Leaders of Jewish advocacy groups often say their tax status bars them from opining on political candidates, including appointees. When the issue is Israel’s views, as when President Obama nominated the supposedly hostile Chuck Hagel for defense secretary in 2011, those rules are out the window. The rule apparently holds, though, when the needs of American Jews are at stake.
Commentators and political enemies jumped up crying nepotism the moment on January 9 that the President-elect announced his appointment of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as Senior Adviser to the President in the White House Office.
Media controversy makes for big headlines. The follow-up — not so much.
In just a few hours, Trump disparaged in the ugliest terms two pillars of the American system, and he did so by abusing the memory of Holocaust victims and survivors. Where was the Jewish outrage?
220There’s something appealingly quaint about parsing the subtle sexism in these remarks.
As the first Jew in American history to hold such a powerful position in the White House, Jared Kushner will be redrawing the image of the quintessential Jew — which contains its own ironies, possibilities and danger.
115The coming Trump administration presents so many potential risks, it’s hard to know which to feel anxious about. When I feel overwhelmed, I find that it helps to make lists. Here, then, in a rough order of danger, but also grouped by category, are 50 things for American Jews to be worried about as the new administration takes shape.
Americans overall tended to vote their ethnic identity, which they increasingly see in terms of conflict with other groups.
4When needs must, the Talmud says, a civil war may be necessary. Samuel G. Freedman calls for a Hanukkah-inspired war of resistance.
A month ago, the Electoral College blocking Donald Trump was a Democratic pipe dream. Now, the electors who will convene across the country on December 19 have a sacred duty to withhold their votes from Trump, and three constitutional reasons to do so.
I also won’t change the name of my band, ‘Iraqis in Pajamas.’
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