Page 84 - issue
P. 84
Barack Obama is not far off, so it Cummings has been appointed to lead tunes of Jews.
should indeed scare you that the bur- the party platform draft. So where to turn? The recent
geoning popularity of the Sanders
wing of the party makes Obama look Where to Turn? events discussed above raise the fear
like Winston Churchill. Much has changed in the last eight that Jews have no party that speaks
years. We have seen the shift of tradi- for us or defends our interests. The
Hillary Clinton, with the right to tional alliances in the world, with Israel push of Libertarian Koch money into
name six of the 15 drafters of the plat- in many ways more in-step with its Trump’s already questionable cam-
form, named mostly longtime Arab neighbors – such as Middle East paign makes him a very tough choice
Democratic insiders and those close to powers Egypt and Saudi Arabia as well for any Jewish voter. Combined with
her campaign. One, Jewish former as Russia and the Asian powers – than Trump’s vulgarity, brusque populism,
Under-Secretary of State Wendy with the United States. It is still impos- and flip-flopping on Israel, even the
Sherman, was the lead U.S. negotiator sible to say where American foreign seasoned compassionate Republican
in the much-maligned Iran nuclear policy will be in a few years. With must consider Hillary Clinton (the
deal. This obviously hurt her standing Trump’s ascendance and the rise of unthinkable). Still, the equally-impor-
in the pro-Israel community. Another the left-wing in the Democratic Party, tant, Jewish, uber-pro-Israel, mega-
appointee, Neera Tanden, is the head anything could happen. philanthropist Sheldon Adelson has
of the liberal Center for American also decided to cast his lot and treas-
Progress, where she has rallied the It is important to remember, too, ure with Donald Trump, a decision of
troops in support of the Iran Deal. that almost half the Jews in the world great importance to Jews and
now live in Israel, and it is expected Republicans. The one unquestion-
Wasserman Schultz notably that Muslims will outnumber Jews in able certainty is that each American
appointed local Rep. Elijah Cummings the United States by 2050. Not coinci- Jew must exercise his or her voting
(D-MD), a longtime Israel supporter. It dentally, the Christians declined right. In this contentious election, it
may not be well-known among our almost eight percent as a share of the is paramount to study the issues that
community that Cummings runs a pro- population in the last decade. This pol- are of greatest importance to
gram bringing Baltimore African- icy uncertainty, combined with demo- American Jews and vote based on
American teenagers to Israel for two- graphic changes, forecasts a very principle and not in fear of making
year fellowships, and remains a strong uncertain future for the political for- the wrong choice.◆
supporter of pro-Israel causes.
80 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
should indeed scare you that the bur- the party platform draft. So where to turn? The recent
geoning popularity of the Sanders
wing of the party makes Obama look Where to Turn? events discussed above raise the fear
like Winston Churchill. Much has changed in the last eight that Jews have no party that speaks
years. We have seen the shift of tradi- for us or defends our interests. The
Hillary Clinton, with the right to tional alliances in the world, with Israel push of Libertarian Koch money into
name six of the 15 drafters of the plat- in many ways more in-step with its Trump’s already questionable cam-
form, named mostly longtime Arab neighbors – such as Middle East paign makes him a very tough choice
Democratic insiders and those close to powers Egypt and Saudi Arabia as well for any Jewish voter. Combined with
her campaign. One, Jewish former as Russia and the Asian powers – than Trump’s vulgarity, brusque populism,
Under-Secretary of State Wendy with the United States. It is still impos- and flip-flopping on Israel, even the
Sherman, was the lead U.S. negotiator sible to say where American foreign seasoned compassionate Republican
in the much-maligned Iran nuclear policy will be in a few years. With must consider Hillary Clinton (the
deal. This obviously hurt her standing Trump’s ascendance and the rise of unthinkable). Still, the equally-impor-
in the pro-Israel community. Another the left-wing in the Democratic Party, tant, Jewish, uber-pro-Israel, mega-
appointee, Neera Tanden, is the head anything could happen. philanthropist Sheldon Adelson has
of the liberal Center for American also decided to cast his lot and treas-
Progress, where she has rallied the It is important to remember, too, ure with Donald Trump, a decision of
troops in support of the Iran Deal. that almost half the Jews in the world great importance to Jews and
now live in Israel, and it is expected Republicans. The one unquestion-
Wasserman Schultz notably that Muslims will outnumber Jews in able certainty is that each American
appointed local Rep. Elijah Cummings the United States by 2050. Not coinci- Jew must exercise his or her voting
(D-MD), a longtime Israel supporter. It dentally, the Christians declined right. In this contentious election, it
may not be well-known among our almost eight percent as a share of the is paramount to study the issues that
community that Cummings runs a pro- population in the last decade. This pol- are of greatest importance to
gram bringing Baltimore African- icy uncertainty, combined with demo- American Jews and vote based on
American teenagers to Israel for two- graphic changes, forecasts a very principle and not in fear of making
year fellowships, and remains a strong uncertain future for the political for- the wrong choice.◆
supporter of pro-Israel causes.
80 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
