The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

Part One

"On to Washington"

 

In the early morning of Thursday, May 18^, 1978, a young, strapping nineteen-year-old Yeshiva Bachur boarded a train at Penn Station in New York.

He was not alone on the train.

There were approximately 1500 young people and several Rabbonim who were also passengers on that train.

The train was headed toward Union Station in Washington, DC.

Our sturdy Bachur was one of those assigned to escort the Rabbonim when they arrived at the nation's capital.

The group was traveling to Washington to protest the Senate vote, which had taken place on the Tuesday before (May 16), which backed President Carter's sale of advanced military Jets to Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

This would be the first time a President had sold advanced military Jets to Arab countries that were officially in a "state of war" with Israel.

That Tuesday's debate in the Senate was fierce and did not follow party lines.

Senator Jacob Javits, the Republican Senator from New York, passionately argued against the sale when he stated, "What are you going to do Sap (the Israelis) vitality? Sap their morale? Cut their legs out from under them? That's the issue."

While the Jewish Senator from Connecticut, Abraham Ribicoff (Democrat), supported the sale.

As the press reported, "Ribicoff warned his colleagues against allowing "ethnic politics" to influence the country's foreign policy."

National Public Radio (NPR) reported that Hamilton Jordan, a highly influential aid to President Carter, had stated that the administration's intent in selling the planes- which Jewish groups were against- was to "break the back of the Israeli lobby."

(Historically ironic is that in the posthumous biography published by Mr. Jordan's daughter, "A Boy From Georgia,"- Mr. Jordan revealed that while in College, he discovered that his maternal grandmother was Jewish, and he originally was going to title the book, "Meet the Gottheimers." Ironically, Hamilton Jordan was a Jew- although he never identified as one!)

In the end, 33 Democrats and 11 Republicans voted against Carter's sale of Jets to the Saudis.

Yet, 28 Democrats and (amazingly) 26 Republicans [Carter was a Democrat!] voted for the President's sale, and the planes were eventually sold to both Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

 

Part Two

"Back to Union Station"

 

The group arrived at about 1 PM and made their way to the White House.

The burly, in-shape (at least back then) Yeshiva Bachur was designated as one of the "shakers and movers" (literally) of what was about to transpire.

The plan was strategized during the three-plus-hour train ride.

The group arrived at the White House.

Suddenly, a band of bulky Bachurim surged forward, surrounding and shielding seven Rabbonim.

Before you could say "Ashrei," the Rabbonim were "somehow" chained to the White House gates and sitting on low Shiva stools.

All of this was meant as a show of support for Israel, which vigorously opposed the sale, and as a sign of public sadness and mourning over the events of the week.

The Police and uniformed security personnel assigned to guard the White House immediately stepped in.

They did not initially attempt to remove the Rabbonim chained to the White House gate.

However, they formed a perimeter around the seven Rabbonim and prevented contact with the assembled protestors and the Rabbonim.

One Rav asked for a megaphone to speak to the approximately 1500 young people gathered.

A megaphone was passed from hand to hand until it reached the front line of the protestors, which comprised the burly Bachurim.

The megaphone reached the Bachur closest to the Rabbonim.

He was a tall, stocky young man standing a bit over six feet.

The Bachur stretched out his hand as long as he could as he struggled to deliver the megaphone into the outstretched hands of the chained Rav.

His actions did not go unnoticed, and as he crossed the invisible proverbial "line in the sand" randomly set by one of the much larger and muscular uniformed policemen, he was met head-on (literally!) by a powerful knee to his face, sending him reeling backward.

As our Bachur struggled to his feet, nursing his reddened face, he looked at his antagonist, who met our Bachur's gaze of disbelief with a taunting sneer and a belittling grin.

Over 45 years have passed since that Bachur received his "gift" of a kick in the face.

He remembers the kick and can still see the scoffing smile of his assailant.

Yet, he knows the kick was also indeed a real gift.

It was a reality check.

A wake-up call.

It made him realize that if our voices are not heard, and we don't stand up for ourselves, no one will stand up for us.

That kick was an epiphonas moment in the Bachur's life.

It taught him to be grateful to those who stand with us and to be constantly on guard, even in the presence of those seemingly there to protect us.

Most importantly, he realized that even after you get a kick in the face, you don't back down.

That Bachur brushed himself off, stood straight, and proceeded with 1500 other Jews to Daven Mincha, just a few hundred feet from the Carter White House.

He learned that we must do our Hishtadlus (human actions), yet, ultimately, only HE and HE alone can bring the true Yeshua.

 

Part Three

"The Appeal"

 

This coming Tuesday, November 14, we have an opportunity to once again show the White House that we are grateful for President Biden's unwavering support for Israel.

We also will show the world that even if we get kicked, we are never down.

We will show the world that we rise again and remain loyal to our principles, people, the State of Israel, and Hashem.

I encourage everyone who can to participate in the upcoming rally.

It is imperative and critical that we show the world we will not remain silent.

We must show the world that we are grateful to President Biden and remain steadfast in our support of Israel.

Please, if you can, go and be proud.

Be proud that you are a Jew.

We must show the world and our Israeli brethren that we stand with them.

With Hashem's help, all will be safe, and we will make a Kiddush Shem Shomayim.

That kick continues to galvanize the life of that former Yeshiva Bachur.

That is my message and plea to you.

 

Part Four

Epilogue

 

Oh, before I forget.

The Senator who introduced the bill in 1978 to block President Carter's sale of Jets to Saudi Arabia was the Democratic Senator from Deleware.

His name is Joe Biden.

And the name of the burly Bachur?

I'll leave that to you to figure out.