On the one-year anniversary of the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, a bipartisan group gathered in Bala Cynwyd to talk about the rise of antisemitism in the U.S., the threat to the nation of Israel and — in their opinion — the need to return Donald Trump to the White House.
“President Trump was the most pro-Israel president in history and the most consequential president for [U.S.-Israel relations],” said Jeff Bartos, a former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.
He was joined by Steve Rosenberg, a registered Democrat who is supporting Trump, and Center City restauranteur Yehuda Sichel, an independent.
Steve Rosenberg, Jeff Bartos and Yehuda Sichel
Sichel said that after the Hamas attack, he naively held a fundraiser to help the victims recover, only to find his restaurant on a list of businesses to boycott drafted by a pro-Palestinian organization.
The $3,000 he raised went to rebuild a playground in one of the border towns overrun by Hamas terrorists. It also drew demonstrators to his restaurant. “The chants and protests in front of Jewish restaurants started to happen, and the governor spoke out about it.”
However, some of the chefs he asked to help turned their backs on him.
“It made me feel unwelcome, very uncomfortable,” he said. In other times when there were tragedies, the chefs would raise money together, he said.
Rosenberg offered a blunt political assessment.
“As a Jew, if you do not support Donald Trump for president, you’re making a mistake with your future, with your lives,” he said. “You may have other issues — the climate, or abortion, or gun rights — I don’t care what your issue is. If you’re dead in four years, none of those issues are going to matter.”
Bartos used the event to recount Trump’s record in the Middle East.
“President Trump brokered the Abraham Accords, moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and in 2019 he signed an order extending the protections of Title XI to antisemitism on college campuses. Any of the lawsuits you’ve seen against colleges are made possible because of the Trump executive order.
“Contrast that with the Harris-Biden record, which is one of weakness and appeasement of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Bartos.
Vice President Kamala Harris is surrounding herself with anti-Israel and anti-Jewish advisors, Rosenberg added, “some of the most awful Jew-haters on the planet.”
Pennsylvania elected officials participated in other Oct. 7 events throughout the day.
Democrats Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Bob Casey, and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis were on hand to open the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History for a tour of The Moment the Music Stood Still: The Nova Music Festival Exhibition alongside business leaders, elected officials, and leaders from various faith communities. he exhibition includes both interior and exterior installations aimed at memorializing the victims of the Hamas-led massacre, including personal belongings of festivalgoers, such as burned cars, bullet-riddled structures, and objects left behind by survivors of the attack at the Nova Music Festival.
“We are here to bear witness to the lives lost on that devastating day — a day that should have been filled with music and joy, as people were ambushed while dancing and singing with friends,” Shapiro said. “As we mourn the loss of so many innocent lives over the past year, Lori and I continue to pray for the return of the hostages, for an end to war, for peace in the Middle East, and for strength for all those who courageously combat terror, as well as for tolerance and understanding. ay their memories be a blessing.”
Asked to comment on the solemn day, Rabbi Matthew Abelson, a member of the Philadelphia Board of Rabbis, said, “On the first anniversary of 10/7, the pain and grief is still raw, but the resilience of the Jewish community is the story of this past year. The meaning of Zionism has never been clearer. We must rely on each other and cannot hope that others will save or protect us. he year ahead will be challenging, too, but when we hang together, we cannot be defeated.”
At the Jewish Voices for Trump event, DVJournal asked Sichel if he would describe what he’s experienced — the attack on his restaurant business and the protests — as antisemitism.
“I would say ‘anti-Zionism,’ the right to have our homeland. My grandparents are Holocaust survivors. I probably would not be here today if not for Israel.”
And, Sichel added, whatever the motive, the attacks on his business and others in the Jewish community have left them feeling isolated.
“I wish we would have had, on the local level, more strong leadership. s family members, as business owners, we did not have that. It felt like we were fending for ourselves. And it still feels like we’re fending for ourselves.
“I hope whoever becomes president will support the Jewish people.”
More than 1,000 people came to an evening service at Adath Israel in Lower Merion to pray, sing and remember those who died and the 101 people who remain hostages held by Hamas.
Amir Silber, regional director of the American Israeli Council said they had come together to cry, pray and support one another.
“Together we stay strong,” said Silber. “May the memory of those we lost inspire us.”
Rabbi Eric Yanoff said, “It so powerful to be together this evening, culminating an emotional day, an emotional year for us all.”
After Oct. 7, the Jewish community felt the pain of being alone, he said.
“People and institutions we thought were our allies and friends,” Yanoff said. “Which is why I hope tonight can be a tikkun, a correction, just by being together. Together Israelis and Americans, Jews of all backgrounds and people who are not Jewish who are our allies, all of us as humans, together tonight. Together may we find strength, together we can seek hope and together we can find our voice to demand of the world that we bring the hostages home.”
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