You may recall that, a while ago, I declared that I could no longer bring myself to vote for Donald Trump, since he invited two anti-Semites, Kanye West and Nick Fuentes, to his house in Mar-a-Lago. Unapologetically hosting these two hate-filled people was too much to bear, even for a pretty ardent Trump supporter.
Joe Biden, as ineffective a president as he is, did not encourage known anti-Semites. That changed sometime two weeks ago. As reported by the Associated Press, Mr. Biden was speaking in Minneapolis about clean energy when he spotted notorious and dangerous Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in the audience.
“I want to thank you for being here,” Biden said to Omar. “You never stop working to level the playing field for everybody.”
Now it’s possible that Biden had no idea who she was. Perhaps one of his aides slipped him a note that he should give a nod to the lady in the hijab, which is very plausible for our president. Yet, I guess, when he found out who she was, he should have apologized to the Jewish people for recognizing the recipient of “Anti-Semite of the Year,” awarded by Stop-Antisemitism.org. That would certainly have been demanded of Donald Trump. This incident, naturally, was ignored by most of the media.
Last week, our jubilant Vice President singled out race-baiter Reverend Al Sharpton, of Crown Heights fame, for “all that you do… you are part of the conscience of our country.”
Trump does not have a monopoly on encouraging anti-Semites or racists. It’s just that he is a lot more boorish about it.
You might point to the fact that VP Harris and her husband hosted a meeting with major Jewish organizations to confront anti-Semitism. The gesture was indeed noble. But can you name one tangible result? Anti-Semitism is still growing in this country on college campuses and the streets of cities. Was the meeting just another dabble with virtue-signaling, to dress up the windows and give the appearance of caring? I think so.
Do you remember that President Biden appointed noted Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt to be the anti-Semitism czar? Sounded great. But can you name one accomplishment of hers, or of her office? Do you even know she exists?
So now that the anti-Semitism playing field has been leveled (to borrow Mr. Biden’s phrase), we might as well get down to basics: Who is better for the United States, for Israel, and for the Jews?
Ask yourself the following questions and answer honestly.
Which administration did a better job handling the economy?
Which administration did a better job handling COVID?
In which administration is there runaway inflation?
Which administration offered more encouragement to all the societal deviancies?
In which administration were there severe supply issues?
Which administration did more to boost the economy for minorities?
Under which administration has crime surged?
Which administration did a better job handling foreign relations?
Which president handled Afghanistan appropriately?
Which administration did a better job to try to thwart Iran and its nuclear threat?
Which president presided over an alliance between Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, and Russia?
Which administration was more heavily tilted in favor of Israel?
Which administration held back money from PLA terrorists (no pay for slay)?
Under which administration did Hamas feel emboldened to go to war with Israel?
Which administration is perceived as equivocating on Palestinian terror, giving the terrorist a tailwind, causing a major spike in their murderous ways?
Which president moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem?
Which president refused to meet with the prime minister of Israel?
Which president interfered in Israeli politics?
Which president was grilled over possible corruption issues, and which one had charges that the press admittedly buried?
These are serious questions to consider. Yes, I am very concerned about a second Trump term as president. No telling what he will do. He did invite those anti-Semites. He does feel burned by the majority of Jews who did not support him. And that is why I prefer other Republican candidates. However, in the overall, we must ask ourselves: Can we as Jews and as wholesome Americans continue with more of the same?
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
