First Daughter Ivanka Trump has been named by CNN as “America’s most powerful Jewish woman”. CNN noted that her entrance into the White House comes at a time of rising anti-Semitism.
The article pointed out that Ivanka’s role as her father’s adviser began during a national wave of over 100 bomb threats targeting Jewish institutions. Though the threats did not result in any actual bombings, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Audit of Anti-Semitic incidents, published in late April, showed the occurrences had increased by 34 percent nationally from 2015 to 2016.
Not only is she politically powerful, as the CNN article says, but Ivanka is, in fact, the first Jewish member of a First Family. Ivanka is notoriously private about her personal observance, and she declined to answer questions from CNN about how her faith guides her life and her thinking about policy, saying it was “an intensely personal matter”.
Her Jewish identity was thrust into the spotlight in the recent presidential visit to Israel. President Trump became the first sitting US president to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where, in a powerfully multi-faith image, he was poignantly joined by his Jewish daughter and son-in-law, and his Christian wife.
Ivanka posted on Instagram about the personal nature of the experience for her as a Jew.
The article’s claim did not go unchallenged. Huffington Post, known for its left-wing anti-Trump bias, noted a strong reaction on social media against CNN’s praise of Ivanka. The article claimed other Jewish women were more deserving of the title: chairwoman of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen, and supreme court justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan, all from the liberal left. Huffington Post cited a tweet that hinted CNN’s choice was due to Ivanka’s “line of lavender sheath dresses”.
Ivanka Tump converted to Judaism before marrying Jared Kushner in 2009, receiving the name ‘Yael’ (ibex). The Book of Judges names Yael as the heroine who killed Sisera to deliver Israel from the troops of King Jabin.
Blessed above women shall Yael be, the wife of Heber the Kenite, above women in the tent shall she be blessed. Judges 5:24
