‘Rabbi for Trump’ resigns his membership

 Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg has dumped Trump.

The rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth-El in Edison said he had disbanded his Rabbi for Trump Facebook page, which had attracted more than 1.000 followers, because of the Republican candidate’s failure to take a more pro-Israel stance.      

“It seems to me that representatives of his campaign don’t care about the Jewish vote,” wrote Rosenberg. “They think they can win without it.”

Rosenberg told NJJN that he became disillusioned with Donald Trump for, among other issues, not recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state.

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In December, Trump told members of the Republican Jewish Coalition that he would wait until meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before declaring his position on Jerusalem. In Jnauary, Trump performed an about-face, saying he would move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

“The only reason I started Rabbi for Trump is because I felt he was going to win the Republican nomination and I wanted his campaign to know they have a rabbi involved,” Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg said he has been “attacked” by rabbis and others in the Jewish community for supporting a candidate known for positions that one major group, the American Jewish Committee, called “nativist racism.”

“I wanted better answers from him on Israel,” said Rosenberg, who noted he was promised a meeting with Trump’s advisors that never materialized.

“His media people said he supports Israel and it's not up to him to make policy for Israel,” said Rosenberg. Added Rosenberg: “If you have a president of the United States who does not have a love for Israel you’re going to have problems. We saw that with [President Barrack] Obama.”

 Rosenberg said if at that point Trump’s campaign decides to take a stronger position on Israel, he would not be averse to restarting Rabbi for Trump.