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August 18, 2024
Key Takeaways:
- It's been 317 days since October 7, 2023, when, on Simchat Torah, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel and murdered 1,200 people (including 44 Americans). More Jews were murdered on that day than on any day since the Holocaust. Hamas wounded 3,300 and took 240 hostage during a day of brutal savagery and unspeakable, undeniable sexual violence; about 115 hostages, 48 confirmed dead (but certainly more), some raped and possibly pregnant, remain captive in Gaza today.
- The roughly 115 remaining hostages comprise five religions and 25 nationalities, including eight Americans, five probably alive: Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Keith Siegal, Omer Neutra, Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Itay Chen, Judi Weinstein Haggai, and Gad Haggai. Freeing every hostage must remain a top priority.
- Between now and November your Republican friends will breathlessly ask you about one nonsensical claim after another. These sling-it-against-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks attacks are designed to distract from the reality and Harris/Walz are superior to Trump/Vance on Israel and antisemitism.
- Don't take the bait. Instead, ask your own questions: Why JD Vance twice vote against aid to Israel earlier this year? How could anyone who claims to care about antisemitism vote for Donald Trump given his long record of antisemitism? How could anyone who respects the United States and the institution of the presidency vote for Donald Trump?
- Last week, the Biden-Harris administration took additional steps to protect Israel from a possible Iranian attack, approved nearly $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, and imposed additional sanctions targeting Houthi and Hizballah networks. But what have they done lately?
Read to the end for corrections, what you may have missed last week, fun stuff, and upcoming events.
You're welcome to read for free, but if you get something out of this newsletter, you can give something back by credit card or PayPal, by Venmo @Steven-Sheffey (last four phone digits are 9479), or by check. Thank you.
Hi Steve,
Between now and Election Day, expect your Republican friends to breathlessly tell you one terrible thing after another that Kamala Harris or Tim Walz allegedly did regarding Israel or antisemitism and ask you to explain it.
Shards of truth will be woven into a tapestry of lies with little or no substantiation. The Harris campaign often will not immediately respond because well-run campaigns know that often, responding to obviously absurd claims gives the claims more publicity and because it takes time to disprove allegations with little or no basis in fact.
Don't take the bait.
Remind your interlocutor that freedom of speech includes the freedom to spread nonsense, and not everything in writing is true. The burden is on those making these fantastic allegations to provide the details, not on you to disprove them--don't abandon your critical thinking skills.
The goal of these attacks is to distract from what they cannot deny: Harris/Walz are better than Trump/Vance on Israel and antisemitism even if a small but vocal minority of the Jewish community seems ready–and almost happy–to believe the worst.
These are the facts: Harris has a great record on Israel and antisemitism. Trump has a long history of antisemitism and is utterly unqualified to be president. It's possible that everything Harris has been doing to support Israel and oppose antisemitism during her time in the U.S. Senate and as Vice President was done so that she could slip by whatever outrage your Republican friends are peddling, but isn't it more likely that your Republican friends are
wrong?
If you want one article, just one article, to read about Harris on Israel and antisemitism, read Menachem Rosensaft's brilliant article explaining why most American Jews will and should vote for Kamala Harris. Share it widely.
Then ask yourself again whether the latest hit piece du jour against Harris or Walz is likely to be true or if it is more likely that it is just another Republican smear campaign.
Better yet, ask your Republican friends your own questions: Why did JD Vance vote against the package that included $15 billion in emergency aid to Israel twice, on February 13 when it could have passed and on April 23 when it did pass? The first time, Republicans voted against the package 26-22 (Democrats supported it 46-2) but the second time even a majority of Republicans supported it, 31-15. Isn't it weird that Vance was one of the few Republicans who voted against it twice?
Let's put aside that Trump is a 34-time convicted felon and that he paid hush money to cover up sex with a porn star four months after his wife gave birth to prevent Americans from knowing his true character before an election.
For now, let's not worry about Trump's bigotry, xenophobia, and contempt for democracy or his unhinged mind, his detachment from reality, his theft of classified documents, inciting an insurrection, refusing to accept the results of a lawful election, legal liability for sexual abuse, and terrible record as president.
Instead, let's focus only on Trump's long record of antisemitism and accusing Jews of disloyalty. Trump repeatedly invokes Hitler and the Nazis and called for the "creation of a unified reich" on May 21, 2024. Trump dined with Kanye West and white nationalist/Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. Trump said that there were "very fine people on both sides" of the 2017 Charlottesville march that featured white supremacists carrying tiki torches chanting "Jews will not replace us." No less an authority than JD Vance once called Trump "America's Hitler." Trump lashes out at the vast majority of Jewish Americans and defended antisemite Kanye West, saying that Ye is a "really nice guy" with a "good heart."
Ask your Republican friends why, if they are really concerned about antisemitism, they seem more concerned with this or that member of Congress,
a handful out of 435, than the man who could become the next President of the United States.
Ask your Republican friends why, if they are really concerned about antisemitism, they seem more concerned about this or that person they never heard of until a few days ago who is somehow now linked to Harris or Walz and once allegedly said or did something than they are about Donald Trump, whose long history of antisemitism is an irrefutable matter of record.
Let me know what they say.
The Biden-Harris administration continues to prove its commitment to Israel's safety and security. Last week, the administration took additional steps to protect Israel from a possible Iranian attack, reiterating "the United States' commitment to take every possible step to defend Israel and [noting] the strengthening of U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions." The administration imposed additional sanctions targeting Houthi and Hizballah networks. And the administration approved an $18.82 billion arms sale to Israel.
Corrections. I'm entitled to my own opinions but not to my own facts, so I appreciate it when readers bring errors to my attention. In last week's newsletter, I said in the bullet points that of the 28 Jews in the House, only two are Republicans. That's true but in the body of the newsletter I said that 26 of the 28 Jewish representatives are Jewish. In fact, 26 of the 28 Jewish representatives are Democrats. Separately, I incorrectly said that Walz served 26 years in the military. He served 24.
In Case You Missed It:
- There is no daylight between Harris and Biden on policy regarding Israel and antisemitism, which is clear if you know what Harris has said and done. These are the key resources to read and share:
- JDCA Key Facts on Harris, Walz, Trump, Vance, and Project 2025.
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Jonathan Jacoby urges us not to let anyone exploit our traumas for political gain, and in a column that everyone with school-age or college-age kids should read, Rabbi Jay Michaelson explains how American Jews’ traumatized responses to antisemitism and anti-Zionism are hurting our children--including the ADL, the Republican Party, and Hillel International.
Tweet of the Week. Adam Aaronson.
Video Clips of the Week. More than 32,000 people joined Jewish Women for Kamala and JDCA PAC on Thursday for a virtual rally in support of Kamala Harris. Everyone had their favorite celebrity, politician, or activist, so watch as much of it as you want, but if nothing else, I strongly recommend that you watch Alana Zeitchik's moving three-minute segment from 19:20 to 21:50 of the recording. Six of her family members were taken hostage on October 7 and she explains why she is supporting Kamala Harris.
On the somewhat lighter side, Jim Jefferies on Donald Trump (still true eight years later).
Vintage Music Clip of the Week. I admit that this probably meets the definition of "dad rock" but this band played their instruments and played them well. A great performance of a great song.
Upcoming Event--New Date. Join Politics with Dana and Steve, Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania, and other Jewish Battleground Coalition groups for Project 2025: Everything You Need to Know, on Tuesday, August 27, at 7:00 pm ET on Zoom. It's free but RSVP is required.
For those new to this newsletter. This is the newsletter even Republicans have to read and the original home of the viral and beloved 2022 and 2023 Top Ten Signs You're At a Republican Seder. If someone forwarded this to you, why not subscribe and get it in your inbox every Sunday? Just click here--it's free.
I periodically update my posts on why Democrats are better than Republicans on Israel and antisemitism and on the IHRA definition of antisemitism. My definition of "pro-Israel" is here (it's a work in progress, as am I).
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