Walking Between the Raindrops

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun". These words were written by King Solomon about three thousand years ago. Sometimes we fantasize that painful and tragic moments from previous eras will never be repeated, and we are surprised when ominous indicators appear on our radar. It was about 90 years ago in the United States, when Charles Coughlin, a Canadian-born Catholic priest, electrified the radio airwaves with his rhetoric filled with overt Jew hatred. It is estimated that Coughlin had about 40 million weekly listeners who were glued to their radios, only too eager to digest the poison that he espoused. Coughlin was one of the key figures during the America First nationalist wave of the 30’s that successfully influenced the American government to be neutral in the days leading up to and in the beginning of the Holocaust. We all know too well how that ended. ​ We are living in interesting times amid a new and different America First movement. To be sure, there are versions of this ideology that are not hostile to the Jews and their ancestral homeland. After several years in word and deed, President Trump has demonstrated that one can be a champion of America First and be a friend and ally to Israel and the Jewish People. However, the next generation is emerging, and many of them have made clear that, in their viewpoint, America First and Israel First are mutually exclusive. The traditional view that America stood by Israel because of shared values is now being undermined not only on the left but more recently in the circles on the right. The center is dangerously shrinking and becoming lonelier. One of the most influential podcasters on the right, whose name I cannot bear to mention, has tens of millions of followers who listen and are influenced by his rhetoric. One of the positions the podcaster champions is that no U.S. citizen should be allowed to serve in the IDF, as that would constitute a lack of loyalty. He does not share the same position if anyone is a dual citizen of a country other than Israel. Most recently, the podcaster hosted an infamous Nazi sympathizer on his show and offered little pushback. The Heritage Foundation, a revered think tank in the Conservative movement, refused to distance itself from this podcaster. ​ One of the blessings for American Jews for the vast majority of its time in the United States has been the liberty of not needing to choose to be a loyal American and a proud Jew who is connected to Israel. There are cracks in the armor that indicate an unwelcome change might be coming. ​ In this week's parsha, our patriarch Avraham identifies himself as a “newcomer and a resident.” It would appear to be a contradictory way of describing oneself. If you are a foreigner, then you are not a resident, and vice versa. Avraham was teaching us that we must embrace this dual identity. Yes, we are loyal citizens to the host country, and we have a covenantal relationship with G-d for over 3,000 years. Both ideologies are aligned with one another and not mutually exclusive. ​ As Jews, we live with PTSD from our collective past. Some Jews always make sure to have valid passports, as you can never be sure. Even if someone else might think that it is an overreaction, one must not delude oneself into thinking that all is ok. While the mediums of communication have changed from the radio to the online world and its social media offerings, human nature and its weaknesses remain the same. Sometimes we delude ourselves into thinking that we can just wait until the storm passes. More often than not, the Jewish story has conditioned us to keep dancing between the raindrops. Have Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch