Disrespecting American Jewry

Message to Deputy Foreign Minster Tzipi Hotovely: There was absolutely no need to apologize for telling the truth. American Jewish college students are far too comfortable and spoiled to understand the problems and dangers inherent in living in Israel. Actually, it is not only these immature students—but their liberal Jewish parents are just as morally confused.

In America today, many people, not only Jews, have contracted a brand new disease—being “easily offended,” which now pervades society–requiring safe spaces on campus and a fear of complementing someone in the workplace for looking too good. Prime Minister Netanyahu has fallen into the American liberal trap of agreeing with the “easily offended.”

Of course American Jews do not understand the reality of life in Israel, because they do not send their children to the military or live under the threat of missile fire. That is an absolute truism. Those “easily offended” Jews who are upset when they hear Merry Christmas or see a creche in public, or get insulted with a sports team named Washington “Redskins,” are the same people who have foolishly spoken out against a brilliant, beautiful, passionate, wonderful woman Jewish Israeli leader, who may become Prime Minister some day.

People like Ronald Lauder, Jerry Silverman, Michael Berman and Rabbi Rick Jacobs have done more to hurt Israel with their foolish comments, than Yasir Arafat ever did. Too bad that their feelings were hurt by the Deputy Prime Minister’s comments. We need truth more than we need American or Israeli leaders to utter loving and comfortable thoughts. Unfortunately, today in America we have become obsessed with making places safe—which is a great idea for physical safety, but not intellectual safety. These so called “American Jewish leaders” think that they have the right to always feel comfortable. Shame on all of them.

Liberalism, the new American Jewish religion, is very much emotion based, rather than reason based. So now, not only do American leaders need to be politically correct, but Israeli leaders do as well. Perhaps American Jews should pay more attention to the portion of the week in the Torah, instead of talking to their neighbor. If they read Exodus 14, verses 11 and 12, they would see how those Diaspora Jews who had just left Egypt, complained to Moses that he had taken them into the wilderness to die. Moses response was, “God will fight for us—now shut up!!” No Jew seemed to be offended by this leader’s rather harsh statement.

American Jews should apologize to Tzipi Hotovely for those rather twisted Ivy League Jews who attempted to shut down her speech and protest her appearance at Princeton. As an American Jew, born in Brooklyn and living in New York my entire life, I am embarrassed at their crude, idiotic behavior. On behalf of American Jewry, I send my sincerest apologies.

Irwin N. Graulich is a motivational speaker and columnist on ethics, morality, Judaism, religion and politics. He is also president of Bloch Graulich Whelan Inc., a leading marketing, communications and branding company in New York City.