Supreme Court’s 5-4 ‘Travel Ban’ decision saw Jewish justices in the minority
In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Trump’s Executive Order Number One which the administration describes as a ban of travel from countries which have insufficient vetting procedures against terrorists, and which opponents describe as a “Muslim ban,” as most of the countries on the list are majority Muslim. These include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. The ban also affects travel from North Korea and Venezuela. Of interest, is that the three Jewish justices on the Supreme Court — Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elena Kagan– all voted, along with Sonia Sotomayor, in the minority — that is, against the ban — From U.S. Supreme Court decision
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National World War I Museum in Kansas City to focus on Jewish military
American Jews who fought in World War I. (National Museum of American Jewish History, 1996.51.5 Gift of Marilyn Lavin Tarr)
More than 250,000 Jews served in the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Yet, their stories – and the stories of those who remained in the U.S. during the war – often remain untold.
Hailed by Time magazine as “a deep dive into a strange, history-shaking year” and by the New York Times as “remarkably prescient,” For Liberty: American Jewish Experience in WWI, the latest special exhibition at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, portrays what life was like as an American Jew on the home front and the battlefield through remarkable stories and unique artifacts.
“One of the most noteworthy aspects of this exhibition is the unique perspective it provides,” said National WWI Museum and Memorial Senior Curator Doran Cart. “Seeing these extraordinary objects in person and gaining a deeper understanding of American Jewish lives during WWI is a truly incredible experience.”
Service men and women were not segregated by religion or ethnicity except for African Americans. Trying to discover their American identity, 1917, the year that the United States entered WWI, was a unique time for Jewish Americans at home and at war.
Rabbi Stephen S. Wise spoke for many when he wrote in the New York Times that military service would “mark the burial, without the hope of resurrection, of hyphenism, and will token the birth of a united and indivisible country.”
Featured objects from the exhibition include a letter from American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) leader Louis Marshall appealing to Jewish philanthropists like Julius Rosenwald to support the Ten Million Dollar Fund, American Jewish composer Irving Berlin’s draft registration card, and two handwritten drafts of The Balfour Declaration by Leon Simon from July of 1917, the document that outlined British support for the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel.
The trials and tribulations and the lasting effects of WWI on the American Jewish population are also shown through documents such as a map that notes the amounts pledged to the JDC for Jewish war sufferers and a poster showing a shipment of kosher meat being loaded onto the SS Ashburn in New York City, bound for Danzig, Poland.
For Liberty: American Jewish Experience in WWI, originally exhibited as 1917: How One Year Changed the World, is organized by the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and the American Jewish Historical Society in New York and made possible in part by the National Endowment of the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
Bank of Blue Valley, the Regnier Family Foundation and Herb and Bonnie Buchbinder are sponsors of the exhibition’s appearance in Kansas City with the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle and KCPT serving as media sponsors.
This special exhibition will be open to the public at the National WWI Museum and Memorial from Friday, June 29-Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, in the Wylie Gallery. – From National World War I Museum
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Kosher hot dog maker to debut his brand at U.S. Independence Day fete in Jerusalem
Kosher hot dog producers Abeles & Heymann has chosen the American Independence Day celebration at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, to showcase its A&H Kosher Hot Dogs, for which CEO Seth Levitt believes there is a pent up demand, particularly among expatriate Americans who made aliyah to Israel.
Some 2,300 persons are expected to attend a July 3rd celebration anticipating America’s 243rd Independence Day the following day, with Abeles & Heymann joining such other corporate sponsors and vendors as Coca-Cola, Jack Daniel’s, Boeing, Estee Lauder, Blue Moon, American Airlines, Sheraton, The Ritz –Carlton, Pfizer, Lockheed Martin, United Airlines, Colgate and Oracle.
“We know Israelis will love our products as much as we love and support Israel and the United States,” said Levitt. “What says America and July 4th better than hot dogs? What builds relationships better than the exchange of cultural foods? We feel we are doing our small part to further strengthen the bond of an already close relationship through the introduction of a quality kosher hot dog to a country that is so incredibly innovative and advanced in so many fields from technology, pharma, water conservation, a country that is always creating and building, yet lacks for a delicious all beef kosher hot dog.” — From A&H Kosher Hot Dogs
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American Jewish Committee honors pro-Israel students at Ohio State, University of Michigan
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) honored Jewish students involved with Hillel at The Ohio State University and the University of Michigan for their courageous advocacy efforts against BDS.
The Hillels at the University of Michigan and The Ohio State University received the AJC Sharon Greene Award “for the sustained, determined, and creative work of their students to defend Israel on campus.” Curtis and Stacy Lane, members of AJC’s National Leadership Council, presented the awards at the AJC Global Forum in Jerusalem.
“Michigan and Ohio State are normally archrivals, especially on the football field. But when it comes to supporting Israel, the students at these schools are the closest allies,” said Curtis Lane.
Joe Goldberg, accepting the award on behalf of Michigan Hillel, recalled his experience serving on the campus student government. “My primary concern was advancing the welfare of my fellow students. I knew that BDS was not in the interest of my constituents,” said Goldberg, who graduated last month.
Goldberg thanked AJC “for standing by students, for amplifying our voices, for giving us the tools and the inspiration to stand up for truth on our campuses.”
Hannah Borow, a rising junior at The Ohio State University, who accepted the award on behalf of OSU Hillel, thanked “AJC for working with thousands of students each year to equip our generation to advocate for the Jewish people and Israel.”
She recounted how in her first two years at OSU two BDS resolutions were introduced. “We beat the first one my freshman year by uniting the campus in favor of dialogue and engagement, and against the hateful boycott of the Jewish state.”
But last year the student government passed a BDS resolution. “We amended it to remove all references to Israel, making it much harder for them to use the resolution to target the Jewish state,” she said.
The AJC Sharon Greene Award is presented to campus-based advocates in recognition of their efforts to combat anti-Semitism, fight the BDS movement, and promote a positive image of Israel. — From American Jewish Committee
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Better Business Bureau gives Hadassah a nod of approval
By meeting key standards of board oversight, finances, results reporting and fundraising appeals, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) achieved accreditation from the BBB (Better Business Bureau’s) Wise Giving Alliance, announced Ellen Hershkin, President of HWZOA. This accreditation signifies that Hadassah is deserving of donor trust as it is a well-run nonprofit organization.
Hershkin states, “We’re proud that our impact and effectiveness has earned Hadassah accreditation from the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a strong affirmation of HWZOA’s adherence to the non-profit industry’s best standards and practices. As a top-rated charity, our present and future donors will know their generous support is being used as effectively as possible to advance our mission to provide quality healthcare for the people of Israel, advance women’s empowerment in the US and Israel and ensure the safety of the land and people of Israel.”
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB WGA) assists donors in making sound giving decisions. Donors know they can trust a charity if it is accredited by the BBB WGA. Their broad standards go beyond what the law requires and dives deeper than other charity monitoring organizations. Each BBB WGA charity report process involves a rigorous review using 20 holistic BBB Charity Standards, interaction with charity officials about corrective actions needed to address deficiencies, and quality control measures to assure report accuracy. Thousands of charities have reports available to the public at Give.org.
“The public can be assured that every charity evaluation is completed with careful, objective analysis of charity information,” says Art Taylor, president and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, “By achieving accreditation, Hadassah has earned public trust having demonstrated its commitment to sound governance, transparency and achieving its mission.” – From Hadassah
Preceding culled from news reports and from press releases sent to editor@sdjewishworld.com
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) is deeply disappointed with today’s 5-4 Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. Hawaii upholding the Administration’s “travel ban” barring immigrants and visitors from five Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for an indefinite period of time. The ban has been in effect since December 2017. JCPA has opposed this policy since its first iteration, concerned about the ban’s discriminatory nature and the suffering it would inflict on both American citizens and those seeking refuge in the United States.
“In its ruling today, the Supreme Court affirmed the President’s authority to implement a policy motivated by religious bias. We call on Congress to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to revoke the President’s authority to advance a policy inimical to our values. It is our obligation to work to change policies that may be legal, but still unjust and immoral,” David Bernstein, President and CEO of JCPA.
The Jewish people know firsthand the consequences of turning away those fleeing persecution. Based on our own immigrant experience and Judaism’s imperative to welcome the stranger, JCPA has advocated for more than 70 years on behalf of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. We publicly stated our opposition and signed on to amicus briefs in court cases challenging the travel bans. Most recently, JCPA joined the Anti-Defamation League and several other Jewish groups in filing an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold lower court rulings that blocked the President’s prohibition on travel to the United States from six majority-Muslim nations.
U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled to uphold 5-4 President Trump’s Muslim travel ban in the Trump v. Hawaii decision:
“I am deeply disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold this dangerous and cruel policy. This decision emboldens the President to enact discriminatory policies, under the false guise of national security, that target immigrants based on nation of origin and religion. Barring legal travel from Muslim-majority nations does not make us safer. Instead, it robs us of talented individuals who could contribute to America’s economy and culture. The Supreme Court also reaffirmed the need for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, which could serve as a constitutional check on the president’s authority. America is and should continue to be the shining beacon of opportunity for people across the world fleeing from violence and oppression. I will continue urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the right thing and pass bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform.”
Rep. Peters has continued to call for an end to the travel ban, including signing onto a March 2018 amicus brief to the Supreme Court highlighting the false choice between national security and welcoming people fleeing oppression. He also issued statements in January and March 2017 calling for an end to this practice. In February 2017, he led a letter demanding the Government Accountability Office detail what input was solicited from federal agencies before the travel ban was issued.
WASHINGTON – Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53) released the following statement on the decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the Trump Administration’s Muslim ban.
“The Supreme Court failed the American people today. We look to our courts to uphold our constitution and the ideal of equality. No one should be treated differently based on their country of origin.”
June 26, 2018 – New York – AJC is deeply disappointed that the United States Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, upheld President Trump’s December “Proclamation” barring immigrants from nine countries.
In an amicus brief, AJC had called on the Supreme Court to affirm a lower court’s ruling that the travel ban “conflicts with the Immigration and Nationality Act’s prohibition on nationality-based discrimination in the issuance of immigrant visas.”
AJC General Counsel Marc D. Stern issued the following statement today:
“In making this ruling under an unusually relaxed standard of review, the Supreme Court has chosen to lend its prestige to presidential action motivated by sheer religious animus. The ban is repugnant to bedrock American values of religious equality and openness to immigrants from around the world.
“The Court’s decision today should not be the last word. The Court left open the possibility of further legal challenges to the Proclamation. Congress can and should amend the immigration laws to deny the President the authority to implement this morally offensive order. And if the Administration does not do so itself, Congress should insist that the Administration implement the Proclamation’s waiver program, which, as several members of the Court indicated, presently appears to be little more than a sham.
“There is a tremendous irony in the fact that the Court chose this tragic ruling as the vehicle for the long overdue overruling of the Japanese exclusion case, Korematsu v United States. We are confident that today’s decision will, in time, suffer the same fate as that infamous decision.”
In response to the Supreme Court ruling upholding the latest iteration of the Muslim ban, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action’s CEO Stosh Cotler said:
“Our hearts are broken by today’s Supreme Court decision on the Muslim Ban, which we believe will be remembered in history alongside Dred Scott, Korematsu, and other cases where the highest court in the land failed to deliver justice.
Scapegoating people of one religion, restricting their travel, separating families across international borders — the Jewish community has seen this before, and we must raise our voices now. We know that this policy of discrimination is part of this Administration’s larger effort to target Muslim people, surveil their communities, turn them away from our country, and deny them professional opportunities and access to their families. History will judge this ruling harshly.
“We move forward with heavy hearts, but also with full resolve and commitment to continue working alongside our Muslim allies to resist these authoritarian measures and defend the core American principle of religious freedom and fairness to all. We must continue to mobilize to elect a Congress that will hold this Administration accountable and will act as a meaningful check on executive actions based in bigotry.”