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Articles by Steve Sheffey
The Blogs: Daniel Biss Deserves Pro-Israel Support
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss is the frontrunner in the crowded Illinois Ninth Congressional District Democratic primary to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Schakowsky recently endorsed Biss, cementing his status as the leading candidate. AIPAC, likely using its super PAC, is preparing ads targeting Biss and is supporting state senator Laura Fine, although Fine has been reticent to acknowledge AIPAC’s support.
The Blogs: Distinguishing Anti-Zionism from Antisemitism
Claiming that anti-Zionism is always antisemitism makes it harder to defend Zionism and harder to fight antisemitism because it muddles both terms. We need to understand anti-Zionism, antisemitism, and how to tell the difference. I am a Zionist. I worry about rising antisemitism. This is personal for me.
The Blogs: Everybody's Hero: A Book for Our Times
Everybody’s Hero, the new novel from Dr. Alex J. Sinclair, is narrated by a serial killer whose plans are interrupted when, by chance, he becomes a national hero, everybody’s hero, after he saves the person he was planning to murder when someone else attacks her first. It’s a fast, fun, page-turner whose protagonist could be a 21st-century Israeli version of Dostoevsky’s Underground Man and whose point of view you can’t help but adopt as your own while you’re reading it.
The Blogs: Repairing the Rift on Israel and Antisemitism
The New York City mayoral election exacerbated rifts in the Jewish community that have been developing for years, especially since October 7, including the difference between criticism of Israel and antisemitism and criticism of Zionism and antisemitism. Many younger Americans, and many younger Jews, distinguish between antisemitism (hatred of Jews) and criticism of Israel and of Zionism.
The Blogs: Beware of These Polls of the Jewish Vote
Wondering why polls from respected sources did not agree on the Jewish vote percentages for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump? Wondering if the polls purporting to tell us the share of the Jewish vote that went to Zohran Mamdani are accurate? When it comes to the Jewish vote, not all polls are created equal. Polls released thus far on the Jewish vote in the New York mayoral race are almost certainly flawed and should not be relied upon.
An interview with former Congressman Steve Rothman - Steve Sheffey
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An interview with former Congressman Steve Rothman
Kamala Harris 7 hours ago New Harris vs.
An interview with former Congressman Steve Rothman
Steve Rothman’s new autobiography, Congressman Steve Rothman: A Political History with Photographs, is a fascinating account of Rothman’s life in politics. Rothman represented New Jersey’s 9th congressional district from 1997 to 2013, where he distinguished himself as one of the most pro-Israel members of Congress on either side of the aisle. He was a leading advocate for funding Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, as well as David’s Sling, Arrow 2, and Arrow 3.
Perfect Enemy: A Book For Our Time
As Israel continues to battle Hamas in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 massacre, and as the ramifications of the war continue to reverberate around the world, why should you read a suspense thriller about an Israeli scientist who clones Adolf Hitler to make the world a better place? Alex J Sinclair’s first novel, Perfect Enemy, comes out this week. I read it, I loved it, and I think it’s incredibly relevant to the current situation.
Steve Sheffey, at The Blogs
Steve Sheffey is active in the national Jewish and pro-Israel political communities. His weekly Pro-Israel Political Update is read by thousands of subscribers across the country and around the world. The views he expresses on this blog are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organizations he is or has been associated with.
Democrats are Better than Republicans on Antisemitism
Our Republican friends would like us to forget that the leader of the Republican Party, the man the GOP twice nominated for President of the United States and is the frontrunner for a third nomination in 2024, is a corrupt, ignorant, would-be authoritarian with a long history of antisemitic rhetoric including, but not limited to, accusations of disloyalty, who kicked off the Jewish New Year in 5784 with an antisemitic post.
Top Ten Signs You're At a Republican Seder
(This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.) Sunday April 02, 2023 · 12:58 PM GMT 2023/04/02 · 12:58
Kevin McCarthy and the weaponization of antisemitism
By Steve Sheffey and Jonathan Jacoby Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was a featured speaker at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Leadership Meeting last weekend at the Venetian. After being elected as Republican Leader on Nov. 15, McCarthy now needs to strengthen his position to get the votes to become House speaker. To do so, he needs to show the far-right of his party that he can disrupt President Joe Biden’s agenda.
Twelve tribes, two peoples, one land
Dec 16, 2021, 5:12 PM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
Combating BDS? Not really.
The Combating BDS Act, recently reintroduced by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), is both inconsequential and dangerous: inconsequential because it is an unnecessary, toothless attempt to counter the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, and dangerous because it is an attempt to divide the pro-Israel and free speech communities. The BDS movement is failing.
How Not to Define Antisemitism
Studies show that amateurs and professionals rate older, more expensive wines higher than lower-priced wines yet rate wines differently in blind taste tests. They are not lying when they rate higher-priced wines higher–knowing the price makes it genuinely taste better. The same is true of our political beliefs. We often adjust our position on an issue based on the position of our tribe or who is telling us what to think.
The conflict over the conflict
College students, parents, anyone concerned about the Israel/Palestine campus debate, and anyone wondering about the IHRA definition of antisemitism owe it to themselves to read The Conflict Over the Conflict, by Kenneth S. Stern (New Jewish Press, 2020). Stern is the director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, the lead drafter of the IHRA’s “Working Definition of Antisemitism,” and was the American Jewish Committee’s expert on antisemitism for 25 years.
Rev. Raphael Warnock is pro-Israel
Dec 13, 2020, 5:44 PM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock is pro-Israel.
Warnock and Israel: Setting the Record Straight
Nov 23, 2020, 6:45 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Control of the Senate depends on two Georgia Senate races.
The GOP is Singing the Wrong Tune on Anti-Semitism
Oct 29, 2020, 2:05 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Since World War II, both political parties have avoided using anti-Semitism in their discourse.
Jewish? Undecided? Vote for Biden
Oct 19, 2020, 12:26 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Donald Trump’s personality is inseparable from his policies.
Trump is bad for Israel: Here's why
Sep 2, 2020, 11:47 PM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Israel is worse off than it was four years ago.
Trump vs. Biden on Israel
By Steve Sheffey Source: White House Flickr Joe Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.
Who's Drifting on Israel?
It’s true. One of our major political parties is drifting away from traditional, mainstream principles of pro-Israel advocacy. The question is whether this disturbing trend is reversible or whether the Republican Party will permanently rupture decades of bipartisan support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. Support for a two-state solution has been a bedrock principle of pro-Israel advocacy since Oslo.
Don't Fall for It
The pro-Israel community should be celebrating today’s strong bipartisan support for Israel and resisting attempts to turn Israel into yet another issue separated by a partisan divide. Yet some Republicans continue to violate a cardinal principle of pro-Israel advocacy by distorting their opponents’ positions on Israel for partisan gain.
Clinton-Kaine is a pro-Israel ticket
If there was ever a time to put country before party, this is the time. Republican nominee Donald Trump Donald TrumpHappy Birthday President Obama, now save us from Trump Happy Birthday President Obama, now save us from Trump Obama dismisses Trump claim of 'rigged' election MORE's odious brand of politics should be anathema to all Americans, and especially to Jews, who for so many years have been victims of the ignorance and bigotry mainstreamed by demagogues like Trump.
Should I renew my AIPAC membership?
My American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) membership expires this September. Should I renew or demand a refund? I joined AIPAC nearly 30 years ago because I support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and because I believe that support for Israel is and must remain bipartisan. I support a two-state solution, as does AIPAC, because Israel cannot retain the West Bank indefinitely and remain both Jewish and democratic.
Preventing Iranian nukes without further sanctions
The Republican Senate's consideration of additional Iranian sanctions legislation stems from concerns about the absence of an acceptable agreement with Iran after all these months of negotiations, as well as fears that temporary extensions of limited sanctions relief have allowed the Iranian economy a chance to recover somewhat and has provided material encouragement to potential Iranian economic partners.
Israel's next army chief 'would only strike Iran as last resort'
Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, named Friday night as the next IDF chief of the General Staff, firmly opposes Israeli military intervention to thwart Iran’s nuclear program unless Iran poses an immediate existential threat to Israel, an Israeli television report said. Eizenkot, the current deputy chief, holds to the view that Israel should not strike at Iran “unless the sword is at our throat,” Channel 10 reported.
Just say no to new Iran sanctions
President Obama and members of Congress in both parties share the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The question is whether to violate the terms of the recently-extended Joint Plan of Action by imposing additional sanctions now. That would be a huge mistake. Listening to Sen.
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