Opinion

To the surprise of both of her fans, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand ended her campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination this past week. Gillibrand, who never achieved more than three percent on any poll, quietly faded away after not qualifying for the third Democratic debate, scheduled for September 12. New York is now stuck with her until 2024, but her political flip-flops should leave New Yorkers wondering why she deserves her Senate seat at all.

For the longest time, my response to critics of Israel online and in person has been that all American citizens have the ability to visit Israel without a visa. It is as easy as paying for a flight ticket. Certainly, one should keep in mind the enhanced security measures at Ben Gurion Airport and the 2017 law that bars entry to individuals actively engaged in the movement to boycott Israel.

Three years into his administration, president Donald Trump is showing no signs of change concerning his public persona. “I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty,” the president told reporters last Tuesday during an Oval Office meeting with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

The local hospitality committee contacts you that two different people need meals this week, and want to know if you would have them over. Both of these people have been to you previously, but last time the chicken you made was dry.

Last week, President Trump found himself in hot water again when he referred to Jews who vote Democrat as “disloyal.” He later clarified that “if you vote for a Democrat, you’re being disloyal to Jewish people and you’re being very disloyal to Israel.” This has all the connotation of a dual-loyalty smear, which is incredibly anti-Semitic, but that’s not what Trump’s mistake was. His mistake was using identity politics the same way Democrats do.

Kol Yisrael areivin zeh lazeh – all Jews are responsible one for another. It is incumbent on all of us to protect the safety of Israel and to ensure the viability of our shuls, yeshivos, and chesed institutions here in Queens. Whether we like it or not, the reality is that many of the critical decisions that impact on our community are made by politicians.