Everyone needs to take a break from time to time. My daughter's wedding was Saturday.
I need a break. :-)
Henry M
In the aftermath of President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt there are many things that happened and are currently happening. Frankly I and a few of my colleagues expected these issues to raise sooner or later. On June 3rd during his Middle East trip I received a letter from the White House and Obama in response to a previous letter I sent him concerning the Israel/Palestine issue. I stated that I looked forward to working together to solve the conflict. In his June 3rd reply he stated that now was "the time to work together" and I was ready to give it. However, on the 4th Obama stated in his speech that Israeli settlements in the West Bank would no longer be tolerated by the US. This stance I believe is "politically understandable" similar to what one journalist stated in Haaretz, because by showing that there is no favouritism given to Israel then that opens up real communication with other countries that are against Israel and think the US is bias on the subject of Israel. In addition, Obama stated in both his Cairo speech and restated in his Moscow speech that the days of one nation suppressing another nation are over. So from an outsiders perspective in the case of Israel when Israeli settlements are established within the UN set borders of the Palestinian people then those settlements are consider like an invasion and violation of a UN policy... and so must be removed. Obama has currently taken the position to reset Israel/ Palestinian borders to the original UN borders and also making Jerusalem an internationally or UN controlled city. This concepts comes from the Crusaders era when Jerusalem was established to be a Christian focus-point city (as displayed in most Byzantine and later European explorer maps of the area).
On June 3rd protesters in Israel gathered in front of the US Embassy in Jerusalem to speak against stopping settlement construction in the West Bank and shouted how Obama is anti-Semitic. I personally agree that settlement construction shouldn't be halted in the West Bank (I support Netanyahu's actions of approving new settlement construction and in a moment I will go into why the idea of halting settlements from a Torah view is out of the question), yet trying to accuse Obama of being anti-Semitic because he has an anti-settlement view isn't fair and more importantly is a contradiction because Obama's views on the subject came from both the Jewish advisors in his administration and a few Jewish foreign policy organizations in Israel that are promoting the idea of a West Bank Palestinian State. I think that people should remember that not too long ago PM Arial Sharon and President Bush were moving the very same plan across the table in Israel.... Obama is just considering if it should be continued. (I'm hoping that you will help me answer to him a NO! But also give another idea that could solve this conflict).
My communications with the US President have shown one consistency from him... he will only promote an idea that is supported by both the Israelis and Palestinians. So because the current idea of a Palestinian State in the West Bank is supported by both Israelis and Palestinians then that is what the US President will support. However, on the 7th of June I sent a letter to President Obama and the White House to express my opposition to his statement on Israeli settlements and to ask that he keep an open mind to other potential solutions to the two-state concept. One idea I requested that he review is the two-state solution proposed by Rabbi Howshua Amariel in which the Palestinian State would be setup in extended borders of the current Gaza strip and the West Bank area would be dissolved fully into the State of Israel. Within this proposal is the idea of fully helping setup a financial independent system for the Palestinian people.
On June 14th after Netanyahu's response to Obama's speech, I did an interview with Baruch Spier on Rusty Mike Radio.com in Jerusalem on my opinion of Obama's speech and the state solution concepts. I stated to Mr. Spier the same thing that I said to President Obama in my reply to him. I believe that his speech was very necessary for the Moslem world to hear and it was given in a way that only Barack Obama as president of the United States could have done. I think in that moment it was made clear to all those that supported or didn't support Obama why he was the right choice for the job. However, in the interview I also said that I didn't agree with the President's tough stance against settlements in the West Bank. In fact the promotion of a Palestinian state within the West Bank is only a temporary fix to a problem that goes much more deep than Obama is realizing. If we will solve this conflict it must be done showing a sincere respect for all religions involved rather than ignore them.... as if they don't matter when to every party involved they do. This conflict is based out of a religious concept rooted in the very essence of who the Jewish people are.
Ben-amen Netanyahu recently allowed for settlement constructions to continue in the West Bank.... WHY? For those of you who do not know this year is a Jubilee Year. The Jubilee year comes out of the Torah and basically states that every 50 years regardless of if one has sold there land or it was taken it is required that they or their relatives come back to reclaim it (either by purchase or force). Right now in Israel all sorts of properties are in review for future construction settlement projects and settlements within the West Bank are not excluded.
I find it funny that history has a habit of repeating and it seems that all of the usual players are in this same scenario today as was 2000 to 3000 years ago; a foreign Empire (US and European Union)..., the Jewish people....., and the Philistines (Keep in mind that in Arabic they don't call these people Palestinians... they call them Philistines and have done some for centuries.) The fact of the matter is that since the time of Joshua the Philistines have existed in the land... they were never conquered.. nor should they have been (they should only been kept out of the borders of the land of Israel).
If we review the history of the children of Israel and the Jewish people when it came to this land it is very clear that there is a pattern. Aside from the original possession of the land by Joshua and Israel; when Israel came from Babylon they rebuilt so much of their former land to the end that their neighbours wrote to the Emperor warning against Israel's habit of reclaiming their territory. This same pattern happened during Alexander the Great's reign and the Roman Empire's reign to the point that after 100AD Jews were restricted from the entire Judean area by Emperor Hadrian of Rome for this same fear incited by our Philistine neighbours. Yet that never stopped the Jewish people from returning time after time again to the land. Why? The Jubilee Year... So the idea of the UN that somehow the Jewish people will now forget this part of ourselves I think is very nieve.
In 1948 the UN divided the land borders of Israel into the Gaza Strip, Israel and the West Bank. Because the Palestinians stated that Israel took Ashkelon and Ashdod from them they went on a crusade to reclaim their former territory. Also because a very large portion of the mountains of the ancient land of Israel was given to the Palestinians... the Jewish settlers went on a crusade to reclaim them. Thus, since this conflict is largely based upon ancient territorial rights of both the parties then the true solution to the problem is to push the so called 'reset button' on borders back to the very ancient guidelines that motivate both parties.
Therefore, today I am announcing a new campaign that I am asking both Jews within Israel (right and left) to support. Leave your prejudices at the door! Because this is for all of those that share the views of President Obama in that the Palestinian (Philistine) people need their own state; view of Prime Minister Netanyahu's that such a state should be financial independent from the State of Israel and also for the benefit of the Palestinian people; and also the views of the Torah & Tanach in that the Palestinian & Israelite people were covenanted to respect each other's borders (according to treaty at the well in the South called Beer-Sheba or well of the oath between Abraham and the king of the Philistines).
I have spoke to about hundred people on this subject and although most begin the conversation with the thought that such a idea isn't realistic I say that the same could have been said about a Black President of the United States not too long ago. What determines if something is possible is only the willingness of the parties to make it possible. This idea is definitely possible... but the question for the Jews that believe this proposal is very controversial I ask you to consider what do you prefer... an undivided beach alone the coast or an undivided Jerusalem for the State of Israel.
As for the Palestinians that may so happen to read this who believe that this is just another way for Israel to gain control over you and your land... I say that this proposal has Israel concede just as much as the Palestinians will have to concede, but any other extra-requirements are accompanied by sufficient compensations enough to help every Palestinian family moved and the State as a whole achieve financial independence from the State of Israel. In other words this is a win-win situation.
I ask you all to support this new two-state proposal that will hold true to all of these ideas by establishing a Palestinian State in the Gaza Strip, but also return some borders along the coast that are proven to be the original land of their ancient people. This will fulfil the same proclaimed goals of the both the Hamas and Palestinian government (as verified in Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech). Within these borders resources will be left to them that would aid in the establishment of an independent financial system for the Palestinian people. A sign if any that Israel is ready to make concessions.
But I suggest that you get Hamas under control with its statements against Israel... the Torah states that if a people will proclaim peace to Israel then we should be at peace with them, but if they declare war then war is what we give them. If you want peace then express it for others to clearly hear you.
If both parties that I have addressed will express their support for the idea then it will get Israeli leaders attention, it will get UN attention, it will get American attention. The fate of the country is literally in the hands of its inhabitants.
I will finish with one more statement… I continue for the most part to support President Barack Obama and I wouldn’t take back my decision to elect him… after all McCain would have done the exact same thing because it is in the road map to peace Bush followed. Yet with President Obama I look forward to working this issue out with foreign policy experts, him and the administration and working together as planned because after all it was Obama who once said that he welcomed debate in the White House. In this case that is what I will do… I invite others to join in.
Sincerely,
Yeshiyah Amariel
Israel for Obama
Obama Hosts Seder Dinner at White HouseBy Jeff ZelenyPete Souza/White House President Obama hosted a Passover seder at the White House.
President Obama and a collection of guests celebrated Passover Thursday evening with what White House officials believe to be the first Passover Seder dinner hosted by an American president.
Mr. Obama is not Jewish, but White House officials say that while traveling through Pennsylvania during the campaign last year, he surprised his aides by joining an impromptu Passover dinner held by campaign workers in a ballroom of a Harrisburg hotel, so he decided to treat the group to a dinner this year in his new surroundings.
The Seder, held in the Old Family Dining Room at the White House with several aides and their families, included the traditional Passover dishes, matzo ball soup, brisket and kugel. The White House chefs prepared the meal after consulting family recipes from several Seder participants.
While the Obamas hosted the dinner, it was overseen by Eric Lesser, a White House aide who helped organize the Seder in Harrisburg during the campaign last year. He is now a special assistant to Mr. Obama’s adviser David Axelrod.
During the presidential campaign, Mr. Obama struggled to address skepticism from Jewish voters, particularly in the Democratic primary race with Hillary Rodham Clinton. But Jewish groups cheered the presidential Seder, and aides said the White House switchboard was flooded by calls from people seeking an invitation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/magazine/05rabbi-t.htmlHallelujah, shalom: Rabbi Funnye singing at Shabbat services.Alec Soth/Magnum, for The New York Times
Rabbi Capers Funnye celebrated Martin Luther King Day this year in New York City at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, a mainstream Reform congregation, in the company of about 700 fellow Jews — many of them black. The organizers of the event had reached out to four of New York’s Black Jewish synagogues in the hope of promoting Jewish diversity, and they weren’t disappointed. African-American Jews, largely from Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, many of whom had never been in a predominantly white synagogue, made up about a quarter of the audience. Most of the visiting women wore traditional African garb; the men stood out because, though it was a secular occasion, most kept their heads covered. But even with your eyes closed you could tell who was who: the black Jews and the white Jews clapped to the music on different beats.Alec Soth/Magnum, for The New York Times Rabbi Capers Funnye Funnye, the chief rabbi of the Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Chicago, one of the largest black synagogues in America, was a featured speaker that night. The overflowing audience came out in a snowstorm to hear his thoughts about two men: the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. King is Funnye’s hero. Obama, whose inauguration was to take place the following day in Washington, is family — the man who married Funnye’s cousin Michelle.A compact, serious-looking man in his late 50s, Funnye (pronounced fu-NAY) wore a dark business suit and a large gray knit skullcap. He sat expressionless, collecting his thoughts, as Joshua Nelson and his Kosher Gospel Band steamed through their sanctified rendition of the Hebrew hymn “Adon Olam.” Nelson, a black Jew, was raised in two Jewish worlds — a white Reform temple in New Jersey and a Black Jewish synagogue in Brooklyn — and he borrows from both. The first time the Rev. Al Sharpton heard a recording of Nelson’s “Adon Olam,” he said, “I can hear that’s Mahalia Jackson, but what language is she singing in?”Mary Funnye, Capers’s wife, tapped her foot to the music and smiled with apparent equanimity, but her husband knew she was seething inside. “Mary has been a rabbi’s wife for a long time,” he told me a few weeks later. “She has an excellent synagogue poker face. But she really wanted to be in Washington that night” — for the early inauguration festivities — “not New York. And you can’t really blame her.”The Funnyes were invited to Washington by the Obamas for a full calendar of inaugural events, including a dinner that evening held by the president-elect for his family and close advisers. Mary’s brother, Frank White Jr., a businessman who served as a prominent member of Obama’s national finance committee, was invited. So were three of Funnye’s sisters. It was going to be the family reunion of the year, the social event of the season and a crowning moment in American history. Mary had a formal gown ready. But here she was, singing “Adon Olam,” as she did virtually every Shabbat in Chicago.Still, to be fair, this night was a historic moment for her husband too. For the first time in a rabbinical career stretching back to 1985, Funnye had been invited to speak at a white, mainstream synagogue in New York. Plenty of black Christian ministers, in a spirit of ecumenism and racial harmony, have addressed Jewish congregations in the city. But a black rabbi? Many American Jews regard the very concept as an oxymoron, or even, given the heterodoxies of much Black Jewish theology, some sort of heresy. Funnye has been trying for years to demonstrate that he and his fellow Black Jews belong in the Jewish mainstream. Mostly he has been ignored.But it is hard to ignore a man with a cousin in the White House. Tonight was payback for all those years of stupid jokes (“Funnye, you don’t look Jewish”), insulting questions and long, wondering stares. Funnye was finally being given the stage at a high-profile Jewish event. “My Broadway debut,” he said, without evident irony, as he prepared to go on. “Been a long time getting here, but I’m ready.”
Rabbi Capers Funnye celebrated Martin Luther King Day this year in New York City at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, a mainstream Reform congregation, in the company of about 700 fellow Jews — many of them black. The organizers of the event had reached out to four of New York’s Black Jewish synagogues in the hope of promoting Jewish diversity, and they weren’t disappointed. African-American Jews, largely from Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, many of whom had never been in a predominantly white synagogue, made up about a quarter of the audience. Most of the visiting women wore traditional African garb; the men stood out because, though it was a secular occasion, most kept their heads covered. But even with your eyes closed you could tell who was who: the black Jews and the white Jews clapped to the music on different beats.
Rabbi Capers Funnye
Funnye, the chief rabbi of the Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Chicago, one of the largest black synagogues in America, was a featured speaker that night. The overflowing audience came out in a snowstorm to hear his thoughts about two men: the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. King is Funnye’s hero. Obama, whose inauguration was to take place the following day in Washington, is family — the man who married Funnye’s cousin Michelle.
A compact, serious-looking man in his late 50s, Funnye (pronounced fu-NAY) wore a dark business suit and a large gray knit skullcap. He sat expressionless, collecting his thoughts, as Joshua Nelson and his Kosher Gospel Band steamed through their sanctified rendition of the Hebrew hymn “Adon Olam.” Nelson, a black Jew, was raised in two Jewish worlds — a white Reform temple in New Jersey and a Black Jewish synagogue in Brooklyn — and he borrows from both. The first time the Rev. Al Sharpton heard a recording of Nelson’s “Adon Olam,” he said, “I can hear that’s Mahalia Jackson, but what language is she singing in?”
Mary Funnye, Capers’s wife, tapped her foot to the music and smiled with apparent equanimity, but her husband knew she was seething inside. “Mary has been a rabbi’s wife for a long time,” he told me a few weeks later. “She has an excellent synagogue poker face. But she really wanted to be in Washington that night” — for the early inauguration festivities — “not New York. And you can’t really blame her.”
The Funnyes were invited to Washington by the Obamas for a full calendar of inaugural events, including a dinner that evening held by the president-elect for his family and close advisers. Mary’s brother, Frank White Jr., a businessman who served as a prominent member of Obama’s national finance committee, was invited. So were three of Funnye’s sisters. It was going to be the family reunion of the year, the social event of the season and a crowning moment in American history. Mary had a formal gown ready. But here she was, singing “Adon Olam,” as she did virtually every Shabbat in Chicago.
Still, to be fair, this night was a historic moment for her husband too. For the first time in a rabbinical career stretching back to 1985, Funnye had been invited to speak at a white, mainstream synagogue in New York. Plenty of black Christian ministers, in a spirit of ecumenism and racial harmony, have addressed Jewish congregations in the city. But a black rabbi? Many American Jews regard the very concept as an oxymoron, or even, given the heterodoxies of much Black Jewish theology, some sort of heresy. Funnye has been trying for years to demonstrate that he and his fellow Black Jews belong in the Jewish mainstream. Mostly he has been ignored.
But it is hard to ignore a man with a cousin in the White House. Tonight was payback for all those years of stupid jokes (“Funnye, you don’t look Jewish”), insulting questions and long, wondering stares. Funnye was finally being given the stage at a high-profile Jewish event. “My Broadway debut,” he said, without evident irony, as he prepared to go on. “Been a long time getting here, but I’m ready.”
President Obama promised transparency of government when he was elected, yet since his inauguration the average person is under the impression that information concerning controversial issues such as the economic plan are not available to them in order to review. Over the last month the mainstream media (especially Fox News) have played this perception for all it is worth. Most programs on the Fox News Cable Network talk against Obama’s plan to recover the economy (which is officially entitled the ‘American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009’). If you listen to what most publications on the economic package say you will only hear that it contains many earmarks (or pork) that have nothing to do with recovering economy. They all say that the plan is very massive and that is was hardly read through… yet most of them show a stack of papers that they refer to as the ‘economic stimulus plan’. On the ‘Beltway Boys’ they criticise the economic plan because it has socialist philosophies and will not help the problems immediately within this year.
The truth of the matter is that the ‘American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009’ can be found on online government websites (such as the House Appropriations Committee website). The package is around 260 pages and is purposed for “making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes.”
Whether the American people agree with every program that is being given money, unlike the media madness against this economic plan, I’m giving the people a chance to read the full plan for themselves and conclusion concerning the details of the plan. The fact of the matter is that this plan puts money into the all of the agriculture department (which in detail actually means rural developments that will create jobs for those who need them), Educational department (a campaign promise to students), $16,126,000,000 for STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (a campaign promise), $500,000,000 for STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OPERATIONS, Housing Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing insurance fund, as follows: $22,129,000,000 for loans to section 502 borrowers, Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: section 502 loans, $500,000,000, Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) $100,000,000, and along with several other important job creating public construction projects (such as building roads and bridges) that exist within the United States this package also supplies the ‘‘Small Business Administration—Office of Inspector General’’, $10,000,000, the ‘‘Social Security Administration—Office of Inspector General’’, $2,000,000 and every military branch new funding (a total of $4,500,000,000 for ‘Operation and Maintenance’ of the military) to remain available until September 30, 2013, for oversight and audit of programs, grants, and projects funded under this Act.
I suggest that anyone that seeks to support or criticise this plan will take the time to seriously read over the programs and projects that will be stimulated. (http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/RecoveryBill01-15-09.pdf) I should also note that most of the ‘pork’ statements that were made on Fox News such as the purchase of motorcycles, automobiles, and etc. I did not find anywhere within this package. Feel free to read over the proposal yourselves and come to your own conclusions, but in my opinion the plan has enough positive benefits for the simultaneous creation of jobs, aid to the unemployed, and start for fulfilling campaign promises from Obama during his campaign to be supported by the general public that elected him. This package is designed to help the poor, middle class and help build State government projects in return and reduce taxes.
The additional tax cuts for top companies that the Republicans are pushing for is the current issue… Remember that conservatives don’t like big government because of increase taxes on the rich and decreased taxes and social programs for the poor and middle class. What they prefer are tax-cuts and social programs for the wealthy… so they are pushing that ‘Bush styled’ tax-cuts be given to companies and social programs be cut.
The fact of the matter is that average citizens can either work for one of the two powers that exist within the world… for government programs or for companies that without government restrictions wouldn’t give a damn about the average American’s well-being (remember workers rights in the 1920s and the current issue over the Peanut butter company… I rest my case).
Happy Chanukah to all of my Jewish friends out there who are celebrating the first night tonight! Spin the dreidel, eat some latkes, and dance the night away. What else is ther in this horrid weather! May your first candle burn bright and illuminate the night.
After Obama's election to the Presidency of the United States, the next day I contacted him to offer our continued support and teamwork with an Obama administration and also to inform him of the new created Israel for Change "think tank" group (if you are interested in join visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/israelforchange/; or http://groups.google.com/group/israelforchange?hl=en).
The following is the actual Nov 5th letter to Obama and is followed by a link to his response on Nov 14th.
"I am sorry that I could not call you Mr. President-elect, but I want to offer from all your supporters in Israel our sincere congratulations to you, your family and your staff on your victory. American-Israelis are overjoyed that you have been elected president of the United States because when we said 'Yes we can' support you, we did! We have supported the movement for change since your arrival on the national seen, and we made your case to the Jewish people when the smear campaign had tried to mislead voters. We are confident that as President of the United States you will understand the complex issues concerning Israel and the peace process.
In your speech last night you stated that "To those who seek peace and security: We support you." Nevertheless, there are still many concerns within Israel as to if your administration will consider Israel's concerns over security issues. To aid with this problem we will soon be announcing the formation of an organization that aims to continue the movement of change that Israelis can believe in, not just in respect to the United States but also with consideration to the Jerusalem issue, the Palestinian peace process and Tikkun Olam. The "Israel for Change" organization stands ready to work with the Obama administration in these next steps in the global movement toward change we can believe in.
Yeshiyah AmarielIsrael for Obama campaign"
Click Here to read Illinois Senator (President-elect) Obama's response: (http://amarielfamily.tripod.com/ObamaLetter3.pdf)
Israel's Best Interest is a Morally Strong America
by Edgar M. Bronfman
I am supporting Obama for president for two reasons: one is my disdain for the McCain-Palin ticket, and the other my respect and admiration for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.Among Jewish voters, some feel the basic question is which candidate will act in the best interest of Israel. The answer is Barack Obama. As an American Jew who loves Israel, I cannot support John McCain. He cannot provide what Israel needs most--a respected, credible, morally strong America. To have the United States and Israel both regarded by the rest of the world as unreliable and in isolation is no way to solve the problems that plague both countries. This has been the effect of the Bush policies, and these are the policies that John McCain has promised to continue. Barack Obama is the candidate who can restore America's moral authority in the world and position our government to help negotiate peace.
The most vexing problem Israel faces is its relations with its neighbors. From the inception of the state until today, Israelis have felt besieged, surrounded by enemies who want to make them disappear. The constant security threat has made it very difficult for Israel to address the long list of problems that for the most part have been swept under the rug while awaiting peace. These include a disastrous educational system, a widening gap between rich and poor, and bitter division between secular and religious Jews. Israel desperately needs peace if it is to come anywhere close to being the "light unto nations" of Jewish dreams.
I quarrel with the oft-heard assumption that "George W. Bush is good for Israel." He gleaned many Jewish votes on that slogan, but I take a contrarian's position. Israel is further from peace than it was at the end of the Clinton administration. The smoldering hatred between Iraq's Sunni and Shi'a has burst into flames as a result of the American occupation. An emboldened Iran, with its Shi'a majority, has strengthened and armed Israel's enemies Hamas and Hezbollah. But Israel's most immediate danger comes from a nuclear Iran. Under the Bush administration, conversations with the Iranians began only at the end of May 2007 and have been badly mishandled. The result of the Bush doctrine in the Middle East has been an America and an Israel that are regarded with hatred and fear.The region requires an honest broker that will push both sides towards a workable solution and a two state outcome. I remember the scene at the White House when President Clinton helped Prime Minister Rabin to shake Arafat's hand. Whether an American president is prepared to preside over another handshake--one that could build lasting peace--should not be measured by his professed love for one side or the other, but by his judgment.
John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate is the towering example of his poor judgment. Palin's ignorance of public affairs is monumental. Especially disturbing to the Jewish voter should be her willing acceptance of the campaign assignment of demagogy, which has stirred up racism and hate. The prospect of our having a 72-year-old president in poor health raises the real possibility that Palin could be our president, a thoroughly frightening thought. (I am well aware, in my eightieth year, of the flagging energy of any 72-year-old.) McCain's choice of Palin was a bid to the extremists in the Republican party, not the considered choice of a man who puts his country first.
Barack Obama is the leader who can begin to undo some of the damage done by Bush's policies. His background as an American who has lived among diverse cultures makes him sensitive to the cultural and religious motives that shape conflicts. He is cerebral, measured, calm, and pragmatic. By his character, he will engage these issues with more than stonewalling and weapons. He is brilliant in his choices of advisors. He is a tough idealist who has the courage to imagine an America that may inspire hope, not fear, in the Middle East and around the world.
Voters who care about Israel's welfare should ask which candidate will help sustain the ties between Israel and American Jews. Those of us who were alive at the creation of Israel have a love for Israel that is tied to the Holocaust, to the displaced persons camps and to the early struggles for a Jewish homeland. We were all as generous as we could be in support of Israel, as donors and as advocates. Now there is a generation growing up that is more distant from Israel than I should like. Young Jews do not automatically support Israel, and many are rightly troubled by what they learn about the ill treatment of the Palestinians under Israeli occupation. No longer motivated by fear of anti-Semitism, they seek to understand what Israel stands for, not to say "my Israel, right or wrong." Without strong support among the younger generation of American Jews, Israel may lose its vital relationship with the US government.
Obama can inspire much-needed support for Israel among this next generation of American Jews. He reflects their idealism and speaks in the language of hope they understand. His approach to international affairs shows a commitment to restoring America's reputation and to working with our allies to combat war, poverty, disease, and environmental destruction. He has articulated a vision for American society that does not ask us to ignore our differences--religious, racial, or economic--but to set aside divisive rhetoric and acknowledge that we all have a stake in building a more ethical society. Under his leadership a renewed America can help to foster a renewed Israel. Barack Obama is an inspiring American, willing and able to lead this nation and the world to new heights in very perilous times. I will vote for him with enthusiasm. Edgar M. Bronfman is the former president of the World Jewish Congress. He is the author, with Beth Zasloff, of Hope, Not Fear: A Path to Jewish Renaissance (St. Martin's Press, 2008).
I am tired of getting the stupid McCain robo calls. I mean every night around 9:00 the phone rings, I jump to get it, and it is a stupid robo call. So far I have had Hockey mom, Tom Ridge, and tonight some other dumb robo.
Get these jerks off of my ILLINOIS phone lines.
Early Voting for the entire state of Florida has just been extended.
Every Early Vote location in Florida will now be every day from 7am-7pm up through November 2.
Please pass along this great news to everyone you know who will be voting in Florida. Click here to find your nearest early vote location.
Here's the release:
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS ~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~October 28, 2008Contact:GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008. "I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote." Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting. Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting. Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29. Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217. STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217 WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties; WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; andWHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008. GOVERNORATTEST:SECRETARY OF STATE
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS
~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~
October 28, 2008
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.
"I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote."
Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting.
Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting.
Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29.
Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217.
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217
WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and
WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and
WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and
WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties;
WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; and
WHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:
I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008.
GOVERNOR
ATTEST:
SECRETARY OF STATE
Yesterday Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain appeared with Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press.
1. McCain talks out of both sides of his mouth. He currently is attacking Bush, an unpopular President, but he voted with Bush 92 percent of the time according to Congressional Quarterly and he even admits his close association to President Bush on previous clips.
2. McCain flat out lied about Barack Obama's tax plan and his record. But Brokaw played some interesting clips about McCain's previous comments on taxing wealthy Americans. McCain flip-flopped on taxes for the wealthy. He once said he was troubled and voted against the Bush tax cuts because they went proportionately to the rich and that those who reach a certain level of comfort ought to pay more taxes. However, he now argues that due to the financial crisis that no one should have their taxes raised, including those least effected the wealthy.
3. McCain insists that Obama’s tax plan will redistribute the wealth and that Obama is a Socialist. He even dropped the name “Joe the Plumber” several times. At one point he called Biden, “Joe the Biden”. Brokaw asked McCain how he would describe the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, in which the American government is buying up shares in banks and about his plan to spend $300 billion of taxpayer dollars to buy up bad mortgages from banks. Sounds like Socialism to me state ownership and nationalization of the banking industry. McCain’s response, “We are in a financial crisis of monumental proportions” and the purpose of government is to intervene in times of crisis.
4. McCain, “I don’t defend [Sarah Palin] I praise her.” He went on to trumpet her accomplishments: She took on the governor of her own party to take on corruption, has more executive experience than Joe Biden and Barack Obama, she was a mayor, she has 24,000 people under her, and her husband works the third shift in the oil facilities on the north slope. Ok let me debunk the myth that Sarah Palin is qualified to be president. On corruption, she used the power of her office for personal gain. An independent prosecutor appointed by a bipartisan panel of the state legislature found that she violated state ethics laws. On experience, she is the governor of Alaska, population 600,000. The mayor of San Bernardino, California has about as much experience and responsibility as Sarah Palin. She was the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska a small town with a population of 6,000. Wow 24,000 people are you serious? Did they include moose in that count? I’m not sure how her husband working for an oil company helps her being prepared to be the leader of the free world. But it might explain the Republican desire to drill in ANWR and to think that fossil fuels don’t contribute to global warming. Just “drill baby drill”.
5. McCain is disappointed with General Colin Powell. He begins to list the five Secretary of State’s who endorse his candidacy. However, McCain can only list four of them; he looks dazed and confused, in fact senile.
It is clearly evident that John McCain flunked his final exam on Meet the Press. His academic record indicates that he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed; he graduated 894 out of 899 from the Naval Academy. McCain’s double talk express just got a flat tire and it’s time to visit the repair shop of Joe the Mechanic.
Watch McCain on the Meet the Press below.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27387444#27387444
Why I Support Israel and Obama
I am a strong supporter of Israel (though sometimes critical of specific policies). I am also a strong supporter of Barack Obama (though I favored Hillary Clinton during the primaries). I am now getting dozens of emails asking me how as a supporter of Israel I can vote for Barack Obama. Let me explain.
I think that on the important issues relating to Israel, both Senator McCain and Senator Obama score very high. During the debates each candidate has gone out of his and her way to emphasize strong support for Israel as an American ally and a bastion of democracy in a dangerous neighborhood. They have also expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself against the nuclear threat posed by Iran which has sworn to wipe Israel off the map and the need to prevent another Holocaust.
There may be some difference in nuance among the candidates, especially with regard to negotiations with Iran, but supporters of Israel should not base their voting decision on which party or which candidates support Israel more enthusiastically. In the United States, Israel is not a divisive issue, and voting for President is not a referendum on support for Israel, at least among the major parties.
I want to keep it that way. I want to make sure that support for Israel remains strong both among liberals and conservatives. It is clear that extremists on both sides of the political spectrum hate Israel, because they hate liberal democracies, because they tend to have a special place in their heart for tyrannical regimes, and because they often have strange views with regard to anything Jewish. The extreme left, as represented by Noam Chomsky, Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Norman Finkelstein and, most recently, Jimmy Carter has little good to say about the Jewish state. But nor does the extreme right, as represented by Pat Buchanan, Robert Novak, Joseph Sobran and David Duke. When it comes to Israel there is little difference between the extreme right and the extreme left. Nor is there much of a difference between the centrist political left and the centrist political right: both generally support Israel. Among Israel's strongest supporters have always been Ted Kennedy, Harry Reed, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The same is true of the centrist political right, as represented by Mitt Romney, George W. Bush, Oren Hatch and John McCain.
Why then do I favor Obama over McCain? First, because I support him on policies unrelated to Israel, such as the Supreme Court, women's rights, separation of church and state and the economy.
But I also prefer Obama to McCain on the issue of Israel. How can I say that if I have just acknowledged that on the issues they both seem to support Israel to an equal degree? The reason is because I think it is better for Israel to have a liberal supporter in the White House than to have a conservative supporter in the oval office.
Obama's views on Israel will have greater impact on young people, on Europe, on the media and on others who tend to identify with the liberal perspective. Although I believe that centrists liberals in general tend to support Israel, I acknowledge that support from the left seems to be weakening as support from the right strengthens. The election of Barack Obama -- a liberal supporter of Israel -- will enhance Israel's position among wavering liberals.
As I travel around university campuses both in the United States and abroad, I see radical academics trying to present Israel as the darling of the right and anathema to the left. As a liberal supporter of Israel, I try to combat that false image. Nothing could help more in this important effort to shore up liberal support for Israel than the election of a liberal president who strongly supports Israel and who is admired by liberals throughout the world. That is among the important reasons why I support Barack Obama for president.
Alan M. Dershowitz is a Professor of Law at Harvard. His most recent book The Case Against Israel's Enemies: Exposing Jimmy Carter and Others Who Stand In The Way of Peace which has recently been published by Wiley.
From an early voter in Cincinnati...if this doesn't inspire you to help get people to early vote...
"Upon arriving at the Hamilton County Board of Elections in Cincinnati to vote early today I happened upon some friends of my mother's -- three small, elderly Jewish women. They were quite upset as they were being refused admitance to the polling location due to their Obama T-Shirts, hats and buttons. Apparently you cannot wear Obama/McCain gear into polling locations here in Ohio.... They were practically on the verge of tears.After a minute or two of this a huge man (6'5", 300 lbs easy) wearing a Dale Earnhardt jacket and Bengal's baseball cap left the voting line, came up to us and introduced himself as Mike. He told us he had overheard our conversation and asked if the ladies would like to borrow his jacket to put over their t-shirts so they could go in and vote. The ladies quickly agreed. As long as I live I will never forget the image of these 80-plus-year-old Jewish ladies walking into the polling location wearing a huge Dale Earnhardt racing jacket that came over their hands and down to their knees!Mike patiently waited for each woman to cast their vote, accepted their many thanks and then got back in line (I saved him a place while he was helping out the ladies). When Mike got back in line I asked him if he was an Obama supporter. He said that he was not, but that he couldn't stand to see those ladies so upset. I thanked him for being a gentleman in a time of bitter partisanship and wished him well.After I voted I walked out to the street to find my mother's friends surrouding our new friend Mike -- they were laughing and having a great time. I joined them and soon learned that Mike had changed his mind in the polling booth and ended up voting for Obama. When I asked him why he changed his mind at the last minute, he explained that while he was waiting for his jacket he got into a conversation with one of the ladies who had explained how the Jewish community, and she, had worked side by side with the black community during the civil rights movements of the '60s, and that this vote was the culmination of those personal and community efforts so many years ago. That this election for her was more than just a vote ... but a chance at history.Mike looked at me and said, "Obama's going to win, and I didn't want to tell my grandchildren some day that I had an opportunity to vote for the first black president, but I missed my chance at history and voted for the other guy."-
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Now get in your car and drive some college students or any other "Obama-type"voter without a car to the early voting site; use your imagination; many want to be a part of history; they just need a little help...just like those three small, elderly Jewish women helped Mike...just like they were a part of history in the '60s...and again today.
In an attempt to defend Governor Sarah Palin's response about what the role of the Vice President is, Nancy Pfotenhauer, McCain's Senior Policy Advisor, appeared on Hardball with Chris Matthews. It is apparent that no one in the McCain Campaign knows the Constitutional role of the Vice President. This lady must think you are all idiots. Nancy Pfotenhauer thinks you must be a Constitutional scholar to know the role of the Vice President. Sorry Nancy, this is elementary grade civics. The Constitution proscribes in Article I Section 3, "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided." The other role of the Vice President, as stated in Article II Section 1, is to replace the President should God forbid something happen to them, like they die in office, are impeached and removed from office, they resign, or are unable to discharge the duties of their office. For those who don't know how to read, including Sarah Palin and the other morons running the McCain Campaign, what that means is that the Vice President has no role in shaping or formulating foreign policy, they only get to vote to break a tie in the Senate. We can't afford to elect leaders who lack the intelligence to understand the Constitution or something that a fifth grader ought to know. If elected, how can you uphold the following oath of office, if you don't understand the Constitution?
"I, [Vice-President Elect's name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
At a minimum, it should be a requirement for anyone aspiring to be the Vice President or President to at least know their roles as specified in the Constitution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkPuYJtz4Qg
"If John McCain wins this woman will be one 72 year olds heartbeat from being President of the United States and if that doesn't scare the hell out of you it should" - Jack Cafferty, on CNN, September 26, 2008
I wholeheartedly agree with Jack Cafferty. After being asked for the third time now this woman still doesn't know the role of the Vice President. Maybe she needs to read the U.S. Constitution. Sarah Palin can't even answer a third graders question, how in the hell do you think she can run America? She obviously is a complete and utter moron. We can't afford to have her anywhere near the White House. John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin illustrates that he is unfit to be President and that he lacks the judgement and decision making ability to be Commander-in-Chief.
Sarah Palin, Master of the Senate
By David Nather | October 21, 2008 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Sarah Palin has taken a lot of grief for the CNBC interview she gave, before she became John McCain’s running mate, in which she dismissed all of the vice presidential talk by asking, “What is it exactly that the VP does every day?”
It’s not a bad question, and one she might want to ask again.
Yesterday, Palin gave an interview to a local news station in Denver in which the anchor, reading a question submitted by a third grader, asked her what the vice president does. Her answer, in this video clip, suggests that she thinks the vice president runs the Senate:
“That’s a great question, Brandon. And a vice president has a really great job because not only are they there to support the president’s agenda, they’re like the team member, the teammate to that president, but also they’re in charge of the United State Senate. So if they want to, they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom. And it’s a great job, and I look forward to having that job.”
Talk about expanding the power of the vice presidency. Even Vice President Dick Cheney never claimed to be in charge of the Senate.
It’s hard to tell whether Palin just used a poor choice of words to describe what the vice president actually does in the Senate — presiding and breaking tie votes — or whether she really believes the vice president runs the place. Palin spokesman Taylor Griffin said she was referring to the vice president’s constitutional role as president of the Senate.
But it’s not as if the vice president is actively involved in the Senate, or even seen very often, except for the occasional tie vote or caucus meeting. And needless to say, Palin’s comments were a bit puzzling to Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, the man who actually sets the agenda for the Senate.
“Governor Palin needs to re-read — or perhaps read for the first time — the Constitution,” said Reid spokesman Jim Manley. “While the Vice President presides over the Senate, he or she is not “in charge of” it. Article I says, ‘The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.’ The Senate is part of a co-equal branch of the federal government.”
Worse yet for Palin, the clip was circulating on the same day that she was reminding a Reno audience of Joe Biden’s prediction that Barack Obama would be “tested” by an international crisis if he wins the presidency. Not only did Palin launch into an extended critique of Obama’s qualifications to be commander in chief — an issue on which she hasn’t exactly won the confidence of the public either — but she also took the opportunity to tease Biden: “I guess the looming crisis that most worries the Obama campaign right now is Joe Biden’s next speaking engagement.”
Judging from Palin’s performance in one interview after another, the Obama team can’t be any more worried than the McCain team.
I was blessed with the most wonderful Grandma who ever walked the planet. She was a devout, Orthodox Jew who never turned on a light let alone rode in a car on Shabbas until the day my equally wonderful Grandpa was dying.
Becoming a citizen was one of the highlights of her life, not only because she loved this country and viewed her citizenship as an honor, but because she had also earned the right to vote. I was very close with my Grandma, and I know if she were here today she would have proudly voted for Barack Obama.
Grandma was a very smart lady even though she had almost no formal education. She read the The Forward everyday and watched the news every night in their little one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. She sat on the benches on Ocean Parkway and talked about everything, from politics, to her adoring family. With all that she had been through and seen in her life she believed that there was good in everyone, but recognized that being a good person and having good judgment were entirely two different things .
Jewish Studies Scholars in Support of Obama
Over 200 scholars in Jewish Studies have signed a statement supporting Barack Obama for president. The signers, who include some of the most prominent people in the field, argue that "Senator Obama shares many of the values and positions held by the majority of American Jews." They point out that his positions on domestic and foreign issues, including Israel 's security, are in agreement with those of most Jewish voters.
The scholars urge American Jews to vote with the "minds as well as their hearts" and to overcome the fears of an Obama presidency stoked by false rumors circulated in the Jewish community.
"Senator Obama," they write, "has dedicated himself to promoting racial and religious tolerance and coexistence, speaking out against anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds. He embodies the Jewish hope for a society in which race, ethnicity, and religion are not barriers to achievement."
The signers include faculty members and independent scholars in regions of the country, as well as American scholars living in Israel , Canada , and Great Britain . They teach, research, and lecture on all aspects from Jewish history, culture, and religion, from the Bible to modern times.
The full statement and signers list follows.
JEWISH STUDIES SCHOLARS IN SUPPORT OF BARACK OBAMA
As Americans we support Barack Obama for president because we believe that he is the best person to lead our country through these difficult times. Senator Obama's firm grasp of the issues, his ability to work with diverse groups of people, and his humane and progressive social vision will bring a welcome change from the governing style and policies of the last eight years.
As scholars of Jewish Studies, we are concerned that distortions of Senator Obama's record and biography have caused undue anxiety among American Jews about what an Obama presidency would mean for Israel and the Jewish community here.
We urge Jewish voters to see through the partisan attacks and recognize how much they have in common with the senator. Jewish Americans have long played an important role in efforts to achieve a more just society not only for themselves, not just for other minority groups, but for all Americans.
The Obama candidacy offers us the chance to play such a role once more. In fact, Senator Obama shares many of the values and positions held by the majority of American Jews:
Senator Obama supports policies which promote equality of opportunity and social justice:
--the defense of social security against attempts to privatize it.
--a fairer tax system, including tax cuts for the elderly.
--expanded health coverage and defense of Medicare.
--aid to education at all levels.
He calls for energy independence through the development of renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources.
He is consistently pro-choice and pro-civil liberties, resisting attempts to blur the boundaries between church and state.
He opposed the misguided Iraq war from the beginning, understanding it as a distraction from the true war on terror. Most importantly,
Senator Obama has dedicated himself to promoting racial and religious tolerance and coexistence, speaking out against anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds. He embodies the Jewish hope for a society in which race, ethnicity, and religion are not barriers to achievement, a dream shared by African Americans.
We urge Jewish voters to vote with their minds as well as their hearts, and not to allow themselves to be misled by pernicious lies concerning the candidate's religious and ethnic background. We know that most American Jews realize the danger presented by such lies. The truth is that Senator Obama is a strong friend of Israel , a position recognized by many Israeli leaders during his visits to that country. They understand that Senator Obama's foreign policy is more conducive to Israel 's security than is the bellicose Bush-McCain approach. The Jewish Americans who know him best, those in the Chicago community, also count him as a longtime ally and friend. They know that the rumors that have been circulating among Jews for months - that Senator Obama is a Muslim who would be hostile to Israel and Jewish interests - are patently false attempts to play to Jewish fears.
Finally, we are concerned about the possibility that John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, might become president. Not only has she has shown herself to be unready to take over should something happen to Senator McCain, but she shown herself to be at odds with the values of most American Jews throughout her political career: She supports the teaching of creationism in the public schools, failed to acknowledge the human role in climate change, and opposed the right to an abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
The stakes are high in this election. Hillary Clinton got it right in her convention speech: We can move forward, or we can have four more years of the disastrous Bush policies of war, economic crisis, and cronyism. We hope that Jewish Americans, and all Americans, will choose to move forward by electing Barack Obama president.
Signers*
Robert H. Abzug, University of Texas at Austin Phyllis Albert, Harvard University Rebecca Alpert, Temple University Mark M. Anderson, Columbia University Joyce Antler, Brandeis University Dianne C. Ashton, Rowan University Alan Astro, Trinity University Monique R. Balbuena, University of Oregon Lawrence Baron, San Diego State University Lewis M. Barth, Hebrew Union College - Los Angeles Judith R. Baskin, University of Oregon Adam H. Becker, New York University Ruth Behar, University of Michigan Mara Benjamin, St. Olaf College Sarah Bunin Benor, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion Michael Berkowitz, University College London Lila Corwin Berman, Pennsylvania State University David Biale, University of California - Davis Lori Gemeiner Bihler, University of Rhode Island Lisa Bloom, University of California -- San Diego Linda Borish, Western Michigan University Oded Borovsky, Emory University Ra'anan Boustan, UCLA Steven Bowman, University of Cincinnati Daniel Boyarin, University of California - Berkeley Jonathan Boyarin, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Ben Braude, Boston College Alisa Braun, Hebrew College David Brenner, University of Houston Marcy Brink-Danan, Brown University Phil Brown, Brown University Stephan Brumberg, CUNY Matti Bunzl, University of Illinois Janet Burstein, Drew University Andrew Bush, Vassar College Marc Caplan, The Johns Hopkins University Nina Caputo, University of Florida Jules Chametzky, University of Massachusetts - Amherst Robert Chazan, New York University Julia Phillips Cohen, Vanderbilt University Mark R. Cohen, Princeton University Shaul Cohen, University of Oregon Steven M. Cohen, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Robert L. Cohn, Lafayette College Lynn Davidman, University of Kansas Natalie Zemon Davis, Princeton University Nathaniel Deutsch, University of California-Santa Cruz Maureen Dewan, Fairfield University Hasia Diner , New York University Leonard Dinnerstein, University of Arizona Lois Dubin, Smith College Deborah Dwork, Clark University John Efron, University of California-Berkeley Peter Eisenstadt, Rochester , NY Judith Laikin Elkin, University of Michigan Todd Endelman, University of Michigan Marc Michael Epstein, Vassar College Amir Eshel, Stanford University Sidra DeKoven Ezrahi, Hebrew University Ayala Fader, Fordham University Marcia Falk, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley Amy Feinstein, Colgate University Marjorie N. Feld, Babson College Yael Feldman, New York University John Felstiner, Stanford University Kirsten Fermaglich, Michigan State University David Fishman, Jewish Theological Seminary Hilene Flanzbaum, Butler University Daniel E. Fleming, New York University Harriet Freidenreich, Temple University Lewis Fried, Kent State University Kathie Friedman, University of Washington Jay Geller, Vanderbilt University Judith Gerson, Rutgers University Abigail Gillman, Boston University Amelia Glaser, University of California - San Diego Susan Glenn, University of Washington Ann Goldberg, University of California , Riverside Judith L. Goldstein, Vassar College Lynn D. Gordon, University of Rochester Michael Gottsegen, Brown University Lisa D. Grant, Hebrew Union College Deborah Green, University of Oregon Cheryl Greenberg, Trinity College Daniel Greene, The Newberry Library Frederick E. Greenspahn, Florida Atlantic University Atina Grossmann, Cooper Union Janet Hadda, UCLA Mitchell Hart, University of Florida Rachel Havrelock, University of Illinois at Chicago Joel Hecker, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College Kathryn Hellerstein, University of Pennsylvania Ronald Hendel, University of California -- Berkeley Deborah Hertz, University of California - San Diego Daniel Herwitz, University of Michigan Susannah Heschel, Dartmouth College Marianne Hirsch, Columbia University Anne Golomb Hoffman, Fordham University Joshua Holo, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Paula Hyman, Yale University Tali E. Hyman, Hebrew Union College Miriam Isaacs, University of Maryland - College Park Susan Jacobowitz, Queensborough Community College , CUNY Jack Jacobs, The Graduate Center , City University of New York Matthew Jacobson, Yale University Robin Judd, Ohio State University S. Tamar Kamionkowski, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College Brett Ashley Kaplan, University of Illinois Marion Kaplan, New York University Samuel D. Kassow, Trinity College Ira Katznelson, Columbia University Ellie Kellman, Brandeis University Ari Y. Kelman, University of California -- Davis Carole S. Kessner, SUNY Stony Brook Ann Kirschner, Macaulay Honors College , CUNY Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblet, New York University Rebecca Kobrin, Columbia University Madeline Kochen, University of Michigan Ross S. Kraemer, Brown University David Krikun, SUNY-New Paltz Hartley Lachter, Muhlenberg College Lisa Lampert-Weissig, University of California , San Diego Berel Lang, Wesleyan University Lisa Moses Leff, Southwestern University Erica Lehrer, Concordia University Paul Lerner, University of Southern California Jeffrey Lesser, Emory University Mark Leuchter, Temple University Adriane Leveen, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Andrea Levine, George Washington University Daniel Levine, The Johns Hopkins University Michael G. Levine, Rutgers University Laura S. Levitt, Temple University Rhoda G. Lewin, Minneapolis , MN Andrea Lieber, Dickinson College Olga Litvak, Clark University Maud Mandel, Brown University Barbara Mann, Jewish Theological Seminary Jessica Marglin, Princeton University Mary McCune, SUNY-Oswego Ezra Mendelsohn, Hebrew University Keren R. McGinity, University of Michigan Tony Michels, University of Wisconsin-Madison Joel S. Migdal, University of Washington Nancy K. Miller, City University of New York Deborah Dash Moore , University of Michigan Regina Morantz-Sanchez, University of Michigan Leslie Morris, University of Minnesota Kenneth Moss, The Johns Hopkins University Andrea Most, University of Toronto David N. Myers, UCLA Stanley Nash, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Anita Norich, University of Michigan Saul M. Olyan, Brown University Annelise Orleck, Dartmouth College Avinoam Patt, University of Hartford Ilan Peleg, Lafayette College Derek J. Penslar, University of Toronto Noam Pianko, University of Washington Annie Polland, Lang College , The New School Riv-Ellen Prell, University of Minnesota Dana Rabin, History, University of Illinois Sanford Ragins, Occidental College Marc Lee Raphael, College of William and Mary Michael A. Riff, Ramapo College Meri-Jane Rochelson, Florida International University Aron Rodrigue, Stanford University Jordan D. Rosenblum, University of Wisconsin-Madison Dale Rosengarten, College of Charleston Michael Rothberg, University of Illinois Joel Rubin, University of Virginia David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania Marina Rustow, Emory University S.I. Salamensky, UCLA Jack Salzman, Hunter College , CUNY Seth L. Sanders, Trinity College Marianne Sanua, Florida Atlantic University Ray Scheindlin, Jewish Theological Seminary Ellen Schiff , Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Jonathan Schofer, Harvard University Esther Schor, Princeton University Joshua Schreier, Vassar College Seth Schwartz, Jewish Theological Seminary Naomi Seidman, Graduate Theological Seminary Robert M. Seltzer, Hunter College , CUNY Ann R. Shapiro, Farmingdale State College Jeffrey S. Shoulson, University of Miami David Silver, University of Delaware Jonathan Skolnik, University of Massachusetts - Amherst Mark Slobin, Wesleyan University Mark S. Smith, New York University Naomi Sokoloff, University of Washington Gerald Sorin, SUNY-New Paltz Daniel Soyer, Fordham University Michael F. Stanislawski, Columbia University Arlene Stein, Rutgers University Richard L. Stein, University of Oregon Sarah Abrevaya Stein, UCLA Michael P. Steinberg, Brown University Michael Steinlauf, Gratz College Elsie Stern, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College Michael Stern, University Of Oregon Shelly Tenenbaum, Clark University David A. Teutsch Reconstructionist Rabbinical College Ellen M. Umansky, Fairfield University Agnes Veto, Vassar College Val Vinokur, Eugene Lang College/The New School Suzanne Wasserman, Gotham Center/CUNY Graduate Center Chava Weissler, Lehigh University Gary Weissman, University of Cincinnati Beth Wenger, University of Pennsylvania Stephen J. Whitfield, Brandeis University
