My new article on Linkedin “What Trump’s Comeback Would Mean to Israel”

If U.S. presidential elections were held today, former president Donald Trump would return to the White House, according to a recent Rasmussen Reports survey. If such a forecast were to become a reality, we might assume that Israel would recover a friend. However, this actualization would entirely depend on Jews themselves.

The poor handling of the illegal immigration crisis and the messy U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan are some of the factors attributed to American’s disapproval of President Joe Biden. 58% of likely U.S. voters disapprove the President’s job performance, while just 40% evaluate it positively, based on the new poll. The survey also predicts a Trump victory in 2024 if he runs for president against Joe Biden or Kamala Harris.

The recent failed push from the Progressive Aisle within the Democratic party to halt U.S. assistance to Israel to help fund the critical Iron Dome defense system was a clear warning of the antisemitic interest to wipe Israel off the map. Moreover, we cannot and must not ignore the rise of antisemitism and anti-Israeli sentiment in America which is evident in social media, in politics, and at schools and universities.

Back in 2005, when I was visiting the United States, I tried to warn of just such a scenario. I lectured at one of the universities and argued with Jews who filled the hall about the fact that America had a bad future, and that antisemitism would raise its head to a height that would not fall short of Germany’s hatred on the eve of World War II. They refused to heed my warnings. “Your predictions cannot be. We have strong organizations. We are admired by everyone.” They looked at me with total incredulity.

Nine years later, in 2014, I went back and again tried to speak to their hearts. The hatred towards Jews was already brewing, it could be felt, but I perceived the same indifference in them. To this day, most Jews are still ardent supporters of President Biden, not grasping the array of forces hostile to Israel that stand behind him. At least half of the country, with remarkable support from American Jews, chose a Democratic Administration. That’s what they chose, that’s what they got.

The root of the problem is that Jews are not clever. We keep asking ourselves why there are so many blows against us? We do not realize that we bring this upon ourselves by being such short-sighted people. We love our haters and despise our friends, throwing them away and distancing ourselves from them. So it is no wonder we find ourselves in states of constant turbulence and unpleasant situations.

Why is it that American Jews did not support Trump’s reelection? Who was better for Israel than him? Do we really think that the Left will guarantee our existence for the future? It does not guarantee anything; to the contrary, we are digging our own grave.

The Torah speaks of Jewish stubbornness when it refers to the people of Israel as a, “stiff-necked people” (Exodus 32:9.) Our growing ego rules us with a strong hand and an outstretched arm.

It’s a paradox: we can be wise people, with a sharp mind, experts in science, economics, in every field we touch on, except one: spiritual corrections. When it comes to correcting the evil instinct—to convert it into a good instinct, willingly for the good of others—we fall into a deep numbness of the senses.

The ego makes us ignore that the world is a reflection of what happens in the relationships between ourselves. If we are united, we are perceived as a positive force in the world, and when the opposite is perceived, our apparent weakness causes predicaments to befall us.

Foremost Kabbalist, Rav Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes in his wonderful article “Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” that when we Jews are connected to each other above egoism, we radiate from the power of connection to all humanity. Whereas, when we are immersed in self-love and allow the evil instinct to prevail and separate us to the point of rejection and hatred, the result is the unleashing of negative forces upon us, the empowering of them to act against us.

The antisemitism that manifests both from the Right and from the Left, is the reflection of the hatred that exists between the factions of the people of Israel. What is happening between us permeates the whole world.

Therefore, we have but one goal: connection above all differences. Because only by uniting above all egoistic disagreements is it possible to evoke a higher power, a solid foundation on which the people of Israel are able to exist and sustain the world.

It is the Supreme force, the power of love that brings about the correction of egoism and balances hostility. And if we Jews will overcome our disputes it will resonate strongly to the world and finally neutralize the hatred as well. Therefore, the choice of Jews should be: become as one, close to one another above any personal consideration. By this, we will determine our fate and the right leader for Israel, America, and the entire world will appear accordingly.
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