Shabbos Kestenbaum, a lifelong Democrat and progressive Jewish activist, made headlines on the American Jewish Republican Coalition by asserting his assist for former President Donald Trump within the upcoming presidential election.
Kestenbaum’s determination to assist Trump marks a big departure from his earlier voting historical past; he famous that he didn’t assist Trump in 2016 or 2020.
But, after witnessing the neglect of the Democrat institution, he felt compelled to take motion.
Throughout his speech, Kestenbaum recounted his experiences on the Democratic Nationwide Conference (DNC), the place he witnessed protests that included demonstrators waving Hezbollah flags and calling for solidarity with Hamas.
He criticized Biden for failing to adequately condemn these actions, stating that Biden’s acknowledgment of the protesters’ grievances undermined the protection and dignity of Jewish attendees.
Kestenbaum emphasised that he had reached out to Democratic leaders, together with Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer and Home Judiciary Rating Member Jerry Nadler, looking for assist for measures to fight anti-Semitism on faculty campuses.
Regardless of his efforts, he reported feeling ignored and marginalized by these in energy.
“I’m not eager to vote for a Republican this 12 months. I’ve remained dedicated to altering the Democratic Occasion from inside. I intentionally attended the Democratic Nationwide Conference with an open thoughts.
Though protesters outdoors of the DNC harassed Chicago law enforcement officials, waved Hezbollah flags, held indicators studying “We stand with Hamas,” and threatened to beat up Jewish counterprotestors, President Biden selected not solely to sentence this habits however used his speech to announce that the protesters outdoors on the streets “have a degree.”
The day after my speech on the Republican Nationwide Conference, I instructed the nationwide media and Democratic Occasion officers that I and different progressive Jewish college students combating for his or her civil rights on faculty campuses can be honored to provide an analogous tackle on the Democratic Conference, the place we’d really feel extra at dwelling. No provide was ever accepted.
Though Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer was proud to inform the viewers on the DNC how he stands as much as hate, the bipartisan Anti-Semitism Consciousness Act, which might alleviate issues for Jewish college students on faculty campuses, has but to obtain a flooring vote within the Senate.
That could be a direct results of Chuck Schumer and the Democratic management within the Senate. It will likely be tough for me to neglect Home Judiciary Rating Member Jerry Nadler falling asleep as I gave private testimony of my expertise with anti-Semitism.
Throughout our Congressional Roundtable with the Home Committee on Training, Rating Member Democrat Bobby Scott equally used the chance to criticize Home Republicans for specializing in anti-Semitism. The overwhelming majority of Democrats on that committee didn’t present up.
It was painful to look at my very own Democratic elected officers, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamal Bowman, and Ayanna Pressley—who I voted for in 2020—come to Harvard, Columbia, and different campuses to point out solidarity with encampment leaders, the identical leaders who adopted me for 3 weeks on my option to class and recorded my actions.
I don’t wish to say these items publicly as a result of I wish to work in a bipartisan style. However with the election in lower than 60 days, I can’t stay silent.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson and Home Methods and Means Chairman Jason Smith have actively sought to satisfy with me and different Jewish college students to debate sensible coverage options.
Hakeem Jeffries, the Home Minority Chief, has not. I can rely on one hand the Democrats who’ve achieved the identical. I repeatedly inspired the White Home to satisfy with Jewish faculty college students to debate the disaster of anti-Semitism on our campus. I by no means obtained a response.
It’s no secret that Harvard College, in its bid to disclaim Jewish college students the fairness and justice they deserve, is hoping for a Democratic takeover of the Home in order that Speaker Johnson’s investigation into anti-Semitism will stop.
Simply this month, Home Republicans despatched letters to 10 high-profile schools asking for particular particulars on what measures or insurance policies are being applied for Jewish college students. Not one Democrat signed these letters.
The present administration, opposite to our urging, has not mobilized the Division of Justice, the Nationwide Guard, or the Division of Training in any significant approach.
I didn’t wish to say these items for 10 months as a result of I hoped my social gathering would change. I’ve tried to seem non-partisan or bipartisan.
The truth is, opposite to the Trump marketing campaign and RNC officers, I ad-libbed a good portion of my speech on the RNC, eradicating any express endorsement of Donald Trump as a result of I needed to point out the Democratic Occasion that they need to assist Jewish college students.
Nonetheless, elections are binary selections. On this zero-sum recreation of electoral politics, I can’t, for the primary time since I began voting—although I registered as a Democrat at 18—assist the Democratic nominee for President.
Final week, the Trump marketing campaign invited me and different faculty college students to sit down entrance row as President Trump not solely condemned anti-Semitism but additionally outlined insurance policies to fight it. I’ve repeatedly requested the Harris marketing campaign to do the identical. The Harris marketing campaign has not provided any insurance policies or invites to Jewish college students.
These commonsense insurance policies embrace deporting non-American college students who break American regulation, withholding federal funds, and denying accreditation to universities that violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
In addition they embrace a robust stance in opposition to anti-Semitic, anti-American indoctrination in range, fairness, and inclusion applications, and an ironclad dedication to Israel’s safety, together with the return of American hostages at any value.
None of those insurance policies are a part of the Harris marketing campaign platform. This led to a complicated atmosphere on the DNC, the place many Jewish attendees, myself included, obtained contradictory data from marketing campaign surrogates.
Would Harris rejoin the Iranian nuclear deal or not? How would she return American hostages when Hamas has rejected a ceasefire? What insurance policies would she implement to fight anti-Semitism? We obtained no clear solutions.
So, I’d like to shut by talking on to the American folks. I didn’t assist Trump in 2016. I didn’t assist Trump in 2020. I didn’t assist Trump six months in the past.
However let me let you know this: on October seventh, the US and Israel started battling their enemies by air, sea, and land. We, Jewish People, have a special, but equally essential, battle. We’ll battle our adversaries within the streets, within the courts, in public opinion, in academia, and in Congress. And we are going to battle them on the poll field.
The Democratic Occasion has taken the Jewish vote with no consideration for a lot too lengthy. This November, I will likely be supporting, endorsing, and voting for President Trump. Let’s battle and let’s win this November.”
In one other put up on X, they wrote, “Lastly, I’d prefer to publicly name out the Jewish Democratic Council of America for completely failing us loyal Democratic Jews. Your management needs to be completely changed and I’d be glad to assist lead younger Jewish Dems in a brand new route. Trump is on observe to obtain probably the most Jewish votes since Eisenhower and also you’ve achieved nothing to assist. The Democratic Majority for Israel is a terrific organziation that has been doing actual floor work and I applaud them for standing up for us!”
