A sign on the Brandeis University campus with the school’s emblem and motto reads, “Truth even unto its innermost parts.” (Wikimedia via JTA.org)
Philissa Cramer
Brandeis University, the historically Jewish school outside Boston, has extended its transfer application deadline in a bid to appeal to students who are unhappy with their own schools’ responses to campus anti-Israel protests.
“As a university founded in 1948 by the American Jewish community to counter antisemitism and quotas on Jewish enrollment in higher education, Brandeis has been committed to protecting the safety of all its students, and, in the current atmosphere, we are proud of the supports we have in place to allow Jewish students to thrive,” Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz wrote in an email to the community. “Due to the current climate on many campuses around the world, we are now expanding the opportunity for students to seek the learning environment of our campus by extending the transfer application deadline to May 31.”
About a third of students at Brandeis, which is nonsectarian, identify as Jewish, according to Hillel International.
“Students elsewhere should know we welcome all — Jews and students from every background — who seek an excellent undergraduate education and an environment striving to be free of harassment and Jew-hatred to apply,” Liebowitz wrote.
Israelis protest calling for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv on Feb. 21. (Miriam Alster/Flash90 via JTA.org)
Ron Kampeas
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration released a call from the leaders of 18 countries with citizens held hostage in Gaza calling for their immediate release in exchange for “an immediate and prolonged cease-fire” that would lead to the “end of hostilities.”
Israel, which has the most citizens among the more than 130 hostages still held in Gaza, is not among the participants in the joint call. While the statement hews to conditions Israel has accepted for a hostage deal in the short term, it does not refer to Israel’s other goal in the war, which is to remove Hamas from power.
“We welcome the joint statement that calls for the immediate release of our hostages,” an Israeli government official said. A National Security Council official said that “Israel has been part of the discussions from the beginning, and is very supportive.”
The Biden administration’s leadership in the joint call is significant because President Joe Biden Biden has, since the outset of the war, repeatedly backed Israel’s twin goals: the release of the hostages and the removal of Hamas. But the war has progressed and the devastation on civilians has mounted, Biden has faced calls from among Democrats to press Israel into a cease-fire, and tensions have mounted between the Israeli and U.S. governments.
Now, the statement’s call for an “immediate and prolonged cease-fire” that would “lead to the credible end of hostilities” seems in contradiction to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeatedly stated determination to launch a major operation in Rafah, the city on the Gaza-Egypt border, where Israel says substantial Hamas forces remain.
“We call for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for over 200 days,” said the statement, released at 9 a.m. ET, and read aloud to reporters by a senior administration official just before then.
“They include our own citizens. The fate of the hostages and the civilian population in Gaza, who are protected under international law, is of international concern,” it says. “We emphasize that the deal on the table to release the hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, that would facilitate a surge of additional necessary humanitarian assistance to be delivered throughout Gaza, and lead to the credible end of hostilities. Gazans would be able to return to their homes and their lands with preparations beforehand to ensure shelter and humanitarian provisions.”
The signatories in addition to the United States are Britain, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain and Thailand.
A hostage deal on offer for weeks, and which Israel has accepted, would trade hostages for Palestinians imprisoned on security offenses by Israel for a ceasefire that would last up to six weeks, and would allow Palestinians, many of whom have taken refuge in Rafah, to return to their homes. It would also facilitate the entry of assistance into the strip, which world health authorities say remains on the verge of famine. The exchange of hostages for Palestinian detainees would be phased, according to reports.
“We strongly support the ongoing mediation efforts in order to bring our people home,” the statement concluded. “We reiterate our call on Hamas to release the hostages, and let us end this crisis so that collectively we can focus our efforts on bringing peace and stability to the region.”
Hersh Goldberg-Polin appears to acknowledge the advocacy of his family in a hostage video released by Hamas on April 24. (Screenshot via JTA.org)
Hamas has released a video showing one of the remaining American-Israelis that the terror group is holding hostage in Gaza, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, calling for the Israeli government to strike a deal to release the remaining hostages.
His parents posted an appeal just hours after the video was released.
“Seeing a video of Hersh today is overwhelming,” Jon Polin said, as he and Goldberg-Polin lean into the camera. “We are relieved to see him alive, but we are also concerned about his health and well-being as well as that of all of the other hostages and all of those suffering in this region. And we’re here today with a plea to all of the leaders of the parties who have been in negotiations to date. That includes Qatar, Egypt, the United States, Hamas, and Israel. Be brave, lean in, seize this moment and get a deal done to reunite all of us [with] our loved ones and end the suffering in this region.”
Hersh was filmed climbing into a Hamas vehicle at the Nova festival, where his best friend was killed after saving others who sheltered with them. But there had been no public signs of life since, including in reports from hostages who were released as part of a temporary ceasefire in November.
The exact date when the video was filmed is not clear, but several references suggest that it was made recently. In the video, Goldberg-Polin, the stump of his left arm visible below his elbow, says it has been almost 200 days — Wednesday is the 201st day since Oct. 7 — and references an upcoming holiday.
Goldberg-Polin also calls on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign after failing to strike a ceasefire deal with Hamas. Hamas has so far rejected every deal offered, though talks are ongoing.
Hostage videos are produced under obvious duress, and their release is widely considered a form of psychological warfare by Hamas. But they have also offered the only public signs of life for the hostages since Oct. 7. The new one comes at a time when reports have suggested that a larger number of hostages could be dead than previously confirmed. Goldberg-Polin says in the video that Israeli bombings had killed 70 “detainees like me.”
Israeli media typically does not publish hostage videos, but the Goldberg-Polin family endorsed the release of the video showing Hersh, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group that formed after Oct. 7 to advocate for the hostages.
“Hersh’s cry is the collective cry of all the hostages — their time is rapidly running out. With each passing day, the fear of losing more innocent lives grows stronger,” the group said in a statement. “We cannot afford to waste any more time; the hostages must be the top priority. All the hostages must be brought home — those alive to begin the process of rehabilitation, and those murdered for a dignified burial. This distressing video serves as an urgent call to take swift and decisive action to resolve this horrific humanitarian crisis and ensure the safe return of our loved ones.”
In the video, Goldberg-Polin concludes with what he says is “the most important thing”: a message for his parents and sisters. His comments suggest that he is aware of the family’s advocacy.
“I know you are doing your best to get me home as soon as possible,” he says, adding, “I expect and hope to see you very soon.”
Rachel Goldberg-Polin concludes video she and her husband posted with a message to her son.
“Hersh, if you can hear this, we heard your voice today for the first time in 201 days, and if you can hear us, I am telling you — we are telling you, we love you,” she said. “Stay strong. Survive.”
The Yale University pro-Palestinian encampment on Friday night. (Screenshot viaJTA.org)
Andrew Lapin
A pro-Palestinian protest at Yale University allegedly turned violent with dozens of arrests.
The University of Southern California canceled all its planned commencement speakers.
Encampments have sprung up at campuses from Boston to Ann Arbor and Chapel Hill.
It’s not just Columbia: The unrest that has overtaken the Ivy League university in New York City, and upended life for Jewish students and everyone else, is spilling over into the rest of the country. The spread of the demonstrations is being promoted and celebrated by pro-Palestinian activists, including the anti-Zionist Jewish Voice for Peace. And it’s prompting alarm from Jewish campus groups that are calling on administrators to take more aggressive action.
Students across the country said the Columbia arrests only further emboldened them to call for their universities to divest from Israel. Buoyed by the growing number of demonstrations, the national umbrella of Students for Justice in Palestine announced the launch of a cross-campus initiative called “Popular University for Gaza.”
“Over the last 72 hours, SJP chapters across the country have erupted in a fierce display of power targeted at their universities for their endless complicity and profiteering off the genocide in Gaza and colonization of Palestine,” the group posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday afternoon.
The post was headlined, “CAMPUSES IN REVOLT FOR GAZA AND DIVEST.”
One of the first and most notable campuses to see a Columbia-style encampment was Yale, whose protest began last week. Like Columbia’s, it ended in the arrests of dozens of students when police entered campus overnight between Sunday and Monday.
A pro-Israel student said she was stabbed in the eye by a pro-Palestinian protester’s flag at the protests, which have been condemned by Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who represents the district and has called for a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“Inciting hatred and violence toward Jewish students and community members, as we have seen at other universities, is completely unacceptable and those responsible for violence must be held accountable,” DeLauro wrote.
In a letter to students and its campus community, Yale Hillel leaders Uri Cohen and Rabbi Jason Rubenstein described the recent events as “perhaps the most divisive, most fearful moment I have seen.”
“In last night’s chaos on the Beinecke Plaza, which could erupt again tonight, protests became the site of physical altercations that left a member of our community injured, which we cannot tolerate,” Cohen and Rubenstein wrote. “I have similarly heard troubling and credible first-hand accounts that respected Muslim members of the Yale community, and their sacred symbols, were treated with disrespect last night — for which there is no excuse.”
Similar protests are springing up at a range of other schools. One student activist collective at the University of Michigan, the TAHRIR Coalition, said Monday that it, too, had set up an encampment on the Diag, the center of campus. One banner at the encampment reads, “Long Live the Intifada.”
“Inspired by the 100+ students facing academic and carceral retaliation for protesting Columbia University’s investment in genocide, we along with Students for Justice in Palestine chapters across the country have made the bold and unwavering decision to occupy our campuses until our demands are met in full,” the Michigan coalition said in a statement.
The collective said it would not leave the space “until we achieve full divestment” from Israel, adding, “Power to our freedom fighters, glory to our martyrs.”
In response to the encampments, Hillel International, the umbrella organization of Jewish campus groups, said it respected free speech but called on university administrators to take action in the face of the protests, including demands to “aggressively enforce” their rules, bar entry to “outside agitators” and protect Jewish spaces.
“The extreme tactics of those creating these encampments and related protests are unacceptable at every level,” the Hillel statement said. “They are denying students access to safe learning opportunities and campus life. They are flagrantly violating clear campus policies and rules with impunity. They are fostering hate and discrimination, often targeted specifically at Jewish and Israeli students who are part of their campus communities.”
The statement follows divergent statements from Jewish leaders at Columbia: One rabbi urged students to leave campus, while others condemned the protests but rebuffed calls for Jews to flee.
At MIT, the pro-Israel student group MIT Israel Alliance said that a campus encampment was “anti-Jewish” because it had been set up near the Hillel building just before Passover, which begins Monday evening, and said it was “alarming” that many of the protesters were not students.
“We do not trust that random protesters who have nothing better to do than sleep on Kresge lawn banging drums all night will have good judgment in terms of safety and violence escalation,” the group said, echoing observers of the Columbia protests who said some of the most strident participants were also not students. The MIT group urged the school to clear the encampment while also providing remote learning options for Jewish students.
Other schools have been the sites of walkouts, rallies and pro-Palestinian protests, including Ohio State University and Miami University in Ohio; Rutgers University in New Jersey; and Northwestern University in Illinois.
The cancellation of USC’s commencement speaker lineup is one of several parallels students are drawing between this moment and 1968, when anti-Vietnam war protests at Columbia prompted the school to cancel that year’s graduation ceremonies.
“In 1968 commencement did not happen. That was a long time ago, but that is what in a lot of ways is trying to be recreated here,” said Yakira Galler, a Jewish student at Barnard, Columbia’s women’s college, who has been disturbed by the protests. “I don’t know where they’re going to put all the seats for commencement.”
Regarding the administration, she added, “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I think they’re hoping that it will calm down, but I think they’re terribly wrong.”
Angus Johnston, a historian of student activism, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that today’s pro-Palestinian protest movement is actually less radical in its actions than student movements of the Vietnam era — though he acknowledged that the antisemitism present in today’s protests is a concern.
He said that during Columbia’s mass student protests against the Vietnam War in 1968, students occupied a half-dozen campus buildings for a week; took an administrator hostage; and stole and destroyed university files. Antiwar protesters at other schools frequently set fire to buildings housing the Reserve Officer Training Corps, which trains students enlisted in the military.
“The administration response is pretty similar: mass arrests, closing down the campus and calling the cops and all of that,” said Johnston, an adjunct instructor at Hostos Community College of the City of New York. “But the protests themselves, both at Columbia and across the country, have really been much more measured, much more restrained, than the kinds of protests we saw even in the mid ’60s.”
Johnston said administrators have turned themselves into a target by taking aggressive action against the students right before the end of the semester.
That’s because another lesson from the Vietnam protests, Johnston said, is “the more the administration escalates, the more the administration itself becomes a target of the protests. Because the administration is now doing the oppressing of the students.”
Some pro-Palestinian student activists see hypocrisy in their universities’ efforts to crack down on their behavior. Prior to the incidents at Columbia, Rifka Handelman, a Jewish Voice for Peace student activist at the University of Maryland, told JTA that the university library has framed photos of student-led protest movements from throughout the 20th century, including against the Vietnam War and apartheid in South Africa.
“It really rubs me the wrong way that UMD embraces these protests as part of its history — you know, these big photos on the wall of the library for everyone to see,” Handelman said. “I find it pretty hypocritical that universities embrace the history of those movements, but do not embrace movements with similar goals and similar tactics.”
Whether and how commencement happens at the schools now contending with encampments, at least one Jewish leader is looking to the story of Passover to guide his students through a trying time and reassure them that they will emerge on the other side.
In a note to his community, Yale’s Cohen wrote, “I hope that the straits through which we pass this year will not only help us experience what the first Exodus felt like, but also what it might feel like in our day.”
Isaac Baxter Rosenberg. (Photo by Bella Baby Photography)
Nicole (née Kent) and Douglas Rosenberg of Collegeville announce the birth of their son Isaac Baxter Rosenberg on Feb. 23.
Sharing in their happiness are grandparents Lisa and Robert Kent of Eagleville, Robert Rosenberg of King of Prussia, and Julia Rosenberg and Douglas Miracle of Phoenixville.
Isaac Baxter is named in loving memory of his paternal great-great-grandfather Isadore H. Krekstein and his paternal great-grandmother Barbara Rosenberg.
In recent years, synagogues have witnessed a shift in demographics as younger generations bring new perspectives and priorities to their religious practice.
Traditional forms of synagogue engagement may not resonate as strongly with younger generations, who often seek meaningful connections and community involvement that align with their values and lifestyles.
For Adath Israel in Merion, welcoming a new generation of families joining the congregation is a blessing.
“These families have positioned our synagogue as a focal point of their lives,” Rabbi Eric Yanoff said. “They have a wide range of family structures, backgrounds, multiple faiths and approaches to their Judaism and find themselves drawn together here.”
The synagogue is embracing diversity and inclusivity by offering programming that reflects the varied interests and backgrounds of its members. This may include interfaith initiatives and cultural events that celebrate Jewish heritage in all its forms.
The synagogue’s volunteer-led “Mini-Minyan” has a core of families with its youngest congregants. This, coupled with the Makom Religious School meeting weekly on Shabbat morning and a growing day school representation, makes for an intergenerational Shabbat morning.
A picnic play date at Adath Israel. Courtesy of Adath Israel
“I often gauge our attendance by kiddush, counting the number of kids-only tables with parents hovering around the children, chatting nearby as the kids eat lunch together,” Yanoff said. “It is quite common to have six tables, plus clusters of younger kids who prefer to eat picnic-style on the floor.”
For congregant Danielle Selber, a feature that distinguishes Adath Israel from other synagogues is its Saturday Hebrew school.
“Because of Hebrew school, the regular service and the kid’s service and kiddush lunch, the whole building is busy and filled to the brim with people of every generation,” she said. “It is definitely not the empty echoing hallways kind of synagogue people picture when they worry about the future of American Jewish life.”
Other programs that attract congregants include the Purim celebration, Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat and Men’s Club events throughout the year.
“Our Men’s Club attracts long-time congregants as well as newer ones, all coming together for learning, socializing and fellowship,” Yanoff said. “Our board leadership also reflects this diversity of age, background, tenure of membership and interest/connection to Judaism.”
Congregant Joel Muderick added, “As young people change and grow their family, the shul plays a beautiful role in growing with them. It brings together people who are at similar stages of life who are looking for new and creative outlets to explore. Surrounding families with traditions, spirituality and a social atmosphere in a welcoming environment, it provides shared experiences that bring people together in a unique and enduring way.”
The Mudericks’ 9-year-old recently participated in Yanoff’s pilot of a kid-centered art program on how to relate to God.
“As a parent, it was a total gift to have dedicated space to approach that huge topic in a guided, thoughtful space, Joel’s wife Lisa said. “That is the kind of experimental, cerebral approach that we have come to recognize as Adath Israel’s signature. … They are not afraid to touch the big rails of Jewish life like Israel, God and identity; in fact, they embrace them.”
“At its core, a synagogue is a vehicle for Jewish continuity across generations,” Yanoff said. “Especially in these fraught times, people see this need now more than ever. They are eager to invest time, caring, emotional bandwidth and more into this priority. The synagogue benefits, they benefit and we grow together.”
Leslie Feldman is a Philadelphia-area freelance writer.
The good news: Israel’s air defense systems — Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow 3, and its vaunted fighter pilots — assisted by the United States, Jordan, England, France and Saudi Arabia, performed brilliantly in intercepting the 300 projectiles (over 100 of which were ballistic missiles) that Iran launched at Israel on Saturday night. Except for an Israeli-Arab child seriously wounded by shrapnel, the nation didn’t suffer a scratch.
The bad news: What language does the Biden administration speak when it reassures Israel that it stands in solidarity with the Jewish state and warns Iran, repeatedly, “Don’t”? Because, here again, those expressions of support soon come to mean something less boldly protective and cautionary. Does anyone know of a diplomacy thesaurus that Israel, and the rest of us, can use to decrypt the mixed messaging that emanates from Biden’s West Wing and State Department?
During those first days after Oct. 7, Biden unequivocally stated that Israel had a legal and moral right to self-defense in response to Hamas’ invasion and massacre in southern Israel. Hamas was deemed an Islamic state clone that needed to be completely vanquished. Any country in the same position would do the same thing.
Anticipating civilian casualties once Israel’s bombing campaign and ground incursion into Gaza commenced, Biden made clear that the responsibility for those Palestinian deaths would lie with Hamas. The terror group broke a ceasefire and started a war with a barbaric massacre. Worse still, it insisted on shielding itself with Gaza’s civilian population.
A fair reading of Biden’s assessment of the situation was that Israel couldn’t be faulted for striking at the locations where Hamas and its weapons are located. Gazans elected a terrorist organization that grotesquely deployed its own people as the first line of defense. Tunnels were built to transport terrorists and hide weapons, and not as bomb shelters for Gaza’s civilians.
Israel is not to blame for that sad state of affairs.
A few months later, however, a very different Biden showed up. He mumbled that Israel’s military operations were “over the top,” warning against any precipitous invasion of Rafah, the last stronghold of Hamas’ remaining battalions. He questioned whether the large Palestinian civilian death toll comported with international humanitarian law. And he hinted that future military aid would have to be reevaluated. And the topper: The United States abstained when the U.N. Security Council called for a temporary ceasefire without the release of any Israeli and American hostages.
Then, just the other day, Doctor Jekyll returned to the Oval Office. President Biden, having been apprised through intelligence communiques that Iran was about to launch a significant attack against America’s only democratic ally in the region, stated, repeatedly, that the United States’ commitment to Israel was “ironclad.” His message to Iran, repeated by both his Secretary of State and Defense Secretary: “Don’t!”
But Iran did. Biden gave the same “Don’t!” warning to Iran’s proxies in the early days of the war. Yet, Hezbollah and the Houthis did, as well — the Lebanese terrorists have been launching missiles at Israel nearly every day; and the Yemenite terrorists have wreaked havoc on Israel and commercial shipping lines in the Red Sea.
And then Biden once again revealed his inner Hyde. On Saturday night, not long after Iran’s arsenal of missiles and drones detonated in the sky, the president spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and advised him to “take the win” — no need to escalate tensions further.
Really? If Mexico had launched 300 missiles at New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, the United States would have been satisfied with simply defending against them? I have news for the president: Texans wouldn’t take it, and the Rangers would be suiting up (the special ops guys, not the baseball team).
The necessity for nationwide air raid sirens blaring across Israel, warning of ballistic missiles incoming at major population centers, was not a proportional response to the killing of a few senior commanders in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in Damascus.
This was a major act of aggression, tantamount to a declaration of war.
Biden’s advice to Israel? Just walk away. And one more thing: America will not take part in any Israeli reprisal.
Obviously, “ironclad” means something different to Biden than it does to everybody else. And “don’t” apparently means “don’t take us seriously.”
If “don’t” actually means, “don’t,” why are any Houthis still alive? Back in October, the most powerful nation in the world warned them that taking an ancillary interest in Hamas’ escapades would come with consequences. The Houthis aren’t even Iran’s most dangerous proxy. Most people never even heard of them. Shouldn’t all of them have been killed by now?
On Saturday, Iran finally decided to get its own hands dirty, rather than direct its proxies to do the dirty work. For two decades, trash-talking mullahs threatened to “wipe Israel off the map!” Finally, rather than delegate skirmishes to its proxies, Iran’s maniacal Islamists mixed brinksmanship with the Rubicon and lit up the Middle East sky with missiles and drones. Israel can now, justifiably, retaliate. F-35 pilots can lock on Iran’s ostensibly civilian nuclear facilities — something the rest of the region has secretly been longing for.
Will Biden stand for that? Last week he orchestrated Israel’s withdrawal from southern Gaza, leaving Hamas intact. Now he’s seeking further capitulation.
American foreign policy, these days, seems to be directed from Michigan and Minnesota. Are Muslims in battleground states actually dictating which battles America’s Jewish ally is permitted to fight? Foggy Bottom will soon be renting space from the Ford Motor Co. based in Dearborn. That would make sense. Its founder, Henry Ford, after all, was the leading antisemite of his day.
I realize there’s an election on the horizon and Biden is beholden to shrieking progressives and petulant, ignorant students. But perhaps now, more than ever, is the time for this president to exercise moral leadership, remain actually faithful to “ironclad” commitments and eschew political calculations.
Iran is a world menace. Why else would Jordan and the Saudis have assisted in downing drones whizzing over their airspace? No one other than Bernie Sanders and the Squad is rooting for Iran.
Here’s a tip, Mr. President: Stop the political schizophrenia. Demonstrate that America knows how to stand beside a friend and won’t stand in the way of allowing the Jewish state to finish the job in Gaza, and, finally, take steps to bring a long-awaited end to the Iranian Islamic regime.
Thane Rosenbaum is a novelist, essayist, law professor and Distinguished University Professor at Touro University, where he directs the Forum on Life, Culture & Society.
After Iran attacked Israel, the White House leaked that President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate against Tehran. “You got a win. Take the win,” Biden reportedly said.
Despite Biden’s instructions, Israel must retaliate. And it must do so forcefully.
The Iranian attack could have caused thousands of deaths. If the only Jewish state in the world is to survive, it must never allow such attacks to be normalized. Being on perpetual defense is a strategy for losers. Eventually, rockets will get through and many thousands will die. Thus, Israel must go on offense and stay on offense. It is the mullahs who must be forced into a defensive crouch. They must believe that if they lash out again, the entire Iranian regime is at risk.
Biden’s plea for Israel to turn the other cheek should surprise no one. The Biden administration has followed this path of weakness and appeasement from its first day in office with horrendous consequences. Indeed, because the administration failed to enforce sanctions on the Iranian regime and delivered billions of dollars in sanctions relief to the Islamic Republic, the American taxpayer essentially helped pay for Iran’s attack on Israel.
Worse still, it appears that Biden told Iran that the U.S. would not participate in any retaliation and did so before Iran attacked Israel. In other words, Iran launched the attack already knowing that America had sidelined itself and would likely try to limit Israel’s response.
In other words, Biden proved once again that his administration firmly believes in Israel’s right to self-defense so long as it is never exercised.
The same holds regarding Gaza, where the administration is preventing a Rafah operation that could finally destroy Hamas. Israel can fight but cannot be allowed to win. Victory must always be elusive.
It appears that, to the Biden administration, the only thing worse than losing a war is winning it. This is the only explanation for its otherwise baffling foreign policy missteps.
For example, Ukraine is allowed to defend itself against Russia, but it cannot be allowed to defeat Russia because victory could “escalate” the conflict. After initially offering Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a ride” and encouraging him to quickly surrender to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, the Biden administration adopted a strategy that has been the epitome of a day late and a dollar short. Even after Congress authorized every penny the administration requested, Biden slow-walked delivery of the funds and equipment.
When they finally arrived, Biden placed significant restrictions on how any weapons systems could be used.
In other words, under Biden, a stalemate is the best Ukraine can hope for. Putin knows the administration will always tie one hand behind Ukraine’s back, so he will drive a hard bargain if he proves willing to negotiate at all. Ukraine may not lose, but Biden will make sure it cannot win.
Worst of all, our own troops are not allowed to defend themselves for fear of “escalation.” Biden’s utter failure to protect American service members in Syria and Iraq provides the perfect example. Our troops have faced over 200 attacks by Iran and its terrorist proxies since Oct. 7. Not once have we attacked Iran, even though we know that it funds, arms and directs the attacks. If we will not defend our own troops, why would any friend or foe expect the U.S. to support an ally on the cusp of victory?
Contrary to the Reagan doctrine of “peace through strength,” Biden has given us the doctrine of “war from weakness.” Biden effectively summed up the Biden Doctrine in a single word: “Don’t.” Don’t retaliate, don’t respond, don’t provoke, don’t escalate and, worst of all, don’t hurt their feelings or get them angry. Unfortunately, Biden’s admonition is directed only at America and its allies, not America’s enemies.
Israel cannot allow itself to be constrained by such a self-defeating worldview. In the face of Biden’s “don’t,” Israel must do whatever it needs to do to safeguard its national security.
Here is a suggestion: Israel should launch a massive cyber-attack and turn off the lights in Tehran for a day or two. At the same time, it should destroy Iran’s drone-making capabilities. Not only will this send a message to the ayatollah, but it would help save lives in Ukraine and frustrate the Russian war effort. Perhaps even Joe Biden could support that.
But don’t bet on it.
Eric R. Levine is a founding member of the New York City law firm Eiseman, Levine, Lehrhaupt & Kakoyiannis, P.C. He is an essayist, political commentator and fundraiser.
The past six months have been unlike any in recent memory. I say in recent memory because there is a cycle to Jewish history. As King Solomon said 3,000 years ago, “There is nothing new under the sun.”
We have gone through several mood swings over the past few months. After Oct. 7, we were in shock. There was a sense of national mourning. We witnessed the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Somehow, our evil enemies found new and inventive ways to desecrate the Jewish people. Our pain was palpable and unparalleled.
We then switched gears to doing what we’ve done since the dawn of Judaism. When Abraham heard that his nephew Lot had been kidnapped in a war, he immediately raised the first Jewish army and went to battle to save him. This established one of the most important rules in Jewish culture: Whenever and wherever a Jew is in trouble, we never abandon him. We never abandon each other. Thus, the Israel Defense Forces raced to save our kidnapped Jewish brothers and sisters.
We felt enormous pride as these Jewish heroes left everything behind and raced to the Gaza Strip. Never has there been a clearer definition of the fight between good and evil. Then we watched as the world slowly turned against us, forgetting that the conflict began with the murder and rape of innocent men, women and children.
I remember sitting in an Israeli government minister’s office a few days after Oct. 7. He told me that the world was united behind Israel and would allow us to do what needed to be done. I recall thinking that these positive sentiments would not last. They didn’t.
Every week for the past six months, when I sent out my weekly emails on behalf of Aish — each one standing firmly behind the IDF — I received responses with “colorful” language and accusations of supporting genocide. The unfairness of the world blaming the Jewish people for trying to bring our brothers and sisters home is outrageous. There has never been a clearer case of international antisemitism than the world’s reaction to current events. Violence against Jews on foreign streets has reached an all-time high. Ours is a world that has turned morally and ethically upside down.
Today, I sense a new mood. It is a mixture of fear and apprehension. The headlines are full of reports about Iran’s massive aerial attack on Israel and the attack’s miraculous defeat as the Almighty guided the IDF and its allies, allowing them to destroy or disable almost all of Iran’s missiles and drones.
Many are asking about the future of Jewry and Israel. I don’t know the future, but I do know that my heart is filled with love for and faith in the Almighty for what he has done to protect our people thus far. Yes, we have suffered painful losses, but we have also seen the incredible intervention that prevented widespread disaster this past Saturday night, as well as the IDF’s success in Gaza.
We just held our Passover seders and recalled how the Jewish people were saved from the savagery of the Egyptians. Just when it seemed as if there was no hope, the Almighty sent Moses to save us and bring us to the promised land of Israel. In times of crisis, the Almighty is there to uplift us just when we need him the most.
Jews are well aware of our story. We were exiled from the Land of Israel 2,000 years ago. In every country we went to, we did our best to serve the local government and improve the lives of our fellow man. Yet every time, the Jews were viewed as a fifth column, massacred and sent packing. I am reminded of a conversation I had a few years ago when I was in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi leader had watched Abba Eban’s famous documentary “Israel: A Nation Is Born” in preparation for our visit. He referred to the Jews being thrown out of Spain. I told him that there was hardly a country on earth out of which the Jews had not been thrown, including most of the nations of the Middle East.
Yet after 2,000 years, we found our way home. Just three years after the Holocaust, the Jewish people came together to establish the state of Israel in our homeland of 3,500 years. The dream of our forefathers became a reality. We have worked hard ever since to create a haven where Jews could finally stop worrying about being persecuted and exiled. Yet our neighbors have constantly attacked us, and the world has vilified us for wanting to live in peace.
As we face some of the most extreme threats to the Jewish people in history, I say to you that in my heart, I know that the Almighty has not brought us back home to abandon us. The Almighty went to battle with us to bring the hostages home. There is no greater priority for the Almighty than seeing His children unified and loving one another. Seeing so many Jewish heroes of the IDF leave their families to save their fellow Jews has left all of our hearts bursting with pride.
I remember sitting in a rehab center shortly after Oct. 7 with a young soldier who was left for dead on the roadside by terrorists. His leg had to be amputated due to the severity of his wounds. He told me that even though he knows his life is now changed forever, he would do it all over again because there is no greater cause than defending the Jewish people. How blessed we are to have heroes like this. So, as Iran and its evil henchmen continue to attack us, I know that just as the Almighty saved us from Egypt 3,000 years ago, He will stand by us today. He will not allow evil to triumph over good. He will never abandon His children.
Our task is clear: We must strive to stay unified as a people. This is often easier said than done. We must redouble our efforts to engage and embrace Jews who may be different from us. We must stand strong and never give up hope for our brothers and sisters who are still in captivity in Gaza. Most of all, we must never forget that we are all blessed with a Father in Heaven who loves us with the greatest love imaginable. We must continue to cry out to Him to help us because our enemies cannot stand before Him.
We will get through this. We will emerge stronger. We are the Jewish Nation. Am Yisrael Chai!
Rabbi Steven Burg, Aish’s CEO, serves on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency; as an executive board member of the Rabbinical Council of America; and as a board member of Yeshiva University High Schools and Naaleh High School.
I have not hesitated to criticize many of President Joe Biden’s policies before and after Oct. 7, but I have also consistently maintained that he has been the most pro-Israel president ever during any of Israel’s wars.
That should have been obvious this past weekend when the United States coordinated a regional air defense that helped Israel avoid suffering any serious harm from a barrage of more than 300 Iranian drones and missiles. It was the first time U.S. forces took an active role in fighting to defend the Jewish state.
Rather than gratitude, Biden-haters aren’t convinced. Some have concocted a QAnon-like conspiracy theory that the United States and Iran cooked up a plan to ensure that no Israelis would be hurt, thereby giving Jerusalem no justification for retaliation that would ensnare Washington in a war that would interfere with the president’s appeasement of Iran or re-election.
Admittedly, there were some peculiarities about the attack. Reuters said that Iran warned Turkey, Jordan and Iraq 72 hours in advance of its plan. Turkey said it informed the United States, which the Biden administration denied. Nevertheless, the president announced that an attack was imminent before it occurred. The countries in the region even closed their airspace to make sure there were no accidents. This gives the impression of a plan orchestrated by everyone except Israel.
Defending against the attack also seemed too easy. The videos looked like an arcade game where slow-moving targets were shot down. The only thing missing was the kapow sound effects.
Still, how could the United States count on all the targets being shot down? Iron Dome isn’t foolproof. Could the Saudis, Jordanians and NATO allies be trusted to defend Israel? If only one rocket had hit a significant target or caused more than a handful of injuries (one Arab girl was seriously wounded by shrapnel; The New York Times essentially blamed Israel for not building shelters for Bedouins), Israel would have had no choice but to retaliate. As it is, it’s hard to imagine how Israel can feel it can deter its enemies if it does not respond.
Also, if America was going to conspire with Iran, wouldn’t it have made more sense to persuade the Iranians to respond proportionally by, say, attacking an Israeli diplomatic mission, ideally in the middle of the night when no one was there? Iran would have still looked tough, and Israel wouldn’t have felt the need to retaliate on Iranian soil.
Another oddity is that no one attacked the launchers. When Hamas or Hezbollah launch a rocket, Israel immediately strikes the source. During the Iraq War, the United States took out Scud launchers. Wouldn’t that have been accepted as a reasonable response, or was everyone sure that the first volley would be the only one? That’s what the Iranians said, but could they be trusted?
Afterward, Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “take the win.” That also sounds nutty at first blush. After all, what would Biden do if China, Russia or North Korea launched ballistic missiles at the United States? If we successfully intercepted them, would he be satisfied with the “win.” Would the American public consider it a victory if millions had spent hours terrified in non-existent bomb shelters? Would they be content or demand retaliation? Of course, Washington would have to consider the risk of its response escalating to a nuclear war, whereas Jerusalem does not have that concern.
Which brings up Iran’s nuclear program. What if one of those Iranian missiles — built to deliver a nuclear weapon — had been carrying one? Thanks to the failures of the last three presidents, Iran is on the cusp of having the capability. After this weekend, does anyone believe that Biden would use military force to stop Iran from getting the bomb? If Iran’s nuclear capability is not taken out, Israel and the rest of the region will have their own North Korea to deal with, which will make them all vulnerable and stimulate a nuclear arms race among the Arab states.
Iran’s attack was a severe blow to both Israeli and American deterrence. Israel failed to deter Hamas, Hezbollah and now Iran. How harsh will retaliation have to be to restore it? Wouldn’t this be the ideal time, as John Bolton has been telling everyone, for Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities? And while they’re at it, why not also take out their oil terminal?
As grateful as we should be for Biden’s defense of Israel and the success of the defensive operations, Americans should be concerned about how emboldened our other enemies must feel after seeing the Iranians ignore Biden’s pitiful warning of “don’t.” The weakness of Iran’s military was revealed in the attack, making our timidity even more unconscionable.
If Israel does react with more than a U.S.-style pinprick, it would likely erase the benefits of its “win”: a return of world sympathy (which will only last until the next report on famine in Gaza); a rapprochement in relations between Biden and Netanyahu; a U.N. Security Council discussion focused away from Israel; a fast-tracking of aid to Israel; and a momentary diversion from Gaza. The “win” also came at a high cost, creating widespread fear among the Israeli population, reinforcing the image that Israel is a dangerous place to visit just as airlines had begun to resume flights and requiring a significant expenditure of military assets that will need to be replenished.
The State Department’s Palestinian focus was once again proven wrong as Israel’s peace partners came together to mount a joint defense. Granted, they acted out of self-interest and their fears of Iran; nevertheless, they could have left the responsibility to the United States. When America’s security concerns were on the line, we also saw who stood with us (Jordan and Saudi Arabia) and who did not (Qatar, Egypt and Kuwait). The administration refused to recognize that Qatar is an enabler of Iran and a malevolent actor on its own.
The Iranian attack laid bare the hypocrisy of Israel’s critics, as if they needed further exposure. There are no calls for boycotting Iran or protests against its aggression on college campuses. The Islamophobia lobby is silent about an attack that threatened the third holiest site in Islam and millions of Muslim civilians (one of whom was hit and is fighting for her life). The protests that have occurred, as in Michigan, where Biden hopes he can appease the antisemites to win the state, featured Iranian-like chants of “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.”
Mitchell Bard is a foreign policy analyst and an authority on U.S.-Israel relations who has written and edited 22 books.
