Sunday mornings are often spent relaxing with family, running errands or household chores. On a recent Sunday morning, a contingent of Queens residents and local elected officials joined the Honorable Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas for a talk on community political awareness and general civic engagement at the Sephardic Center of Jamaica Estates - Congregation Beth-El in Fresh Meadows. The group learned of tactics to make their political voices heard clearer. Speakers stressed the importance of political involvement while considering their community dynamics. It was noted that a working relationship should be devised with local and state elected officials. The event was cohosted by the Alliance of Bukharian Americans and the CHAZAQ Organization.
Rabbi Yakov Nasirov, leader of the hosting venue, pointed out that the synagogue’s name Beth-El is translated as “House of God” for this sanctuary was established to be an all-inclusive enclave with its doors open to Jews of all descents: Sephardic, Ashkenazi, Israeli, Bukharian, Afgani, Yemenite or Persian.
Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, CEO of the CHAZAQ Organization noted that “it is important for the entire community to be politically active!” 24th district Councilmember Rory Lancman joined the conversation sharing his views and encouraging all to encourage their friends and neighbors to register and vote. 31st district Councilmember Donovan Richards, a candidate for the soon to be vacated Queens Borough Presidency, emphasized the importance of casting a ballot and participating in civic engagement.
Queens Jewish Community Council president Michael Nussbaum mentioned that politics aim to get the “fair share” for constituents. Jewish causes must always remain united to have their voice heard. Nussbaum explained that if we expect our politicians to deliver and “get us our fair share of the pie,” we must get involved and ensure that every Jewish citizen is registered and gets out to vote no matter the political party they opt to support.
Nussbaum expounded on the difficulties we face in Queens. Ethnicities that are new to a country often find it difficult to assimilate to the political process as it often differs drastically from their hometown. Countries like China and North Korea give their inhabitants no voting rights. Those who immigrated to the United States from the Soviet regime also lacked knowledge of suffrage. Nussbaum noted that his own grandchildren, who are of part Russian decent, are subject to the same educational requirements of our Bukharian neighbors. Few of our elected officials are Jewish and it is incumbent upon us to change that political atmosphere. As individuals, it falls upon us to articulate our concerns and express our voice accordingly.
Event organizer Aron Aaronson has taken upon himself the mission to educate the political arena of the Bukharian Jewish cause and have its plight acknowledged in the halls of the White House and upon the steps of the Capitol. Aaronson recalls an initial encounter where Congressman McCaul was astonished to learn of the existence of a Jewish community here in America originating from Uzbekistan. The Congressman had simply believed Aaronson to be of Syrian or Chassidic ancestry. The political sphere was under the impression that only Muslims immigrated from the Uzbek region.
During a private encounter with Congressman McCaul, Aaronson laid out the case for instituting a federal tax-exempt status and considering yeshiva tuition to be charity, enabling parents of these students to better afford life in America. During this discourse, the duo ruled out the use of voucher programs for private institutions but remained hopeful for a path to federal tax exemptions on individual tax returns.
McCaul an established Republican Congressman discussed Israeli-American relations and combating the rise of anti-Semitism here at home.
Later, Rabbi Yaniv Meirov explained that the Q in Chazaq represents Queens and its core letters A and Z exemplify the heart of his organization. “We must work to strengthen our Queens community from its center,” elucidated Meirov.
David Mordukhaev, the Rego Park liaison for the Alliance of Bukharian Americans thanked the crowd for taking time to join the political discussion and encouraged all to ensure their family, friends and neighbors are registered voters.
When initiating the steps for the event, Aron Aaronson explained that the Democrats he encountered questioned why he had chosen to bring a Republican, while the Republicans were puzzled at his choice not to bring a Democrat. Aaronson then explained his choice of venue, “We could easily have used a lecture hall or restaurant, but in the house of the Lord where we all worship one God, in Beit-El – the house of God, there really was only one option.
Congressman McCaul had high praise for POTUS. “In his first year as president, Donald Trump crushed the caliphate and we as a nation must work not to repeat the occurrence in Iraq as we continue to protect our homeland.
McCaul noted his ongoing close relationship with US Representative Elliot Engel, a Democrat of 16th Congressional District who is the Chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and to our local Congresswomen Grace Meng.
“A nuclear Iran is a threat to the entire world,” McCaul continued. “Israel is a shining beacon of democracy in the middle of dictatorships and corrupt nations. Israel’s economy is far ahead of that of much of the Middle East,” stated McCaul. The Congressman pointed out acclaim for Israel’s cybersecurity and technological advancements in academia especially at the Bar Ilan University. “Israel is our ally,” McCaul plainly declared. “America stands strong with Israel against Iran, as the USA is their protector and this is a fact known to world,” explained McCaul. When Trump followed through on his promise to bring the US Embassy to the holy city of Jerusalem this sent the message that the US is not only aligned with Israel, but that America will protect Israel at all costs.
Regarding the recent rise of anti-Semitism, McCaul shared an interesting personal story. His father had bombed the Nazis on 32 missions. On a trip to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day, McCaul had seen how profound his father’s accomplishments were, despite his father never talking about that era. “They were humble generation born in the midst of the Great Depression and they prevailed in one of the worst wars known to mankind saving the world from evil,” expressed the Congressman.
McCaul also recalled a chilling experience visiting Auschwitz where he saw the horrors of the gas chambers. Of his five children, three are triplets and knowing that Dr. Evil, Joseph Mengele, conducted medical experiments on multiple children is simply disgusting. World War II happened just one generation ago and in today’s world we must keep our eyes wide open. “Antisemitism was not tolerated in Europe and it will not be allowed in halls of Congress,” declared McCaul. “Elliot Engel has little patience, tolerance or language for anti-Semitism and will not let it raise its ugly head again.”
Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill professed “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others.” According to McCaul, Russia has no rights, especially constitutional privileges and is always under surveillance. In Iran there is no communication to outside world. Right here in our hemisphere, Venezuela has a socialist dictator who took one of the richest counties in Latin American and brought it to the ground. On a trip to a Columbian Catholic soup kitchen McCaul learned of 50,000 people crossing from Venezuela in what is known as one of the worst humanitarian crises in this hemisphere.
Regarding the digital space race and quantum computing with China McCaul announced, “We are losing in the 5G space.” Returning from China, McCaul kissed the ground because in America we have freedoms and are not controlled by a dictator. We are not a socialist country and we have the freedom and responsibility to vote and chose our elected officials opposite of most populations. “Democracy is the great experiment that our founding fathers tried – it is not perfect; it gets messy – but it works. Article one forms the Congress because the American people are first.”
On April 23, 1910 President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his Man in the Arena speech revealing, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles…” Do not allow anyone to say why you cannot do something or get involved in a cause or trade. Roosevelt continued, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood…” We must not live in the twilight shadows on the peripheral, rather be engaged and gets up to fight for what we believe is the right. We only have one life and we must find the right way to make this world more of a better place than the day we came into it, no matter our religious beliefs.
During a trip to Iraq, McCaul was shown Abrahams house. McCaul was amazed at how the three world religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – emerged from its doors. “One day we hope to have these three religions live in the same house in peace,” blessed the Congressman.
Prior to Congress, McCaul was the Chief of Counterterrorism for the Justice Department. After 911 when the World Trade Center was struck, it was determined that Ramzi Yousef was the mastermind behind that attack who arrived with a falsified Iraqi passport. It was then uncovered that he had been detained and released, only later to be found on training grounds in Pennsylvania when he decided to attack the US. The original target was not the WTC, rather to hit 12 Jewish synagogues simultaneously. This potential attack was modified to target the largest symbol of economic power in the US – the WTC, the military – the Pentagon and Capital as the sign of political strength.
The question remained, why the number twelve. In studying the mind of Islamic terrorist, McCaul realized Yousef was demonstrating his hatred for the Jewish people. Back when he had hit the WTC with a Ryder rental truck loaded with ammonium nitrate and missed the beam by 20 feet that would have brought down one tower entirely with the hope to knock the other over tower. He then escaped to Pakistan and met his uncle Khalid Sheik Mohammed who was the mastermind of 911, an assignation attempt against the Pope in the Philippines, and the plot to use micro bombing devices to bring down twelve jetliners simultaneous. He was then caught and prosecuted in New York. However, the US failed to imagine the scenario of using jetliners as cruise missiles. He had, together with his uncle in Malaysia, decided to hit the 3 symbols of power. The Capital attack was stopped by the first heroes of the day bringing down the plane in Shanksville, PA. Ever since that day McCaul was a determined to end terrorism. At the height of ISIS and the caliphate, President Barack Obama pulled out 10,000 Iraqi troops and created a vacuum which left a vast space larger than Iraq and Syria combine for the caliphate to expand. Every month intelligence looked at a nefarious external operation plots aimed at destroying Americans at home either through aviation, smuggling weapons and bombs, luckily 95% of these attacks were averted.
McCaul who speaks to Trump regularly urged him not to withdraw completely and repeat the mistakes of Iraq. Instead that had a residual force protect the homeland and just one week later the US brought down Osama bin Ladin’s right hand man, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
By: Shabsie Saphirstein
Congressman Mccaul Exemplifies A Beacon Of Democracy: Real People In Queens, Real New Yorkers
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