Is Trump creating a divide within the Jewish community?
News from the New York Jewish Week
Although the majority of the news covered in Jewish media in the recent weeks has been about the bomb threats to Jewish Community Centers and vandalism at various Jewish cemeteries throughout the country, I found this opinion editorial about the clash between Jewish ethnic groups over Trump to be very interesting.
This article speaks to the divide that has formed between Sephardic and Ashkenazi groups over their support of lack thereof President Trump. For those unaware — Sephardic Jews come from Mediterranean Sea, including Portugal, Spain, the Middle East and Northern Africa; Ashkenazi Jews come from Eastern European descent.
It is stated that Ashkenazis do not support Trump’s travel ban on Muslim countries, while Sephardis find it rational. This difference is creating a divide within the Jewish community.
I myself come from an Ashkenazi background and I was not aware that there was this large of a divide within the Jewish community. I do not think that this would have been covered by non ethnic (or mainstream) media because it caters specifically to a certain ethnic group.
The writer ends her editorial with a call to action to the Jewish community :
“ I urge our two communities to engage in open dialogue so that we may reach understanding and peace among ourselves, for without a doubt, we as a people, are in for turbulent times” — Ellie Cohanim
