President Trump Calls Jews "a Blessing for the World," Wishes "Shana Tova"

 By Yehudit Garmaise

   When Jared Kushner’s great grandmother, a”h, used to give her family a blessing at Rosh Hashana meals, every year, she said, “May your table continue to grow.”

   “Yesterday,” said Kushner, who is a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, “We did just that,” referring to the historic signing of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

 “We invite more people to come to our table to join the cause for peace,” said Kushner, today in a conference call with Jewish leaders and media.

   The last time Israel signed a treaty was with Jordan in 1994. In 1979, Israel had signed a treaty and normalized relations with Egypt.

   Kushner shared that the United States and Israel’s expanding table for peace was a reality yesterday, when, after the signing of the treaties, Trump hosted a brunch for the Israeli and Arab leaders on the South Lawn of the White House.

   “People who were formerly enemies, now are coming together as allies and friends,” Kushner said. “My prayer for this coming year is for health and happiness for everyone and that we can all continue to grow our tables.”

   Normalizing relations with Arab countries means that the Arab neighboring countries that have signed the Abraham Accords now will trade with Israel and create other financial ties, will ally with Israel against common enemies, such as Iran, and will allow Israeli planes to enter the airspace of the two countries, who previously forbade it.

   As President Trump described hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani  yesterday, he said, “It was a magnificent day at the White House: everything from the weather to the spirit.”

  “We have such a cause for celebration,” Trump said. “We have achieved a monumental breakthrough for Israel, for the Middle East, and for the cause of peace.”

   After wishing members of the Jewish media a “Shana Tova,” Trump referred to the Holocaust survivors who were both on the call and whom he meets along the campaign trail.

  “The Holocaust survivors I have met have endured so much unnatural evil and persecution,” Trump said. “They have seen so much, yet they look at the world so positively, and we are so proud of them. We will eradicate the vile hatred of anti-Semitism.

“For thousands of years, the Jewish people have faced violence and oppression, but they have persevered, triumphed, and blessed the world. They really have. There has been a blessing to the world.”

  Trump ended his remarks with a line from Tehillim, “Today, we thank the almighty G-d for His infinite goodness.”

Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)