Actor Mandy Patinkin urges Jews to vote for El-Sayed to protect Jewish safety - Israel & Jewish News - JNS
Category: News & Politics
Via: jbb • 2 weeks ago • 82 commentsBy: Jessica Russak-Hoffman (Israel Jewish News - JNS)
By Jessica Russak-Hoffma
Actor Mandy Patinkin sings during the ceremonial inauguration of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at City Hall in New York City, on Jan. 1, 2026. Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images. (Oct. 26, 2026 / JNS)
Jewish actor and singer Mandy Patinkin urged Jewish voters to elect Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Democratic nominee for the Senate in Michigan, comparing accusations against the Muslim American to "our own Jewish history."
"Abdul isn't the scary person his opponents want you to be afraid of," wrote Patinkin, who is Jewish and supported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's campaign.
"People focus on his Muslim name, make accusations about who he's connected to and warn that he's going to force Sharia law on everyone."
El-Sayed's opponent, former Republican Michigan congressman Mike Rogers, has repeatedly questioned the Democrat's response to a March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Mich., and alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
After a man rammed a truck into the synagogue on March 12, when about 140 people, most of them children, were inside, El-Sayed condemned the attack, but drew criticism for saying "hurt people hurt people" while discussing the attacker's family losses in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon. He later apologized for his remarks.
"It's hard for me to hear Muslims and Arabs talked about this way without thinking about our own Jewish history," Patinkin said. "We know what it's like to have people treat your identity as a reason to distrust you, to make you seem threatening just because of who you are."
Patinkin, known for his roles in "Yentl" (1983) and "The Princess Bride" (1987), argued that protecting Jewish safety requires defending American democracy and the rights of all citizens.
"Who is going to protect the democracy that has helped keep Jews safe in America?" he wrote. "Who is going to stand up for the rights of all of us? Abdul?"
Gad Saad, a pro-Israel professor and author, criticized Patinkin for his endorsement, calling the actor a "degenerate, clueless, self-loathing imbecile."
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Lol. Mandy Patinkin shills for radical Muslim extremist.
In tomorrow's news, dog bites man.
Or perhaps, Mandy Patinkin knows more about the issues and who Abdul El-Sayed is than the xenophobic dumb fuck bigots screaming about their fantasy war with Islam they want to involve everyone in. Those ignorant little weak pieces of irrationally frightened shit don't represent America, they are a shrinking minority, and their party of irrational fear is going to get shellacked in the midterms. No rational patriotic American believes the dumb shit bigoted 'boys who cried Muslim' anymore.
If I have to choice who to listen to...I choose Mr. Patinkin
"choose" not choice
I want a nap
Me too.
Who wouldn't after observing the exhausting mental gymnastics and contortions of Trump supporters desperately trying to defend the indefensible.
Sounds like we need a nap party!
Oh darn, Mandy didn't sign up to 'shill' for MAGA style xenophobia instead.
Yeah, it's now MAGA to oppose a candidate who chooses to campaign with a guy who said "Fuck the Constitution. I wipe my ass with the Constitution," and stated, "I say I hate America all the time… I do. I do hate America".
Burn on MAGA there...
Trump is 'killing' democracy with MAGA supporters 'help' in-tow. Y'all do not get to criticize anybody while letting a wanna-be tyrant (we won't let him fulfill his/your dreams). . . loose on our justice system.
Trump's and MAGA's idea of our constitution. . . has Trump's picture and signature stamped on it.
Trump has become the watchword to excuse one's own atrocities behind his real and imagined sins. Litterally nothing that can’t be excused in their minds by saying “but trump”.
Don't try projection on me. . . . It's a waste of energy, time, and space!
Trump seems to have pulled the wool over some of his supporters eyes and thus they are clueless. The other MAGA supporters, the clued-in supporters want Trump to operate the federal government as a CEO would a (his/her) corporation. . . that is not democracy. We do have a check and balance system where congress (house/senate) are representative bodies of the citizens of this country-giving them true administrative control over the country.
As anybody can see, using their big eyes . . .Trump and MAGA supporters detest sharing our government for the good of anybody other than. . . conservatives, specifically MAGA conservatives. Nobody will respect that except conservatives. Thus, Trump is not serving the people he is serving himself and his 'Enthralled.'
Isn't he the guy that quit Criminal Minds after 2 years?
Great critical thinking in that one.
What the fuck does an actor's choice of acting roles have to do with their understanding of political candidates or issues? That's got to be one of the weirdest most senile attacks on an American voter I've seen in a while.
I think he quit that show to star in Homeland...which he stayed until the last episode
Patinkin said in an interview the storylines in Criminal Minds were too dark and were affecting his mental health.
Sounds like a good reason to quit
As long as the country chooses at will employment, almost anyone can quit for any reason and it shouldn't be held against them. For sure, it's better than Thomas Gibson getting fired in Season 12 for being an asshole.
9 YEARS ! AND THE PLOTS , TWISTS , TURNS AND BETRAYULS WERE ALSO PRETTY DARK.
It's a good show but I ain't crazy about Claire Danes acting. Especially the season where she was locked away in Russia? Anyway her acting nuts was not very convincing
Homeland was a 'revelation' an a wonder (to me) that it was allowed to 'highlight' any version of what CIA/NSA could be like. (In that regard it reminded me of Tyler Perry's, The Oval, a most upsetting multiple seasons show about the intrigue (putting it likely) of a sitting president, his administration, and even the activities of the secret service).
As for this topic (Israel and Palestine), my. . . thoughts. . . are largely formed-settled, and yet I do not have a clue how 'they' in the Middle East will resolve their issues seeing that this has been "the ISSUE" for the same aggrieved parties since I was a kid and I am old(er) now!
I think I have to watch that show. I really liked House of Cards
The Oval? In a way. . . it 'blew' my mind. . .because the subject matter it brought up and dealt with was 'crazyland' in the White House. Yet, admittedly, it is riveting television. . . . That is, I never would have imagined such a show could be aired - until it happened and I watched it.
I started watching Alias from way back on Hulu. I never watched the show when it originally came out.
I'm currently watching Desperate Housewives on Hulu. I'm waiting for new seasons on The Testaments and Paradis
Fearmongering is all the GOP has left to talk about while mocking Abdul Sayed. For surely, we all know that while a senator has great power. . . to legislate it takes a large contingency of support for a policy (bill) to enact it into law. 'Nobody' singularly in power is sufficient to the task of achieving the type of 'threats' to democracy that we are being asked to run in horror away! (As it would put one religion over and beyond another in this country, and we know that would not be constitutional in no way, shape, form, or fashion.)
For the life of me, I probably never will understand how our politicians got to be so stupid (or when) they would allow lying to become foundational to their jobs.
Tell me how I am wrong. With are over a million Muslims in the world it is logically in the world's interest that the the capable young American Muslims leaders rising now, like Mamdani and El-Sayed, be lifted up.
Well, I hate to tell you this, but there are around 2 billion Muslims in the world. But there are only around 3 to 5 million in the US making them less than 2% of the population so not a big threat to changing the landscape of America as many of these tired xenophobes want us to believe. And yes, it does make send to embrace the Muslims among us like we embrace the Hindu's and Christians, as long as they keep their religion out of the government as our constitution demands. The reality is that some Christians are afraid of Muslims and Sharia imposing their faith into government because it's what the Christians are already doing with their own faith and they don't want the competition. Both need to get the fuck out of our courtrooms, classrooms and congress. Not the people of those faiths of course, they're all welcome, just their faiths, they need to leave those at the door when they go in to do the business of governing or the courts business or the classrooms business.
No doubt...
The only people who keep bringing it up are the fearmongering Republicans.
Soem of the attack ads are so bad that Talerico makes ads laughing at the ridiculous ads.
Let's us all join with Mandy Patinkin chanting "From the river to the sea" because those fucking Jews are occupying too much of our sacred Muslim lands (coloured green). Use a magnifying glass to find Israel.
AI Overview
One would have to be blind to not realize that my comment was sarcasm. I, too, have no love for Netanyahu. I believe he allowed Oct7 to happen in order to delay the legal proceedings that were being brought against him. I do not support his expanding the "settlements" and his backing the settlers, and especially I have no love for the Jewish extremist ultra-Orthodox for even personal reasons. BUT IMO it was because of what Hamas does such as using human shields, dressing like civilians, hiding themselves, their weapons and control centres in and under hospitals, schools, mosques, refugee centres and UNRWA facilities (with their consent) that the civilian deaths have been amplified, and also IMO Hamas lies about the number of casualties as proven by their continuing to lie about the deaths in the Gaza hospital parking lot near the beginning of the war that was proven to be a misfired terrorist missile. I believe what Col. Richard Kemp has argued, that the IDF has been more careful about not harming the civilians than any army in history, and using the word "genocide" in describing the situation is IMO untrue and antisemitic. Hamas has promised to repeat Oct7 over and over again and Israel has NO CHOICE but to eradicate them in order to defend themselves. I don't trust or back or even believe declared terrorists, and I can't comprehend how many people do, but maybe it's because I've personally experienced witnessing a bus bomb in Jerusalem, had to hide in a bomb shelter in a northern Kibbutz, personally seen the devestation caused (still blood on the walls and floor) in the reception room of the Park Hotel in Netanya 2 days after the Passover Massacre, and have thanked God that when my son was in Jerusalem he just happened to sleep in the morning when he usually ate breakfast at a cafe that was blown up when he would have been there, so thankfully we did not have to receive his remains in a cannister.
I do not trust declared terrorists. And I'm sure that both sides lie about the numbers with Hamas overreporting and Israel underreporting. How wonderful for the thousands of murdered children's whose deaths are in dispute, mourned by some and ignored as fantasy by others. /s
You have told your personal story before, and I feel for you, you're clearly still dealing with some of its trauma. Does that change the fact that there are millions of Palestinians who likely feel just like you and experienced something very similar but on the other side of this conflict? Is that not clear to you? If it isn't, why? Why do you not consider them humans just like yourself? Millions who were just trying to survive and get their next meal when bombs get dropped near them and now they spend days or weeks in bomb shelters, their town, their city in rubble. But your Park Hotel experience I'm sure mattered more than their experiences, than when their family was blown up or when they're hiding in bomb shelters because they deserved it, right? Your side is the innocent one because some of the bad guys on the other side did horrible things, right? Except both sides have done horrible things and there are innocents being killed on both sides. It needs to stop. Is that so wrong to want? Does that make me an antisemite to want both sides to stop killing each other?
Allow me to expand on what I said. I'm sorry that innocent people have been killed, whether in Israel or Gaza or anywhere. Hamas militants, people who support Hamas militants, people who danced in the streets and handed out candies on Oct7 just like those who danced in the streets and shared candies on 9/11 and people who WANT Jews to be killed are the ones that I don't give a shit if they're blown to bits, but my argument is that the deaths of the innocents are NOT ISRAEL'S FAULT, IT IS HAMAS WHO SHOULD BE BLAMED for the reasons I indicated above. Let's not forget who STARTED this war. Civilian casualties have happened in EVERY war - thiink of Hiroshima, think of Dresden, think of the Rape of Nanjing, think of Armenia, but in this case it was higher because of the war crimes that Hamas committed.
Before that the Gazan people were living an okay life, 18,000 of them had daily better paying jobs in Israel, people with medical conditions were treated in Israeli hospitals, there was no shortage of food or water or electrical power or fuel. It was no concerntration camp just because Israel was making sure weapons and too much concrete used to build tunnels did not get in. And don't forget that there was a gate to Egypt as well - so WHY was Oct7 necessary?
When Israel intended to bomb somewhere they dropped leaflets, made phone calls and sent emails telling civilians to abandon those places, but did you not know that the Hamas militants blocked people from leaving? Hamas WANTED the numbers to be high, it was to wage the psychological warfare to get the world to hate Israel, and obviously they've been damn successfull in carrying it out, haven't they.
I'm 100% on board with that.
This is where you lose me. While I accept that Israel has the absolute right to go after the terrorists, they should be using every way possible to avoid civilian deaths. They claim they are, but the facts prove otherwise. I believe the knee-jerk reaction by many conservative Bibi supporting Jews after October 7th was full strike revenge retaliations, civilians be damned. That's the part I'm not on board with.
Let's not forget who STARTED this war.
Are you really justifying Bibi's indiscriminate bombing of civilians with the Rape of Nanjing and Hiroshima? Are you really saying "Hey, don't blame us for the 60,000+ civilians we just had to bomb, other nations like America did worse". Of course worse things have happened, why not go all the way and justify it with the murder of 7 million Jews at the hands of the Nazi's? "Bombing 60,000 women and children is just a drop in the bucket when compared to the 7 million Jews that were killed by Hitler, why are you giving us such a hard time? Jeez...".
That is exactly what Mandy and many others are trying to point out. That the Jewish people of all people should be the most concerned with not inflicting what they've had to suffer on others. But instead, some apparently get embittered and spit back with vitriol and hate claiming their murdering justified, their indiscriminate bombing righteous, their genocide of the thorn in their side necessary. Those folk have their opinion. I and many others disagree with it. That doesn't make me a supporter of their enemies, it doesn't make me antisemitic, it simply means I'm anti-murder if at all possible.
I support hunting down and bringing to justice terrorists and those who continue to express their desire to and have the ability to inflict harm on Israel or any of Ameria's allies and the allies of western democracy. However, there is no point where I would be okay with just accepting that my child had to die because some terrorists ran into her school and there just wasn't a more convenient way to get at the terrorist. Fuck that. Find another fucking way. If they didn't then they likely would have just created another person willing to do anything for revenge against the people who callously killed their child, and they wouldn't be blaming the supposed terrorist who was in hiding. And the cycle continues.
You're not going to find me excusing or justifying that. There is no justification and those who carried out the attack should be brought to justice, an eye for an eye even. Every one of those attackers deserved to die and anyone directly helping or aiding them in the attack. And if hundreds of civilians, maybe even a few thousand get caught up in the operations going after them, that's understandable, you simply can't avoid all collateral damage.
But what we've seen over the last three years has not been accidental collateral damage, it was a systematic annihilation and retaliation killing tens of thousands of civilians and children. It was disproportional by at least a factor of 10. It's been disgusting to watch and the fact that some 64% of Israelis believe "there are no innocents" in Gaza just affirms how wrong a path they have chosen under Bibi. That is the groundwork, the foundation for justifying the slow, methodical genocide we've been seeing over the last three years.
64% of Israelis believe there are ‘no innocents’ in Gaza: Poll
And those dropping the bombs knew that Hamas militants were blocking the civilians from leaving as well. "Hmmm, so what to do? Well, I guess we're just gonna have to drop the bombs and kill the kids anyway! I mean, we warned em!".
"Deciding not to blow up civilians and figuring out another way to bring those terrorists to justice was just too hard, they're just too smart for us, they outwit us every time and they would never fall for exploding walkie talkies so we have to just indiscriminately bomb the communities. I mean, we dropped leaflets on them because we're so kind and righteous... we work so hard to not blow up their children because most of us definitely don't think they're all guilty of something, you believe us, right? We're the good guys! 'wink wink' 'nudge nudge'... /s
By the way, I thought the exploding walkies were brilliant and contained damage to those known to be part of Hamas. Was there collateral damage? Very likely, but it wasn't just dropping buildings on hundreds or thousands of miscellaneous residents.
Which is why they shouldn't have played into their hands and should have figured out a different way. But again, they were not concerned with that because they were wanting revenge, retaliation, suffering. I understand the desire for that especially after something like October 7th. We had our 9/11 and our response was WAY out of proportion, starting two unnecessary wars, likely causing the deaths of up to 600,000 Iraqi's, thousands of Americans soldiers killed, injured, suffering ptsd, and entire generation of damage from our stupid knee jerk reaction to 9/11. If Bin Ladens goal was to inflict damage to the US any objective observer would have to conclude, he won, which is embarrassing and sad to admit. Sure, we eventually put a bullet in his head, but what did it cost us? I think Israeli may be facing the same kinds of decisions now after October 7th. This most recent election is about that, the people deciding how much more they should invest in Bibi's revenge tour, what will life look like for the region in the near future? Is a two state solution dead?
Thankfully, I do not live there so do not have to make those decisions, and I do not envy them for the difficult road ahead no matter what they choose. All I'm saying is I hope they choose to give up on revenge and actually seek to work with those Palestinians who simply want to live in peace and are not rabid terrorists who reject Israels right to exist. Try to mitigate civilian deaths if at all possible. Actually be concerned with Palestinian civilians welfare and not secretly (or openly) hope they all die. You know, basic common human decency even if those you're concerned about do not return the favor. I was once told by a wiser person than myself to not let others determine my actions, if I do then I'm admitting I'm weak and I don't really have any principles at all. If you decide to never lie to your wife, but you catch her in a lie, does that mean you're now obligated to lie to her? Maybe she lies to you all the time, doesn't that justify lying to her back? Or could you still choose to be honest in all things and perhaps tell her you want a divorce, honestly?
Just because terrorists don't abide by the rules doesn't mean we shouldn't. I was ashamed for my country when i found out we had resorted to torture and waterboarding after 9/11. It was ignorant and unnecessary and anyone with more than half a brain will tell you yields more bad info than good. I'm ashamed for Israel, they had absolute justification to take out the terrorists, but their response has been disproportionate and is going to create more innocent death and suffering all because they wanted some revenge.
Well, I'm happy you agreed with at least SOME of what I said . You should know that I understand what YOU have said now and I have to admit it has me thinking somewhat differently than I did. However, I still feel that Hamas still has a lot of blame for the numbers being as high as they are. You are obviously a good person, a fair person, but I think that a lot of what jbb has been posting is beyond extreme.
Oh...but it's verboten to criticize the Israeli government no matter what heinous acts they perform
no matter how many journalists and americans they kill ...
No, it's not. Even my Israeli cousins do. You should hear what they think of Netanyahu. One of my Israeli cousins sent me an email two days ago calling Netanyahu's government "corrupt", "insane", "bad", and that's not the first time he has expressed that opinion. People in the U.S. need to get a grip on reality.
You're criticizing them, aren't you. So where is it "verboten"?
Netanyahu killed the most babies in Israel since Herod.
That's Rich!
I am. it isn't. should I start labeling my sarcasm again? I'm very empathetic to most of israels citizens. they're in the same fix as most americans. a racist criminal regime in power, highly influenced by religious wackos, hell bent on an agenda of dragging everyone over the cliff into the abyss with them, and paid for in blood and treasure by those with no voice in the matter.
I was talking about someone else....not the sane Jews in America
Hamas fact's?
They have less credibility than Trump, Putin and Bibi piled together.
WTF?
I have not been actively participating in this discussion but rather just reading the comments. (And my "reading comprehension" is at least average...).
And people in this very discussion have been criticizing the Israeli government!
(Not that there's anything wrong with that).
But its obvious to me that that some people who are saying its forbidden to do it...are often the ones doing it!
WTF???
Boy, if I could vote that up twice....
I find it odd, embarrassing, and definitely questionable that the Abrahamic religions-centered in the Middle East-spread across the world-can not acquire peace for themselves. "Blessed are the peacemakers" - it is said.
It's never been peaceful in the Middle East! From the time of the Pharaohs to the Roman Emperors.
it's the nature of the religious beast. all 3 of those religions each suffer from pasts of deadly infighting amongst themselves, in addition to each other, since each of their inceptions. find the most egregious religious offenders and isolate them together on a desolate island armed with swords, MRE's, and bottled water to feed half. go back a month later to see who's left, declare that person the winner, proclaim that religion the best to the winner, and then feed him to the reef sharks. /s
Now, you know that this does not work like that!
You mean like the way all the other religions spread across the world are all living in total peace?
(/sarc)
I am a Christian so I have a vested interest in the Abrahamic religions, Krishna.
'Who" is the actual 'underdog' in this long-running battle over land in this region? I ask this question, because both sets of people (Abraham's children) claim to be victims of the other.
Is it certain that the GOP (Trump, Vance, Rodgers, etcetera) are playing identity politics (Adul El-Sayed is a Muslim!)? I am pretty sure the GOP and conservatives complain about identity politics (until it suits their purposes-of course!
What,, the fact that politicians are playing politics is shocking to you?
(Well, you have my total suppoert. Go ahead--be shocked...enjoy!
)
Shocked?! Shocked?! Me?!! What did I write that leads you to believe it is 'shocking' to me that the GOP did what it did by over-stressing Dr. El-Sayed's heritage and religion during the general campaign?
* Project Sunrise (top) has been shelved for the more modest (recovery) plan. . . and now the election cycle in Israel has ended. . . it remains to be seen what the Netanyahu government with its 53 seats won (so far) will do about these proposals (for Gaza).
It's sad to American fawn over the opinions of a hyper partisan shill just because he's a celebrity. Patinkin is such an anti-Isreali zealot that he was protesting Israel and attacking it's approach to peace when it in the process of making it's Camp David offer. Of course he's supporting the radical with ties to Muslim brotherhood.
it's not like it's any surprise. This is a demographic that lacks the ability to have any original thought or make a decision. The fact that his an anti-Isreali retard only increases the support from the left.
Speaking of "re-t- -rd" . . . the above could use a 'redo.' Just sayin.'
For the record, it is not my custom to point out errors in grammar. . .I can make an exception when that grammar is meant to be condescending.
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That seems to describe conservatives' feelings this morning after the midterms quite succinctly. It also describes how Americans clearly view Republicans job in congress and the performance of this administration.
Wow. . .
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He is quick witted! And that is what it will take to win against that one who knows something about 'presence' in the moment and being the loudest and most importantly last 'voice' a voter hears! In a couple of words. . .:
BE FLEXIBLE!
The democratic party needs to keep doing what it is doing and then some more; as long as Trump is out there hustling. . . democrats running would be wise to be out and about hustling "asses and elbows" too!
How is that "quick witted", comparing going through a metal detector with a lie detector. It's easy to get through a metal detector, just rid yourself of all metals, that doesn't change who you are.
If he wants to challenge Trump, then he should, right now, take a lie detector test with someone who isn't his supporter asking the questions and with the results in hand, demand Trump do the same.
That would be interesting but to quote one of the mental giants of our time:
The idea that El-Sayed would do the same as or worse than Trump on a lie detector test is hilarious.
Wow, thats what you got from my comment?
In reality I was talking about Trump because IMO he is more likely to believe his lies. Preconceived notions seems to be carrying some folks away.
Because WE ALL KNOW AND HAVE SEEN when Trump is asked to 'testify' - period. . . 'everybody' knows he is incapable of telling the truth without a peculiar mixture of lies. That's why. Now, spin that fact—if you can.
The comparison is fair - Adul El-Sayed is not going to go through a metal detector in congress intended specifically for him any sooner than Trump will set before a court of law and testify on his own behalf.
I'd love to see it. All these dipshit moron bigots who think they'd catch El-Sayed in some lie about his Muslim faith would be sorely disappointed and claim the machine must be broken because they know for a fact all Muslims want to murder all jews and Christians and they just can't understand how anyone would trust one. Fucking xenophobic dipshits.
Hilarious.
Choice Of Colors - The Impressions
Great song. I'm a big Impressions/Curtis Mayfield fan.
I remember it just like yesterday!