I once heard American lawyer and law professor Alan Dershowitz speak live. It was just weeks away from Election Day, when we would be voting for president. An audience member asked him three loaded questions:
How should we vote — Democrat or Republican?
What’s best for the Jews?
What’s best for Israel?
I was surprised by his answer.
“It’s best for the Jews and for Israel to have representation in both parties.”
I never forgot it.
Now another election is looming on the horizon — proving to be one of the most divisive and contentious ones on record. Many of us are asking behind closed doors this brazen question of those near and dear to us:
How could she vote the way she is?
How could he vote the way he is?
And that’s not the only issue increasing our acid reflux output and creeping into our restless sleep. For months, I have been noting among my friends the following:
Lots of hand-wringing
Lots of sighs
Lots of worried brows
Not to mention hopelessness and depression
One reason for all the angst?
The raging antisemitism that grows more pernicious and rampant each day and what we can do to stop it.
I think I found a small way to start to stem the tide:
Support candidates who are running against those with antisemitic views.
For instance:
Therese Gamble is a black woman who is running in a primary on August 20 for the Florida State House from Jacksonville. A Jewish woman named Margie Stein was instrumental in raising funds for Therese’s filing fees, demonstrating her faith and confidence in putting someone with our best interests in the Florida State House.
Why? Because she is running against a woman named Kim Daniels, who has a well-documented history of antisemitic remarks.
Therese has been endorsed by the following:
Jacksonville PAC NOW
Democratic Women’s Club of FL
Duval County Spectrum LBGTQ Caucas
Environmental Caucus
Florida Jewish Caucus
Florida Rising
Hispanic Caucus – Democratic Hispanic Caucus of FL
JAX NOW PAC
Markers of Democracy (Post Carding)
Next Step Florida
Public Education Caucus
Lit Tv Network
SEIU Florida {Service employees International Union}
I took the above information about Therese Gamble and put it into an email that I forwarded to both my Republican and Democrat friends and acquaintances.
I added the following:
I’m not asking you to canvas, hold a rally, or contact your friends on behalf of Therese — although all those things would be super! I’m merely asking you to financially support Therese so that we can help elect another fair-minded person in the State House who has no history of prejudicial statements.
The maximum donation is $1000, but any amount you can contribute is appreciated.
Let’s face it: It’s up to us all to do our part in stemming the tide of rampant, scary and destructive antisemitism. This is an action we can take to oust the bigots and the intolerant among us and assure like-minded people are serving in all branches of our government.
How about doing your share?
Keep Preserving Your Bloom,
Iris Ruth Pastor
