EL CAJON, California (SDJW) – Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Judeo-Christian values Sunday at a “We Are Israel” rally that drew at least 1,000 supporters and more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters. The event also attracted a handful of members of fringe groups who tussled with each other, one described as part of the antifa movement; two others as right-wing, self-described “patriot” organizations. At some point, someone sprayed pepper spray, prompting the pro-Palestinian demonstrators to turn back their march.
Attendees who waited several hours to hear Pompeo, the last to address the rally, were doused with a late afternoon light rain. “It is because I am a Christian and an American that I was proud to lead the fight in the defense of Israel, the Jewish people and the perennial cause of religious liberty around the world,” he said. “May the Lord bless our two countries.”
Pompeo, who served in Congress and as head of the Central Intelligence Agency before being elevated to Secretary of State in the administration of Donald Trump, said faith and “America’s Judeo-Christian founding” mattered to help improve the world. “Shining a light, and evangelizing are biblical requirements – not challenges to the so-called separation of church and state,” he said.
Serving as Trump’s Secretary of State, he said, “it didn’t always make for easy friendships, but we earned respect all across the world.”
The rally also featured conservative radio host and Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder; Dumisani Washington, head of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, and Rabbi Mendel Polichenco of Chabad of Carmel Valley. It was sponsored by El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and a new organization called “Shield of David,” founded by Pacific Beach dentist Eli Ben Moshe and gym owner Brian Blacher. Attendees were predominantly Christian although there was a good representation from the Jewish community.
Suburban El Cajon includes a large population of refugees from Iraq, many of them Chaldeans, who are a Christian sect that often felt itself discriminated against in the Middle Eastern country. With numerous Arab restaurants and stores, the city has attracted other immigrants from the Arabic-speaking Middle East, both Muslim and Christian.
“I would call the demonstration a raging success,” commented Arnold Flick, a Jewish community member. He estimated that half of the crowd were supporters of the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) organization and non-affiliated who are pro-Israel.”
Jennie Starr said that Ben Moshe and Blacher “are doing a great job of pushing hard that we can’t accept the normalization of Jew hatred and setting an example for all of us on engagement of the wider community.”
Ellen Zyroff, an active member of the Zionist Organization of America, said her reaction to seeing the rally on YouTube was that “it was great, nothing less than an historic event in the history of American Jewry and those who organized this.”
Ruth Maston, noting she was commenting as an individual and not as the president of the House of Israel, said she was “very impressed. Everything was well organized and went smoothly, at least from what I saw. Very encouraged to see non-Jews standing against Jew-hatred! There were many viewpoints and political stances represented, but all were united in their support of Israel.”
Pastor Efraim Valverde of Chula Vista was part of a Latinos for Israel delegation to the rally. “We all love Israel. We pray for the Jewish people; we pray for the nation of Israel. We stand with you and we love you.” His son, Jonathan Valverde, led the rally in the signing of “The Star Spangled Banner” and “Hatikvah,” respectively the national anthems of the U.S. and Israel.
Someone among the attendees blew a shofar.
Among attendees inside the rally, according to Times of San Diego reporter Ken Stone, was Susanna Summers of El Cajon who quietly held a sign saying “Yes! Bless Israel! Liberate Palestine. Security = A Just Peace.”
The pro-Palestinian protesters carried a banner proclaiming “Down With Racism & Zionism” and chanted “Palestine Will Be Free.” Some of the signs read, “Pompeo Go Home”; “End the Occupation” and” ”Zionism is Racism.”
San Diego Union-Tribune reporters Andrew Dyer and Kristen Taketa reported that scuffles broke out between antifa members and representatives of two different East County “defender” groups. Thereafter, they reported, “a man wearing black who appeared to be with the antifa demonstrators emerged from the crowd and sprayed pepper spray at the people fighting.” During the rally, a police spokesman said police had not been notified of the scuffle, and El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said he was unaware of the incident.
Wells said he and Ben Moshe conceived of the rally as a way to bring together Christians and Jews, who he said are people of common values. “This country was founded on Judeo-Christian values,” the mayor added. “It’s perfectly acceptable to work together and rally together without being particularly political.”
Elder, who is Black, told the rally he was once called a “flag-waving, Jew-loving Uncle Tom.” He told of an acquaintance who complained about the alleged power of Jews. He asked her what percentage of the world was Jewish, and she guessed 25 percent. In fact, he told her, it is two-tenths of one percent. He said many Blacks are unaware of the strong support in the Jewish community for Black people’s rights, and commented that among his own Jewish friends, radio talk show host Dennis Prager helped him get started in his career.
Rapper Ari Lesser gave a speech in rhyme:
Boycott Israel, if you think that’s just
But unless you have a double standard, you must
Also boycott the rest of the nations
With allegations of human rights violations.
Not perfect, but if you think we’re the worst,
First take a look at the rest of the earth.
Don’t pick and choose
To pick on the Jews…
*
This story drew on the reporting and videotaping by Ken Stone of the Times of San Diego and by Andrew Dyer and Kristen Taketa of The San Diego Union-Tribune. It also incorporates comments emailed to San Diego Jewish World by members of the Jewish community
Another story about the death of Briana Gomez:
https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/briana-gomez-multi-cultural-journalist-ecm-dies-rollover-crash
Briana Gomez, the journalist whose story about the rally we linked to above, died in a traffic accident. Here is a link to a Times of San Diego article relating the facts of the accident as well as those of a controversy concerning her reportage of that rally: https://timesofsandiego.com/life/2021/08/02/briana-gomez-dies-at-31-multicultural-journalist-activist-killed-in-car-rollover/ San Diego Jewish World extends its deepest condolences to Briana’s family, friends, and colleagues at East County Magazine.
East County Magazine published a lengthy account on July 27th. Here is a link: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/pro-israel-rally-held-el-cajon-palestinians-march-protest
To answer that rapper, I’ll stand on a crapper
And point out to him that no other place
That has fallen so far from grace
Gets $3,8 billion each year from Americans all
Is that what he thinks is standing tall?
If by “fallen so far from grace” you mean that Israel is a shining star of freedom in a region, sadly, largely devoid of it; then yes–you are absolutely correct.