Biden Recalls Examples of Befarek
Rabbi Joshua Runyan’s assumption that Joe Biden is a capable, good man and supporter of Israel is not evidenced by Biden’s history (“Why Trump’s Not Getting This Orthodox Vote: He’s Neither Good for the Jews, Nor for Judaism,” Sept. 10).
This reminds me of our Passover story, which tells how Pharaoh seduced the Jews with befarek, or gentle speech. Franklin D. Roosevelt was beloved by our people, an eloquent practitioner of befarek. Yet, in our hour of deepest peril, he was nowhere to be found. He limited Jewish immigration to the U.S. to 300,000 souls during WWII and famously refused to bomb railroad tracks leading to Auschwitz, costing more than a million lives.
During Biden’s service under [President Barack] Obama (another practitioner of befarek), what, if anything, did he do to mitigate the clear anti-Israel bias in that administration? The answer is nothing, he furthered the appeasing of Iran by Obama.
Biden is an old-school careerist politician, dedicated only to his own interests and those of his corrupt inner circle. Trump’s actions have proven friendship for Israel and have struck a serious blow against rising campus anti-Semitism, denying government funding to universities who allow this danger to flourish on campus. He is not a practitioner of befarek, but he has demonstrated real support towards our community.
Trump has his flaws, but his policies are good for America, good for Israel and good for our community. This committed Jew, former professor of political science, and American patriot, will be voting for Donald J. Trump on Nov. 3.
Louis B. Rappaport | Fort Washington
Trump Is Not for Family Values
My wife and I want to applaud Rabbi Joshua Runyan for his un-Orthodox courage in writing his opinion piece (“Why Trump’s Not Getting This Orthodox Vote: He’s Neither Good for the Jews, Nor for Judaism,” Sept. 10).
It is a sad time in America that so many believe the lies emanating from the White House. Runyan lays out his argument clearly, factually. I, too, feel that this country is more dangerous for Jews at any time in my lifetime and the source lies at the doorstep of a president who has stoked the fires of racism and abetted the pandemic through his lack of leadership and thoughtless comments.
When it comes to family values, the opposing writer Binyamin Rose (“Many Orthodox Support President Trump. I’m One of Them — Here’s Why,” Sept. 10) suggested that the Orthodox community sees the Republican Party in line with theirs. And their standard bearer? His values were heard on the tape recorded on the infamous bus ride that is naturally totally discounted by hypocrites. l
Nathan Farbman | Philadelphia
Nathan Farbman continues the Democrat’s hit job on president Trump by claiming the president continually lies to us, and some of us are so naïve that we swallow them whole. Two points. First you can find a lie anywhere if you look hard enough, and it’s easy to twist a non-politician’s words to make it appear that he’s lying. Secondly the Democrats simply ignore Biden’s continuous lies and misrepresentations. The most recent is he attended a black college, he was at the top of his class in college, his son, Hunter’s taking of huge sums of money from Burisma, the wife of the Mayor of Moscow and the Chinese government have been investigated and debunked. All lies, the last designed to hide his families corruption and his use of his office to rake in millions.
Mr. Farbman surely you must know that the Democratic party is being infiltrated by anti-Semites whose influence and power has reached the highest levels of influence, and this party cannot condemn their comments in clear and definite terms. I categorically condemn the anti-Semitism of the KKK and the White supremacists, will you do the same for ANTIFA and BLM?