BDS and J Street stir Kaminsky-McGrath Senate contest

The special election to fill Dean Skelos’ state Senate seat turned this week on the relationship of the candidates and their political parties to BDS and J Street.

Republican state senators, promoting the candidacy of Hewlett Harbor attorney Chris McGrath, visited Cedarhurst on Sunday to demand that the Democratic-controlled Assembly approve anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) legislation that passed the Republican-controlled Senate, 55–6, on Jan. 20.

Meanwhile, a social media campaign was seeking to tie the Democratic candidate, Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky of Long Beach, to George Soros, an anti-Zionist billionaire philanthropist. Soros and members of his family have been major supporters of J Street, a Washington-based group that is widely viewed by advocates for the Jewish state as antagonistic to Israeli interests. The Kaminsky Senate campaign accepted an $11,000 contribution (the largest permitted) from Jonathan Soros, a son of George Soros who operates his own private investment fund and philanthoropic enterprise.

There has been no suggstion of a direct connection by George Soros to the Kaminsky campaign.

Before Jonathan Soros, now 45, established his own foundation in 2012, he joined his father in gifting at least several hundred thousand dollars to J Street. George Soros, now 85, and a daughter continue to fund J Street.

In a Friday morning interview in the offices of The Jewish Star, Kaminsky responded sharply to the social media campaign that’s been trying to raise doubts about his commitment to Israel.

“You’re not going to find a more staunch supporter for Israel than I am,” he said.

“Several weeks ago I stood on the border with Gaza and Sderot and the kibbutzim in the western Negev. I saw what people in Israel are living through every day.”

Kaminsky said “the rabbis know me, they know what I stand for. My record in the Five Towns speaks for itself.”

Jonathan Soros’ political priority is clean government and campaign finance reform, which meshes with the priorities voiced by Kaminsky, a former federal anti-corruption prosecutor.