Back in November, Yeshiva World News published a controversial mailbag article titled “Why I’m Voting For Kamala Harris Over Donald Trump, And Why You Should Too.” Many of you will remember it—not necessarily for its content, but for the uproar it caused. The writer made a compelling, if unpopular, case: that Kamala Harris represents a steadier and more principled approach to foreign policy, while Donald Trump’s decisions are more impulsive, more ego-driven, and more transactional than ideological. He warned that Trump’s alliance with Israel wasn’t based on shared values, mutual respect, or any enduring strategy—but rather on whether leaders “like him” or not. And he concluded, quite boldly, that this type of relationship was risky and unsustainable. The backlash was instant and brutal. The comments flooded in: “What did you smoke before writing this article?” … “Utter fool” … “Trash” … “I can’t believe YWN published this.” The outrage was deafening. The reaction wasn’t just disagreement—it was dismissal. Condescension. Derision. As if the very possibility of Trump being anything other than Israel’s best friend was laughable. And yet, here we are. Today, Yeshiva World News reported that Trump’s relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu has reached a low point. Trump has reportedly “run out of patience,” and is moving ahead with his Middle East agenda without Israel. The shocker? He’s now pushing a deal with Saudi Arabia—even if it means leaving Israel out of the picture entirely. Let that sink in. Trump, the supposed “best friend Israel ever had,” is now ready to cut a nuclear deal with Riyadh—even if it doesn’t include normalization with Israel. Under Biden, those nuclear talks were tied to a broader package that required Saudi recognition of Israel. Trump? He’s done waiting. He wants the deal, Israel or no Israel. Now let’s be honest: this should not be shocking. It’s exactly what that November mailbag writer predicted. His warning was never that Trump was anti-Israel—it was that Trump is pro-Trump, and that our community’s trust in him is built more on emotion and campaign slogans than any stable, ethical framework. That writer was mocked for saying Trump’s foreign policy was based on personal loyalty rather than democratic values or long-term vision. Today’s news proves his point. And it forces us to ask hard questions: Did we put our trust in someone who saw our support as a tool to be used and discarded? Were we seduced by slogans and photo ops, while ignoring the real risks of hitching ourselves to a man with no consistent principles? It’s time we recognize that short-sighted loyalty can be dangerous. Trump knew how to speak our language. He gave us embassy moves and peace deals that felt good. But now, when the politics shift, he walks away—and expects us to follow anyway. This isn’t about Kamala Harris anymore. It’s not even about left or right. It’s about learning to distinguish between performative friendship and real strategic alliance. In hindsight, that “ridiculous” mailbag article might’ve been one of the most prescient pieces published on this site in a long time. Maybe we owe that anonymous writer an apology. Or at least… a second read. Signed, Shlomo Zalman Rabinowitz The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you […]
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