Kamala Harris helped free my stepmother from Hamas

My 84-year-old stepmother lived in Kibbutz Nir Oz. On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists invaded and destroyed the kibbutz and murdered or kidnapped 117 innocent civilians, over a quarter of its population. They abducted my stepmother into Gaza and held her hostage under brutal conditions. The next 53 days were a nightmare for my family and me. The efforts of the US Biden-Harris administration proved critical in securing the hostage deal that released my stepmother.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have consistently supported Israel in its time of need. Many Israelis, and many Israeli hostage families, have felt that Joe Biden has been more of a leader for them than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Biden-Harris administration showed that they care about Israel and have been seeking a resolution to bring home the remaining hostages. Vice President Harris has called repeatedly for the release of the remaining hostages and is unequivocal in how she views the horrors of October 7. The president and vice president have shown courage, mental toughness, and clear-eyed leadership in Israel’s darkest hour.

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The past year has tested the American Jewish community and the people of Israel in heartbreaking ways. Following the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust, alongside raging antisemitism and the nightmare of 101 hostages remaining in Gaza, the crimes of October 7, 2023 replay in the minds of Israelis and American Jews like a horrific Groundhog Day.

I grew up on Kibbutz Yakum in central Israel and have always believed in coexistence and peace. I was active in the Peace Now movement and in the fight against the Kahanists in the 1980s and 1990s. I was there the night Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated. I moved to the Philadelphia suburbs with my wife and our first child a few years later and quickly realized my politics aligned with the Democratic party.

In 2023, I was active in a group of Philadelphia-area Israelis demonstrating against the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul attempt, while my friends and family in Israel took to the streets of Tel Aviv. Like our communities in Israel, however, our hearts and minds shifted the morning of October 7. Our group pivoted the focus of our activism from the judicial overhaul to advocating for the release of the hostages and fighting antisemitism. For me, as I’ve said, the terror of that day was personal.

The Jewish community will reach a reckoning point this week that will frame the direction of our future in the United States. Israel needs the United States more than ever as it faces the threats of regional war. That is why, as an Israeli American who experienced the horror of having a loved one abducted and held hostage by Hamas, I am personally committed to electing Kamala Harris for president.

I have always considered myself a liberal Zionist and believe in the importance of bipartisan US support for Israel. While the US-Israel relationship, like any close friendship, sometimes has disagreements, our fundamental alliance is ironclad.

I believe in Kamala Harris, and I am deeply concerned about Donald Trump. As a hostage family member, when I look at Donald Trump, I see an agent of chaos with no principles or loyalties, especially when it comes to Israel. Donald Trump insulted Benjamin Netanyahu, the very leader he claimed to support most, simply because the prime minister called to congratulate President Biden on winning the 2020 election.

Trump’s “America First” approach is dangerous for Israel, as we cannot be certain if the isolationist policy will call for an end to American military aid to Israel. Will Trump cease funding for the Iron Dome, which has saved thousands of lives from rocket attacks, if his base demands it? Israel cannot take that risk.

Trump has proven time and again that he is only concerned with what is best for him. If Israel’s interests conflict with his own, I have no doubt that he would choose himself over Israel. There are still 101 hostages held in Gaza relying on Israel and the United States. If my stepmother were still in Gaza, and her release depended on Donald Trump, I have no confidence that he would act in her best interest.

In stark contrast, Kamala Harris has shown her commitment to and compassion for my family and all of the hostage families over the past year. She supports Israel because her heart, mind and values align with Israel. Trump claims he supports Israel so he can win more votes, while he simultaneously emboldens his base of antisemites and isolationists.

As someone who was active in the struggle to keep Israel democratic, it is critical for Israel and the free world that the US also remains a strong liberal democracy. Trump has already made it clear that he will not accept election results if he loses, and he vows to rid the US of elections altogether if he wins. Israeli Americans like me, and all Jewish Americans, simply cannot allow Donald Trump to go near the White House again.

In Israel, like in America, I have voted in every election. I am deeply committed to the futures of both countries and take every issue seriously, from school districts in Philadelphia to rescuing the hostages and keeping the US democratic. To guarantee the security of Israel and America, we need a Harris victory on Tuesday.