I was astonished to hear Congressman Sherman--a true friend of Israel.
For almost an hour, Congressman Sherman straightforwardly answered question after question. If, after this intense grilling hour, I was asked to vote for him, I--the diehard Republican--would not have hesitated for a moment. It has been a very long time since I heard such a true friend of Israel.
I would not have hesitated to entrust my vote and Israel's future into the hands of this person I had met less than an hour earlier. Clearly a seasoned politician, Sherman impressed me beyond his fellow congressman, Berman. He put Israel first and called Iran the number one enemy of the free world.
The Congressman avoided questions about the health care being shoved down our throats, or why his colleagues refuse his simple "lead by example" idea. Two of my questions were asked--one about Jonathan Pollard and the prospects of him being freed to Israel, the other about stopping payments to the UN and its various agencies, payments that maintain the worst anti-Israel organization in existence.
True friends are measured in time of need, and a true leader is one who says "follow me." Today, when Israel is in a most precarious position, Jews feel the strain. Under pressure, they begin uniting. Clearly not of their own volition but through lack of choice. We are being pressed into a corner by the immense determined will of the US President, but suddenly we are one, an oppressed people once again.
Congressman Sherman did not spare his repugnance for local Israeli representatives who could not fit last minute attendance into their busy calendars. He was able to accommodate the Rabbi's request and appear before some 300 people, the Israeli Consulate apparently did not see the importance to do the same or a need to pay respect to his request.
Neither did he neglect to address his fellow Congressman from the same party, in whose district the synagogue resides. His message to the audience was simple: Like him, who showed up as a soldier, we too need to be there when he is under vicious attacks against Israel during CSPAN broadcasts or other town hall meetings where the audience is not pro-Israeli.
Norma's Thoughts
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