowman is tied to other DSA-backed politicians like Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN), as he votes alongside them 98% of the time. Gashi thinks that Tlaib and Omar have made many anti-Semitic comments, such as Tlaib’s screed that Jews and Zionists profit from racism “from Gaza to Detroit,” and Omar’s comments about Jews buying control of Congress and hypnotizing the world. He finds their comments “deeply racist” and offensive.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), three members of the ‘Squad’ of Democratic Socialists on November 30, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Regarding Bowman co-sponsoring the May 2022 Tlaib-led legislation that called the founding of Israel a ‘Nakba’ (catastrophe), Gashi said that sponsors of such legislation do not believe Israel has the right to exist. He said he arrived at such a conclusion from being informed about how Serbs treated Kosovo. Serbs believed Kosovo to be “nothing more than a parking lot,” an empty vessel without meaning or ownership, much the way some anti-Israel people continue to look at the Jewish State today. He noted that the founding of many countries included wars and displacements but that doesn’t mean the new country shouldn’t exist.

Gashi did not have a strong opinion about “settlements.” He noted that he saw some when he visited friends in Israel several years ago, with many being fully established towns which are a far cry from what the name implies, which is a couple of shacks. He offered no opinion about whether they are legal or whether UN Resolution 2334 was appropriate.

Gashi seemed surprised to learn that Palestinian Arabs favor the terrorist group Hamas, and said he felt bad that they were being fed “lying propaganda by their leaders.”

As it relates to a number of other regional issues such as the Taylor Force Act and the Palestinian Authority’s desire for a consulate in Jerusalem, Gashi knew little about the topics.

United Nations / Iran

Gashi worked for the United Nations in Kosovo for a number of years and believes that the organization is an “unwieldy animal” with many difficult actors like Russia, however, Gashi believes that there is opportunity for the United Nations to be a positive force. During our interview, Gashi noted he was not familiar with the many resolutions and committees within the United Nations that attack the Jewish State but seemed interested to learn more.

Regarding the Iranian nuclear deal, Gashi said that “Iran achieving nuclear capacity would be a terrible outcome and needs to be opposed every which way we can, if not diplomatically, then by other means”. He added that “it is an existential problem”.

Anti-Semitism / Religion

Gashi was not familiar with the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism but stressed that “words are important.” Drawing on his experience in Kosovo, he shared that politicians were reluctant to use the term “genocide” because it would compel certain actions, even though avoiding its usage “led to more ethnic cleansing” in his home country. He did not know why President Biden agreed to the IHRA definition and then refused to enact it for Title VI to protect Jewish and Zionist students on campuses, until December 2022, which is after mid-term elections.

Gashi was also unfamiliar with Senator Diane Feinstein grilling of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett saying “the dogma lives loudly within you and that’s of concern,” as it related to ACB’s Catholic beliefs, suggesting it would possibly disqualify her for office. He said that “all manners of good and bad deeds have been attributed to religiosity. Religiosity in and of itself, is neither good nor bad. Faith, in general, is a good thing.” He did say that Feinstein’s comment was inappropriate.

Schools / Police

Gashi would not engage in a discussion about charter schools or monies for parochial schools. He seemed more concerned about upsetting teacher unions and keeping funding inside of the public school system. Whether he would tackle the issue of prioritizing educating children rather than winning support of powerful unions remains to be seen, as he would not voice an opinion going into a Democratic primary where he is competing against a radical socialist who was formerly a teacher.

Gashi did come after Bowman about his stance to “Defund the Police.” He felt that Bowman’s endorsement of the socialist platform was dangerous for the district and country. He added that Bowman continues to lie about his comments and vote on the manner, much as Bowman clearly lied to his constituents about supporting the infrastructure bill when he voted against it.

Summary

Gashi presents as a left-leaning politician, yet far to the right and much more honest than Bowman. He is not well-versed in various issues of concern to the Jewish people in his district but seems eager to learn and approach the issues thoughtfully.

Related articles:

Rep. Ritchie Torres Doesn’t Want To Be the Only Progressive Pro-Israel Unicorn

The Disgraceful Promotion of Refugee-Washing ‘Nakba’ In The U.S. Congress

Politicians In Their Own Words: Why We Don’t Support Defending Jews

The Right Number of Anti-Semites in Congress

Republican and Democratic Politicians Discuss Israel’s Latest Fight

Rashida Tlaib’s Modern ‘Mein Kampf’

Omar and Tlaib’s Antisemitic B.D.S.

US State Department Will Not Promote LGBT Human Rights In The Middle East Outside of Israel

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On June 1, 2022, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issued a press release “Commemorating Pride Month.” In his comments he said that “the U.S. Department of State recommits to protecting and promoting the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world.“

Does it really?

The US Embassy in Israel put the Blinken press release on its website. It even added a rainbow logo with “Pride 2022” beneath “U.S. Embassy Jerusalem” in the article.

US embassy in Israel reprints entire message about “LGBTQI+ communities”, including producing a rainbow logo

Yet there wasn’t a single other US embassy anywhere in the entire Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) that reposted the pride press release. Not in Egypt. Not in Jordan. Not in Iraq. Not in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Williams Institute that did a country ranking of LGBT acceptance, Israel ranked as the 44th most accepting country. Egypt ranked 159. Jordan was 167. Iraq was 94.

“Palestine” was ranked at 130 and was called out as one of five lands that had “very little change in acceptance between 2010 and 2020.“

It would seem that the United States will only work at “protecting and promoting the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons” in countries that already protect and promote human rights.

Related articles:

The Color Coded Lexicon of Israel’s Bigotry: It’s not Just PinkWashing

I’m Offended, You’re Dead

Is Israel Reforming the Muslim Middle East? Impossible According to The NY Times

The Anti-Semitic Replacement Theory of White and Islamic Extremists

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Another vicious hate crime was committed by a violent extremist, this time by a White man in Buffalo, NY against Black people. After killing ten people in a grocery store, his online ‘manifesto’ was found which featured racist and anti-Semitic smears as well as a warning about the United States being transformed into a country dominated by non-Whites.

This notion of “Replacement Theory” can be found in a number of communities and is treated very differently by the media.

White Supremacists’ Replacement Theory

Anti-immigrant fervor picked up in Europe in 2015, as Muslims fleeing civil wars in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) began to flood the continent, and committed a number of terrorist attacks including in Paris, France. Accused of not participating in resettling the MENA refugees, President Obama accepted tens of thousands of additional refugees into the United States that year. In June 2015, Donald Trump seized on public fear of potential Islamic terrorism and announced his candidacy for president with anti-immigrant comments. Just two days later, a White man burst into a Black church and killed nine people. The murderer’s stated motivation was a racist and anti-Semitic perception of the fall of America, after seeing BlackLivesMatter protests:

“I hate the sight of the American flag. Modern American patriotism is an absolute joke. People pretending like they have something to be proud while White people are being murdered daily in the streets…. How about we protect the White race and stop fighting for the jews as well.”

Trump took office in January 2017 and issued an Executive Order to limit the influx of refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries where border controls were considered lax and pushed for building a wall on the southern border to stem the flow of immigrants from Central America. A few months later, White supremacists marched in Charlottesville, VA in August 2017 with shouts that “Jews will not replace us!” decrying liberal Jewish groups like HIAS that facilitate non-White immigrants coming to the US. In October 2018, a White supremacist took up that cause and shot 11 Jews to death in a synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. His ‘manifesto’ said that HIAS “likes to bring invaders in that kill our people.”

The media has sharply criticizes the rhetoric of the White supremacists’ “Replacement Theory.” PBS describes the theory as “a plot to undermine the influence of white people. Believers say the goal is being achieved both through the immigration of nonwhite people into societies that have long been dominated by white people, as well as through simple demographics, with white people having lower birth rates than other populations. The conspiracy theory’s more racist adherents believe Jews are behind the so-called replacement plan.“

What is interesting in the media’s coverage of White supremacists’ Replacement Theory, is that it blends fiction and fact together to make everything appear as racist fiction. In truth, White people DO have fewer children than non-Whites (but birth rates for non-Whites are declining much faster than for White people). Projections by impartial groups like Pew Research estimate that the United States WILL decline to 47% Whites by 2050, from 67% now. The fictional component of the replacement theory is that these developments are part of a concerted plot hatched by Jews, as opposed to natural trends with a variety of causes.

Radical Islamists’ Replacement Theory

The fear of changing demographics is not limited to White Supremacists. It is prevalent among radical Islamists, especially Palestinian Arabs. Similar to their racist brothers-in-arms, they also kill Jews because of their perceived plight.

Arabs began to fear Jews moving to Palestine in 1920, after four global powers – Britain, France, Italy and Japan – convened the San Remo Conference to divide the defeated Muslim Ottoman Empire. The various mandates included the Mandate for Palestine (1922) which came under the British control, that included a call to facilitate the immigration of Jews to their ancestral homeland. Arabs rioted, slaughtered Jews and protested to the British to block the arrival of Jews, even though Jews were the only people moving to Palestine during the last 100 years of Ottoman rule.

Islamic radicals massacred Jews in the holy land in 1921, 1929 and during the multi-year pogroms from 1936 to 1939, in an attempt to maintain a Muslim-majority population in Palestine. During the European Holocaust, Palestinian Arabs effectively lobbied the British to limit Jewish refugees into the land, facilitating the deaths of tens of thousands of Jews. When Holocaust survivors came to Palestine after the war, Arab armies descended upon them to wipe them out for good. In the areas where the Islamists seized land – Gaza and the ‘West Bank’ – they ethnically-cleansed all Jews from the area.

Destroyed synagogue in Berlin, November 10, 1938
Arab meeting in London to halt Jewish immigration
Protesting the Arab-sponsored British White Paper after Kristallnacht

Palestinian Arabs still commemorate the ‘Nakba’ in 1948 when they failed to destroy the Jewish State at its founding and were only able to wipe out Jews from a portion of the land. To this day, Arab leaders ask the British to renounce the Balfour Declaration.

But the media does not remark on the Islamists’ Replacement Theory as being inherently anti-Semitic. When Muslim extremists axe Jewish civilians to death the media adopts the killers’ narrative that they are “resorting to violence” because Muslims are “frustrated.” The Hamas Charter – the worst of all anti-Semitic ‘manifestos’ – and Palestinian leadership incitement to violence are deliberately omitted from the media’s anti-Semitic narrative.

“United the Right” in Virginia August, 2017
Anti-Israel rally in New Jersey December 2017

The demographic makeup of most of the world continues to evolve, especially as people migrate to places which offer freedom and opportunity. The United States has long been a destination for immigrants, with the makeup of the home countries pivoting from Europe to Asia and Latin America with the passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965. In the 1950’s the makeup of immigrants to the US was 75% European, 5% Asian and 9% from Latin America. By the 1980’s those percentages changed to 23%, 26% and 44%.

The changing demographics happened in Palestine as well, where Muslims accounted for 60% of the population and Jews were a minority at 31% in 1945. Today the land is bifurcated, with Israel being 74% Jewish and 21% Muslim, while areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority are 100% Arab, in their ongoing quest for a Jew-free country. Jews moved to the land before the Jewish state was reestablished because it is the center of Judaism, and since 1948, as a safe haven from anti-Semitism.

The fear of racist Whites and Muslims are not unfounded, as it relates to changing demographics. However, the toxicity of their emotions emerges in believing that their new neighbors are inherently problematic, and that the former majority are victims who require protection.

  • For White Supremacists, the victims are White people suffering from a non-White invasion; for radical Islamists, the victims are Arab Muslims who must deal with Jewish “European colonialists” (even though Jews from Europe account for less than one-third of Israelis).
  • White Supremacists kill Blacks and Jews in an attempt to protect their vision of a White America; Jihadists kill Jews in an attempt to “free Palestine from the River to the Sea” of Jewish invaders.
  • The media calls out the racism and anti-Semitism of White Supremacists; HOWEVER, the media and United Nations lambast Jewish victims and protect Palestinian racists, fearing that calling out the obvious evil would hinder the possibility of a two-state solution.

The Great Replacement Theory is portrayed incorrectly in the media. The basic premise that the majority is becoming a minority is true. What is false is that: such dynamic is inherently a problem; is a concerted ‘plot by Jews’; is only limited to White Supremacists; and that the toxic hatred is only fed in social media, as the mainstream press and United Nations promote anti-Semitism and the Islamic Great Replacement Theory all of the time.

Jews killed in synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA 2018
Jews axed to death in synagogue in Jerusalem 2014

Related articles:

In San Francisco Schools, Anti-Zionism is Anti-Racism

Pelosi’s Vastly Different Responses to Antisemitism and Racism

Anti-Semitism Is Harder to Recognize Than Racism

Palestineism is Toxic Racism

Covering Racism

The Downhill Spiral From Washington To Biden On Anti-Semitism And Jewish Freedom of Worship

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The United States has a peculiar tradition of dedicating certain months towards particular ethnic groups. The month of May has traditionally been Jewish Heritage Month, and President Biden made a declaration this year as such.

Logo of May 2021 posted on the website of the US embassy to Israel

In his April 29, 2022 proclamation, Biden quoted President George Washington’s letter to the Jews of Newport, RI writing “Inspired by Jewish American communal leadership, our Nation’s first President pledged that our Government will ‘give to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.‘” Biden went on to state that his administration would root out anti-Semitism, “ensuring that hate has no safe harbor.“

But Biden has not internalized Washington’s worldview.

Washington’s letter of August 1790 stated clearly that Jews were not simply a tolerated minority but on equal footing with all other American citizens. He prayed that they and all Americans would know peace after years of war:

May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. 

President George Washington’s letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, RI August 18, 1790

The comment about sitting in safety was lifted from the Hebrew Bible, Micah chapter 4, a seemingly appropriate quotation for a letter to a synagogue. The first five sentences of that chapter are a prophecy for ultimately reaching a time of peace:

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים יִ֠הְיֶ֠ה הַ֣ר בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֤ה נָכוֹן֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֥א ה֖וּא מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ עָלָ֖יו עַמִּֽים׃

[4:1] In the days to come, The Mount of the LORD’s House shall stand Firm above the mountains; And it shall tower above the hills. The peoples shall gaze on it with joy,

וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֗ים וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה וְאֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

[2] And the many nations shall go and shall say: “Come, Let us go up to the Mount of the LORD, To the House of the God of Jacob; That He may instruct us in His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

וְשָׁפַ֗ט בֵּ֚ין עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וְהוֹכִ֛יחַ לְגוֹיִ֥ם עֲצֻמִ֖ים עַד־רָח֑וֹק וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹֽא־יִשְׂא֞וּ גּ֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּן ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃

[3] Thus He will judge among the many peoples, And arbitrate for the multitude of nations,
However distant; And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war.

וְיָשְׁב֗וּ אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֧חַת גַּפְנ֛וֹ וְתַ֥חַת תְּאֵנָת֖וֹ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד כִּי־פִ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת דִּבֵּֽר׃

[4] But every man shall sit Under his grapevine or fig tree With no one to disturb him.
For it was the LORD of Hosts who spoke.

כִּ֚י כׇּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים יֵלְכ֕וּ אִ֖ישׁ בְּשֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ נֵלֵ֛ךְ בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

[5] Though all the peoples walk Each in the names of its gods, We will walk In the name of the LORD our God Forever and ever.

Washington’s desire was that America was going to be modeled after that Messianic ideal of the Micah the Prophet – of a society that had progressed beyond war with the ability to live in peace, every person enjoying their own homes and possessions.

The Biden Administration – and a growing swath of the United States – has seemingly lost this vision in three frightening ways: permitting anti-Semitism, taking personal possessions and denying Jews the freedom to worship.

Permitting anti-Semitism: While Biden claims that his administration is aggressively fighting anti-Semitism, he has refused to combat the horrific spike of Jew hatred on America’s campuses. Rather than engage with the anti-Israel members of the Democratic Party, Biden delayed taking action on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which would have afforded Jews protections that are afforded to other minorities. He has postposed such action until December, after the mid-term elections, preferring his political survival to the well-being of young Jews. A bi-partisan group of forty members of Congress were appalled by Biden’s lack of concern for Jewish college students and wrote a letter urging immediate action. It was ignored.

Seizing private property: Biden is scared of the far left wing members of his party that are gaining more seats and control. The Democratic Socialists of America are demanding a “massive redistribution of income from corporations and the wealthy to wage earners and the poor and the public sector.” Their vision of America does not afford individuals to live under their own “grapevine or fig tree,” but under a communal one.

Denying the rights of Jews on their Temple Mount: Micah’s vision is quite clear – that Jews can ascend to their holy place in Jerusalem, while people of other religions can practice their faiths in freedom as well. It is a desire of Jews today as it was thousands of years ago when Micah wrote his vision, but Biden and many others do not believe in basic human dignity for Jews. Biden is calling on Israel to limit Jewish visitation to Judaism’s holiest site and firmly banning Jewish prayer.

George Washington would be appalled, which is seemingly fine with the radical left which is toppling statues of him.

Today’s America is unmoored from its foundational principles of religious liberty and freedom. Such revised platform will prove toxic for American Jewry.

American Jewry does not need the saccharine marketing of a “Jewish Heritage Month.” It requires leadership that prioritizes people’s safety, property and basic human rights over selfish political aspirations.

Related articles:

While Joe Biden Passionately Defends Israel, He Ignores Jewish Rights and the History of the Jewish State

The March of Silent Feet

Visitor Rights on the Temple Mount

Losing Rights

The Re-Introduction of the ‘Powerful’ Jew Smear

Friday in Jerusalem Is Now A “No-Go Zone” For American Diplomats

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Due to Muslim Arab terrorism now going on in Israel during the month of Ramadan, the United States embassy has placed the Old City of Jerusalem on its restricted list.

The security alert from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem was published on March 30, 2022 and stated:

Due to recent terrorist attacks in the area and potential security issues associated with the upcoming April 2022 holidays, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted until further notice from entering the Old City of Jerusalem after dark (dusk to dawn) and on Fridays.  Damascus, Herod’s, and Lions’ Gates are off limits as well.

U.S. citizens should take this into consideration when planning their own activities.

The question is whether the imposition of a no-go zone in the holy city of Jerusalem during Passover, Easter and Ramadan was because the United States does not trust Israeli security or in deference to Muslim sensitivities. Will the US embassy impose this restriction on American Muslims at the embassy as well, or just non-Muslims?

Terrorist attacks are happening all over Israel, including in Bnei Brak, Beersheva and Tel Aviv. Will the US put those cities on the no-go list as well? That’s highly doubtful as the U.S. focuses on religious tension – not terrorism – in the city considered holy to three faiths.

The United States embassy to Israel has bowed to Islamic demands to restrict its non-Muslim personnel from visiting the holy city of Jerusalem. One can imagine the administration demanding Israeli Jews to do the same in the future.

Israeli flag at the western wall of the Jewish Temple Mount

Related articles:

The Arabists of the US Embassy in Israel

Israel: Security in a Small Country

Does The United States Think That The Holocaust Relates To Israel?

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On March 21, 2022, United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Blinken’s remarks focused on the decision by the US government to declare that the Burmese military committed a genocide against the Rohningya. The location of the talk was consistent with the museum‘s mission to be a resource to teach “about the Holocaust and other genocides and mass atrocities.“

Blinken never mentioned Israel in his speech, yet it was featured prominently on the US embassy in Israel’s website, including a link to the video and the full text. One could not find a link to the speech on the websites of embassies to other countries (also not mentioned in the speech), except for Italy.

One must assume that the US government opted to post a speech about the genocide of the Rohingya on Israel’s website because the Holocaust was about the annihilation of Jews, and Israel is the only Jewish State. It is unclear why Italy was also selected.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at US Holocaust Memorial Museum, March 21, 2022

In his remarks, Blinken mentioned the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya from regions of Burma but has never discussed the Jordanians ethnically cleansing the Jews from Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem in 1948-9.

Blinken talked about the Burmese military’s so-called “Clean and Beautiful Nation” activities which led to atrocities, but neglected to mention the popular Palestinian political-terrorist group Hamas’s 1988 charter (article 3) which urges everyone to “raise the banner of Jihad in the face of the oppressors, so that they would rid the land and the people of their [Jews] uncleanliness, vileness and evil.“

Blinken also discussed “Burma’s 1982 citizenship law, which effectively excluded Rohingya from citizenship and denied them full political rights, echoing the 1935 Nuremberg Laws that stripped Jews of their German citizenship,” but has thus far refused to similarly call out the 1954 Jordanian citizenship law which specifically excluded Jews.

Blinken noted the Burmese “dehumanizing hate speech,” in which “Rohingya were compared to fleas, to thorns, to an invasive species,” but hasn’t called out Palestinian Authority officials who call Israel “the greatest cancer,” and the leader of Iran who similarly called Israel “a cancerous tumor.“

Blinken knows the warning signs and said “Understanding the contours of this [genocidal] path is a core part of the Holocaust Museum’s mission.  It’s crucial to all of us who are committed to living up to the maxim of “Never again.”  By learning to spot the signs of the worst atrocities, we’re empowered to prevent them.“

The current United States government clearly understands that the Holocaust relates to Jews and the importance of the subject to the Jewish State. So one must wonder why it deliberately ignores the genocidal behavior of Israel’s Arab and Muslim neighbors.

Regrettably, it may be because the current administration is adopting the Palestinian Arabs’ false narrative that Israel was created because of the Holocaust, blinding US officials to the deeply-instilled anti-Semitism in many parts of Arab society.

Related articles:

Seeing the Holocaust Through Nakba Eyes

The Arabists of the US Embassy in Israel

NY Times Holocaust Revisionism For Poles, Not Palestinians

The Lies Conflating the Holocaust and The Promised Land