This past Shabbos, I decided to engage in a “reenactment.” It was my Bar Mitzvah parshah, and I felt that it was a special anniversary. I did exactly what I did at my Bar Mitzvah: I read Maftir, the Haftorah, and led the davening for Musaf. However, like every reenactment, it is not the same. I am not the same as I was at my Bar Mitzvah.
Besides age, at my Bar Mitzvah I was a foot shorter, very skinny, had a higher voice, more hair, and more stamina. The shul is no longer there. People who were there are no longer with us, and those who are still around have also changed. We all do. On a positive note, I ended doing more now, since I’m also the gabbai of the hashkamah minyan in Ahavas Yisroel, which includes setting up and calling people up to the Torah and otherwise running the minyan. I also did not botch up Maftir like I did at my Bar Mitzvah. As you get older, you appreciate being able to do things that you took for granted when you were younger.
Now on to my main topic. We have heard about how Israeli society, which was in conflict before the Hamas massacre on October 7, is united. This was confirmed to me by a recent immigrant to Israel who returned to the United States for a few days. In the United States, we have seen this unity shown in various rallies, including the one which will have occurred by the time this article is published, namely the one on November 14 in Washington, DC.
One of the most notable collaborations has been between the ADL and The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. The ADL is led by Jonathan Greenblatt, who many believe is progressive. The Founder and Chairman of Brandeis is Kenneth Marcus, who worked in the Trump administration - over the objection of the ACLU and other progressive groups.
On October 25, they wrote a joint letter to 200 colleges and universities requesting that they investigate Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) for potential violations of the prohibition against materially supporting a foreign terrorist organization. “Currently, Jews across campus are under attack, and for no other reason than the fact that they are Jews. We need University leaders to come together, and state loudly and clearly, ‘Not on our campus.’” The ACLU sent a letter to 650 colleges and universities opposing the request. The joint letter had an effect. Columbia University announced on November 10 that they have suspended SJP and another group through the end of the semester.
At the time this cooperation occurred, Rabbi Schonfeld attacked the ADL and its leader and then in response, defended his criticism. Perhaps he should be like Brandeis and have his organization find common ground with ADL and work together combatting anti-Semitism instead of combatting each other. To go after the ADL is just playing into the hands of our enemies.
The problem is that he was not the only one. There seems an obsession by fellow columnists and letter writers to trash all Democrats, including those Jews in leadership positions, instead of seeing them as advocates on this issue. It would be bad enough in normal times, but it is even worse now. Jewish politicians and others supporting Israel are being attacked by those on the other side. They don’t need those on the right to do the same. Do you want to be on the same side as those who picket Senator Schumer or the President’s home? We have their support. It is time to take a key from Israel and join together.
Two of the biggest supporters have been progressives: Representative Ritchie Torres and Senator John Fetterman. Where are the thanks for their support? Because they have views on other issues you disagree with, that doesn’t mean you can’t bring yourself to thank them. It takes a lot of courage for them to take such forceful positions.
In contrast, where is the criticism of Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, attaching Israeli funding to the IRS reduction? It wasn’t found in my fellow columnists’ articles or in the letters to the editor. In Johnson’s new proposed funding bill, there is no funding for Israel. So we have a president and Senator Schumer pushing for funding and a Republican speaker doing his best not to have it. Yet it is the president and Schumer who are coming under attack.
Each one of us has to look inside and examine whether we have done enough to support Israel in its time of need. It would be interesting to hear from the usual critics as to what they have done. How many of them have been at a rally, given charity to Israeli organizations, written to or called elected officials, said Tehillim or engaged in other acts supporting Israel? Let’s keep doing all we can to support our homeland.
Warren S. Hecht is a local attorney. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
