Home

In support of Rep. Holt's support of Israel

In January, 54 members of Congress sent a letter to President Obama, calling for humanitarian relief for the civilian population of the Gaza Strip. Since then, individuals in our community have used Rep. Rush Holt's signature on this letter to demonize him and to denounce him for not supporting Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth; Representative Holt has always been a strong supporter of Israel, and I have not seen anything that would lead me to believe otherwise.

Rush has not only voted in support of Israel at virtually every opportunity, he has also voiced his concerns about the Goldstone Report and its harsh criticism of the IDF. He has supported every bill providing assistance to Israel, and through his many visits has gained a first-hand understanding of her people and her politics. I believe that his own background as a Quaker played a major role in his decision to push for humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, but even the authors of this letter emphasized that international aid will help to undermine the Hamas stranglehold on basic supplies.

I have known Rush since he came to office more than a decade ago, and in all my dealings with legislators in Washington and in Trenton, I have never found a more open door than Rep. Holt's. In fact, I wish some of the Jewish lawmakers in Washington were as receptive to a call from a rabbi as he is.

As we approach election season, I hope those who wish to criticize will actually look at the record before making accusations that are false.

Rabbi Donald A. Weber
Morganville