Jexodus: Are Jews Leaving the Democrat Party?

 

Finally. The news is coming out that efforts, although small ones, are being made by Jews to break away from the Democrat party. Most of those activities are happening within the Orthodox Jewish community, but they are vocal and excited, wearing MAGA hats and celebrating Donald Trump.

One of those organizations is the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) . The organization has existed since the early 20th century:

Today, the National Council of Young Israel provides professional advice and cost-saving initiatives to 135 Young Israel synagogues (and beyond), advocates for the interests and views of our 25,000 member families, trains aspiring rabbis, supports rabbis in the field with bi-weekly question and answer sessions, aides communities with rabbinic searches and relations, and coordinates informative conference calls for gabbaim [financial managers].

On March 31, 2019, the organization held a New York City gala. The purpose of the organization resonates with the young and the old:

Iris Maidenbaum, 60, is not a member of a local Young Israel congregation, but appreciates the group’s vocal support of Israel.‘We’re not signed up because of any particular political affiliation, but we’re in agreement with many of the policies, at this point probably most of the policies, on Israel and on other things,’ she said. ‘But particularly, our concern is the security and the advancement of the State of Israel.’

For others, the bond between Orthodox Judaism and Trump hit home. Zachary Silver, 25, a conservative activist who managed the contingent of about 125 young professionals at the dinner, believes that Jews who become more traditionally observant will gravitate toward the Republican Party.

‘The Republican Party right now and the conservatives are the most pro-God movement of my life, honestly,’ said Silver, who also wore a Trump kippah. ‘The liberal party, the leftist party, the Democrats, especially here and in Israel, they’re socialist, they’re anti-God, they don’t have true values.’

Trump has attracted Orthodox Jews after selecting a man who has supported Israeli settlements as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel; he has also moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, removed the U.S. from the Iranian deal, and most recently supported Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

There is another conservative Jewish group that has emerged. President Trump referred to it in a tweet, claiming that “Jewish people are leaving the Democratic Party.” Although the Jexodus website appears to have been taken down, The Daily Wire provides background about the group. The founder, Jeff Ballabon, has been involved in Republican politics for a long time, and attacked Ilhan Omar:

‘I’m going to say it, she is filth,’ Ballabon said. ‘She has no place in Congress, she has no place in the Foreign Affairs committee.’

Whether his extreme language will be helpful or not, time will tell. One colleague, such as Elizabeth Pipko, makes a good case for leaving the Democrat Party after Ilhan Omar’s latest remarks:

I mean, the scariest part obviously was not the original anti-Semitism. It was the lack of leadership coming into play when they were supposed to come into play and condemn what happened and they failed, so not only did the anti-Semitism that started with Ilhan Omar get worse and worse … but when the leadership fails to condemn that, it shows they are a party of anti-Semitism.

Finally, there is an organization that works more in the background: the Republican Jewish Coalition founded in 1985. It has offices all over the country and lobbies on Capitol Hill. “On every level, the Republican Jewish Coalition is committed to building a strong, effective, and respected Jewish Republican voice in Washington and across the country.” The energy created by all these groups and activities can make a difference. Still, changing the minds of Progressive Jews will be difficult:

While Republicans have made significant inroads in the Jewish community in recent years, Jews continue to vote overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates in presidential elections. Hillary Clinton received 71% of the Jewish vote in 2016, and 79% of Jews voted for Democrats in the 2018 midterms.

If the Democrats continue to allow anti-Semitism to be voiced without objections, they will be designing their own dark future.

I’m hoping that at least some Jews will finally take notice.

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  1. Bethany Mandel Coolidge
    Bethany Mandel
    @bethanymandel

    Outside of the 10% of Orthodox Jews, who don’t all vote Republican, the Jewish vote isn’t going anywhere.

    • #31
  2. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jon1979 (View Comment):
    It will be ugly, but fascinating, especially in areas like business and pop culture media, where you have many prominent Jewish Democratic supporters. It’s hard to see the business people hanging on for very long, if the Democrats’ official party rhetoric stops being generally anti-capitalist and starts being specifically anti rich Jewish capitalists, but the Hollywood and New York entertainment types might hold out a little longer, either because they just don’t know any better or think their celebrity will give them an exemption from attack.

    The entertainment industry has already attacked many Conservatives in their profession. Adding a focus on Jews should be relatively easy. My hope is that there might be people in the industry who will finally speak up about this hatred. Then again, maybe not.

    • #32
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Podkayne of Israel (View Comment):

    One of the many reasons I decided to make my own life in Israel was because I thought the majority of American Jewry were hopelessly deluded and beyond my ability to influence or rescue. “Jexit”, or whatever, isn’t going to have much impact on the lethally flawed and fatal ideology to which so many of them cling.

    You may be right, @podkayneofisrael, but it won’t stop me from hoping and trying! ;-) I think we just have to do it with our eyes wide open.

    • #33
  4. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Bethany Mandel (View Comment):

    Outside of the 10% of Orthodox Jews, who don’t all vote Republican, the Jewish vote isn’t going anywhere.

    There’s some thinking that Liberal Jewish communities are disappearing and they are being replaced by Orthodox, @bethanymandel. See this article. 

    I also remember reading some time back that some Jews are beginning to adopt more traditional rites and practices. I don’t know if that translates into more conservative values, say in Conservative Jewish communities, but I’ll have to explore that possibility.

    • #34
  5. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jon1979 (View Comment):
    It will be ugly, but fascinating, especially in areas like business and pop culture media, where you have many prominent Jewish Democratic supporters. It’s hard to see the business people hanging on for very long, if the Democrats’ official party rhetoric stops being generally anti-capitalist and starts being specifically anti rich Jewish capitalists, but the Hollywood and New York entertainment types might hold out a little longer, either because they just don’t know any better or think their celebrity will give them an exemption from attack.

    The entertainment industry has already attacked many Conservatives in their profession. Adding a focus on Jews should be relatively easy. My hope is that there might be people in the industry who will finally speak up about this hatred. Then again, maybe not.

    The difference here would be to attack Jews in the executive positions in the entertainment business would be to go after the studios themselves, as opposed to just picking off an individual actor or two for thinking bad thoughts (you might have to go back to Ted Ashley running Warner Brothers to find the last top studio exec who openly contributed to Republican causes).

    Those execs, especially the ones running companies co-owned with cable or broadcast outlets, are probably less likely to roll over and surrender their careers in order to become the Emanuel Goldsteins of the new narrative. They’re more likely to fight back, though at the actor/writer/director level, I wouldn’t be shocked to see people confess to thought crimes, because they can’t imagine themselves leaving the Democratic Party no matter how openly anti-Semitic it might get.

    • #35
  6. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Midget Faded Rattlesnake (View Comment):
    It isn’t so hard to see how that could be uncharitably interpreted as supporting “white nationalism”.

    As Tucker Carlson has pointed out: “White nationalism” is just a trope to invigorate the lost effectiveness of “racism” from its overuse. When he does his bit by splicing the repetition of the DNC talking points together from the multiple (but not varied) MSM commenters, it becomes obvious that this is next try at The Big Lie.

    • #36
  7. Kay of MT Inactive
    Kay of MT
    @KayofMT

    Podkayne of Israel (View Comment):
    I decided to make my own life in Israel

    I would have done the same, except for finances.

    • #37
  8. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    This is the best explanation I have heard about this.  

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5IqH7oJ9h4

    • #38
  9. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Fake John/Jane Galt (View Comment):

    This is the best explanation I have heard about this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5IqH7oJ9h4

    It is a very good description. Ben Shapiro is always impressive. My hope (however futile it might be) is that Leftist Jews who see Leftism as a religion will begin to respond to the cognitive dissonance: the anti-Semitism of the Dems and also the emptiness of a G-dless practice.

    • #39
  10. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    They wore MAGA hats at the gala mentioned in the OP, but these were available, too:

    What a nice tribute!

    • #40
  11. RyanFalcone Member
    RyanFalcone
    @RyanFalcone

    The key here is that not only are Jewish folks looking to the Republicans but blacks are becoming more favorable to him as are Latinos. OK, I’m talking about various groups that are very much in the Dem camp and the exodus is likely in the single digits as a percentage of each demographic. However, the story here is that aside from educated, white, suburban, women, every demographic is trending positively for the Republicans under Trump. If the trend continues through November 2020, Trump wins again.

    • #41
  12. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    RyanFalcone (View Comment):

    The key here is that not only are Jewish folks looking to the Republicans but blacks are becoming more favorable to him as are Latinos. OK, I’m talking about various groups that are very much in the Dem camp and the exodus is likely in the single digits as a percentage of each demographic. However, the story here is that aside from educated, white, suburban, women, every demographic is trending positively for the Republicans under Trump. If the trend continues through November 2020, Trump wins again.

    Excellent! I hadn’t thought of looking at the cumulative effect. Thanks, @ryanfalcone!

    • #42
  13. Dave Sussman Member
    Dave Sussman
    @DaveSussman

    Great post Susan.

    For those on Facebook, there are a couple of Jexodus groups.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/607729589722698/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/318448882145454/

    • #43
  14. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Dave Sussman (View Comment):

    Great post Susan.

    For those on Facebook, there are a couple of Jexodus groups.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/607729589722698/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/318448882145454/

    Thanks, @davesussman! I’m not on facebook but others are!

    • #44
  15. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    Problem with the initial attempt to post the comment. Sorry 🤦‍♂️

    • #45
  16. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    I disagree.

    The immediate and secondary effects would marginalize the Democrats.

    First, the Dems lose funding.

    Then they lose cover. The party can no longer hide its anti-Semitsm. For the non-Jewish white elite, all of a sudden the party is unfashionable. They lose their illusion of moral superiority over Republicans.

    True if and only if antisemitism remains unfashionable.  It may be becoming fashionable again, though I hope I’m wrong.

    • #46
  17. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    My hope (however futile it might be) is that Leftist Jews who see Leftism as a religion will begin to respond to the cognitive dissonance: the anti-Semitism of the Dems and also the emptiness of a G-dless practice.

    @susanquinn, it seems to me that if a Leftist Jew is secular then he/she has made Leftism a religion and will not notice emptiness in a G-dless practice. Anti-semitism in that circumstance will mean nothing if not seen as a personal attack.

     

    • #47
  18. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Rodin (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    My hope (however futile it might be) is that Leftist Jews who see Leftism as a religion will begin to respond to the cognitive dissonance: the anti-Semitism of the Dems and also the emptiness of a G-dless practice.

    @susanquinn, it seems to me that if a Leftist Jew is secular then he/she has made Leftism a religion and will not notice emptiness in a G-dless practice. Anti-semitism in that circumstance will mean nothing if not seen as a personal attack.

     

    Maybe so, @rodin. There are many people who return to their religions for a multitude of reasons, and at least some of them sense the loneliness in their lives, the absence of spirit.

    • #48
  19. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Rodin (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    My hope (however futile it might be) is that Leftist Jews who see Leftism as a religion will begin to respond to the cognitive dissonance: the anti-Semitism of the Dems and also the emptiness of a G-dless practice.

    @susanquinn, it seems to me that if a Leftist Jew is secular then he/she has made Leftism a religion and will not notice emptiness in a G-dless practice. Anti-semitism in that circumstance will mean nothing if not seen as a personal attack.

     

    The problem for them long-range is they may consider themselves more tied to the cause of progressivism than they are to Judaism, but the anti-Seimites they at least tactically embrace won’t really care about that if there’s ever a split over some issue. If it comes time to try and make that person into an Enemy of the State, they will be Jewish, if that helps their opponent of the moment to demonize them.

    • #49
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