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NYC Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang denounces BDS in op-ed:
What happened? Last week, former presidential candidate and current New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang wrote an op-ed in Forward laying out his vision for New York City’s Jewish community. Yang–who many consider the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination–outlined his connection to the Jewish experience, views on the boycott, divest, and sanctions (BDS) movement, and antisemitism in his piece, which you can read here.
Andrew Yang. Source: Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore
What did he say? Here are some highlights from the piece:
On his connection to the Jewish experience: “Jewish immigrants who overcame extraordinary odds and persecution in Europe, including but not limited to the Holocaust, were once again tested in the United States. But the community persisted and has achieved remarkable success in all areas of American society, all the while maintaining a deep communal commitment to social justice and family. That story resonates deeply for me. My parents immigrated from Taiwan, where my dad grew up with dirt floors on a peanut farm. I’m so proud they made it here, and that I have had opportunities my parents once thought weren’t possible for their children. American Jews showed families like mine the possibilities that existed here.”
On antisemitism: “We need to do a better job at guarding against all hate crimes, including antisemitic ones. The NYPD, in conjunction with federal authorities, must focus on rooting out hate and gun crimes rather than nonviolent offenses. But not all hate crimes are committed by organized neo-Nazis. We need to build better relationships between different neighborhoods throughout the city.”
On BDS: “A Yang administration will push back against the BDS movement, which singles out Israel for unfair economic punishment. Not only is BDS rooted in antisemitic thought and history, hearkening back to fascist boycotts of Jewish businesses, it’s also a direct shot at New York City’s economy.” (Some have taken issue with Yang’s comparison of BDS to Nazi Germany)
On circumcision: “I will not get in the way of anyone’s right to circumcise their children and maintain the traditions of their faith. I have and always will attend friends’ brissim to celebrate this important religious milestone in the life of their new children.” (Yang notoriously embraced anti-circumcision activism during his presidential campaign)
How have people reacted? Just after Forward published the op-ed, figures across the political spectrum weighed in on his positions. Here are a couple of examples:
Democratic Majority for Israel: “A powerful op-ed from [Andrew Yang] recognizing the vibrancy of NYC's historic immigrant communities, emphasizing the importance of strong U.S.-Israel ties, and opposing BDS, which he notes is ‘rooted in antisemitic thought and history.’”
Adalah Justice Project: “This is simply wrong. [Andrew Yang] misrepresents BDS to pander for Jewish votes. BDS is a Palestinian call for the international community to boycott Israeli state institutions and businesses until Israel respects international law and gives Palestinians basic freedoms. It is not a boycott of Jews. To say so is antisemitic. There is nothing Jewish about military occupation, brutal siege, and bombing.”
Further reading: https://www.jewishpoliticalguide.com/senators/andrew-yang/
Jewish television icon Larry King passes away:
What happened? In case you missed it, legendary television host Larry King passed away last week. Known for his interviews, Larry King, who was born Lawrence Zeiger, hosted his talk show on CNN between 1985 and 2010. King claimed at one point that he had interviewed over 50,000 people, which includes every president since Gerald Ford and other prominent figures ranging from the Dalai Lama to Jerry Seinfeld.
How did Larry King feel about his Judaism? I highly recommend you check out this article Jewish Journal put together about Larry King’s contribution to the book “I Am Jewish: Personal Reflections Inspired by the Last Words of Daniel Pearl” after Daniel Pearl was killed in Pakistan. Here are a few highlights:
“Now, let’s get this straight: I am not religious. I guess you could say I am agnostic. That is, I don’t know if there is a God or not (if there is I sure have a lot of questions for him—or her). But I’m certainly culturally Jewish. I love the Jewish sense of humor. The shtick of the Jewish comedian burns in me. I love a good joke. I don’t mind jokes about Jews told by Jews. Jewish humor has become universal.”
“Judaism is both a religion and a race. It’s an imprint I carry with me everywhere. I was taught to hate prejudice. I was taught the values of loyalty—the values of family. Even though I was not fortunate enough to go to college, I was certainly embedded with strong Jewish values of education and learning, no matter what the form.”
“I remember how proud I was on my trip to Jerusalem with my brother a few years back. Seeing all of the street signs in Hebrew, feeling a sense of identity and belonging...Again, having no strong religious affiliation, I must say the trip really hit home to me. The very flavor of Jerusalem stayed with me long after I left. I liked all the people of the region, including the many Palestinians I met. I felt a sense of belonging and I thought a lot about my late parents, who would have loved to step on that soil.”
In 2017, he told the Jerusalem Post that, “I love being Jewish, am proud of my Jewishness, and I love Israel. But in 60 years of broadcasting and asking questions, I still don’t understand prejudice and why people kill each other. We have such a limited time on Earth, why in so little time would we waste energy or lose life over hating each other? It’s insanity. Fighting over land is nuts, and it overwhelms me how far we’ve advanced technologically but so little on the human side. I’ve interviewed just about every major religious leader in the world except the pope and nobody has been able to answer that question.”
Anything else? In 2016, King donated an autographed pair of suspenders for a fundraiser held by the American Jewish Historical Society.
Further reading: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/larry-king-legendary-talk-show-host-dies-at-87-656447
Honorable Mentions:
“All the Jews Joe Biden has tapped for top roles in his administration” (JTA)
“Ossoff sworn in on Hebrew Bible from synagogue bombed by white supremacists in the 1950s” by John Bowden (The Hill)
“Olmert: I hate everything Sheldon Adelson loved about Israel - opinion” by Ehud Olmert (Jerusalem Post) (This opinion piece is significant because Israel’s former Prime Minister wrote it)
“Israel officially opens embassy in United Arab Emirates with arrival of envoy” by Lazar Berman (ToI) (Meanwhile, Israel has closed Ben Gurion Airport for a week to keep new mutations of COVID-19 out of the country)
“Hawaiian-Jewish surfer Makua Rothman may have ridden the largest wave of all time” by Gabe Friedman (JTA)
“Meet the woman behind Bernie Sanders’s viral mittens” by Matthew Kassel (Jewish Insider)
“18 Things to Know About Benny Blanco” by Emily Burack (Hey Alma) (Benny Blanco is a Jewish producer and songwriter who is very accomplished)
“TV: Mossad chief to meet Biden, set out terms for overhaul of Iran nuclear deal” (Times of Israel)
“What Zoom Does to Campus Conflicts Over Israel and Free Speech” by John Leland (NYT)
“Chrissy Teigen’s First Shabbat Was ‘Perfect’” by Maddy Albert (Kveller)
“Israel bars anti-Zionist groups from lecturing in schools amid B’Tselem claims of ‘apartheid’” by Israel Kasnett (JNS)
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