Trump’s Inaugural Rabbi: U.N. Resolution ‘Most Anti-Israel’ Event of 2016

Marvin Hier Image by Getty Images
The rabbi President-elect Donald Trump appointed to participate in his inauguration ceremony heads the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which claims the United Nations resolution condemning Israeli settlements is the most “anti-Semitic/anti-Israel” event of 2016.
Rabbi Marvin Hier founded the center, named for the legendary Nazi hunter who died in 2005.
“The most stunning 2016 UN attack on Israel was facilitated by President Obama,” the Center wrote in a list of “The top ten worst global anti-Semitic/anti-Israel incidents.”
Other offenders include UK British Labour Leaders, Baroness Jenny Tongue, France, the BDS movement and a local branch of the German Teacher’s Union. After these the Center listed white supremacist Richard Spencer.
Hier is a prominent rabbi in Los Angeles, where he founded a Jewish school. He also reportedly advises celebrities including Will Smith. In 2007 and 2008, Newsweek named Hier America’s most influential rabbi. Hier accompanied former President George W. Bush to Jerusalem to celebrate Israel’s 60th birthday.
After John Kerry rebuked Israeli policy in a 75-minute speech Wednesday, Hier and Abraham Cooper, the associate dean of the Wiesenthal Center, co-wrote a letter of fire and brimstone.
“It is unprecedented for an outgoing Administration to make such a draconian foreign policy shift—while simultaneously packing their boxes to leave Washington,” they wrote. ““We are confident that the Trump team’s approach to the Palestinian-Israel conflict will reflect these inconvenient truths and will restore – in tone and deeds – the relationship behooving two great friends who share a common heritage and democratic values.”
Hier will bless the inauguration ceremonies with five other faith leaders including the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan; Reverend Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, and televangelist Paula White.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
