Hillary Clinton has a new problem.
Jewish Democrats for Trump, a group with a self-explanatory name, is actively warning about the dangers of another anti-Israel politician in the White House.
The group offers punchy messages and though it appears to have no internet presence, it is active on the streets and in some New York Jewish media outlets. The emphasis of Jewish Democrats for Trump also appears to be fittingly on immigration and the danger posed to Jewish communities by Hillary Clinton's obsession with importing huge numbers of anti-Semitic Muslims into the United States.
“We feel very strong about what’s happening in Europe now,” said Heshy Friedman, the Jewish activist behind the ad campaign. “They need 24/7 police outside synagogues. Why? Because they let all these refugees in.”
Above a photo of Trump raising his thumbs in the air, the ad declares: “We dare not be silent,” and states that “President Trump will stop the flow of thousands of dangerous terrorists coming to America.”
When asked about the view of many in the Jewish community that Trump’s comments about Muslims and immigrants are racist, Friedman told the Forward: “Racist? He’s a realist.”
The ad campaign was timed to reach out to Jewish voters, mainly Orthodox, before voting begins in states with big Jewish communities. The group handed out material in Florida but is focusing its work on New York and New Jersey. In the upcoming weeks they hope to have more of a presence on the Jewish scene. The group intends to buy ads in Yiddish language newspapers distributed in the Ultra-Orthodox community, urging readers to attend Trump rallies and campaign events in New York to show that he has support among Jewish voters. They are also printing thousands of Donald Trump stickers in Hebrew.
More religious Jewish communities tend to be more conservative and pro-Israel.
A recent poll of Florida Jews found that Orthodox voters there back Trump by a 3-to-1 margin.
“The haredi community clearly leans toward the Republican Party,” said Hikind, who is undecided in the presidential election. “Mostly it’s been Republican because of the sense that Republicans are much closer to Israel, much friendlier to Israel.”
The left-wing media predictably tries to spin this by accusing Orthodox Jews of "sexism". It's a cynical smear. Especially as these communities also backed Romney over Obama. No doubt because they were racist. And if they're less than fond of Bill Clinton... it's because he was America's first black president.
Friedman changed his license plate to “TRUMP 17” in honor of the candidate’s would-be inauguration year, and believes there is a “silent majority” of haredi Jews who are too bashful to voice their support for Trump. He says support for Trump is especially strong among young haredim, who use the internet and have access to right-wing websites.
“You have a whole new generation of yeshiva kids who are right wing,” he said. “[Democrats] are trying to destroy the religious community. These people have an agenda, and when they start the fight, there’s always a reaction.”