Throughout history, the Jewish people have faced countless blood libels. The most infamous of them accused Jews of slaughtering Christian and Arab children to use their blood in matzah. These false accusations led to trials, pogroms, and the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Jews.
But that was not the only slander. Jews were also accused of poisoning wells, spreading plagues, and even of murdering God Himself. Rivers of Jewish blood have been spilled through the generations because of these horrific lies.
And now, in our own time, we are witnessing new forms of the same ancient hatred. Once again, the Jewish people are accused of committing genocide - a claim that is the exact opposite of truth and morality. Among those spreading this modern blood libel is a man who aspires to become the next mayor of New York - a city home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world.
Then, as now, the faces behind these libels appear respectable - men in suits and ties, speaking calmly and eloquently. Yet beneath their polished exterior lies deep malice and cruelty, the same hatred that once ignited massacres around the world.
Anyone who supports such a person - anyone who casts a vote for him - must understand the moral weight of that act. When you place that ballot, when you press that button, you share responsibility for the blood that may be spilled, for the renewed libels against the Jewish people.
I call upon my brothers and sisters in New York: the time has come to come home. Leave exile behind. Return to the Land of Israel - the land of blessing, the land that the Lord your God has given you. You have been shown the signs. The time has come. Come home.