DUAL LOYALTY UNDER OBAMA

Face it: The Nov. 4 presidential election was a test of dual loyalty if there ever was one.

American Jews had to choose between a candidate who was clueless on fixing our economic mess and an opponent with suspect attitudes toward Israel. As TV host Jay Leno would ask, who do you root for? An estimated 79 percent of Jews voted for Barack Obama.

Yes, it was a loyalty test. President Obama clearly had plans to improve living conditions for all struggling Americans, which takes in a high percentage of Jews. However, we had legitimate concerns about his future influence on Israel. If Sen. John McCain intended changes to advance the lot of the disenfranchised, he kept it a tightly-guarded secret. There was no reason to question his position on Israel, though.

We can only hope that Obama is good for the Jews here and those Jews there, 5,600 miles to the east. American presidents have generally stood in solidarity with Israel since President Truman supported its founding nearly 61 years ago. A large segment of the African-American community has voiced anti-Israel sentiments, and some of Obama’s associations spurred suspicions about his stance on Israel.

American Jews have always been loyal citizens of the United States and forceful advocates for Israel. We have always been able to simultaneously assume both roles with few problems.

Our concerns for the Obama Administration could lead to some intriguing twists and turns.
Primarily, Obama has embarked on a risky undertaking which directly affects the estimated 5.1 million Jews here. Many Jews are poor to begin with, others have lost satisfying jobs and lack health insurance and still more sat helpless as their fortunes evaporated in flawed investments. Jewish agencies face a simultaneous boost in demand for services as their resources shrink.

Philadelphia’s Jewish Exponent reports in an ongoing series of an unemployed widow with three grownup children who live with her, and they all lack health insurance. Two men, ages 53 and 61, lost lifetime jobs or careers. New food assistance requests at the Jewish Relief Agency in Philadelphia surged to 100 in December, up from an average 15 each month; at the same time, the state cut $30,000 from subsidies to the JRA, according to the Exponent.

The Jewish Federations in New York, Atlanta and Cleveland laid off more than 75 employees, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported.

Jewish lobbying organizations for domestic issues fervently support Obama’s programs to improve the economy, but they worry about proposals to reduce tax deductions for charitable giving while raising taxes on the wealthy. These steps could lead to a reduction in contributions from an otherwise reliable funding source.

We 5.1 million are in the same boat as our 294.9 million fellow Americans. We have been tossed into a struggle for financial survival.

Interestingly, competing stereotypes could emerge. Since Jews comprise a high percentage of the wealthy, others may believe that Jews have Mad(e)…off * well from the crisis. Conservatives who dub Obama’s plans as socialism might possibly blame the Jews, as they have been persecuted before for perceived associations with socialism and communism.

Those of us loyal to Israel must consider its web of crises. Israel is attacked daily by Gaza and threatened - in wink and nod style - with nuclear annihilation by Iran. Israel’s government has long operated in crisis mode while so-called Arab peace partners engage in anything but peace among themselves.

Obama wades into this travesty amid questions of where he stands on Israel. Many Jews fear he will pressure the Israeli government into taking action that could harm Israel. So far, he has done little to clarify the direction he intends to take. He claims he and his delegates are attempting to learn what they can before making any decisions.

However, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has already declared that a two-state solution must become a reality. Is it the solution? Actually, the best approach is to preclude entering the situation with any pre-conceived notions.

Likewise, it is too early to assess the actions of Obama and Congress on either domestic or international issues. The usual eternal vigilance is necessary, and the government’s policies should be supported when we believe they will benefit America and protested when we fear they could be harmful.

*Author’s note - Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun, which of course is not original.