Will it matter to American Jews who wins in November?
While it will be difficult for American Jews to admit it, what has always been the case for Jews over the past several millennia, and in many different countries, is beginning to happen to us again here in the U.S. Many readers may disagree with me. Many will not see it coming. My fellow American Jews are safe in their cocoons and haven't yet seen the cracks. But the cracks are there, with more appearing every day.
Just look at our college and university campuses. Many of those students, the entire next generation of Americans, will be emerging from those campuses imbued with the far-left "progressive" ideology, which dictates strong anti-Israel beliefs in the best case and outright Jew-hatred in the worst.
It has become permissible in the U.S. for people to unashamedly and overtly express Jew-hatred. The signs are here. Twenty or thirty years from now, will this country be as comfortable for Jews as it has in the past?
I grew up in a primarily Jewish section of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 1950s. America was an ideal country during that time. I was aware of what was happening to the Jews of Europe and felt safe and secure in the U.S. I thanked God that I was in the U.S. and was convinced that Jews would be safe in America forever.
For the past several years, I have had a sense of foreboding about the American Jewish community. The left has become increasing hostile to Israel. On the right, while Donald Trump himself has not expressed any bigotry toward Jews – his daughter and son-in-law are Jewish – many of his supporters don't hesitate to express their racism against non-whites and Jews. So whoever wins in November will bring a following in which there are people who have anti-Jewish sentiment, expressed or unexpressed.
I am writing this to say to my fellow Jews, please open your eyes. Watch for signs. Over time, an environment hostile to Jews could arise in the U.S. Look around you. Be prepared.
Gary Aminoff lives in Los Angeles. He writes a blog at Bear to the Right and can be reached at gaminoff@gmail.com.