The Great and Dangerous Silence: A Call to Action

There is a deep paralysis in our country today, as many are struggling to first understand and to then to act in the aftermath of these first four weeks of our new administration. This tsunami of actions has upended our basic democratic norms and political culture. All that is happening will have profound effect on our universities, research centers, and the nonprofit sector, especially for those who are dependent on federal grants. Moving forward, the middle and working classes will begin to feel the economic impact of all that is taking place. Among the sectors effected will be the quality and availability of health care, social and wellness services, and governmental assistance.

In the aftermath of these last few weeks, the very real and deep divisions among Americans in general, and Jewish Americans in particular have become even more strikingly evident.

Unpacking the Differing Jewish Perspectives:

President Trump’s Jewish supporters embrace his pro-Israel positions, applaud his early actions being directed against those student and community activists who were part of the crowds that sought to disrupt and take over campuses last spring, and are encouraged by this White House threats to withhold federal funds in response to antisemitic expressions and actions experienced by Jewish students and campus faculty. Tied to an abiding commitment to protect and to advance Jewish self-interests and priorities, this class of voters and Trump activists welcome this political moment.

There is a contrarian picture emerging here as well. Over these past several weeks, many other Jews, among others, have been horrified and even angered over the actions and plans proposed as part of this second Trump Presidency. Their concerns encompass a broad range of policy issues and governmental actions. Their discussions are centered on how best to respond. In what ways should or can they “resist” as part of what they perceive as Trump’s disassembling the democratic infrastructure of this nation. In one sense, they are overwhelmed by both the scope and pace of what is happening, but on the other, there is a growing belief that this is the new reality. Their liberal inclinations are being challenged and radically upended.

In response, I have crafted a four-box analysis, framing one of these scenarios as internal Jewish affairs and the second focusing on the broader issues centering on the fragility of our democracy. Indeed, the second requires an ever-present Jewish voice. In my mind, there is a dangerous misconception that only particularistic Jewish concerns ought to drive our public engagement. I would argue that these more narrow self-interest issues are clearly dependent on the presence of a dynamic and functional democracy. For many American Jews, in this moment, their focus is totally on preserving the instruments of governance and the integrity of this republic! And for others, Jewish self-interests define their politics.

It is as if one group of Jews frame their politics around October 7th, while the other identifies, January 6th as defining their political marker. Each of these sectors holds a fundamentally different perspective both about this President and about what they define as their core priorities and beliefs. As an outcome, we have become two distinctive and competing communities.

I believe there is a paralysis today among Jewish communal leaders and the institutions that they represent. Fearing the loss of donors, should they speak out on American politics and policies. Many of our communal officials and religious leaders have simply gone silent. No doubt, some of them worry about potential external threats, possibly being targeted as “political enemies of the state”, while others fear any criticism of US-Israeli policies will mark them as “disloyal”. This is a new moment for Jews, as we are living with a strikingly different and uncertain political reality. How history will judge this deafening silence may well determine the fate not only of American Jewry but the future of this democracy.

But the issues demand more than merely a siloed Jewish response, in fact they require the collective voice of Americans from many sectors of this nation, encompassing religious, ethnic, and racial leaders coming together in coalition. Divided and isolated, there is no chance to impact or alter this political course; united and committed to defend the Constitution and to grow the voice of the people, represents a unified strategy.

Reflections on What May Be Ahead:

But there is another story line here, that transcends our divisions and differing viewpoints, regardless of where we sit in this political theater, we cannot lose sight of the emergent extremist voices, coming at us from the far left and the extreme right. What might we expect? A reality we need to be prepared to address!

I believe we are likely to see a more vocal and active presence of the Alt-Right, emboldened by this President and his actions, who view the opponents of this Administration as “state enemies.” There is a growing possibility that the far right will seek to publicly intimidate and threaten the opposition? Correspondingly, with all that the 47th President is seeking to undo, how will the far left respond? While we are seeing sporadic and individualized protests, especially dealing with the immigration question and the downsizing government, it may only be a matter of time when we will be encountering street actions, designed to disrupt the social order?

What concerns me here from a Jewish perspective is that we, as a community, will be identified as “the middleman” a political device which has been employed at other moments in our history, as both sides will see us as the “enabler”. For the right, we are likely to be defined as the “globalist” force behind the disconnected political left, aiding this president’s opponents. For the extreme left, we will be tagged as the “new power base” benefitting and aiding this president as he seeks to reconstruct America, while lending support to Israel. We will need to be ahead of the curve in managing the possible threats and fallout that may likely take place. Here again, allies and partners will be critically essential in pushing back against extremism and the potential for violence.

On Leadership: Filling the Void

Our Jewish professionals and key laity must exhibit a new and audacious brand of leadership. They are being called upon to offer a direction forward for our community. It will be increasingly important for these Jewish voices of action to be joined by other significant religious and communal leaders.

Making a difference represents the trademark of great leadership. We look to both our Jewish leaders and to other American representatives to offer a road forward by both teaching resiliency and demonstrating courage. We have an expectation that they will be able to identify both real and symbolic ways to resist, to challenge and to offer an alternative. In this crisis, leaders will be measured as they are called upon to defend and protect the tenets and structures of our republic, as they collaboratively act together to protect and defend this democracy.