Donald Trump, Chuck Schumer, and The American Jews

Donald Trump, Chuck Schumer, and The American Jews

By: Eric R. Levine

There is a poignant joke making the rounds about Donald Trump and the Jews:

What is the difference between Donald Trump and a reform Rabbi? The difference is that Donald Trump’s grandchildren are Jewish.

The joke is predicated on the unfortunate reality that many in the Jewish community, including many reform and conservative rabbis, prioritize the practice of progressive politics over the practice of Judaism. Unfortunately, many rabbis and their congregants are more concerned about advancing the causes of climate change and wokeness than teaching and perpetuating the Jewish faith.

In contrast, Trump’s daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism and married an orthodox Jew, Jared Kushner, the former President’s most trusted adviser. Ivanka and Jared are sabbath observers, raising their children as proud American orthodox Jews. It is also noteworthy that Trump moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, refused to declare Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria illegal, withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal and substituted the policy of “Maximum Pressure,” and brokered the Abraham Accords.   These were all fundamentally important, and in some cases, historic measures – all cheered in Jerusalem and universally panned or belittled by Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and his Vice President Joe Biden.

One has every reason to be confused by Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. This is the man who anointed himself as the “guardian of the People of Israel.” But it is also the man who just put appeasing Jew haters and enemies of the Jewish State ahead of Israel’s national survival and American national security interests just to help Joe Biden’s reelection efforts. When Schumer calls Trump an anti-Semite, one has every reason to be confused.

It seems Schumer believes Biden is a supporter of Israel who needs the votes of anti-Semites and Israel’s enemies – such as the Jew haters who are protesting in cities and on college campuses across the country in support of Hamas – while Trump is an anti-Semite who needs the votes of Israel’s supporters. It is a bizarre formulation.

Schumer’s view of Biden is accurate, his portrayal of Trump is ridiculous. However, Trump may be a lot of things, but anti-Semitic is not one of them.

Schumer just demanded that Israel call for new elections to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because he will not agree to surrender to Hamas. Schumer’s statement is despicable.  This obscenity gave Trump a golden opportunity to highlight Biden’s failed foreign policy and Schumer’s betrayal of Israel, America’s Jews, and other people of good will who support Israel. Unfortunately, Trump, not wanting to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, took another tack when he irresponsibly declared: “Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.”

Schumer, seizing on Trump’s statement, responded: “The former president’s comments were utterly disgusting and a textbook example of the kind of anti-Semitism facing Jews, pushing the dangerous anti-Semitism trope of dual loyalty,”

Trump’s statement is offensive, stupid, and factually inaccurate. But it is not anti-Semitic.

Schumer has it backwards. Trump is not questioning American Jewish loyalty to America. He is legitimately questioning American Jewish support for Israel. He is wondering, as do I, why so many rabbis and politically progressive Jews are more interested in advancing the Social Justice agenda – which is inherently racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Israel – than in speaking up and demanding that Biden be more supportive of Israel’s war effort and in fighting anti-Semitism in America’s cities and on college campuses.

Where Trump has it wrong, and why his statement is so insulting, is that many Jews who will vote for Biden in November adore Israel. More than a handful of American Jews are self-loathing. But that handful remains in the minority. The overwhelming majority of American Jews, like any other group, simply have different perspectives and opinions. Many have fought in, or have children who now are members of, the Israel Defense Forces. Some may be in Gaza fighting Hamas as I write this. Many Democrat voters have homes in Israel. These are Israel lovers in the truest sense of the word.

As an American Jew who loves Israel and believes that if Israel succeeds America also succeeds, I cannot understand how any supporter of Israel can vote for Biden or have a positive view of Schumer. For me, though, that just makes my co-religionists misguided.  That does not mean they hate their religion, Israel, or themselves.

Chuck Schumer has no moral compass. He does not speak for me, nor does he have America’s or Israel’s best interests at heart. His only concern is his personal power and visibility and maintaining his status as majority leader of the Senate. Clearly, he is willing to sell out anyone or any cause to keep it. He has no ethical core.

The saddest part of this whole exchange is that both Schumer and Trump give the false impression that the only thing American Jews care about is Israel. On that score, they are both very wrong, and both are playing a very dangerous game.

While I can never support any candidate who does not stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel particularly at a time of war, that is only a necessary but not sufficient reason for me to vote for one candidate over another. Like every other American patriot, I care deeply about a whole range of issues facing our nation. There is no one who loves this country more than I do. I thank God every day for making me an American.

I welcomed my son home from Syria in 2019 after he led a mortar platoon of Marines fighting ISIS. I was not only grateful for his safe return, but I also took great comfort in knowing that he and his fellow Marines made America and the world safer through their bravery.

Maybe one day our elected officials and candidates will put principle above politics. Is it any wonder that I am so fearful for the future of our country?

Eric R. Levine is a partner in the firm of Eiseman Levine Lehrhaupt & Kakoyiannis, P.C. in New York City