Bushes, GOP winning Jewish support

Palm Beach Post ^ | 04-27-04 | Brian E. Crowley

[veronica]

DELRAY BEACH -- Rabbi Richard Yellin praised Gov. Jeb Bush's support of Israel Monday during a ceremony at Temple Emeth celebrating the 56th anniversary of that nation's independence.

The rabbi presented Bush with a small, mounted Shofar -- a ram's horn blown during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur -- as a token of appreciation "for his support of Israel's economy."

Bush, who has made four trips to Israel, said "Israel holds a powerful place in my heart." He added that the relationship between Israel and the United States has grown closer since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America.

"It is important for us to remember the alliance between the United States, and particularly Florida, and the state of Israel," Bush said.

Bush and his brother President George W. Bush have become increasingly popular figures in the politically active Jewish community. Both are considered to be exceptionally strong supporters of Israel, a litmus test that even Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of Delray Beach agrees has helped the GOP make inroads into the overwhelmingly Democratic Jewish community of South Florida.

Wexler, himself enormously popular in South Florida's Jewish community, said Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic candidate for president, will get the overwhelming majority of the Jewish vote, "but Republicans are making some gains."

Not with Murray Kalish, a Democratic activist and board member of the temple, who complained after Bush's speech that the governor has failed to support public schools.

"Teachers don't have any supplies," said Kalish. "Why isn't he doing something to pay for what teachers need?"

Bush spoke for about 10 minutes, then flew back to Tallahassee, where the state legislature is in its final week of the annual 60-day session.

Miki Arbel, the Israeli consul general, also spoke to the crowd of more than 500 at the West Atlantic Avenue synagogue.

[veronica]

There are plenty of Jewish Republicans.

It's such a cliche to refer to the all Jews as "the Jews", or "the American Jews" - as if Jews are a monolith.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

I beg to differ, if I might. In America, Jews are a monolith, in fact a monolith of left-wing, liberal, Democrat dogma! It is their fatal flaw, but they are to rigid in their views to change, even if by not changing it leads to their entire extinction from this Earth. I am, by birth, half a Jew and damn proud of it, but my hero is not some liberal, traitor Democrat that will stand by while my people get slaughtered. My hero is Ariel Sharon, the IDF and the Israeli people was will stand and defend Israel and her right to free! I may go down, but not without a fight. Here, Ms Barbra Streisand is leading her flock to a "Daniel Pearl" end of life! Politics is important, but not more important than the defense of freedom and life! American Jews are lost, just as the jews of old wndered aimlessly on desert lands.

[veronica]

I beg to differ, if I might. In America, Jews are a monolith, in fact a monolith of left-wing, liberal, Democrat dogma!

Bush's campaign chairman is a Jewish. His name is Ken Mehlman.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Believe me, I am well aware of strong American Jewish representation in the Bush administration, and Mr. Mehlman is aces, being one sharp fella! The problem is, to give you an example, the Jews in south Florida! Shucks, they would vote for Hitler if he was a Democrat! Get my point! They would vote for "traitor" Democrats rather than vote for their own security. And....they will pay a dear price for it, with their lives!

[SJackson]

Even more fun is googling " neo-con likudniks" and seeing all the sympathetic losers who pop up:

Good one. Whether

"neo-con likudniks" or

"neocon likudniks"

it's pretty clear where and in what context that term is used.