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Last Tuesday, campaign workers for Robert Libman, Conservative Party candidate for the riding of Mount Royal, knocked on my door in order to ask whether Libman and Stephen Harper could count on my support. When I told them that I wasn’t really interested, one of them proceeded to tap on the mezuzah affixed to my doorpost and said “Ok, but remember what you are.”

“What you are!” What I was at that moment was so appalled that I told the campaign worker that statements like that were precisely the reason that I would not be voting for Libman.

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Libman did later apologize and said his campaign worker’s words were not a reflection of the campaign he is trying to run. I certainly appreciate that.

But why is it that we Jews, especially those living in ridings such as Mount Royal, are seemingly under so much pressure to vote Conservative, and since when have we become one-issue voters?

There is no question in my mind that Harper is a good friend to Israel and his stand on the subject is principled and just. But it is telling that, despite the fact that the three main parties have virtually the same stance on Israel, only the Conservatives have decided to turn Israel into a partisan issue.