By David Isaac, World Israel News -
Representative Mary Miller (R-Ill.) met with the Rabbinic Board of the Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV) and other rabbinic leaders last week, who defended her after she was condemned for a Nazi comparison she made at the Jan. 6 Trump rally.
“She was subjected to shameful attacks that, if one views the video of her remarks, unquestionably distorted her intent and perspective,” said Rabbi Ze’ev Samson, Midwestern Regional Vice President of the CJV.
Prior to the Capitol riots, Miller had said to the crowd, “If we win a few elections, we’re still going to be losing unless we win the hearts and minds of our children. This is the battle. Hitler was right on one thing. He said, ‘Whoever has the youth has the future.’”
Democrats quickly pounced on Miller’s comments, focusing on the Hitler comparison, which the congresswoman explained in a tweet the next day was meant as “a denunciation of evil dictator’s efforts to re-educate young people and similar efforts by left-wing radicals in our country today.”
Miller, who later apologized for making the comparison, had been referring to increasing efforts in U.S. schools to educate children to adopt a left-wing worldview, a trend that has accelerated in recent years. The New York Post recently ran the testimony of a father with two children in the Manhattan public school system who complained of left-wing “brainwashing.”
Another rabbi at the meeting, Moshe Parnes, Southern Regional Vice President of the CJV, said that Miller in fact mirrored an approach common in Jewish thought – to learn lessons from one’s enemies.
“Representative Miller is clearly sympathetic to the Jewish community and emphasized that she wants to be responsive to our concerns. So we were happy that we responded to her invitation and gave her the opportunity to further clear the air,” he said.
Other participants expressed their support and asked Miller about her perspective on Israel and the BDS movement.
At the meeting, Miller again apologized and expressed regret for her choice of words. She explained that her intent was to highlight the importance of guiding our youth in the right direction. She answered questions from Jewish community members and learned more about their concerns.
“While I do regret the words I used to illustrate my message about instilling values in our children, I believe God is using this experience for good,” Miller said.
“The great discussion from our meeting only proves this. Connecting and learning from the Jewish community becomes more important every day with anti-Semitism on the rise. I am grateful to be a small part of the solution,” she added.
“I am thankful to have had the opportunity to meet and speak with the Rabbinic Board of the Coalition for Jewish Values and other rabbinic leaders,” Representative Miller said after the meeting.
The CJV represents over 1,500 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in American public policy. CJV has previously issued a statement in support of Miller.
