Op-Ed: The Democrats' False Charges of "Antisemitism" are a "Schande" - a Disgrace

By Brian Yudewitz With just one week before the election, three local Democrat candidates- Eve Meltzer-Krief, Jon Kaiman and Joshua Lafazan - went to Newsday to charge their Republican opponents with fake charges of "antisemitism." It is offensive that these ridiculous charges have even been levied. The Democrats apparent reason for claiming “anti-Semitism” was because Republicans sent mailers criticizing the huge sums of campaign money that Democrats have been spending, on negative mailers attacking the Republicans. The Republican mailers that the Democrats are suddenly claiming as "antisemitic" are the same mailers being used by and against lots of non-Jewish candidates. Yet the above candidates chose to ignore this fact and bring false claims of antisemitism I am a longtime personal friend of Suffolk Legislator Stephanie Bontempi - of one of the targets of the Democrats' attack. We have been friends for over 25 years. She is a wonderful, warm and inclusive woman. Not only does she not have an antisemitic bone in her body - but Stephanie is herself part Jewish. Apparently Ms. Meltzer-Krief and the Democrats didn't do their homework before attacking Stephanie. But more important - and disturbing is the context: more than 1400 dead Jews murdered just weeks ago by Hamas in Israel; over 220 Jewish civilians held hostage by Hamas; and antisemitic riots this week in New York City. Real antisemitism. It is disgraceful that three local Democrats would choose now - with the Jewish community under real threat - to make-up fake charges of antisemitism against Republicans who are themselves Jewish, and stand-up to defend the Jewish community. Worse - this isn't just a cheap political stunt by the Democrats - it actually encourages the real antisemites. As a Jew, and a community leader in Huntington, I am appalled at what Eve Meltzer-Krief has done. Calling someone an "antisemite" isn't just another campaign slogan. It goes to the core of the person's decency and character. The use of this as a cheap political tactic, for one’s political advantage, is completely dishonorable. Meltzer-Krief serves as an official of the Town of Huntington, a member of the Town's Anti-Bias Task Force. It is a position that demands fairness and integrity. Yet when billboards in Huntington supporting Republican US Congressman Lee Zeldin - who is Jewish - were defaced last fall with Nazi swastikas, Meltzer-Krief and her Task Force were silent. Republican billboards in Huntington were again defaced, just last month, spray painted with the word "Nazis," and Meltzer-Krief was again silent. Meltzer-Krief marched as a political activist in New York and Washington with left wing groups now supporting Hamas. But Meltzer-Krief won’t denounce those groups – the real antisemites – that she chose to associate herself with. There is a word in Yiddish called "Schande" to describe a shame or disgrace. When a person makes fake charges of antisemitism against Jews and the defenders of Jews - but then cavorts with real antisemites - it is a Schande upon decency. A betrayal of our community. A disgrace. ------------------------------------------------ Brian Yudewitz is an attorney, and longtime community leader in Huntington.