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Lubavitcher Joins Ted Cruz Campaign

Rabbi Shmully Hecht, founder of the Shabtai Society at Yale University, has joined the presidential campaign of Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

by Jacob Kornbluh – Jewish Insider

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz launched his campaign’s “Jewish leadership Coalition” on Sunday, consisting of three dozen Jewish community leaders and activists from around the country.

As first reported by Jewish Insider, Cruz earned the backing of Dr. Ben Chouake, president of NORPAC, the nation’s largest pro-Israel political action committee, as well as Sarah Stern, president and founder of EMET (Endowment for Middle East Truth).

Additional prominent members of the Jewish leadership team include Ken Abramowitz, Dr. Joe Frager, and Rabbi Zev Reichman, spiritual leader of the East Hill Synagogue in Englewood, NJ, and director at Yeshiva University, among others.

“Since the day we announced our campaign, we have been honored to see tremendous support from the Jewish community.” Cruz said in a statement. “I have been privileged to speak at synagogue services from New York to California to Florida, to celebrate Passover Seders with my friends in Texas, and to participate in events with Elie Wiesel and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. My commitment to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people began long before my days as a senator or presidential candidate: it began with the experience my father had as a refugee fleeing oppression in Cuba to come to this country. As president, I will stand unapologetically with Israel, prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and cut off federal funding to any institution that adopts B.D.S. measures.”

Last September, Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced his “National Jewish Leadership Committee” consisting of 71 members. None of these members joined the Cruz campaign since Jeb quit the race.

Read the full list of members who have joined team Cruz below:

Ken Abramowitz, Connecticut
Raanan Agus, New York
Dr. Alan Berger, New Jersey
Dr. Marc Berger, New York
Dr. Ben Chouake, NORPAC President, New Jersey
Edward Czuker, California
Elissa Czuker, California
Rabbi Pini Dunner, California
Joseph Frager, New York
Saul Gamoran, Washington
Eli Gold, London Center for Policy Research, Maryland
Todd Hanik, Maryland
Rabbi Shmully Hecht, Founder, Yale Shabtai Society, Connecticut
David Horwitz, New York
Benjamin Klein, New Jersey
Batya Klein, New Jersey
Melissa Jane Kronfeld, New York
Hon. Adam Kwasman, Former Arizona State Representative, Arizona
Orit Kwasman, Faith & Freedom Coalition, Arizona
Barbara Ledeen, Maryland
Dr. Michael Ledeen, Foundation for Defense of Democracy, Maryland
Esther Lerer, New Jersey
Arie Lipnick, Washington, DC
Steven Mitzner, Texas
Ira Mitzner, Texas
Kevin Pailet, Texas
Rabbi Shlomo Pollak, New Jersey
Rabbi Elchanan Poupko, New York
Rabbi Zev Reichman, Yeshiva University, New Jersey
Rabbi Yaakov Rosenblatt, Texas
Dr. Pejman Salimpour, California
Dr. Joseph Schwartz, New Jersey
Chaya Schwartz, New Jersey
Trudy Stern, New York
Sarah Stern, President, Endowment for Middle East Truth, Maryland

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24 Comments

  • Shmuly Hecht Really???

    Are We Really Listening to what Shmuly Hecht says these Days? For Real?

    • Milhouse

      No, you join whoever is right, whether they win or lose. Cruz is the best choice, and Trump is worse than a Democrat, and that will be true no matter what the outcome is.

    • Pedant

      Curious, how is Trump worse than a Democrat. I mean I’ll vote for nobody before I vote for him, but the Democratic party of late has been outright trying to hurt Israel and bolster its enemies. I don’t know what Trump would do (nobody does…) but I can’t imagine him being worse than the current administration. The behaima contrary to common believe is extremely competent in is his very narrow and pernicious aims.

      Do you have any reason to believe that a major priority of Trump would be to harm Israel?

      Cruz would have been great but alas modern man is stupid to vote in someone fit for the job and it’s only getting worse.

    • Milhouse

      Trump would be worse than a Democrat because a Republican congress would resist a Democrat president, as it has done for the last 6 years, but it would have much more difficulty standing up to a president who is officially a Republican, and head of the RNC to boot.

      And the beheima isn’t as competent as you might think; if he’d just taken the money he inherited from his father and invested it in an index fund he’d have about what he does now, if not more. (Nobody knows how much he really has, but all the evidence seems to show it’s a lot less than he boasts of.) So all his handeling has produced nothing of any value.

      However one reason I’m particularly worried about what he might do to Israel is that he prides himself on his deal-making ability, and he will be determined to finally make the deal that no other president was able to achieve. And he’s already said that to do that he will take a neutral stance. We all know what that means for Israel.

  • Shimon

    Trudy Stern joined Ted Cruz???!!
    Ah soineh Lubavitcj btachlis sineh sinoisee smh.

  • Lubavitcher?

    What does his joining the Cruz campaign got to do with Lubavitch?

    Call him the “Shabtai-er”, why mix the Rebbe and Lubavitch in your own political shenanigans?

    Who gave you permission to use the Lubavitch name for politics?

    • Milhouse

      Who is using the Lubavitch name for politics? When did he do that? Look at the list; there’s no mention of Lubavitch, only of the Shabtai society. Shmully surely knows that Lubavitch is non-partisan, and respects that.

  • Should Schluchim be endorsing political candidates?

    Is this recommended for all Schluchim to actively endorse a political candidate. Is this part of Schlichus??

    • Milhouse

      No, it’s not part of shlichus. Nor are many things that shluchim happen to do.

  • Done all the time

    You should see, on the local level, how shluchim
    get involved in this, big time.

  • Milhouse

    Lubavitch is officially non-partisan. A shliach is a person and a citizen, and is entitled to endorse candidates in his private capacity, but not in the name of Lubavitch.

  • hechts maybe the most political

    but shmuely hecht has no business bring lubavitch into this political field

  • If you care about Israel; Vote Cruz

    To all those Jewish voters:
    Throughout the last few months, we all heard different “soundbites” from all the candidates regarding multiple topics, some of which affect us more then others; including Israel, religion, economy etc. etc.
    Unfortunately too many of us get fooled for soundbites, and we determine the best candidate, based on the candidate who has the best soundbites.
    As a Jew, who cares about Israel and religion, I beg of you; do not get fooled for the soundbites; instead, research the facts; research who has – not only said he will fight for Israel, but who has – actually fought for Israel. Research who has – not only said he fight for religion, but who has – actually fought for religion.
    I guarantee you that there will be one – and only one – candidate who has met those requirements; and that is undoubtedly Ted Cruz.
    Marco Rubio is a great speaker, and has said many great things about Israel, but unfortunately he has not done much for Israel during his time in the senate, other then giving a few nice speeches about Israel on the senate floor.
    I need not even discuss Donald Trump’s poor stance on Israel; we all saw quite clearly when he refused to blame the violence in Israel on the Arabs, stating; “I wish to remain neutral in regards to the Israeli – Arab conflict”. Additionally; we all saw this week, Trump refused to denounce the Ku Klux Klan and David Duke when asked to do so by Jake Tapper of CNN.
    Trump was endorsed by some of the greatest anti Semites in the country including – but not limited to David Duke, Louis Farrakhan, Ann Coulter and more.
    On the other hand, Cruz’s record while in the senate looks very different, and he has the scars to prove his immeasurable support of Israel.
    Here are just a few of Ted Cruz’s actual accomplishments in Senate associated with Israel;
    1: Ted Cruz introduced measure to provide necessary funding for Israel’s missile defense, Arrow System, David’s Sling and Iron Dome.
    2: Ted Cruz sent a bicameral letter to Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to close the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s office in Washington, D.C.
    3: Ted Cruz sent a bipartisan letter signed by 36 senators to Federica Mogherini, vice president of the European Commission. The letter expresses concern over reports that the European Union (EU) intends to move forward with new guidelines to label certain products made by Israeli companies imported into the EU.
    4: Ted Cruz chaired a hearing for the Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts titled “Justice Forsaken: How the Federal Government Fails the American Victims of Iranian and Palestinian Terrorism.” This hearing focused on the federal government’s failure to support the American victims of Iranian and Palestinian terror in their search for justice.
    5: Ted Cruz has twice introduced legislation to prohibit negotiations between the United States and Iran until Iran released the American prisoners it is unjustly detaining and recognizes Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.
    6: Ted Cruz co-sponsored legislation to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
    7: Congress passed Ted Cruz’s resolution to condemn Hamas’ use of civilians as human shields.
    8: Senate passed legislation Cruz introduced to offer rewards to those who handed in information about the kidnappers and murderers of the 3 boys who were murdered in Jerusalem.
    9: Ted Cruz asked if the FAA imposed economic sanctions on Israel by banning flights into Ben Gurion, an unprecedented restriction not even imposed on tumultuous countries like Ukraine. That day, the Secretary of State was asked about the ban, and within 36 hours, it was lifted.
    10: Ted Cruz opposed Chuck Hagel’s nomination for Secretary of Defense for multiple reasons, including his record of undermining U.S. – Israeli relations.
    These are just ten of – quite literally – hundreds of instances in which Cruz has stood up for Israel, when his colleagues have shied away from doing so.
    As RealClearPolitics has testified “Since arriving in Washington four years ago, Cruz has arguably been Israel’s most avid defender in the Senate”.
    I therefore turn to all of you and beg you; as Jews we must stand together and vote Cruz. Ted Cruz is a once-in-a-lifetime candidate for us. Let’s not abuse this chance.
    Vote Cruz, and campaign to your friends, colleagues and relatives to VOTE CRUZ.

  • 501(C)(3)

    Be very careful you don’t lose your 501(C)(3) status by becoming politically involved.

    • Milhouse

      There is no risk. Hecht is a citizen and is entitled to express his opinion. He’s also entitled to identify himself by naming the organization he leads. So long as the organization doesn’t endorse a candidate, its status is secure.

  • Henya

    The best thing pulpit rabbis or public rabbis can do in this campaign is remain neutral. By endorsing one candidate over another Hecht has painted himself into a corner that will be very difficult to get out of.

    He needs time to mature and learn that unless one is the candidate, public figures keep their cards close to their chest. May we also suggest that he do some serious digging on Cruz? He may not like everything that he sees.

  • I beg of you all; we cannot afford to get this wrong

    As I sit and read the comments on this article, one thing is clear; Ted Cruz supporters base themselves off facts, while Donald Trump and Marco Rubio supporters base themselves off emotions.
    The reality is that no; Donald Trump will not necessarily stand up for Israel; he has never proven to have stood up for Israel. But quite contrary; all indications seem to indicate that he will not be such a strong advocate for Israel; after all; he has said publicly “I wish to remain neutral in regards to the Israeli – Arab conflict”. Also, Trump refused to denounce the Ku Klux Klan and David Duke. So I beg of all those Jews who believe that Donald Trump will support Israel, to get beyond their emotions, and face reality; there is absolutely no evidence that Donald Trump will support Israel.
    Now, I am not suggesting that Donald Trump will indefinitely disavow Israel; all I am suggesting is that there is no evidence that he will support Israel, because he simply does not have a history of supporting Israel, like other politicians or even like other businessmen, such as Mr. Michael Bloomberg.
    And here is the thing; we cannot get this one wrong; Israel faces some major threats from every single country in this world; beginning from the terror threat from neighboring countries, and the growing economic threat from the E.U., other countries, and even colleges here in the United States of America. We cannot project or guess that our candidate is supportive of Israel; we must know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that our candidate is supportive of Israel.
    Similarly, while Marco Rubio said nice comments and speeches about Israel, he has never executed action in support of Israel.
    Ted Cruz – on the other hand, has not only said he supports Israel; has not only began supporting Israel after he began running for President; but he has actually fought – tooth and nail – on behalf of Israel for a record number of years; just look it up; go ahead and Google “Ted Cruz on Israel”, or go search on YouTube “Ted Cruz on Israel” and see for yourself; Ted Cruz has not just said a good game, but he actually played a good game.
    So please; if you support Donald Trump or Marco Rubio; I get it; they talk a good game, but we simply owe it to our Holy land to vote in the most supportive candidate of our holy land and its values. And that candidate is undoubtedly Ted Cruz; the facts are clear and simple.

  • Very good point

    To Henya;

    In Morristown, the hanhala decided that eligible
    voters should vote in the local elections. The reasoning being that if they see us voting (especially the large numbers that we had, Morristown being a small town), they will try to do us favors in order to get our vote.
    ONE IMPORTANT CAVEAT: not all should be voting for the same party, becuase what if that party loses? So, regardless of our offical party affiliation, half voted Republican, half voted Democrat.
    One bochur (name withheld since I don’t have the time to get his approval) was a genius, who graduated law- school at a young age. There was an open position of, “member of county committee.” The way a candate got this was by getting a majority of people wriiting your name, and placing it in the ballot slot. Well, he asked us to do that. Guess what, he won! So, every Thursday night, I saw him putting on a tie, getting ready to go to a meeting.