views essay My First CPAC F or years, Shabbos observance and attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) seemed mutually exclusive because so much of what happens there occurs on Friday evening and Saturday. But this year, I discovered that special accommodations were available with Washington, D.C.-based Young Jewish Conservatives (YJC). I, a co-president of the Michigan Jewish Action Council, was delighted to be able to attend for the first time. The conference took place in late February. We were able to start networking the evening before CPAC and met Rabbi Yaakov Menken, Dorene Weisberg managing director of another new organi- zation, Coalition for Jewish Values. Later we would be spend- ing much time together and with many other Jews of every persuasion at the YJC Shabbat event. While exact figures were not avail- able, CPAC attendance numbered some- where between 10,000-14,000 people. Conservative young people attended in large numbers and were favored with premium seating for the main events and dedicated career training workshops. Turning Point USA, Young America’s Foundation (YAF) and other groups were well represented and fea- tured in some of CPAC’s panel discus- sions. YJC after Havdalah The conference included many well-known conservative speakers. Thursday’s schedule concluded with a casual meet-and-greet with Ben Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew considered by many to be the voice of the conservative millennial movement. A frequent “controversial” speaker for YAF on campuses across the nation, Shapiro is a lawyer, author and host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” the top conser- vative podcast in the nation. The politi- cal left smears Shapiro as a hater who commits micro-aggressions and some- times is successful at shutting down his campus appearances. According to an ADL study, Shapiro is the No. 1 target of anti-Semitic attacks aimed at journal- ists. On Friday, prior to President Donald Trump’s appearance, author, TV and radio host Laura Ingraham gave one of the most optimistic, upbeat speeches, focusing on the young conservatives among us. She read three very parti- san media quotes about the president. While most thought those quotes were about Trump, they were actually smears against Ronald Reagan! She said: “Saturday Night Live mocked Reagan. Celebrities said he hated gay people. The intelligentsia opposed Reagan’s tax cuts. They smeared good and patriotic men, like attorney general Contributing Writers: Ruthan Brodsky, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen, Shari S. Cohen, Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Adam Finkel, Stacy Gittleman, Stacy Goldberg, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle Grier, Esther Allweiss Ingber, Allison Jacobs, Barbara Lewis, Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz, David Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell Arthur M. Horwitz Publisher / Executive Editor ahorwitz@renmedia.us F. Kevin Browett Chief Operating Officer kbrowett@renmedia.us | Editorial Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl jheadapohl@renmedia.us Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen kcohen@renmedia.us Arts & Life Editor: Lynne Konstantin lkonstantin@renmedia.us Digital/Social Media Editor: Hannah Levine hlevine@renmedia.us Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@renmedia.us Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin dannyraskin2132@gmail.com Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar rsklar@renmedia.us | Advertising Sales Sales Director: Keith Farber kfarber@renmedia.us Account Executives : Wendy Flusty, Annette Kizy Ed Meese … They ultimately derailed Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork. They said President Reagan was going to blow up the world. They called him “Ronny Ray Gun.” They had no-nukes conferences … He was gonna start World War III.” Like Reagan, Trump is mocked, ridiculed and pejoratively branded by the media, academia and Hollywood. Laura’s message was that the struggle continues from generation to genera- tion; and she enjoined, especially the young people, with encouragement not to be discouraged because “ours … is a movement based on individual freedom and liberty, given to us from on High, not from the government, but from God,” which stimulated enthusiastic applause. Ingraham and many others at CPAC believe that with Trump’s presidential win, we have a leader who says what he thinks. And while his tweets could sometimes use some editing, he is, in fact, a fighter who believes in our coun- try and has done a great deal in a short time despite the constant barrage of anti-Trump media. President Trump’s accomplishments on the conservative agenda were a message oft-repeated by many of the conference’s speakers. After President Trump spoke, we attended our first pre-Shabbos event, | Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES Manager: Scott Drzewiecki Designers: Kelly Kosek, Amy Pollard, Michelle Sheridan, Susan Walker | Detroit Jewish News Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt President/Publisher: Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Controller: Craig R. Phipps | Social Media Producer Andrea Gusho socialmedia@thejewishnews.com Sales Manager Assistants : Karen Marzolf | Business Offices Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner | Fulfillment Joelle Harder jharder@renmedia.us lunch with YJC across from the con- vention hall. However, we had already observed a surprising number of Jews, identifiable by kippot, swinging tzitzit or flowing payot at the convention center. Our Shabbat experience coincided with many CPAC activities. Friday eve- ning, while regular CPAC sessions were finishing up, we had Shabbos candle- lighting, followed by evening services plus a traditional Shabbat kiddush and dinner for 150 guests. Saturday, YJC held services with a kiddush lunch and an address by con- servative talk show host Mark Levin. We ended an inspiring Shabbat with Minchah, Seudah Shlishit and Maariv followed by Havdalah and group pic- tures. At CPAC, love of and support for Israel were everywhere. While Jewish progressive organizations are keen to spread a false narrative about President Trump as a hater and the cause of increased anti-Semitic activity, his poli- cies on Israel and Jerusalem show his love and respect for our people and the Jewish homeland as his just-concluded meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demonstrated. It was a refreshing and invigorat- ing experience to be surrounded by so many people, especially young Jewish adults, who share conservative values and where all are welcomed and treated honorably, with respect. • Dorene Weisberg is co-president of the Michigan Jewish Action Council (www.MJAC.us). She lives in West Bloomfield. | Departments General Offi ces: 248-354-6060 Advertising: 248-351-5107 Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049 Circulation: 248-351-5120 Classifi ed Ads: 248-351-5116 Advertising Deadline: Monday, 2 p.m. Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885 Deadline: All public and social announcements must be typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine days prior to desired date of publication. 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