A PROUD ISRAELI-AMERICAN ACTIVE PHILANTHROPIST
For the past four years, I have been a supporter of President Donald Trump. Yet with the impending inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden, I recognize that now is the time for all Americans—Republicans and Democrats—to come together.
This article originally appeared in the Washington Times on January 4, 2021. Rejoining the Iran deal puts Middle East normalization and regional peace at risk During the presidential campaign, Joe Biden declared he wanted to go back to the Iran deal if Tehran returns to “strict compliance.” European leaders have urged the U.S. to rejoin the deal to prevent further Iranian violations and continued expansion of its nuclear infrastructure. The problem with the rush to reaffirm the old, flawed deal is that it would benefit only one country: Iran. The cascading consequences of that decision could destabilize not just the Middle East, but trigger problems around Read More…
Article was originally published in the Times of Israel Blogs on November 23, 2020. Philanthropy should be an essential part of every faith-based community. The Jewish tradition speaks generously about tzedakah, the closest word to “philanthropy” in the Hebrew language. While some might translate tzedakah to “charity,” tzedakah like philanthropy is much more than a charitable act. tzedakah is a value that inspires community responsibility and involves the act of sharing God-send wealth with others. tzedakah is done with someone rather than to someone. In Hebrew, the word natan means “to give”. Read backwards, the word also reads natan, suggesting that giving is a two-way street. So, when we think about giving, we should also think Read More…
This article was originally published in the Washington Examiner on October 20, 2020 The American-brokered Abraham Accords pave the way to full normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab nations of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. This has raised the prospects of peace and stability in the region to the highest point in decades, making it all the more stunning to see forces lining up against the U.S. initiative. Criticizing the administration and condemning Israel will not help Palestinians. In fact, it will do the opposite, abandoning the Palestinian people to a corrupt and oppressive governance that thrives Read More…
Article originally published in the Jerusalem Post on August 16, 2020. We will lose as Jews and as Americans if we continue accepting our prescribed role as the sacrificial canary in the coal mine. Antisemitism is an ancient problem. Throughout Jewish history in the diaspora, Jews lacked the power and resources to do much of anything to fight Jew-hatred except condemn it. Today, however, American Jews have established themselves as one of the most successful immigrant communities in the country. Yet, in the face of intensifying antisemitism, they have done little to combat it. Instead, they have focused on merely Read More…
This article was originally published in Newsweek on July 10, 2020. For decades, Jews living in the diaspora have spoken about the Jewish community as the metaphorical “canary in the coal mine.” This metaphor accepts the notion that Jews are powerless victims, sacrificed for the benefit of others. Using the powerless canary to symbolize Jews reveals a deeply flawed mindset that paralyzes us from properly taking brave action and defending ourselves. The canary in the coal mine is a practice that dates back to the early 1900s. British miners utilized the sensitive and vulnerable canary to detect high levels of Read More…
This article was originally published on JNS.org on June 10, 2020. Though a perfect storm of anti-Semitism is looming, we should not be seeking shelter. When it comes to Jew-hatred, we can’t afford to be passive any longer. Facing ever growing anti-Semitism in the decades following the Holocaust, the Diaspora Jewish community’s common response has been to cry “Never Again” and to describe ourselves as the “canary in the coal mine,” which implies that whatever begins with the Jews never ends with the Jews. While these ideas are echoed by millions, words are not enough. Jewish leaders fail to realize Read More…
This article was originally published in the Jerusalem Post on June 1, 2020. While the observant communities are the easiest targets within the Jewish community today, too often they are reluctant to join this fight. Antisemitism in the United States (photo credit: ADL) Each Passover, we sing “Ve’hi She’amda La’avotainu Ve’lanu” (“This is what has stood by our fathers and us”) to remind us that in every generation our detractors try to physically destroy us and Hashem is there to save us from their hands. So, what exactly is our role in preventing the violence inflicted on us, our families, Read More…
This article was originally published in Jewish Policy Center’s inFOCUS Quarterly Spring 2020 issue. Defeating the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement is the best way for Americans to fight rising anti-Semitism and the hate groups that radicalize and polarize our country today. In September, the United Nations – a body with a well-documented history of bias against the Jewish state – released an unprecedented report on the worldwide spread of Jew-hatred. The world body acknowledged that anti-Semitism is growing around the world, stemming from three primary sources: the far left, the far right, and radical Islam. In the report, Read More…
This article was originally published in the Jerusalem Post on February 3, 2020. The media network spreads awareness of information and calls for action by covering the findings of analysts and the activities of boots on the ground. There is no silver bullet to fight and defeat antisemitism. Hundreds of millions, maybe billions of dollars and hundreds of organizations are devoted to this issue, but the age-old hatred is rising faster than ever in America. Too many of these responses to Jew-hatred are reactionary and risk-averse. Organizations that aim to fight antisemitism frequently address general trends or individual instances of hate Read More…