The following is a letter to the editor that I wrote, which appeared in The New York Times on August 26, 2014, in which I offer an assessment of the recent increase in anti-Semitism around the globe:
The Rising Tide of Anti-Semitism
To the Editor:
Re “Why
Jews Are Worried” (Op-Ed, Aug. 21):
Deborah E. Lipstadt did an admirable job noting the
distinctions between the anti-Semitism of the Nazi era in the 1930s and the
increased level of anti-Semitism we are witnessing today.
Although the impetus for the various anti-Semitic acts
may be distinct from one another, the common denominator is that they are all
fueled by an innate sense of animosity toward one particular religious group.
That hatred is compounded by the fact that anti-Semitism is becoming not just
acceptable (to some) but also quite routine.
This brazen assault on freedom of religion is
particularly troubling and runs counter to the democratic ideals of a civilized
society. The recent uptick in anti-Semitism is akin to a conflagration that is
becoming increasingly difficult to extinguish.
As Jews, we do not always need to press the panic button,
but we must sound the alarm so the international community takes heed of the
acute nature of this growing and disturbing problem.
N. AARON TROODLER
Teaneck, N.J., Aug. 21, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
A Not-So-Happy Anniversary
The following is my latest column, which appeared in The Jewish Press and The Jewish Link
of Bergen County, in which I mark the ninth anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal
from the Gaza Strip by looking back at what transpired in August 2005 and
assessing the sociological and political ramifications of the expulsion:
A NOT-SO-HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
This week, the State of Israel had an anniversary of sorts; however, it was by no means a celebratory event. There was no excitement, as there is with Yom Ha’Atzmaut, when we commemorate the occasion of Israel’s birth as a nation in 1948. There was no exultation, as there is on Yom Yerushalayim, when we remember the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. In fact, many people failed to note that there was a date on the calendar that was worth remembering.
This week marked the ninth anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. In August 2005, then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon oversaw one of the most dark and disturbing chapters in Israel’s history when he ordered the expulsion of approximately 9,000 Jews from Gaza. Entire communities were uprooted, over 2,500 homes were destroyed, and countless families were displaced.
The disturbing images of Jews forcibly removing their fellow Jews from their homes left an indelible mark on the psyche of the Jewish Nation. Watching men and women, young and old, weep as they were escorted from their homes was especially painful, and seeing children forced to leave the only home they had ever known was absolutely heart-wrenching.
We watched with horror as Jewish residents who refused to leave willingly clashed with the Jewish soldiers tasked with evicting them from their homes. As the residents barricaded themselves inside synagogues and climbed atop the roofs of their homes in acts of defiance, we shuddered and wondered how the situation has spiraled out of control so quickly.
Ultimately, every single Jewish resident was evacuated from Gaza, and shortly thereafter the Israel Defense Forces completely withdrew from the area, thereby ceding control of Gaza to the Palestinians.
Following the expulsion from Gaza, the situation for the former residents worsened considerably. The financial compensation promised by the Israeli government never fully materialized. People were relocated to temporary domiciles. The unemployment rate amongst the residents skyrocketed. The sociological ramifications of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza were quite dire.
The political consequences, as we know, were calamitous. Although Prime Minister Sharon believed the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza would improve Israel’s security and burnish its reputation in the international community, his dream never materialized.
Hamas took control of Gaza and quickly turned into a hotbed of terrorism and turmoil. What had been vibrant bastions of Jewish life morphed into the main command center for Hamas’ jihad against Israel.
Over the past several weeks, more than 3,300 rockets were fired from Gaza by Hamas terrorists. Those are in addition to the over 11,000 rockets that have been fired at Israel from Gaza since the withdrawal in 2005.
In addition to Operation Protective Edge, Israel was forced to embark on Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012 in response to relentless rocket fire from Gaza. In 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in an effort to impair Hamas’ ability to launch rockets at Israeli cities.
I recognize that hindsight is 20/20, and at this juncture it is easy to ascertain that the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip nine years ago did not enhance Israel’s security. The fact that over 5 million Israelis live under a constant threat of rocket attacks emanating from Gaza is a stark and scary reminder of how vulnerable Israel has become after it chose to vacate Gaza.
Rather than questioning Sharon’s decision to leave Gaza devoid of any trace of the Israeli presence that existed prior to the withdrawal in 2005, we must look to the future and ask what now? What happens next?
The reality is that over the past several weeks we witnessed the increased firepower that Hamas has amassed, including long-range rockets that can strike Israeli cities, which until now had been considered out of harm’s way. We saw the callous disregard that Hamas has for human life and the intense hatred it harbors towards Israel.
Israel’s military strikes may have damaged Hamas, but they did not destroy Hamas. As such, the rockets will likely continue flying towards Israel, and Hamas’ never-ending attempts to carry out acts of terror against Israel will endure.
The challenge Israel faces is how to deal with an entity intent on destroying it. Hamas rules Gaza with an iron fist and will not easily relinquish its control over the area. What Israel must do is architect a containment mechanism intended to neutralize Hamas. A cease fire may be a temporary fix, but based on Hamas’ track record, it is by no means a permanent solution. Devising ways to halt funding to Hamas and engaging in an effort to further marginalize Hamas from the rest of the world may be start.
As we mark the ninth anniversary of the expulsion from Gaza, we not only remember and empathize with the families that were driven from their homes; we also remember the many people who have lost their lives as a direct result of Hamas being handed the keys to Gaza on a silver platter. For Israel, this is a not-so-happy anniversary.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
A NOT-SO-HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
This week, the State of Israel had an anniversary of sorts; however, it was by no means a celebratory event. There was no excitement, as there is with Yom Ha’Atzmaut, when we commemorate the occasion of Israel’s birth as a nation in 1948. There was no exultation, as there is on Yom Yerushalayim, when we remember the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. In fact, many people failed to note that there was a date on the calendar that was worth remembering.
This week marked the ninth anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. In August 2005, then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon oversaw one of the most dark and disturbing chapters in Israel’s history when he ordered the expulsion of approximately 9,000 Jews from Gaza. Entire communities were uprooted, over 2,500 homes were destroyed, and countless families were displaced.
The disturbing images of Jews forcibly removing their fellow Jews from their homes left an indelible mark on the psyche of the Jewish Nation. Watching men and women, young and old, weep as they were escorted from their homes was especially painful, and seeing children forced to leave the only home they had ever known was absolutely heart-wrenching.
We watched with horror as Jewish residents who refused to leave willingly clashed with the Jewish soldiers tasked with evicting them from their homes. As the residents barricaded themselves inside synagogues and climbed atop the roofs of their homes in acts of defiance, we shuddered and wondered how the situation has spiraled out of control so quickly.
Ultimately, every single Jewish resident was evacuated from Gaza, and shortly thereafter the Israel Defense Forces completely withdrew from the area, thereby ceding control of Gaza to the Palestinians.
Following the expulsion from Gaza, the situation for the former residents worsened considerably. The financial compensation promised by the Israeli government never fully materialized. People were relocated to temporary domiciles. The unemployment rate amongst the residents skyrocketed. The sociological ramifications of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza were quite dire.
The political consequences, as we know, were calamitous. Although Prime Minister Sharon believed the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza would improve Israel’s security and burnish its reputation in the international community, his dream never materialized.
Hamas took control of Gaza and quickly turned into a hotbed of terrorism and turmoil. What had been vibrant bastions of Jewish life morphed into the main command center for Hamas’ jihad against Israel.
Over the past several weeks, more than 3,300 rockets were fired from Gaza by Hamas terrorists. Those are in addition to the over 11,000 rockets that have been fired at Israel from Gaza since the withdrawal in 2005.
In addition to Operation Protective Edge, Israel was forced to embark on Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012 in response to relentless rocket fire from Gaza. In 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in an effort to impair Hamas’ ability to launch rockets at Israeli cities.
I recognize that hindsight is 20/20, and at this juncture it is easy to ascertain that the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip nine years ago did not enhance Israel’s security. The fact that over 5 million Israelis live under a constant threat of rocket attacks emanating from Gaza is a stark and scary reminder of how vulnerable Israel has become after it chose to vacate Gaza.
Rather than questioning Sharon’s decision to leave Gaza devoid of any trace of the Israeli presence that existed prior to the withdrawal in 2005, we must look to the future and ask what now? What happens next?
The reality is that over the past several weeks we witnessed the increased firepower that Hamas has amassed, including long-range rockets that can strike Israeli cities, which until now had been considered out of harm’s way. We saw the callous disregard that Hamas has for human life and the intense hatred it harbors towards Israel.
Israel’s military strikes may have damaged Hamas, but they did not destroy Hamas. As such, the rockets will likely continue flying towards Israel, and Hamas’ never-ending attempts to carry out acts of terror against Israel will endure.
The challenge Israel faces is how to deal with an entity intent on destroying it. Hamas rules Gaza with an iron fist and will not easily relinquish its control over the area. What Israel must do is architect a containment mechanism intended to neutralize Hamas. A cease fire may be a temporary fix, but based on Hamas’ track record, it is by no means a permanent solution. Devising ways to halt funding to Hamas and engaging in an effort to further marginalize Hamas from the rest of the world may be start.
As we mark the ninth anniversary of the expulsion from Gaza, we not only remember and empathize with the families that were driven from their homes; we also remember the many people who have lost their lives as a direct result of Hamas being handed the keys to Gaza on a silver platter. For Israel, this is a not-so-happy anniversary.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Cantor Sings His Final Tune
The
following is my latest column in The Jewish Link of Bergen County, in which I discuss
how House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s impending departure from Congress
impacts the State of Israel and the American Jewish community:
CANTOR SINGS HIS FINAL TUNE
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
The campaign for the June 10, 2014 GOP primary election in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District was by all accounts a sleeper. David Brat, a college economics professor and a virtually unknown political novice, was challenging the Number 2 Republican in the House – Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
Cantor, a powerful 7-term lawmaker who some speculated had designs on one day becoming Speaker of the House, was a shoo-in for re-election. The pre-Primary Day polls had him leading his opponent by a considerable margin. The political pundits essentially ignored the race, which they found to be devoid of any excitement. For Eric Cantor, it was not a question if he was going to win the race; it was merely a function of counting down the days until Primary Day, when he could finally formalize his inevitable victory.
And then the voters spoke. When the polls closed and the dust settled, Eric Cantor had suffered a stinging defeat at the hands of his Tea Party-backed opponent, thereby becoming the first Majority Leader in history to be ousted in a primary. The final tally had Brat besting Cantor by 55% to 44%.
In political circles and in Washington, DC, Eric Cantor’s incomprehensible loss was the equivalent of a political earthquake that sent tremors through the political establishment. The New York Times described it as “one of the most stunning primary election upsets in congressional history.”
Cantor, who was a star in the Republican Party, raised a whopping $5.4 million for his campaign, as opposed to Brat, who raised a paltry $200,000. With his campaign war chest overflowing, Cantor outspent his opponent by more than 40 to 1. However, at the end of the day, Cantor came up short.
While I do not necessarily agree with Eric Cantor’s political ideology, I nonetheless am troubled by his loss, because when Eric Cantor resigns from the House on August 18, the American Jewish community and the State of Israel will lose one of the staunchest allies that we have in Congress.
Not only has Eric Cantor been the sole Jewish Republican in Congress for the past five years, he is also the highest ranking Jewish lawmaker in congressional history. Yet, merely being Jewish is not the reason why I respect Eric Cantor. I admire him because he proudly wore his Jewish identity on his sleeve at all times. Eric Cantor made a conscious decision not to hide from his “Jewishness,” but to wholeheartedly embrace it at every turn.
I also greatly appreciate the fact that he constantly exhibited not just an understanding of Israel and its unique security needs, but a willingness to go to the mat for the Jewish State whenever it was necessary to do so.
Just several weeks ago, even after his defeat, and as he prepared to relinquish his post as Majority Leader, Cantor issued a strong defense of Israel as it defended itself against a barrage of rocket attacks from Hamas during Operation Protective Edge.
“Israel is one of our nation’s strongest democratic allies and its security is directly tied to our own,” said Cantor. “Hamas’ outrageous and unprovoked war against Israel must end. Until Hamas accepts the Quartet principles, abandoning violence and recognizing Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, there will not be peace.”
“There is no justification for Hamas’ violent assault on Israel, which withdrew completely from Gaza in 2005,” continued Cantor. “Since then, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have lobbed thousands of rockets into Israel and Hamas staged a coup against the Palestinian Authority, assuming complete control over Gaza and turning it into a den of terrorism.”
Regardless of whether you were a Democrat, Republican, Independent or Conservative, when it came to the safety and security of the State of Israel, Eric Cantor was always interested in hearing what you had to say. He had no compunction about stepping up to the microphone in order to deliver an impassioned defense of Israel and to declare that Israel’s security needs are America’s security needs, and he often backed up his words with action.
Eric Cantor’s electoral loss is not just a personal one; it is a communal one. With his departure from Congress, the Jewish community will not just lose one of our own; we will lose one of the best friends that we have in Congress. As Cantor sings his final tune and the curtain comes down on his Congressional tenure, unfortunately for the Jewish community and the State of Israel, there will be no encore performance.
“Mr. Speaker, I close by once again thanking my colleagues for their service, I thank them for their friendship and warmth,” said an emotional Eric Cantor on July 31 as he closed what was his final speech on the floor of the House as Majority Leader. “And with that, I yield back.”
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
CANTOR SINGS HIS FINAL TUNE
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
The campaign for the June 10, 2014 GOP primary election in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District was by all accounts a sleeper. David Brat, a college economics professor and a virtually unknown political novice, was challenging the Number 2 Republican in the House – Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
Cantor, a powerful 7-term lawmaker who some speculated had designs on one day becoming Speaker of the House, was a shoo-in for re-election. The pre-Primary Day polls had him leading his opponent by a considerable margin. The political pundits essentially ignored the race, which they found to be devoid of any excitement. For Eric Cantor, it was not a question if he was going to win the race; it was merely a function of counting down the days until Primary Day, when he could finally formalize his inevitable victory.
And then the voters spoke. When the polls closed and the dust settled, Eric Cantor had suffered a stinging defeat at the hands of his Tea Party-backed opponent, thereby becoming the first Majority Leader in history to be ousted in a primary. The final tally had Brat besting Cantor by 55% to 44%.
In political circles and in Washington, DC, Eric Cantor’s incomprehensible loss was the equivalent of a political earthquake that sent tremors through the political establishment. The New York Times described it as “one of the most stunning primary election upsets in congressional history.”
Cantor, who was a star in the Republican Party, raised a whopping $5.4 million for his campaign, as opposed to Brat, who raised a paltry $200,000. With his campaign war chest overflowing, Cantor outspent his opponent by more than 40 to 1. However, at the end of the day, Cantor came up short.
While I do not necessarily agree with Eric Cantor’s political ideology, I nonetheless am troubled by his loss, because when Eric Cantor resigns from the House on August 18, the American Jewish community and the State of Israel will lose one of the staunchest allies that we have in Congress.
Not only has Eric Cantor been the sole Jewish Republican in Congress for the past five years, he is also the highest ranking Jewish lawmaker in congressional history. Yet, merely being Jewish is not the reason why I respect Eric Cantor. I admire him because he proudly wore his Jewish identity on his sleeve at all times. Eric Cantor made a conscious decision not to hide from his “Jewishness,” but to wholeheartedly embrace it at every turn.
I also greatly appreciate the fact that he constantly exhibited not just an understanding of Israel and its unique security needs, but a willingness to go to the mat for the Jewish State whenever it was necessary to do so.
Just several weeks ago, even after his defeat, and as he prepared to relinquish his post as Majority Leader, Cantor issued a strong defense of Israel as it defended itself against a barrage of rocket attacks from Hamas during Operation Protective Edge.
“Israel is one of our nation’s strongest democratic allies and its security is directly tied to our own,” said Cantor. “Hamas’ outrageous and unprovoked war against Israel must end. Until Hamas accepts the Quartet principles, abandoning violence and recognizing Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, there will not be peace.”
“There is no justification for Hamas’ violent assault on Israel, which withdrew completely from Gaza in 2005,” continued Cantor. “Since then, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have lobbed thousands of rockets into Israel and Hamas staged a coup against the Palestinian Authority, assuming complete control over Gaza and turning it into a den of terrorism.”
Regardless of whether you were a Democrat, Republican, Independent or Conservative, when it came to the safety and security of the State of Israel, Eric Cantor was always interested in hearing what you had to say. He had no compunction about stepping up to the microphone in order to deliver an impassioned defense of Israel and to declare that Israel’s security needs are America’s security needs, and he often backed up his words with action.
Eric Cantor’s electoral loss is not just a personal one; it is a communal one. With his departure from Congress, the Jewish community will not just lose one of our own; we will lose one of the best friends that we have in Congress. As Cantor sings his final tune and the curtain comes down on his Congressional tenure, unfortunately for the Jewish community and the State of Israel, there will be no encore performance.
“Mr. Speaker, I close by once again thanking my colleagues for their service, I thank them for their friendship and warmth,” said an emotional Eric Cantor on July 31 as he closed what was his final speech on the floor of the House as Majority Leader. “And with that, I yield back.”
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
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