Barack Obama a Great Friend to Israel

I have been perplexed in the past months that Barack Obama is perceived by so many as being an enemy of Israel, even though just a quick search on the internet or a brief look into his past tells the complete opposite.

I read a spectacular letter today written by someone who was lucky enough to see Barack speak recently at a synagogue in Florida, and here it is. It is eloquently written and speaks volumes to anyone who will just open his/her mind and hear what it says.

May 23, 2008>> Mr. Obama Goes To Shul>> BOCA RATON , FLORIDA * Senator Barack Obama came to Temple B'nai > Torah this afternoon. As will often happen with candidates out on > the campaign trail, his arrival was delayed by several hours. And > although he apologized for being tardy and making us wait, he never > did mention the reason for his delay. As I found out later that > night, he had hopped up to Capitol Hill in order to vote in favor of > a measure which greatly expands the G.I. Bill. He could have taken > the high, self-serving road and told those assembled why he was > late. He could also have taken the low, "finger-pointing" road and > flailed Senator McCain for being one of 22 Republicans voting > against our men and women in uniform.>>

Instead, he did neither.>> This was not his reason for going to shul.>> Rather, he was here, in the midst of approximately 750 mostly- > Jewish men, women and teens, to talk about himself, Israel , and > anti-Semitism, and to address head-on the virtual St. Vitus' dance > of fear that has been such a noxious staple of cyberspace this past > year>> I managed to snag a VIP pass and, guiltily walking past the long > line of folks standing out in the rain, was seated about 6 feet away > from the senator. Sitting with me were -- somewhat surprisingly -- > at least thee lions of the Republican Party and a couple of die-hard > Clinton acolytes.

They, like so many in the assembled minyan, were > not there because they already supported Senator Obama. Rather, they > had come to find out for themselves just who the "skinny guy with > the strange-sounding name" is, and whether or not he will be as bad > for Israel as so many have claimed.>> Senator Obama certainly had his work cut out for himself.>> To make the senator's task even more challenging, just the day > before he attended shul, the New York Times ran a story entitled > "Many Florida Jews Express Doubts On Obama." In the article, staff > writer Jodi Kantor quoted a handful of South Florida Jews who were > dismissive -- if not downright hostile -- to Senator Obama's > candidacy.

One elderly woman said she would never vote for Obama > "because of his attitude on Israel ." A second averred that Obama > "is part of Chicago 's large Palestinian community." A third > worried that if he were elected, Obama "might fill his > administration with followers of Louis Farrakhan." And yet a fourth > opined, "His father was a Muslim and you can't take that out of him.">>

No one ever said running for president was easy; especially when > you're a guy named Barack Obama, and you're speaking in a synagogue > before more Jews than the rabbi has seen since last Rosh Hashana.>> With a mesmerizing mix of eloquence and erudition, articulation > and affability, the Senator won over the vast majority of the > assembled minyan. During the more than two hours he spent speaking > and dialoguing, Senator Obama made it abundantly clear that he was, > is, and always shall be, a staunch defender of the Jewish State. > [One should know a fact: after going over the voting records of both > Senator Clinton and Obama vis-a-vis issues pertaining to Israel, > AIPAC -- the main Israel support lobby in the U.S. gave both a 100% > rating. That's 100% of the time that both senators voted in a > manner that was favorable to the Jewish State.]>>

Senator Obama told of how, as a youngster attending summer camp, > he had a Jewish counselor who told him about Zionism:>> "I really connected with it, because in Zionism, there is this > sense of rootedness, of having a place and a home. And for a kid > with my unusual background . . . and not knowing precisely where I > fit, this struck a tremendous chord.">> When asked about his relationship with a Palestinian professor > from the University of Chicago , the Senator said:>> "Yes, I have met the man, but why do people automatically > conclude that therefore I must be in agreement with what he > espouses? People do have the ability to listen to those with whom > they disagree. How can one ever make any progress if the only folks > they talk to are those with whom they are in agreement?">>

Obama went on to say:>> "I don't want to get in to the 'some of my best friends are > Jewish' trap, because it's terribly demeaning. But I will tell you > this: when I first ran [unsuccessfully] for Congress against Bobby > Rush, the main argument against me was that I was too close to the > Jewish community! I have always believed that Jewish and African > Americans have an historic bond, an historic memory. I mourn the > passing of the time when Jewish Americans and African Americans > worked together in harmony to bring about change. If it weren't for > the Jewish community and their central role in the Civil Rights > struggle, I wouldn't be here today, running for President of the > United States .">>

Addressing all the emails that are going around [indeed, I just > received one entitled "The Fifty Lies of Barack Obama"], he made a > telling point with a fine degree of humor:>> "You know, no one believes those emails that start out: 'I'm a > Nigerian who has $5 million in the bank but can't get at it . . . > however if you'll only send me a thousand dollars . . .' Or all > those medicines that promise to help expand your . . . well, let's > not go there . . . [laughter] . . . But seriously, why then do > people believe scurrilous rumors? Promising millions for nothing or > potency for pennies has about as much reality as proclaiming that I > am a Jihadist.">>

Many in the crowd were of the opinion that "George W. Bush is the > best friend Israel has ever had." I hear this from my students more > often than is comfortable. Senator Obama addressed this in words of > stark simplicity:>> "In the past seven years, Iran has become infinitely more > powerful than ever before. It has given tremendous financial support > to the major enemies of Israel . This has all happened under the > Bush-Cheney-McCain watch. How can anyone conclude that the one who > empowers your worst enemy is your best friend? It doesn't make any > sense.">> One person in the crowd asked why, in saying he would convene a > summit meeting of all Arab countries, he excluded Israel , Obama > smiled and answered:>> "Well first, Israel isn't an Arab country; its a Jewish State. > Secondly, they are our strongest ally . . . our best friend in the > region. The countries we would be talking to are the ones we want > to convince that someday, somehow, they're going to have to learn > how to live in peace with Israel . If you only talk to your > friends, there is absolutely no chance that you're ever going to be > able to change your enemies. That is part of the definition of > courage">>

By way of example, Senator Obama mentioned how, when speaking > before students at a school of Ramallah , he told them, "One day you > are going to have to learn to live in peace with Israel.">> Did Senator Obama's "performance" make supporters out of everyone > in attendance? Probably not, for he is, as we say in Hebrew, raq > basar va'dahm ["merely flesh and blood"]. Nonetheless, I believe he > quelled the fear and uncertainty in many hearts.>>

There no doubt will always be those who choose to believe the > worst about Senator Obama -- or anyone in the public eye for that > matter. There will also always be those who seek to hide incipient > racism beneath the veneer of inept rhetoric. And believe me, I am > fully expecting people to write and tell me that I have had the wool > pulled over my eyes -- that Senator Obama is a Muslim, ant- > Semitic . . . the whole nine yards.>> And yet, for at least one afternoon, in one shul, the minyan had > the opportunity to listen to -- and share with -- a man who reminded > us that the Arabic barack and the Hebrew baruch share the same > meaning: "Blessed.">>

It was a "sermon" well worth the wait.>> Oh yes: by the end, even the three Republicans were on their feet.>> And don't worry about being late Senator. You see, ever since > Sinai, we've been on Jewish Standard Time .>>

�2008 Kurt F. Ston>> Kurt Stone is a rabbi, writer, lecturer, political activist, > professor, actor, and medical ethicist. Educated at the University > of California , the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers > University and the Hebrew Union College , Stone holds a B.A. in > American Political History, a Master of Hebrew Letters, and a Doctor > of Divinity. A resident of South Florida for more than 25 years, he > is currently spiritual leader of the North Broward Havurah in Coral > Springs .