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(Photo from Flash90)

J Street endorses Harris
The Oct. 11 issue of the Chronicle has two interesting, contrasting opinion pieces: Rabbi Jamie Gibson’s, urging that we vote for Kamala Harris as an expression of our Jewish values, and Abby Schachter’s, urging that we vote for Donald Trump to keep ourselves safe and support Israel.

National J Street has endorsed Kamala Harris for President. J Street Pittsburgh heartily seconds this endorsement.

First, we cannot emphasize enough, as Rabbi Gibson points out, the Biden-Harris administration has supported Israel very strongly and continues to do so.

Second, it’s an illusion that Donald Trump will keep us safe. He has aligned himself with J.D. Vance and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and with Christian nationalists. He has consorted with out-and-out antisemites. John Bolton, who was his national security advisor, said, “In no arena of American affairs has the Trump aberration been more destructive than in national security. His short attention span (except on matters of personal advantage) renders coherent foreign policy almost unattainable.”

Vance might easily become president, given Trump’s age and the possibility that he is experiencing or will experience cognitive decline. Vance appeared in Monroeville with Lance Wallnau, a self-described “apostle” who is a leader of the “Seven Mountain Mandate,” which says Christians are called to dominate seven key areas of society: government, family, religion, arts and entertainment, media, education and business. Vance has espoused “replacement theory” (the idea that immigrants are being encouraged to replace the right kind of people in our population — it’s originally a French idea). In 2023 Kennedy mused that the COVID-19 virus might have been developed to target Caucasians and Black people: “The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.” Do we need this?

As Rabbi Gibson points out, Trump recently put a target on our backs — and not for the first time. The Pittsburgh synagogue murders were committed by a man who was whipped up by the then-president’s constant decrying of a “caravan” of migrants from the south headed toward our border and who found that a refugee Shabbat was planned in the building.
Finally, Trump cannot be relied on to continue any course except possibly self-dealing. Did he build the wall? Did Mexico pay for it? Did he produce something better than Obamacare? On Sept. 26, the New York Times published statements from 91 people who served in Trump’s administration or businesses —and even family members. Cumulatively they paint a picture of a man who has difficulty focusing, is easily manipulated and who thinks only of his own interests.

For all these reasons and more, we urge a vote for Harris. We don’t have to lose our soul, our nefesh Yehudi, to preserve Israel.

Mark Fichman, Orly Aridor, Meir Aridor, Nancy Bernstein, Edward J. Feinstein, Josh Fleitman, Malke Frank, Aidan Jelinek, Dennis Jett, Gil Schneider, Arlene Weiner, Fred Zuhlke and Ronnie Cook Zuhlke
J Street Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania ‘deserves better representation’ than Casey
Bob Casey Jr. is a legacy politician. He was elected to the Senate years ago on the strength of his father’s reputation. Bob Casey Sr. was a powerful politician: governor, state senator and a passionately anti-abortion and pro-Second Amendment advocate.

Bob Casey Jr. has shown little passion. He consistently votes the party line. In the past term, he has voted the Biden/Harris agenda 98.5% of the time. That bland record has stood him well, but that was before Oct. 7.

The Hamas attack and its aftermath of rising antisemitism in Pennsylvania and elsewhere requires more than blind acquiescence from our elected leaders.

In the Chronicle’s article, (“Sen. Bob Casey stresses support for Israel during ‘Coffee and Conversations,’” Oct. 11), we learn that Casey endorsed Rep. Summer Lee, an antisemitic, anti-Zionist member of “the Squad.” When asked if he would withdraw his endorsement in light of Lee’s Oct. 7 anniversary statement, in which she blamed Israel for the brutal Hamas attack, Casey said: “I realize some want me to get involved in other races. I’ve got a race for the United States Senate and I’m concentrating on earning the vote of our people.”

News flash: Casey, you’ve already gotten involved by endorsing Summer Lee.

His statement reveals him to be just another party hack.

I guess some will say, “Well he co-sponsored the ‘Antisemitism Awareness Act’” and he hopes to get the bill voted on “before the end of the year.” Really. That act was passed by the House in March. Schumer won’t bring the bill to the floor for a vote, and after 17 years in the Senate, Bob Casey Jr. should know the ins and outs of the legislative process.
We Jews, as well as all voters in Pennsylvania, deserve better representation in the Senate than that provided by Bob Casey Jr.

Georgia Atkin
Pittsburgh

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