Such a low has not yet been recorded. April 2026 presents statistics no less horrifying of the status of Israel in the American public eye.

The most recent survey of the PEW Institute, the biggest and most reliable of such institutes, indicates that 60% of Americans embrace a negative opinion of Israel, a figure which reflects a negative drop of 20% since 2022. A Gallup poll finds a downswing: for the first time in decades, where more Americans identify with the Palestinians (41%) than with Israelis (36%).

An additional blatant trend is the loss of the young generation. It is evident that among young people aged 18-29, the level of identification with Palestinians reached as high as 75%. Specifically among Democrats under 50, 84% have a negative image of Israel. But even among Republicans, the traditional stronghold of support, considerable erosion has also surfaced, with 57% under the age of 50 expressing a negative opinion of Israel.

We can no longer assume that these are simply figures. They are influential in practical ways as well.

In the upcoming elections, the central battle will focus on the persecution of Torah scholars. The competition will be very close and harsh, between Benet and the issue of "the draft evasion is decimating our soldiers" and Lieberman, architect of the wheelbarrows, and Yair Golan who calls for "boosting the trend of leaving the chareidi ranks because of questions [on religion]". We haven't yet mentioned the start-up movements which will yet emerge, like the 'army reservists' of former minister Yoaz Hendel whose first call to the public was that "whoever does not serve [in the army] cannot vote or be chosen to sit in the Knesset. " Democracy supreme.

In this public atmosphere, when Torah scholars are the punching bag of the Israeli society, it is only natural for a news commentator from the leading media channel to 'celebrate' on the backs of two young chareidi youths who merely and innocently sought a donation for a needy family.

Dr. Nissim Katz, a media lecturer who is not mitzvah-observant, published an article against said lowly commentator. He wrote:

"The incident of the news critic who publicized a documented event of two young yeshiva students who knocked on her door on the eve of Independence Day to ask for charity, is not a 'news error' or a 'momentary anger.' It is a distillation of a full blown cultural stereotype which transform the camera into a shaming tool, a denigration of a targeted population.

This was originally published in 1995.

Part 3

In the first part we saw how he plan was conceived by Rav Weissmandl and the correspondence with Jewish leaders to try to secure financial resources to save Jews, with no success. We continue to follow the efforts to gain support for the plan from the Zionist institutions.

A Change Of Heart?

American Zionist leaders met on the eleventh of April to discuss Rav Weissmandl's detailed letter of the first of December, which the Swiss representatives of the various world Jewish organizations had been asked to forward to their superiors in the Allied countries.

In addition to the Slovakian letters that seem to have taken four months to reach the United States from Switzerland, other letters arrived from Silberschein and from Lacker, of London, to urgently discuss the matter. An English translation of Rav Weismandl's letter was sent to Stephen Wise, Nachum Goldmann, Pearlsweig and Kubovitzky, with the request attached to "meet immediately in order to reach a conclusion about our response." (Min Hameitzar)

Despite having been sent from Constantinople, which is nearer to Slovakia than to New York, the contents of the following admiring but hardly reassuring letter, show only a slightly greater sense of urgency in that quarter. "If a miracle occurs and the down payment to Willi delays the murders in certain places, the fact that you have managed to find a way to the cruel oppressor's heart is of great cedit to you. If at the last moment it transpires that Saly and his organisation do not give the entire down payment, Eretz (i.e.the Zionists) will not let you down. The yishuv will hurry to grasp its remaining means... to save you from the impending devastation. The yishuv will not let you give up your red domim for the want of golden domim, (a play on words that was originally employed by Rav Weissmandl in his letter of December the twenty-third.)"