Appealing to primitive religious prejudice to accuse Jews of disloyalty is anti-Semitic and must be condemned for the modern day blood libel that it is.

Trump’s language is not just a dog whistle to his zealous admirers. It is instead a five-alarm fire siren to every American who believes in the United States as an aspirational nation. Trump’s spirit is anything but aspirational. It is desperational and must be rejected.

American Jews have served in and made the ultimate sacrifice in every war in our nation’s history. Mine is not the only family to have had a Gold Star Mother.

I make this statement not as president of the National Association of Jewish Legislators of New York, not as a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, not as a board member of the Nassau County Jewish Lawyers Association and not as former counsel to North Country Reform Temple Ner Tamid.

As a Jew elected to public office and far more importantly as a citizen of the United States of America, I condemn Trump’s bigotry.

It is our sacred American responsibility to stand together against injustice. Should we fail to live up to that most solemn faith, then our nation will most surely perish from the earth.

Assemblymember Charles Lavine represents New York’s 13th Assembly District in Nassau County. He presently serves as Chair of the Committee on Election Law and is a member of the Committees on Ethics and Guidance, Codes, Rules, Insurance, and Judiciary. Assemblymember Lavine also serves as President of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Jewish Legislators.