Shabbos Kestenbaum, a staunch Democrat and progressive Jewish activist, made headlines in the American Jewish Republican Coalition by declaring his support for former President Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election.
Kestenbaum's decision to support Trump marks a significant departure from his previous voting history; he noted that he did not support Trump in 2016 or 2020.
However, after witnessing the neglect from the Democratic establishment, he felt the need to take action.
In his speech, Kestenbaum recounted his experience at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), where he witnessed protests in which demonstrators waved Hezbollah flags and called for solidarity with Hamas.
He criticized Biden for failing to adequately condemn the actions, saying Biden's acknowledgment of the protesters' grievances undermined the safety and dignity of Jewish participants in the event.
Kestenbaum said he has reached out to Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Justice Senator Jerry Nadler, to support measures to combat anti-Semitism on college campuses.
Despite his efforts, he said he felt ignored and marginalized by those in power.
“I do not want to vote Republican this year. I remain committed to changing the Democratic Party from within. I intentionally attended the Democratic National Convention with an open mind.
Even as protesters outside the Democratic National Convention harassed Chicago police officers, waved Hezbollah flags, held signs reading “We Stand With Hamas,” and threatened to beat Jewish counter-demonstrators, President Biden chose not only to condemn the behavior but to use his speech to claim that protesters in the streets “have a right.”
The day after my speech at the Republican National Convention, I told the national media and Democratic Party officials that I and other progressive Jewish students fighting for civil rights on college campuses would be honored to deliver a similar speech at the Democratic Convention, where we would feel more at home. Neither proposal was adopted.
While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer proudly told the Democratic National Convention crowd how he stands against hate, the bipartisan Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, which would address the fears of Jewish students on college campuses, has yet to gain traction in the Senate.
This is a direct result of Chuck Schumer and the Democratic leadership in the Senate. I will have a hard time forgetting how Rep. Jerry Nadler, a judge in the House, fell asleep while I was testifying personally about my experiences with anti-Semitism.
During our congressional roundtable with the House Education Committee, ranking Democrat Bobby Scott also used the opportunity to criticize House Republicans for focusing on anti-Semitism. The vast majority of Democrats on that committee did not show up.
It was painful for me to watch my own Democratic elected officials, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and Ayanna Presley, whom I voted for in 2020, travel to Harvard, Columbia, and other campuses to show solidarity with the camp leaders, the same leaders who followed me to class for three weeks and recorded my movements.
I don't want to talk about this publicly because I want to work in a bipartisan manner. But with the election coming up in less than 60 days, I can't stay silent.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith have been eager to meet with me and other Jewish students to discuss practical policy solutions.
Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, has not done so. I can count on one hand the Democrats who have done the same. I have repeatedly called on the White House to meet with Jewish college students to discuss the crisis of anti-Semitism on our campuses. I have received no response.
It is no secret that Harvard University, in an effort to deny Jewish students the equality and justice they deserve, is hoping that Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives to stop Speaker Johnson's anti-Semitism investigation.
Just this month, House Republicans sent letters to 10 prominent colleges asking for specific data on what policies or measures they have in place for Jewish students. Not a single Democrat signed on to the letters.
The current administration, despite our calls, has not mobilized the Justice Department, the National Guard, or the Education Department in any meaningful way.
I didn't want to say these things for 10 months because I was hoping my party would change. I was trying to appear nonpartisan or bipartisan.
In fact, contrary to the opinion of the Trump campaign and RNC officials, I improvised much of my speech at the RNC, omitting any overt support for Donald Trump, because I wanted to show the Democratic Party that they should support Jewish students.
But elections are binary choices. In the zero-sum game of electoral politics, I cannot, for the first time since I started voting — even though I registered as a Democrat at 18 — support the Democratic candidate for president.
Last week, the Trump campaign invited me and other college students to sit in the front row as President Trump not only condemned anti-Semitism but outlined policies to combat it. I have repeatedly asked the Harris campaign to do the same. The Harris campaign has offered no policies or invitations to Jewish students.
These reasonable measures include deporting non-American students who violate American laws, withholding federal funding, and denying accreditation to universities that violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
They also include a firm stance against anti-Semitic, anti-American indoctrination in diversity, equality and inclusion programs, and an unwavering commitment to Israel's security, including the return of American hostages at any cost.
None of these policies are part of Harris’s campaign platform. This has led to a confusing environment at the DNC, where many Jewish attendees, including me, have received conflicting information from campaign appointees.
Will Harris join the Iran nuclear deal or not? How will she return American hostages when Hamas has rejected a ceasefire? What policies will she pursue to combat anti-Semitism? We have not received clear answers.
So, I want to close by speaking directly to the American people. I did not support Trump in 2016. I did not support Trump in 2020. I did not support Trump six months ago.
But let me tell you this: On October 7, the United States and Israel began to fight their enemies in the air, at sea, and on land. We American Jews have a different, but no less important, battle. We will fight our enemies in the streets, in the courts, in public opinion, in academia, and in Congress. And we will fight them at the polls.
The Democratic Party has taken the Jewish vote for granted for too long. This November, I will support, endorse, and vote for President Trump. Let's fight and win this November.”
In another post on X, they wrote: “Finally, I would like to publicly call out the Jewish Democratic Council of America for completely failing us, dedicated Jewish Democrats. Your leadership needs to be completely replaced, and I would love to help lead the young Jewish Democrats in a new direction. Trump is on track to win the most Jewish votes since Eisenhower, and you have done nothing to help. The Democratic Majority for Israel is an incredible organization that has done real groundwork, and I applaud them for standing up for us!”