On the inauguration day of the 46th president of the United States of America, it seems fitting to quote the man who many considered the most important and most gifted president in the history of the USA: Abraham Lincoln.
It is believed that he once said about someone: "I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better." Yes, this quote might be a bit naïve, and yes I do believe disliking someone does not necessarily stem from not knowing him enough – but this being said – in many cases it is indeed because we don't know someone, or a group of people that we don't like them.
Since yesterday, a WhatsApp group of my ‘Chanichim’ in the Pre army ‘Mechina’ that I run has been overflowed with heated discussions about whether Biden is good or bad news for Israel. Whether he is good or bad news for America. When one of the participants said she’s celebrating the inauguration, one of her friends reacted by writing: “Good job celebrating the downfall of America”. While some American participants blame him for more than 400,000 Covid-19 deaths, some Israelis express strong concerns about Biden’s apparent willingness to rejoin the Nuclear deal with Iran.
The ‘Mechina Olamit’ is comprised by Israeli chanichim, North-Americans and other overseas participants from around the world: Europeans, South Africans, Australians and even a girl from Singapore. The Mechina was founded four years ago by World Bnei Akiva and Kol Ami of the Jewish Agency.
One of the perks of my job as the Rosh Mechina is to see all these different mentalities and Jewish identities meet every moment of the days. Sometimes these identities are indeed meeting, sometimes they're enriching each other and yes, sometimes they're clashing.
As a European from birth, an Oleh Chadash for the last 20 years, the son of an American and an Alumni of the Ruderman program for Jewish American studies - I live this encounter and contradiction of cultures and a daily basis.
The whole question of political affiliation of American Jews, and the way Israelis see it is really fascinating in this perspective, but also, I think quite dangerous.
Most Israelis simply cannot comprehend why most American Jews were not enthusiastic about Trump's years in office. Why so many voted for Hillary Clinton four years ago, and even more why the overwhelming majority of them voted for Biden this past November after everything Trump seemingly has done for Israel. Most American Jews cannot understand why Israelis are so excited about Trump with his "unique" style, his lack of PC, the way he handled COVID-19 etc.
This lack of understanding over the years has become a total estrangement of the two largrst Jewish communities in the world - comprising over 80% of world Jewry – and at worst into allout hatred.
This is the time to hold in mind Lincoln's saying. If we've gotten to this point it is because we don't understand each other.
As Israelis, we need to be able to understand that for many Americans the ballot they will put in the box will be defined by the way they see the effect on the American economy and society. But at the same time, Americans need to understand that Israelis will continue to look at the White House and the person sitting in the oval office primarily through the narow lens of Israeli interests. I would sum up the Israeli perspective by renaming the US President’s home as the “Blue and White House”.
The only thing left to ask ourselves is: would Lincoln be a good president for Israel or not?
Rabbi Arik Speaker is the Head of the Mechina Olamit and Director of the Education Department at World Bnei Akiva. He holds an MA in American Jewish studies. Speaker was born in Belgium and made Aliyah after high school. He served as the assistant Rabbi of the unified Jewish community of Zurich and speaks five languages: Hebrew, English, French, German and Dutch. He is married to Efrat and they live with there 5 children in Tekoa, Gush Etzion.