By Lynne Lechter, AMERICAN THINKER
Much has been written about President Trump and his relationship with Jews and Israel. A few critical issues have been overlooked.
It is true he moved the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, when many other presidential nominees promised but did not deliver once elected. It is also true that through his spectacular ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, he has singularly pushed back ferociously against the Israel-bashing predominant at that organization for decades.
But he has done far more service than that to global Jewry. By these acts, President Trump has unilaterally enhanced Israel’s legitimacy and status in the mosh pit of global opinion. He has ratified Israel’s founding documents that proclaim that Israel is both a Jewish state and a democracy. He has allowed Jews, born in Jerusalem, to once again be identified as Israeli – an identity Obama disallowed. He has confirmed that Israel has the right to defend itself. He has also silenced the lie that Palestinians want peace by drastically ending funding to groups who pay lip service to peace while granting huge financial benefits to Palestinian martyrs who murder unarmed Israeli civilians.
One of his most moving and poignant acts has been the placing of stones on the symbolic Star of David markers erected outside of the synagogue where eleven Jews were murdered last week.
Why stones? There are many theories stemming from ancient times: it is a holdover from a cascade of rocks denoting ancient gravesites; it keeps the departed soul bound to the earth; they stand as a warning to Kohanim (priestly caste) to stay away, as the ancient priests were not permitted near the dead; to the more modern interpretation, that the permanence of stones is a long-term reminder that someone has visited.
Actually, its meaning is irrelevant. What is heart-rendingly essential is that President Trump understood and channeled the ancient tradition.
I was in Troy, New York this morning at the cemetery owned by the Orthodox synagogue, Beth Tephilah, now on the national registry of historical places, which was co-founded by my maternal grandparents Frank and Sarah Schwebel (z’l). For more years than one wants to remember, I have placed special stones on their and other family members’ tombstones – from Israel, especially. As I placed stones today, I said a prayer for those murdered in Pittsburgh. And I thanked and blessed President Trump for the stones he placed in Pittsburgh in the highest manner possible of honoring them.
Much has been written about President Trump and his relationship with Jews and Israel. A few critical issues have been overlooked.
It is true he moved the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, when many other presidential nominees promised but did not deliver once elected. It is also true that through his spectacular ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, he has singularly pushed back ferociously against the Israel-bashing predominant at that organization for decades.
But he has done far more service than that to global Jewry. By these acts, President Trump has unilaterally enhanced Israel’s legitimacy and status in the mosh pit of global opinion. He has ratified Israel’s founding documents that proclaim that Israel is both a Jewish state and a democracy. He has allowed Jews, born in Jerusalem, to once again be identified as Israeli – an identity Obama disallowed. He has confirmed that Israel has the right to defend itself. He has also silenced the lie that Palestinians want peace by drastically ending funding to groups who pay lip service to peace while granting huge financial benefits to Palestinian martyrs who murder unarmed Israeli civilians.
One of his most moving and poignant acts has been the placing of stones on the symbolic Star of David markers erected outside of the synagogue where eleven Jews were murdered last week.
Why stones? There are many theories stemming from ancient times: it is a holdover from a cascade of rocks denoting ancient gravesites; it keeps the departed soul bound to the earth; they stand as a warning to Kohanim (priestly caste) to stay away, as the ancient priests were not permitted near the dead; to the more modern interpretation, that the permanence of stones is a long-term reminder that someone has visited.
Actually, its meaning is irrelevant. What is heart-rendingly essential is that President Trump understood and channeled the ancient tradition.
I was in Troy, New York this morning at the cemetery owned by the Orthodox synagogue, Beth Tephilah, now on the national registry of historical places, which was co-founded by my maternal grandparents Frank and Sarah Schwebel (z’l). For more years than one wants to remember, I have placed special stones on their and other family members’ tombstones – from Israel, especially. As I placed stones today, I said a prayer for those murdered in Pittsburgh. And I thanked and blessed President Trump for the stones he placed in Pittsburgh in the highest manner possible of honoring them.
WATCH: Jewish Man Assaulted in Unprovoked Attack on Ave J in Midwood
November 6, 2018 5:20 pm
Police and Shomrim are looking for a man who assaulted a Jewish pedestrian on Tuesday afternoon.
Sources tell YWN that at around 3:30PM, a man walking down Avenue J between East 13 and East 14 was randomly punched in the face by an unidentified black man. He then kicked the victim as well, before calmly walking away.
YWN has confirmed that the victim has never seen the attacker before, nor were any words exchanged prior to the assault. Nothing anti-Jewish was said before this attack.
The NYPD and Flatbush Shomrim canvassed the area for close to two hours. He was last seen on Ocean Avenue and Avenue J.
The suspect is approximately 5 foot 8, 250 pounds, was wearing a black tee shirt with the words “STAGE CREW” in white lettering on the back, and had grey pants.
Police tell YWN that they are taking this isolated incident very seriously, but stress that there has not been an assault of this kind in quite some time. Police advise the community to remain calm, but to be aware of their surroundings at all time, and to report anything suspicious immediately.
If you see this man, or have any information that can help police, please call 911 and then Flatbush Shomrim’s 24 hour emergency hotline at 718-338-9797.
The attack comes amid multiple hate crimes in and around the city, and in wake of the horrific shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh that left 11 Jews dead.
As reported by YWN on Tuesday, a gang of black teens attacked a Hasidic boy and vandalized a Shul in Williamsburg.
Last month, a Hasidic man was viciously beaten by a Muslim cab driver in Boro Park.
On Monday, the NYPD announced it had arrested two suspects in connection to multiple swastikas found sprayed on the steps and garage doors of residential homes in Brooklyn Heights on October 30. (Garden Place, between Joralemon Street and State Street.)
18-year-old Jarrick Wiltshire and 17-year-old Daul Moultrie were charged with three counts of aggravated harassment.
Image result for abc anti semitic brooklyn
On Friday night, police arrested 26-year-old James Polite for scrawling anti-Semitic messages inside a Reform Jewish temple in Prospect Heights, and setting multiple fires outside Jewish Yeshivas and establishments in Williamsburg.
Messages written found at the Union Temple in Prospect Heights included “Kill all Jews”, “die Jew rats we are here,” “Hitler,” and “Jews better be ready”.
Polite was a volunteer on Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign, worked for former New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn and other Democrats.
On Sunday, police on Long Island removed a swastika-defaced campaign sign in Stony Brook. That sign was for Perry Gershon, a Jew, who is running on the Democratic ticket in the 1st congressional district race against Republican Lee Zeldin.
gershon Community Leaders Outraged After Slur Written In Black Marker On African Burial Ground In Lower Manhattan
A message of hate was found scrawled across a historic site for the black community. Police say the African Burial Ground National Monument in lower Manhattan was defaced late last week with a racist slur.
[HATE IN LONG BEACH, NY: Three Yeshiva Bochrim Shot With BB Gun]
[HATE IN SPRING VALLEY: Jewish Man Assaulted in Unprovoked Attack on Shabbos]
[HATE: Beth Jacob Shul In Irvine, Los Angeles Defaced With Anti-Semitic Graffiti; Swastikas Found in Brooklyn]
(Yossi Taub – YWN)
The Pittsburg massacre is only the most horrific recent manefestation of antisemitism in the U.S. It is not the only one. Look at this recent report in Arutz Sheva:
Best president ever! It’s shameful that some Jews of all people don’t see it or more likely don’t want to see it.