Dave Gordon
The 2024 U.S. presidential election will be remembered as one of the most surprising and consequential in the past fifty years. Former President Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris defied many predictions and reshaped the political landscape.
Not since Grover Cleveland won two non-consecutive terms in 1884 and 1892, has a candidate pulled off such a feat. Trump won the electoral college with 312 votes, versus Harris’s 226.
Trump’s victory was “a blow to political lawfare, critical race theory, woke campuses, legacy media, and Hollywood,” Niall Furguson of The Free Press wrote. Broadcaster Konstantin Kisin wrote that voters repudiated inflation, socialism, DEI, woke protesters, and unnecessary regulations.
Why Voters Rejected Harris
It is likely that the war in Israel shifted votes away from Harris. For example, the many Muslim voters in Michigan appeared not to be pleased with Biden’s support for Israel. That said, two Muslim Arab-American mayors from Michigan – Amer Ghalib and Bill Bazzi – both endorsed Trump, who has never been shy about supporting Israel.
Pundits, such as Batya Ungar-Sargon of Newsweek, suspected that Harris’s decision not to choose Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her vice president might have cost Harris Pennsylvania. Shapiro was said to have been shortlisted, and many believed rejected, because his being Jewish might have been a liability with leftist anti-Zionists.
Eve Barlow, a Los Angeles-based music and pop culture journalist, wrote that Harris being a woman was far less important to voters than the global feminist issues, such as the poor treatment of women in Afghanistan and Iran, and the plight of the female hostages of Gaza, which has not given enough attention by the Biden administration.
Fox News had pointed out about a week before the polls opened that the Harris campaign bought contradictory television commercials regarding her Israel policy – one geared towards the Muslims in Detroit, and another geared towards the Jewish voters in Philadelphia. This only added to the perception that she did not have a consistent message.
The 2024 congressional elections saw a narrow Republican victory that allowed the Republicans to maintain control of the House of Representatives. The Senate elections resulted in Republicans successfully reclaiming control of the upper chamber with a majority of 53 seats.
What can we expect for the Jewish community, and Israel, between Jan. 20, 2025 – when Trump swears in – and Jan. 20, 2029, when his term ends? How will his presidency affect us?
Trump and Iran
It would be shocking if Trump did not continue to support Israel over the next four years. In his first term, he visited Israel within his first 100 days in office, helped orchestrate the Abraham Accords, withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran, recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and placed the US embassy there, recognized Golan as Israel’s territory, and stood by Israel in the UN.
Chief Executive of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Mark Dubowitz said on CNN in the week after the election that Trump will “return to… a campaign of maximum pressure against the Islamic regime. Economic sanctions, going after the resources,” after four years of lax sanctions. We will also see “maximum support for the Iranian people,” the majority of whom are against the regime.
Each year, two million barrels of oil from Iran flow to China, and Dubowitz said that Trump may flood the market with oil as he did in his last term, to decrease the value of Iranian exports. He also said that most of the Iranian nuclear development occurred on Biden’s watch, and that will need to be dealt with.
Israel and Iran
On the military front, there may be another counteroffensive from Israel as happened Oct. 26th, when Israel took out some of Iran’s military infrastructure, according to retired Brigadier General Amir Avivi, a prominent Israeli military figure and security expert.
Avivi told Community Magazine that the “[Iranian] regime now is in a very sensitive moment” that probably leaves them more desperate to build a nuclear bomb… So, the race is on. The only way we have is to attack and destroy them, fast.”
“Trump might seize the moment and help dismantle the ‘Shia Axis,’” referring to the Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic regime in Iran. “And if the U.S. builds a coalition, and is willing to deal with the regime, then they might embolden the Iranian people to fight the regime.”
Avivi believes “most of the Iranians love truth, hate this regime, and will be very glad to see it go.”
Avivi joined the Israel Defense Forces in 1987, and since has held positions as Director of the Office of the Chief of Staff and Deputy Comptroller of the Security Forces. During the 2002 Operation Defensive Shield, Avivi led a battalion of 800 soldiers in Judea and Samaria. By 2005, he held the position of aide-de-camp of the Chief of General Staff of the IDF, Lt. General Moshe Yaalon.
Three years after his retirement in 2017, Avivi, now 55, founded the Israeli Defense and Security Forum (IDSF). This non-partisan organization consists of 32,000 members of Israeli security forces, and aims to educate and advocate for Israel’s national security needs and Middle East policies. The organization has gained significant political and media influence. In 2018, operatives that would eventually join his team participated in capturing Iran’s nuclear archive, consisting of literally tons of information.
Avivi acknowledges that, “Americans do not want the trauma of another Afghanistan, but Iran is different,” he said. He believes that a now-hobbled Iran – with “very old planes” – can be defeated by a U.S.- led coalition.
“It can be a big win without too many repercussions, because Iran is weak. Israel needs to win decisively on all fronts, and not give up, and not stop, and not do ceasefires. We have an historical opportunity to really dismantle the whole Shia Axis,” he said.
“Israel is going to destroy Iran’s nuclear sites, but if we do it alone, it will take much more time [and be] much more complicated. The only way to shorten the war is a decisive win.”
Spearheaded by Trump, eventually there will be big peace agreement with Saudi Arabia, Avivi said, adding that the process was interrupted by Biden’s term, and the Gaza war.
Education
Donald Trump’s re-election is likely to have a significant impact on education policy and funding that will affect the Jewish community, particularly in the areas of school choice, religious education, and higher education.
Trump has been a strong proponent of school choice and voucher programs, which allow public education funds to be used for private and religious schools. His victory, along with Republican gains in Congress, could pave the way for expanded federal support of such initiatives.
For the Jewish community, this could mean increased access to and funding for Jewish day schools through voucher programs, more families being able to afford Jewish education for their children, and growth of Jewish schools as they become more financially viable.
Many Orthodox Jewish groups have advocated for school choice policies and would likely welcome their expansion, although there might be pushback from certain liberal Jewish organizations and others who oppose vouchers due to their view that it violates the separation of church and state.
Fighting Discrimination on Campus
Meanwhile, Trump could have an uphill battle when it comes to higher education. He has pledged to crack down on campus anti-Semitism, potentially by tying federal funding to universities’ handling of anti-Semitism complaints, expanding the use of the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, and increasing Department of Education investigations into anti-Semitism allegations.
He pledged to institute what he called The College Accreditation System, a plan to “dismantle the U.S. indoctrination system [college] by seizing funds from schools that refuse to comply” with his accreditation system. He has also pledged to “fire the radical left accreditors that have allowed our colleges to become dominated by Marxist maniacs and lunatics.”
Trump wants to direct the Department of Justice to pursue federal civil rights cases against schools that continue to engage in discrimination. Those that continue to do so, he promised “will not only have their endowments taxed,” but he “will advance a measure to have them fined up to the entire amount of their endowment.” The seized funds will then be used as restitution for victims of these illegal and unjust policies, he said.
Political Appointments
Potential appointments for key positions in a future administration are notable for the appointees’ strong support of Israel.
Mike Waltz
Congressman Mike Waltz has been chosen to be the National Security Advisor. Waltz, a combat decorated Green Beret, still serving as a colonel in the US Army National Guard, has expressed unwavering support for Israel, describing it as the strongest democracy in the Middle East and emphasizing the importance of U.S.- Israel relations, especially considering the recent conflicts with Hamas.
Marco Rubio
Senator Marco Rubio has been tabbed for Secretary of State. Rubio has been vocal in his condemnation of Hamas, calling for its complete elimination and placing full blame on the organization for recent hostilities. In a video circulated online when Rubio was confronted by the anti-war group Code Pink, he said: “I want to destroy every element of Hamas … these people are vicious animals … Hamas is 100 percent to blame.”
Elise Stefanik
The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations slot is slated for Representative Elise Stefanik, from New York’s 21st congressional district. She gained significant attention in December 2023 for her intense questioning of university presidents during a widely televised U.S. congressional hearing on anti-Semitism. The hearing, held by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, focused on the rise of anti-Semitism on college campuses.
The fallout from this hearing was significant. It contributed to the resignations of several college presidents who testified, including those from Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia. It sparked a broader investigation by the House committee into how universities handle anti-Semitism on campus. The committee produced a 325-page report accusing eleven high-profile colleges of failing to protect Jewish students from anti-Semitism. The report suggested that some universities’ actions might violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which could potentially affect their federal funding.
Stefanik has strongly endorsed Israel’s decision to prohibit UNRWA operations in Israel, Judea and Samaria, and Gaza. She has cited concerns about UNRWA staff involvement in terrorist activities, alleged misuse of UNRWA facilities by Hamas, and the organization’s alleged role in promoting anti-Semitism. Stefanik has called for a permanent cessation of U.S. funding to UNRWA.
Stefanik was quoted as saying, “The Biden-Harris Administration has sent over $1 billion to UNRWA since 2021, filling the coffers of this terrorist front. This must end. Just as President Trump did, and I have consistently advocated for, we must permanently cut off funding to UNRWA, which instills anti-Semitic hate in Palestinians, houses weapons for terrorists, and steals the aid they are supposed to be distributing.”
Mike Huckabee
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was nominated to be the UN ambassador to Israel. Huckabee has been a vocal supporter of Israel throughout his political career.
“Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, needs our support now more than ever. With rising anti-Semitism and hostilities from Israel’s Arab neighbors, our Israeli brothers and sisters need us. Supporting Israel not only helps its citizens, but helps us in America as well,” he told Fox News in 2018.
“Every time I experience Israel, I feel a sense of serenity, holiness, and kinship that I find nowhere else. This must be what makes me keep coming me back. I have been visiting the Holy Land – the land of miracles in the Bible – for 45 years, with several trips each year,” Huckabee said.
“Like the United States, Israel believes in freedom, democracy, and fighting terrorism in all its forms. Israel is our truest ally in the Middle East, with values more closely aligned to ours than any other Middle Eastern nation.”
On CNN in 2017, Huckabee said, “There are certain words I refuse to use: there is no such thing as [the] West Bank; it’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such thing as settlements – these are communities. There is no such thing as occupation.”
On a Jewish News Syndicate podcast earlier this year Huckabee said about Palestinians: “There really isn’t such a thing,” and “It’s a term that was co-opted by Yasser Arafat in 1962.”
Steven Witkoff
Trump named Steven Witkoff as his special Middle East envoy. The two are longtime friends. Trump called Witkoff a “highly respected leader in business and philanthropy.”
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman responded to the choice of Witkoff:: “Another great call. Steve is a brilliant businessman and a lover of Israel who will receive a warm welcome throughout the halls of power within the Middle East.
Aligning with Our Values
Someone who has been “on the ground,” as she describes, working hard for many years to get out the vote, is Chani Jos. The writer and activist said that in September, a poll created by Nishma Research (an organization based in W. Hartford, Connecticut that does sociological and marketing research for the Orthodox Jewish community) revealed that Trump was outpolling Harris among haredi Jews with 93 percent of the likely vote.
Known for her tireless non-partisan efforts to increase voter turnout, Jos shared her insights on the potential impact of the new administration.
Jos, who has dedicated years to encouraging civic participation across New York’s diverse communities, expressed mixed feelings about the election outcome. “While I’ve always focused on getting people to exercise their right to vote, regardless of their political leanings, I can’t help but reflect on what this result means for groups in our community,” she said.
Jos highlighted several key areas where she believes Trump’s policies will align with the values of the Orthodox Jewish community, a demographic that showed strong support for Trump during the campaign.
“Trump’s stance on protecting women’s sports from what he calls ‘forced inclusion of men’ resonates with many traditional voters,” Jos explained. “His commitment to maintaining separate spaces for biological women in athletics is seen as a defense of fairness and religious values by many in the Orthodox community.”
Jos also pointed out Trump’s emphasis on campus free speech and his promise to crack down on disruptive protests at universities. “The president-elect has vowed to punish what he terms ‘illegal campus protests,’ which he argues stifle conservative voices. This position is likely to find favor among those who feel traditional viewpoints are being silenced in academic settings,” she noted.
Jos emphasized Trump’s focus on traditional family structures as another area of alignment with Orthodox Jewish values. “His rhetoric about strengthening the nuclear family and promoting traditional marriage has struck a chord with many conservative religious voters, including those in the Orthodox community,” Jos said.
Reflecting on Trump’s public expressions of faith, Jos recalled the incident in Pennsylvania where Trump was shot at during a campaign rally. “When Trump thanked Gd for saving his life after the assassination attempt, it reinforced his image as a leader who respects and values faith. This resonates deeply with religious communities, including Orthodox Jews who prioritize a strong belief in Gd,” she explained.
Policies Affecting Our Community
Jos believes that Trump’s administration will likely implement policies that align with many Orthodox Jewish priorities. “From his promises to protect religious freedoms to his strong stance on Israel, Trump has positioned himself as an ally to the Orthodox community,” she said. “His approach to social issues and foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East, aligns closely with the worldview of many Orthodox Jews.”
However, Jos was quick to point out that support for Trump is not monolithic within the Jewish community. “It’s important to remember that Jewish voters, like any group, are diverse in their political views. While Trump’s policies may align with Orthodox values in many ways, there are still Jewish voters across the spectrum who have different priorities and concerns,” she cautioned.
Jos also expressed concern about the potential for increased division within communities. “As someone who has worked to bring people together through civic engagement, I worry about the deepening polarization in our society. It’s crucial that we find ways to bridge divides and maintain respectful dialogue, even when we disagree,” Jos emphasized.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Jos stressed the importance of continued civic participation beyond election day. “Regardless of who is in office, it’s vital that people stay engaged in the political process. This means not just voting, but also staying informed, communicating with elected officials, and participating in local government,” she urged.
As the nation prepares for another Trump presidency, Jos remains committed to her non-partisan work in voter engagement. “My goal has always been to empower people to make their voices heard through the ballot box. That mission doesn’t change with the election results. If anything, it becomes even more critical as we navigate the challenges and changes ahead,” she concluded.