Rabbi Aryeh Spero Passes Away: ‘America’s Rabbi’

(VINnews) It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of Rabbi Aryeh Spero.

Rabbi Spero was an unwavering supporter of Jewish values, as well as a staunch, passionate conservative who boldly spoke out against the radical left.

He spoke out against the enemies of President Trump and warned about their real agenda, saying, “They not only want to cancel Trump. They don’t want us to come back. It’s almost like the reign of terror during the French Revolution. It’s a destruction.”

“We have this because people have precisely canceled out our Judeo-Christian ethos… We are living through a moment of comprehensive brainwashing and the erasure of our history… They’re trying to make us forget what we believe… Don’t let them take your memory. At this moment there are people who want to strip this country. They talk about democracy. They don’t believe in democracy… Don’t let yourself be fooled. Know what you believe. The second thing you cannot do, you cannot give up! What they are trying to do is to cancel out truth. This is more than a battle of ideas which is what should normally be. This is a battle to destroy the concept of an idea that you cannot have ideas.”

Rabbi Spero asked G-d to bless President Trump.

He spoke out against the efforts to shut down conservative voices.

The Catholic League’s Bill Donohue, a well-known conservative, shared the following tribute:

I knew him for decades and consider him to be one of the most brilliant and brave men I have ever known.

Kind and thoughtful, he was a stalwart in the conservative movement.

He was also a good friend of Catholics.

Aryeh was often called “America’s rabbi.”

He founded the Caucus For America, which is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the historic and unique American culture and civilization.”

He was also the spokesman for the Conference of Jewish Affairs and was a founding Advisory Board Member of CASEPAC.

In 2015, Aryeh published “Why Israel Matters to You,” a fictional account of a young man who learned how important Israel is for every American.

In 2012, he authored “Push Back: Reclaiming the American Judeo-Christian Spirit,” a work that astutely analyzed current conditions, offering cogent recommendations.

In 1979, he was the first rabbi to publicly endorse Ronald Reagan for president.

In 2020, he offered his blessings to Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention.

Ever the activist, in 2019 Aryeh led a sit-in at Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s office.

He did so in response to Pelosi’s warm embrace of anti-Jewish Democrats, Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

Pelosi had bowed to the two bigots by watering down a statement condemning anti-Semitism. Always fair-minded, Aryeh argued that it was hardly an expression of anti-Semitism to criticize George Soros, the atheist billionaire donor to left-wing causes.

Aryeh and I worked together on many campaigns.

Whether it was condemning anti-American zealots, or those with an animus against Jews or Christians, he was always ready to join the next culture war battle. In 2014, we issued a joint statement supporting the NYPD and condemning anti-police agitators.

Like most who take their religion seriously, Aryeh was not offended by Christmas celebrations.

Indeed, he loved them.

In 2017, he blasted the ACLU, saying, “America needs Christmas as a public expression: not only for its magic and delight, but as a testament to the Judeo-Christian roots upon which this country was founded.”

When the media and many activists, including conservative Catholic notables, turned on innocent Catholic white boys from Covington Catholic High School, falsely portraying them as racists, Aryeh came to their defense.

“This is a contrived and false episode pounced on by people who hate religious white Catholics and are always on the look-out to demonize Catholics.

“These people are bigots.”

In 2020, Aryeh and I released a statement to the media commenting on the decision by WarnerMedia to pull “Gone With the Wind” from its HBO Max package because of “racist depictions.”

If it were opposed to “anti-Catholic depictions” as well, we said, “it would have shut down Bill Maher’s HBO show years ago.”

A man like Aryeh doesn’t come around too often.

It was my pleasure to have known him.

The following was reported about Rabbi Spero in 2020, in reference to his speech at the GOP Convention:

[Rabbi] Spero, who bills himself as the first rabbi to have endorsed Ronald Reagan in 1979, said Trump “has stood up fearlessly against those who are corrupting the term social justice.”

Spero has long been involved in far-right politics, having served as one of four chairs of Pat Buchanan’s third-party 2000 presidential bid and as head of a series of organizations aimed at advancing a “Judeo-Christian outlook.” The website of the latest, the Conference of Jewish Affairs, showcases videos of Spero’s appearances on Fox News and lists an advisory council that includes a number of right-wing Jews, such as a Massachusetts rabbi who was decried for inviting anti-Muslim advocates to speak at his synagogue and an Israeli professor who said only the threat of having their mother raped would deter anti-Israel terrorists.

During his speech Wednesday night, Spero invoked “our Judeo-Christian tradition.” He also offered a prayer that exalted Trump.

“Father, we pray that this outlook in mindset, this form of government continues as has been our history, especially now, when to our horror, it is being challenged,” he said in the opening blessing. “And so we pray that God gives strength and health to our president, who has splendidly demonstrated daily determination to defend and maintain the God-given rights of our citizens as enshrined in our Constitution.”

Spero said Trump “has stood up fearlessly against those who are corrupting the term social justice, so as to deny Americans their birthright,” adding, “May God protect him.” He appeared to be referring to protests across the United States against police violence and for racial equity that have at times turned violent; his speech came the day after a 17-year-old militia enthusiast allegedly shot and killed two people protesting the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

“We are compelled to resurrect and give rebirth, to our providential beginning to renew our present days with the exuberance of those founding days, perhaps, that is what is meant when we say, Make America Great Again,” he said, using the Trump campaign’s slogan. “We plan to vigilantly protect and tend the garden, so as to imbibe its blessing.”