Religion Magazine

Are the Reform Strengthened Or Weakened by Trump's Victory?

By Gldmeier @gldmeier
I am finding it interesting that many Haredi MKs and askanim are expressing satisfaction with Donald Trump's success in the recent US Presidential elections with the hope that it symbolizes or implies the weakening of Reform Jews in America, and the lessening of their influence in the public sphere, and especially with regards to Israel.
Are the Reform strengthened or weakened by Trump's victory?
I find this interesting because while most Jews, especially Reform, vote Democrat, as always, and supported Hillary Clinton in the recent elections, one of Trump's biggest supporters and backers has been Sheldon Adelson. Adelson, the Jewish billionaire, who also supports Netanyahu.
While I do not know if Adelson himself is connected to the Reform movement of Judaism, he is always pointed to when Netanyahu is accused of pandering to the Reform when he tries to implement any sort of liberal policy in Israel.
So, yes, Clinton failed, and her Reform Jewish supporters are weakened by it. However, Trump won, and his Reform Jewish supporters are strengthened by it. If Adelson is always behind Netanyahu's policies that favor the Reform, as the accusation goes, then the strengthening of Adelson via Trump's victory should be troubling to these askanim.  
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