Fight Antisemitism: Words Over Boards

Dear Editor:

The activist, speaker and writer Shabbos Kestenbaum recently said that we need to confront the antisemitism of today rather than build more museums remembering the antisemitism of the past. In my opinion, this controversial yet correct statement speaks to the boldness and bravery of Mr. Kestenbaum. Like the Kotzke Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Morganstern zt”l, who Kestenbaum sees as a role model, we should not be afraid to speak up. The Kotzke himself went into a state of isolation for 19 years after expressing his despair over Yaakov bowing to Esav and calling him, “my master” while calling himself Esav’s “servant” after the two had not seen each other for 20 years.

Why is it, the Rebbe asked, that the Jews put themselves down to win favor with their enemies? Today, countless dollars have been spent on remembering the Jew hatred of the past without addressing the present threat. In the fraught political environment we live in, “cancel culture” has been used to silent Jewish voices which rise against hatred while at the same time white washing the involvement of those who are complicit in that hate. The murder of the innocents at Bondi Beach has awakened western nations to the very threat they face from Islamic terror. In the weeks since the Australian attack, plots and terror cells have been uncovered that sought to wreak havoc and bloodshed on Jewish and American interests.

All this after liberals have used the world stage to project Jewish victims as perpetrators and our pursuers as a protected class. We recently experienced the 10th of Teves, the day on which we remember how Nevuchadnetzar laid siege to Yerushalayim. Yirmiyahu warned the Jews about this result if they did not stop replicating the ways of the nations and repent. Lulled by their reliance on Egypt, the Jewish people arrested Yirmiyahu for his”inconvenient” prophecy. This is why we fast. We see now also that we cannot rely on conservatives who have gone out of their way to give voice to the likes of political personalities who use their soapbox to advance conspiracy theories about the Jewish people.

Sometimes, it is in the face of hatred and the threat of destruction that the Jewish people unite and do teshuva. Thankfully, we have seen the menorah remain lit during the recent Chanukah holiday. On Birthright, I saw firsthand the hunger of my fellow participants to learn more about and engage in mitzvos such as modesty or tefillin. The world may be waking up now, but we don’t need a museum to see the truth. As we approach the Parshiyos discussing the exodus from Egypt, let us pray for the final exodus quickly and speedily in our days.

Sincerely
Chaim Yehuda Meyer
New York

Celebrating Too Soon

Dear Editor:

A ripple of excitement swept through the Jewish community last week when the news broke that Georgetown University has severed its ties with the antisemitic UN official Francesca Albanese. But upon closer examination, it turns out there is more to the story.

For some time now, Ms. Albanese, who is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, has been honored with the title of “Affiliated Scholar” at Georgetown University’s prestigious School of Foreign Service.

Then, last week, a journalist noticed that her name had been removed from Georgetown’s list of scholars.

There was plenty of reason to remove her. Albanese’s record of bigotry includes such statements as “The victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism but in response to Israel’s oppression” and “The Ayatollahs, compared to the Zionists, become Doctors Without Borders.”

She also publicly supported Nives Monda, the Italian restaurant owner who announced that “Zionists are not welcome” in his establishment.

Last month, Albanese posted a vicious cartoon that was drenched in classic antisemitic images. It depicted Israel as a global spiderweb, filled with dollar bills, gold coins, a bomb, a tank, and a rifle.

What was odd about Georgetown’s removal of Albanese from its scholars’ list is that the university did not make any announcement about its action. You would think that if Georgetown was taking a principled stand against a bigot, it would want the whole world to know.

Finally, two days after the removal of Albanese’s name was noticed, and after repeated inquiries from the media, a Georgetown spokesperson explained the real reason for severing ties with Albanese. It wasn’t because of her anti-Jewish bigotry. It was because Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently imposed sanctions on Albanese, so now it’s illegal for American universities to have any dealings with her.

Georgetown should have dumped Albanese long ago. If one of its affiliated scholars had publicly derided any other ethnic or religious minority, the university surely would have ended its relationship with her and announced it in public. But not when bigotry against Jews was involved.

In this instance, Georgetown did the bare minimum necessary to avoid breaking the law and hoped the public wouldn’t notice what it did. Georgetown University does not deserve any praise for its long-overdue removal of Albanese; all credit goes to Secretary of State Rubio.

Sincerely
Prof. Rafael Medoff

Trump-Netanyahu Meeting

Dear Editor:

The meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today at Mar-a-Lago was far more than a ceremonial exchange between allies. It was a strategic declaration that the United States and Israel remain unshakably united in confronting the gravest threat to global stability: a nuclear-armed Iran.

For months, Tehran has tested the limits of international resolve, probing for weakness while quietly seeking to rebuild elements of its shattered nuclear infrastructure. The clear, unequivocal language emerging from today’s meeting should dispel any illusions in the Iranian leadership that the world has grown complacent. When President Trump warned that any renewed push toward nuclear capability would be met with decisive consequences, he was not posturing; he was articulating a policy of deterrence grounded in strength and clarity.

Equally important was Prime Minister Netanyahu’s presence and tone. Israel, which lives under the shadow of Iranian proxies and missile arsenals, understands the stakes better than anyone. The optics of the two leaders standing shoulder to shoulder sends an unmistakable signal from Washington to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to Tehran: the era of strategic ambiguity is over.

Deterrence is not built on diplomacy alone. It is forged through visible alliances, shared red lines, and the credible promise of action. Today’s meeting reaffirmed that the United States will not abandon Israel to confront Iran alone, nor will it tolerate a regime that chants for Israel’s destruction while racing toward the ultimate weapon.

Sincerely
Mitchell Lawrence
Boca Raton, FL