I’ve attended AIPAC more than ten times.  Every time Palestinian rights were mentioned people applauded.  There are a range of views presented, left, right and center. This dismissal is unwarranted and unworthy. https://t.co/4yS08TS17L

— David Wolpe (@RabbiWolpe) February 24, 2020

To be for the Israeli people and to be for peace in the Middle East does not mean that we have to support right-wing, racist governments that currently exist in Israel. What American foreign policy has got to be about in the Middle East is bringing the Israelis, bring the Palestinians together under the banner of justice. We have the wealth to do it. It cannot just simply be that we’re just pro-Israel and we ignore the needs of the Palestinian people. We’ve got to pay attention to both

  -- US Senator, and [leading Democratic?] presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders

I can mostly accept much of what Sanders says and don't disagree. Supporting Israel does not mean supporting any specific party or supporting a specific PM specifically. Working to bring peace does not mean ignoring the Palestinians.

But when he calls the democratically elected government racist and talks about not supporting Israel because of it, that is not supporting Israel. Support for Israel as a potential US president should be regardless of who is leading the Israeli government and what the policies are. That does not mean ignoring the Palestinians, but support for Israel should be regardless of who heads the government. Disagreement of policy does not equal anti-Israel, and does not mean you cannot support Israel. Israel is a democratic state and foreign leadership needs to respect that its leaders and leadership are chosen by the people of Israel and not by who Bernie Sanders or any other candidate prefers.

weird but fascinating

Israelis like Trump...



and they don't feel the Bern

Bernie Sanders does not seem to be the type of person that draws much, if any, affection as a MOTT - Member Of The Tribe.

Sometimes we see Jews running for office or for some position, and many other Jews support that Jew for emotional reasons - he or she is a brother/sister,, and we look out for our own, we try to help, we want to see one of ours succeed.

From what I can tell, presidential-nominee candidate Bernie Sanders does not seem to draw that type of MOTT support. Plenty of people support him, either because he is not Clinton or because they support his ideas, but I haven't really seen people taking pride in him and supporting him just because he is a Jew. For better or for worse.

Personally, I have no sense or feeling to vote or support Sanders, just because he is a Jew, though I do watch with curiosity.

That being said, I am sort of happy that Bernie Sanders, the Jew, has made history with his win in New Hampshire yesterday. Bernie Sanders is the first Jew to ever win a primary in a presidential campaign. I might not want him to become President of the USA, but I am happy for the history he made yesterday.

I think Sanders should throw a kiddush in shul this week, to celebrate. I might even drink a lchaim in his honor..