Baltimore Jews 'disgusted' with Trump, defend Cummings

By Vakkas Dogantekin

ANKARA (AA) - Jewish rabbis and community leaders living in the U.S. city of Baltimore on Monday defended a congressman, the latest Democrat of color attacked by President Donald Trump on Twitter, according to a report by Israeli daily Haaretz.

Trump over the weekend called Representative Elijah Cummings a "racist" and "bully" and said he should take better care of "rat and rodent infested" Baltimore before criticizing Trump administration holding facilities for migrants seeking asylum.

"Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men & women of Border Patrol about conditions at the Southern Border, when actually his Baltimore district is FAR WORSE and more dangerous. His district is considered the Worst in the USA," Trump claimed on Twitter.

"Why is so much money sent to the Elijah Cummings district when it is considered the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States. No human being would want to live there," he added.

After Democrats blasted Trump for being racist, he accused them of playing the "race card" when "they are unable to win with facts."

According to Jewish leaders who spoke to Haaretz, Cummings is a "bridge builder, someone who is deeply committed to the Jewish community."

Cummings’ district is home to more than 30,000 Jews.

One Jewish leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said Jews in the area are "disgusted by Trump’s attacks.”

Daniel Burg, a rabbi at the Conservative synagogue Beth Am, also slammed the Trump administration, saying that "courageous and moral leadership is severely lacking in Washington."

Israel Patoka, a member of the Baltimore County Council, also praised Cummings and called him “a true ally of the Jewish community and a champion for the causes that we care about."

Patoka added that "broader trend of racism and spreading hate sadly are becoming normalized under this presidency.”

Cummings is known for his support to the Jewish community in his district and to Israel in general.

The Elijah Cummings Youth Program, founded in the 1990s, has been sending students from the Baltimore area on visits to Israel for the past two decades.