Are Trump’s grass roots Jewish supporters the election’s dark horse?

A group of grassroots Trump supporters are seeking to make their own impact on the election and promise not to remain silent when it comes to Israel’s security and future.

The grassroots group, “Jews Choose Trump,” was formed in late July by Carol Greenwald, a financial advisor at an investment firm in Bethesda, Md., along with several partners, including Jewish activist and founder of JCCWatch.org Richard Allen.

Greenwald was motivated to start the website JewsChooseTrump.org after becoming fed up over accusations by liberals that Trump was antisemitic.

“Trump is someone who’s worked with the Jewish community his entire life and has family, including his daughter (Ivanka Trump) and son-in-law (Jared Kushner), who are both observant Jews,” Greenwald said. “The smearing of Trump as antisemitic is just outrageous.”

JewsChooseTrump.org has steadily grown with Jewish supporters of Trump from across the country signing up. Greenwald said they’ve also seen steady support on social media.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the velocity of social media in getting out our message of Jewish support for Trump,” said Allen, who’s been handling social media for the group. “We have over 40 states with activists that stand for Trump in their communities. Our Jews Choose Trump Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and website are on fire with activity. The use of this alternate unbiased network of social media sites has changed the dynamic in reaching Jewish Trump supporters.”

The outpouring of support the group has gained comes despite some early negative issues for Trump.

During the Republican primary season, many prominent conservative Jews were cautious in their support for him and some backed Republican candidates such as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. In particular, some were concerned over statements Trump made such as saying to a group of Jewish donors in December 2015 that he’s “a negotiator like you folks,” which some accused of playing into Jewish stereotypes, or that he would be “neutral” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

But after securing the nomination, the Trump campaign has focused on growing its support within the Jewish community including campaign promises to overturn the Iran nuclear deal, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, fighting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and opposing any measures to impose or dictate borders on Israel.

“The Republican platform has the most pro-Israel statements in it than any platform in American history and a lot of those changes were pushed by the Trump campaign,” Greenwald said.

In particular, most troubling to Greenwald is Clinton’s support for the Iran nuclear deal, which was a key foreign policy goal of President Barack Obama in which Clinton played an early role when she was secretary of state.

The Iran deal has been a deal breaker for many Jewish pro-Israel supporters, who may not be crazy about Trump but who refuse to support Clinton.

Jewish billionaire hedge fund manager Seth Klarman, a major giver to pro-Israel causes, has said publicly he would not back politicians who supported the Iran deal, which paves the way for the terror regime to obtain nuclear weapons. Klarman, who backed Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Rubio during the primary season, came out earlier this month supporting Clinton. Klarman declined to comment to JNS.org.

In contrast, another major Israel supporter, Jewish millionaire Kenneth S. Abramowitz, is backing Trump.

“Anyone who supported the Iran deal [should be] automatically disqualified from political office in this country,” Abramowitz told JNS.org. “Negotiating with terrorists and providing them money during our state of war was providing material support for terrorism.”

Out of the over 1,000 names registered on JewsChooseTrump.org, a significant portion of them – roughly 15 percent – are from a localized area around Boca Raton, Fl., Greenwald said. Home to one of the country’s largest Jewish communities, Florida is likely to play a key role in determining who wins in November. Greenwald says her group plans to contact people on the list in important battleground states like Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania and encourage them to speak out in favor of Trump. Beyond that, Greenwald and Allen said they’re planning on launching a “Rabbis Choose Trump” group soon and to reach out to more Jewish voters. The group also started selling a limited edition “Trump Kippa” to “show off your Jewish and patriotic pride,” with 10 percent of the proceeds going to help lone soldiers serving in Israel.

Black Lives Matter protests outside Haim Saban fundraiser for Hillary Clinton

(JTA) – Black Lives Matter reportedly was among several groups protesting on behalf of Palestinian rights outside a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton hosted by the Israeli-American billionaire Haim Saban and his wife, Cheryl. The August 22 event in Southern California at the Beverly Park home of the entertainment mogul brought in $5 million, CNN reported. Some 80 people attended the fundraiser, paying $100,000 per couple, according to Variety. The Sabans have already contributed nearly $10 million to super PACs supporting Clinton’s candidacy, according to the Jewish Insider.

Some 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested outside Saban’s gated community against what they called his opposition to Palestinian human rights, the left-wing activist news website Alternet reported, which noted Black Lives Matter as among the protesting groups. The others included Al-Awda: The Palestinian Right to Return and Friends of Sabeel.

Trump campaign opens 3rd Israeli office

(JTA) – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump opened a campaign office near Tel Aviv, his third in Israel. The Ramat Gan office opened Wednesday will serve central Israel, in the Gush Dan and Sharon regions, Israel National News reported Thursday. It joins offices in Jerusalem and Modiin. A fourth office is scheduled to be opened in the West Bank, according to the report. The Trump campaign plans to expand its operations in Israel, with up to five campaign offices throughout the country, according to the report. There are believed to be hundreds of thousands of American Israelis who are eligible to vote in the U.S. election, according to Israeli news reports. Many come from states with a high number of electoral votes or from swing states such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and California. Republican officials estimate that 85 percent of American voters living in Israel will vote for Trump, according to reports. A Hebrew-language Trump campaign poster released earlier this month reads “Trump: In Israel’s interest.”

NY state attorney says he was target of antisemitic Trump supporters

(JTA) – New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he has been the target of “gruesome” antisemitic tweets from supporters of Donald Trump, whose for-profit Trump University is the target of a state lawsuit alleging fraud.

Schneiderman in 2013 filed on behalf of the state a $40 million civil lawsuit against Trump for his “Trump University” – now known as Trump Entrepreneur Initiative – charging that the real estate training program was a “bait-and-switch” scheme. The Republican presidential candidate denied all accusations, calling Schneiderman a “political hack.“ In February, Trump accused President Obama of bribing Schneiderman with a campaign contribution to bring the lawsuit against Trump University. The case is not expected to go to trial until after the election. New York’s highest court is expected to hold a hearing this fall on a motion by Trump’s lawyers to dismiss several of the claims brought by Schneiderman.

“You guys can reach me in the Dominican Republic if there is a Trump administration,” Schneiderman said jokingly during an appearance before the Daily News editorial board Thursday.

Report: Ex-wife of Stephen Bannon says he made antisemitic remarks

(JTA) – Donald Trump campaign CEO Stephen Bannon made antisemitic remarks over a private school in Los Angeles that accepted his twin daughters, his ex-wife charged during a court battle over post-divorce financial issues. Bannon’s second wife Mary Louise Piccard said in a sworn court declaration that ex-husband Bannon said he did not want to send his daughters to The Archer School for Girls for the 2007-2008 school year because he “didn’t want the girls going to school with Jews,” the Associated Press reported over the weekend. The AP obtained and reviewed the court papers, which were part of a request for Bannon to pay $25,000 in legal fees and to cover the $64,000 in tuition.

“He said he doesn’t like Jews and that he doesn’t like the way they raise their kids to be ‘whiney brats,’” Piccard said in a 2007 court filing.

Bannon took over as head of Trump’s presidential campaign last week. He was previously executive chairman of Breitbart News, which the Hillary Clinton campaign has charged with being antisemitic. Bannon spokeswoman Alexandra Preate denied that Bannon made antisemitic comments.

The AP also cited remarks his ex-wife said Bannon made while visiting private schools in 2000. At one school Bannon reportedly asked the director why there were so many books about Chanukah in the library, the AP reported citing Piccard’s court declaration. At another school Piccard said Bannon asked her if it bothered her that the school building was formerly a synagogue, the AP reported.

Piccard filed for divorce in 1997 after accusing Bannon of beating her up in an altercation over money.