By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Principle: “A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.” – Oxford English Language Dictionary
What is a columnist to do when there are too many things about which to write? Plus, many commentators who know more about each subject have already done an excellent job explaining the actions of the current presidential administration and why we should oppose them. But I wondered, why do so many of the actions of the Trump administration go against the grain for me? What I realized is that they not only don’t follow the Jewish principles in which I firmly believe, but far too often remind me of actions that have been taken against Jews over the centuries. Remembering these principles gives me the courage to work for the betterment of our country, not just for individual special groups. Below I mention three of the most important ones, but my Jewish opposition to the current administration is not limited to them.
And God said, “Let us create man b’tselem Elohim (in our image).” – Genesis 1:26
That means everyone regardless of their ethnicity, skin color, religion, sexuality, religion and intellectual abilities. That biblical text does not include a hierarchy of human beings, but rather clearly notes all of us are created in the Divine image. Rabbinic commentary suggests that God created one human being so that no one could say their ancestor was greater than anyone else’s. The Mishnah includes a list of different genders that are recognized as having been formed by God. You don’t have to believe in God, though, to understand that all humans should be treated with the same care. That includes those who are different from us. 
We should remember how a hierarchy of human worth has affected Jews in the past and during present times. Jews have frequently been treated as something less than human. We’ve been called everything from vermin to criminals. We’ve been treated as if we were cursed by God. We’ve been expelled from almost every European nation over the centuries and were refused refuge in most North and South American countries when trying to escape Nazi Germany. We are, therefore, called to see the image of the Divine in everyone, even if we don’t like them. 
“You shall not wrong nor oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 22:20 and in 35 other verses in the Torah)
It’s one thing to have immigration laws. It’s something far different to round up everyone who looks like an immigrant (recently taken to mean anyone who is not a white Anglo-Saxon) and treat them as criminals. I know an American citizen who has a Latino last name and Latino facial features who has been treated as a criminal over the years because of his name and looks. Jews have also been thought of as criminals, sometimes for some real crimes, but more often for imaginary ones – everything from poisoning wells used by Christians to needing the blood of a Christian child to make matzah to controlling the world. In fact, there have been many Jewish criminals in the American past, but we objected to having all Jews being painted with the same brush and we should not do the same to others.
As a reminder, the United States changed its immigration laws before World War II because too many people believed Jews were criminals. Think of how many Jewish lives might have been saved from the Holocaust if U.S. doors had been open to them. Think of the many lives we can now save if we offer sanctuary to those refugees in danger of death if they are returned home.
“That which is hateful to you, do not do to your 
fellow.” – Hillel the Elder 
Do you want the government to control your healthcare, to decide what treatments you can have based on someone else’s religious or social beliefs, rather than on scientific knowledge? Do you want someone telling you what books you can read or what music you can listen to? On the reverse side of this: do you want the government to protect you from harmful chemicals in our air and food? Do you want your children and grandchildren to have clean air to breathe and food that is safe to eat? Do you believe that every government official is only interested in the common good and therefore would never break a law? Do you really believe there is no need for an active press to protect us from the greedy and careless?
I can’t imagine most of us want someone to control every aspect of our lives, to limit not only what we can read, but the kind of medical care we can have – that is if people will even be able to afford medical care. Don’t assume that these rules won’t affect you. Do not assume that you are safe. As Jews, we know that’s rarely true since we make such a convenient scapegoat. And don’t think it can’t happen here when we have a vice president who is applauding far-right European parties. No one will be safe.