Talk about with-friends-like-these-we-don't-need-enemies, what are American Jews to think about Israel's new best buddies, the American evangelicals?
On line to vote in 2016, I talked to a man I know, I can't say he's a friend, and he told me he was voting for Trump, and seeing my reaction, which I could not conceal, he explained, "Well, it's for Israel. Obama wasn't a friend. Hillary wouldn't be either. I have to vote for Israel."
He was Jewish, voting for Israel.
I couldn't help myself and blurted out, "But this election is about your country."
Most of the American Jews I know do not think like this guy.
They are appalled by what Israel is doing under Netanyahu, and think the Israelis are becoming the oppressors.
"Yeah, I get it," a Jewish friend told me, "Jews got led off to the ovens like sheep and from now on, we are going to shoot first and asked questions later. But at some point, you got to start asking the questions. Jews have done way too much shooting."
"Do you actually think of yourself as a Jew?" I asked him.
"Well, no," he replied. "I sort of forget about that. I mean, who gets up and says to himself, I'm Irish? I mean it's not like I kiss my Shiksa wife good-bye in the morning as I go off to work thinking, 'I'm a Jew.' But, you know, just when I completely forget about it, someone always reminds me."
President Trump flew over two evangelical ministers to speak at the opening of the American Embassy in Jerusalem. One is a Robert Jeffress, who has apparently repeatedly said, from the pulpit, that when the Messiah arrives and the earth and seas give up their dead and Judgment Day is at hand, Jews will go to Hell. (Well, unless they accept Jesus as their savior.) But this guy is a big Israel booster. Flown over at government expense.
"When that happens," my friend told me, "I'll consider my options."
The other evangelical pastor flown in on an American government plane was John C. Hagee, who had previously said that the Holocaust happened as part of God's plan to get Jews to leave Europe and go back to the land of Israel in preparation for the Second Coming.
Apparently, Rev. Hagee has God's private cell phone number and has asked him about the Holocaust, which, it must be admitted, shook the faith of many folks, Jews and Christians alike. But, apparently, there was an explanation all along.
"When the Messiah arrives in Israel," my friend says, "We'll ask him whether this is his first visit to Earth, or his second."
There is a wonderful scene in "Annie Hall" where Woody Allen is sitting at a dinner table with Annie's very WASPy relatives and Woody looks at Grandma Hall who is staring back at him and you see him as Woody imagines she sees him, with those awful sideburns Orthodox Jews have and with that black hat they wear.
Most American Jews I know cringe at the idea others will look at them and see them that way. There have always been things American Jews do not like about being seen as Jewish. Now, apparently, Israel is added to that list.
On line to vote in 2016, I talked to a man I know, I can't say he's a friend, and he told me he was voting for Trump, and seeing my reaction, which I could not conceal, he explained, "Well, it's for Israel. Obama wasn't a friend. Hillary wouldn't be either. I have to vote for Israel."
He was Jewish, voting for Israel.
I couldn't help myself and blurted out, "But this election is about your country."
Most of the American Jews I know do not think like this guy.
They are appalled by what Israel is doing under Netanyahu, and think the Israelis are becoming the oppressors.
"Yeah, I get it," a Jewish friend told me, "Jews got led off to the ovens like sheep and from now on, we are going to shoot first and asked questions later. But at some point, you got to start asking the questions. Jews have done way too much shooting."
"Do you actually think of yourself as a Jew?" I asked him.
"Well, no," he replied. "I sort of forget about that. I mean, who gets up and says to himself, I'm Irish? I mean it's not like I kiss my Shiksa wife good-bye in the morning as I go off to work thinking, 'I'm a Jew.' But, you know, just when I completely forget about it, someone always reminds me."
President Trump flew over two evangelical ministers to speak at the opening of the American Embassy in Jerusalem. One is a Robert Jeffress, who has apparently repeatedly said, from the pulpit, that when the Messiah arrives and the earth and seas give up their dead and Judgment Day is at hand, Jews will go to Hell. (Well, unless they accept Jesus as their savior.) But this guy is a big Israel booster. Flown over at government expense.
"When that happens," my friend told me, "I'll consider my options."
The other evangelical pastor flown in on an American government plane was John C. Hagee, who had previously said that the Holocaust happened as part of God's plan to get Jews to leave Europe and go back to the land of Israel in preparation for the Second Coming.
Apparently, Rev. Hagee has God's private cell phone number and has asked him about the Holocaust, which, it must be admitted, shook the faith of many folks, Jews and Christians alike. But, apparently, there was an explanation all along.
"When the Messiah arrives in Israel," my friend says, "We'll ask him whether this is his first visit to Earth, or his second."
There is a wonderful scene in "Annie Hall" where Woody Allen is sitting at a dinner table with Annie's very WASPy relatives and Woody looks at Grandma Hall who is staring back at him and you see him as Woody imagines she sees him, with those awful sideburns Orthodox Jews have and with that black hat they wear.
Most American Jews I know cringe at the idea others will look at them and see them that way. There have always been things American Jews do not like about being seen as Jewish. Now, apparently, Israel is added to that list.
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