High Holy Day wishes from President Trump and Joe Biden- Let the Light Shine Through

Rosh Hashanah, a cherished Jewish holiday, took place on Friday Sept 18th. It commences the holiest of days in the Jewish year. During these ten holy days, we fast and reflect on the previous year. On the last day, the Jews atone for their transgressions before G-d on Yom Kippur(which is today). We make vows to ameliorate our character traits and look forward to a sweet new year.

A Shana Tova, meaning Happy New Year, was given to the Jewish community by both President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Both sat down and took the time, and that’s about all their efforts had in common. I had the honor of being on the line for the President’s call to the Jewish community where he spoke in a candid and friendly tone, wishing us Shana Tova as if he knew us all personally. Then he took comments and questions from members of our community.

Shortly after the call, a controversy sparked after someone leaked a phrase, out of context and from a call that was supposed to be off the record, and claimed that the President suggested Jewish leaders have dual loyalties, an old antisemitic trope. The questionable statement was when the President referred to Israel as “your country.” With no context this statement seems problematic. Public outrage ensued. Trump, despite having Jewish family and being the first President to pray at the Wailing Wall, is absurdly tarred as antisemitic.

As one of three hundred Jewish leaders who were on the other end of the call in question, I can assure fellow Jews and voters that was not what he intended. President Trump had nothing but kind words and admiration for the Jewish people and Israel. Not once during the conversation did I feel like my patriotism was questioned. Rather than imply dual loyalty, the statement suggests President Trump appreciates how special Israel is to Jews around the world. Our holy books, the Torah and Talmud, define our relationship with Israel. It is our eternal home and in that sense, is in fact “ours”. But it doesn’t make us any less American, and President Trump has never insinuated otherwise. Rather, the President’s actions, words, and policies have demonstrated Donald Trump’s affinity for the American Jewish community. He is one of the most consistent and attentive friends of the Jewish people in American political history.

Contrast this with Joe Biden, who jumped on a Zoom call and unsurprisingly didn’t allow any time for questions or comments. Also, in Biden fashion, he did no research, forgot his lines, or his teleprompter malfunctioned. He wished everyone a “Shana Tova,” mispronouncing “Shana”, then followed up with a hollow-grinned thumbs up and blurted, “get her done!”. Puzzled, baffled, or confused are some of the reactions from Jews who viewed the message.

This upcoming election is of immense significance. A pivotal moment in our history where future Americans will look back and feel gratitude for our decisions, or they’ll be forced to conclude that this is the moment where our beloved American experiment became undone. Our future in America, our beloved nation and a safe haven for Jews for centuries, rests on this election. Will we save America or will we be forced to flee it like so many times and places before?

We have a current sitting President who is on our side and sees the issues within the community, doing all that he can to combat the evil forces of antisemitism. When we call, he answers. President Trump brokered two historic peace deals in the Middle East in one month after forty years of non-progress. President Trump is not only aware of the Jewish plight but actively seeks solutions to help. He understands this because he has a Jewish daughter, Jewish son-in-law, and Jewish grandchildren. It’s only because of Donald Trump’s vision and courage that we are no longer funding terrorism by funneling money to the corrupt Palestinian Authority, which kills our brothers and sisters overseas. The Iran nuclear deal is no more. Trump even recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel, which now has a neighborhood called, “Trump Heights.” He is under no obligation to do these things. With pressures from anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, and anti-Semitic forces prevalent he doesn’t have to take the risk, yet he chooses to.

Joe Biden, however, is the candidate of the “Democrat Socialist” party and the antisemitic radical figures and groups who align with it: Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Linda Sarsour, as well as BLM, which taken a clear position on Israel and the Jews. The Democrat party has become the party of Louis Farrakhan, the Squad, socialism, marxism, anarchy, BLM, Antifa, and every other sketchy organization or movement in the anti-American lexicon. Let’s be clear and unequivocal, none of these people or organizations are welcoming towards the Jewish community. Their worldviews are based on the unique evil of America, and as we’ve seen in characters such as Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Osama Bin Laden and many others, the hatred of America is almost always linked to the hatred of the Jew. The trend remains unchanged today with the new radical wing of the Democrat Party. These groups directly put Jewish lives in danger, whether it’s here in America or across the world. It is the party that has ruined Jewish businesses, burned our synagogues, shot us while we were worshipping, stabbed us in our homes and chanted, “Kill the Jews,” on the streets of L.A.

As we sit around the Rosh Hashanah table, trying to enjoy the sweet New Year, we must remain cognizant of the threats looming against our community. We give blessings and pray for good health, for our Jewish and American families. As people of Jewish faith, we atone for our transgressions on Yom Kippur. G-d seals the chapter of our previous year and we start anew. With this fresh beginning we must have our hearts, ears, and eyes open. The Presidential debates are tomorrow; it’s imperative we see the light, no matter how dim it may seem.