The first day of the Republican National Convention was full of talking points. We've selected four, each of which has a Jewish connection:
1) RNC says “aloha” to anti-Semitism.
The RNC social media team was forced to suspend comments on its YouTube livestream during the speech of the Jewish former governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, after the comment thread was hijacked by anti-Semites.
2) Former underwear model Antonio Sabato Jr. talks politics.
One of the more anticipated events of the first night was a speech by former underwear model and soap opera/reality TV star Antonio Sabato Jr. But did you know that Sabato Jr is Jewish? His maternal grandmother was a Jew from the Czech Republic, which makes Sabato Jr. a member of the tribe. As he repeatedly said in his speech, “that’s right!”
3) Pastor Burns hasn’t got a prayer.
More than a few eyebrows were raised at the benediction prayer offered by televangelist Pastor Mark Burns, which he preceded by saying, “the enemy is not other Republicans,” but rather “Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party.” Burns is the same pastor who was embroiled in a row earlier in the campaign after saying that Jewish senator Bernie Sanders needed a “coming-to-Jesus meeting.”
4) A plagiarism on all Trump’s houses.
The most talked about issue from day one was undoubtedly the allegations of plagiarism against Melania Trump, and we don’t mean the rick-rolling. Trump is accused of lifting two paragraphs of her speech directly from Michelle Obama’s 2008 speech, which was written by Sarah Hurwitz, her Jewish speechwriter. How similar were the two? You decide:
The New York Jewish Week brings you the stories behind the headlines, keeping you connected to Jewish life in New York. Help sustain the reporting you trust by donating today.
