We are Today’s Leaders

On Sunday, April 25, 2010, I attended the rally in front of the Israeli Embassy in NYC organized by the Jewish Action Alliance and supported by various other groups. This was a rainy day get together that brought out about 2,000 passionate people to protest against the Administration’s scapegoating of Israel. I am proud to say that I was one of them and I held up a sign that read: Obama: Listen Up. The American People Stand With Israel.

It was only a month ago that RJC’s Executive Director, Matthew Brooks asked in his commentary: Where are our Jewish leaders? Why aren’t they speaking up? Well, this is the same question asked at this rally by several of the speakers. Beth Gilinsky, political strategist and the organizer of this protest, spoke in the strongest of words against our ‘silent leaders’ when she presented her concept of “delivering a pink slip to those who have failed in their silence and to fire them.” This was shortly followed by an emotional speech from Assemblyman Dov Hikind, whose parents survived the Holocaust. He pointed out that in 1939 most of the Jewish organizations, leading Rabbis and government officials did nothing then, as well. Hikind wants to know what are they waiting for today? Do they all have amnesia? Can we embarrass them with this protest?

The speaker I was most unexpectedly impressed with was Curtis Sliwa of the Guardian Angels. His amazingly strong speech focused on how the Jews of America were ‘suckers’ and fell for Obama’s ‘gaming us.’ He passionately spoke of how ‘Candidate Obama’ used the Jews to get elected with his choreographed visit to Israel, his teleprompter speeches to the Jewish communities and his rhetoric that he stands firmly with Israel. Simply said by Sliwa: “You can’t depend on Obama to do what is right.” I was also surprised by how strongly the Reverend Michael Faulker, an African-American from the New Horizon Church (who is preparing to run for a district office), spoke with his message: “To trust in the G-d of Israel.”

There were around two dozen speakers that came out in the rain to show their support ‘for’ and ‘to’ Israel. People like Dr. Herbert London, President of the Hudson Institute; Rabbi Aryeh Spero; Joan Peters, author “From Time Immemorial”; Dr. Michael Ledeen, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Joy Brighton, Stop Shariah Now; Mallory Danaher, Director, David Horowitz Freedom Center; James Lafferty, Chairman and Founder of the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force; Lori Lowenthal Marcus, ‘Z’ Street; Pamela Geller, Stop Islamization of America Now; and Rabbi David Algaze, President, World Committee for the Land of Israel. These people came together representing different religions, ethnic backgrounds, political parties and organizations, but all with the same message. We need to show American support for Israel and to convince President Obama that he must change his attitude towards Israel.

I left this rally with one thing in mind: We the people must be the leaders in this cause. Each of us must not wait and depend on someone else to speak out for us. There is not a religious leader, a congressman, or a president of the United States whom we should wait to hear from when there is silence of this magnitude. The fact is, in spite of Mayor Ed Koch, Eli Weisel, the RJC and others calling attention to this silence, the ‘silent ones’ may still remain silent, no matter how embarrassed or ashamed they may feel. So it is now in the hands of the individual to speak out. Not just Jews and Christians, but all Americans. Next time there is a ‘Protest for Israel’ where will you be? Please don’t be one of the ‘silent ones.’ Become one of the ‘outspoken’ and speak about this everyday until we together can make a change that we can believe in!