The Jewish Democrat

by Rabbi Steven Pruzansky

It is especially fascinating how hard-core, confirmed, lifelong and forever Jewish Democrats will twist themselves like a pretzel to find a reason to vote for the Democrat despite the evidence that there is little in the interest of Jews, Israel or America to support a Biden vote. But it is actually the same arguments in every election, whether the election is for President, Congress, state or local officials. Here’s a sampling:

• The Republican hates Jews.
• The Republican loved Jews in his first term but will hate Jews in his second term.
• The Republican loves Jews but he has supporters who hate Jews.
• The Republican loves Jews too much and so his support for Israel has been detrimental to Israel’s long term interests.
• The Republican loves Jews but it is critical that support for Israel be bipartisan.
• The Republican loves Jews but the Democratic Party cannot be abandoned to those who hate Jews.
• The Republican loves Jews but we are not so parochial that we vote only according to what’s in the Jewish interest.
• The Republican loves Jews but he doesn’t denounce every single hate group in every single speech no matter how obscure the group is.
• The Republican loves Jews so much that Jewish support for him will embolden white supremacy.
• This Republican loves Jews but Harry Truman, a Democrat, recognized Israel and we owe him a debt of gratitude.
• This Republican hates Jews - and he proved it by doing so many things that helped the Jews that he thereby emboldened the white supremacists.
• This Republican hates Jews - and he proved it by allowing Jews and Jewish institutions to be attacked with impunity in Democrat-run cities.
• This Republican hates Jews - and he proved it by declaring that religious worship is, and synagogues provide, an “essential service” during the pandemic, thus attempting to kill Jews.
• This Republican hates Jews because he is a Republican and only Democrats love Jews.
• This Republican hates Jews because he doesn’t believe in climate change, which will eventually destroy the planet and kill all the Jews.
• This Republican loves Jews but his temperament is un-Jewish.
• This Republican loves Jews or hates Jews (the record is unclear) but Joe Biden must love Jews because he is a Democrat.
• This Republican loves Jews or hates Jews (the record is unclear) but Kamala Harris is married to a Jew and so must love Jews.
• This Republican loves Jews but all of my ancestors always voted Democrat.This Republican loves Jews but I am a Democrat.

While this seems like a parody, it is not. It is a compilation of all the reasons that I have heard from Jewish Democrats as to why they cannot vote for the most pro-Israel, pro-Jewish President in American history, and a President who has brought peace, strength and prosperity.

We are supposedly an “am chacham v’navon” as well as a nation that values gratitude. But we also have a long and lugubrious history of making poor political and strategic choices for which have paid an awesome price. I don’t expect any change but take comfort in that G-d’s providence watches over the nation of Israel. It doesn’t always protect every Jew but it does ensure that Am Yisrael Chai.

Fortunately that is even more certain that the Jewish vote for the Democrats.