Op-Ed: On Being Orthodox and Pro-Obama

Sari Weintraub — November 1, 2012 – 11:08 am | Barack Obama | Election 2012 | Israel Comments (1) Add a comment

In an op-ed for Yeshiva University’s Commentator, Jonah Keyak explained why, as an Orthodox Jew, he supports President Obama, particularly with regards to “ensuring the safety of Israel, preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and protecting my religious freedoms.” Keyak wrote:

I want my president to have, as the 2012 Democratic Party platform states, ‘an unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security,’ and to be a person like President Obama who said ‘If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I’m going to do everything in my power to stop that.’ Now, we know that ‘it is not what one says, but rather what one does,’ that is important (Mishna Avot, 1:17). The numbers say it all, and the President has given nearly $3 billion in military aid to Israel per year, the most financial aid that America has ever given to Israel during a President’s first term…

President Obama approved spending hundreds of millions of dollars to support Israel’s short-range rocket defense system, Iron Dome, showing the American people how much he values the lives of Israelis who live within rocket range of terrorists. This system has saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. I am personally grateful to the President, not only for potentially saving my life, but also for enabling me to learn Torah in Israel, at the Yeshiva of my choice…

We also commend President Obama’s strong statements of support for Israel and his Administration’s commitment to Israel’s security.” Mitt Romney often says the ‘right things’ about Israel while in Israel, but given his history of flip-flopping and saying anything to get elected, I do not have much faith in his ability to defend Israel in an effective manner.

My next concern involves America assisting Israel in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Spearheading the harshest sanctions that Iran has ever faced, President Obama risked America’s economy for the sake of Israel and demanded that Iran’s central bank be cut off from the global economy. With little economic backlash for America, the President was overwhelmingly successful in critically damaging Iran’s economy. The President enacted economic walls, which have cornered Iran and successfully burdened its economy, to ensure that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, ‘For the first time, I see Iran wobble under the sanctions that have been adopted and especially under the threat of strong sanctions on their central bank.’ And Israeli President Shimon Peres said, ‘The United States and Israel share the same goal, to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. There is no space between us…’ (JTA January 4th 2011) On top of these sanctions, President Obama is currently preparing, with Israel, a plan to militarily disable Iran’s nuclear plants, if needed. The President has said multiple times that every option is on the table, including a military strike…

As an Orthodox Jew voting in the upcoming elections, I will support President Obama… Shkoyach, Mr. President.

Click here to read the entire op-ed.

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