Behind the Ballot Box: On Israel (with Seffi Kogen)

With Election Day rapidly approaching, there are many issues of concern to each voter before they cast their ballot. But the Jewish voter is not monolithic. In each episode of “Behind the Ballot Box: Jewish Values and Our Vote,” Rabbi Jesse Olitzky speaks to rabbis and Jewish communal professionals about a specific issue at stake in this election and why they believe it should be front and center in the minds of voters.

Host Rabbi Jesse Olitzky of Congregation Beth El in South Orange, NJ speaks with Seffi Kogen, Global Director of Young Leadership at American Jewish Committee (AJC) about what Donald Trump and Joe Biden each think of the US-Israel relationship. We know that there are many issues at stake in November’s election that concern the Jewish community. Many assume that Israel is ‘the issue.’ Join Jesse and Seffi as they talk about the Abraham Accords, Trump’s decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, Joe Biden well-known story of visiting with Golda Meir during his first trip to Israel, and how Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu has changed the American Jewish community’s view of Israel and the Prime Minister. They discuss what it means to be a Zionist, when it is appropriate for the American Jewish community to criticize decisions by Israel’s government and how a candidate being “good for Israel” is actually quite subjective.

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