Following the inauguration of Donald Trump as 45th president of the United States, many Jews and Israelis joined in mass protests in Washington and around the world, which dwarfed the size of the inauguration itself. Religious leaders, mostly from liberal streams of Judaism but also including a few Orthodox rabbis, called for fasting on Inauguration Day. The Women's March on Washington drew groups such as the National Council of Jewish Women and T'ruah, a rabbinical human rights group, as well as tens of thousands of individual Jews, including celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Mayim Bialik and Gina Gershon. A solidarity rally in front of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, sponsored by the organization Pantsuit Nation Israel, drew hundreds of Israeli women and men. Jewish protesters cite a sharp rise in anti-Semitism, including waves of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers, and a "normalization" of white nationalism by the Trump administration, as well as perceived threats to other religious and ethnic minorities and to the civil and human rights of all Americans as reasons for their participation in the demonstrations. Critics of Jewish participation in the demonstrations say that Trump has shown unprecedented support for Israel and other issues of Jewish concern, and that criticism of his administration's policies is premature and inappropriate. Is it legitimate to protest against an administration on its first days in office? In this episode of Israel Hayom Insider, host Lital Shemesh speaks with Opinion Editor Steve Ganot and columnist Ruthie Blum about the controversy. Anchor: Lital Shemesh. Camera: Gilad Distelman. Makeup: Meirav Darzi Meiri. Archive: Pantsuit Nation Israel.
WATCH: Jewish participation in anti-Trump protests
Protesters cite anti-Semitism, threats to other minorities and rights of all Americans as reasons to demonstrate • Critics: Give Trump a chance • Columnist Ruthie Blum and editor Steve Ganot speak with host Lital Shemesh about the controversy.
Load more...