John McCain, the long serving US Senator, war hero, former presidential candidate and long-time conscience of the nation, has died at the age of 81. In service to the nation that spanned six decades, Sen. McCain championed human rights, defense spending, campaign finance reform, and was a relentless voice for civility and decency in public policy. He was also a great friend and supporter of Israel.
Here are four unique ways Sen. McCain connected with the Jewish community through his long years of service.
Support for Soviet Jews
One of John McCain’s earliest political positions was support for Soviet Jews. Sen. McCain came to national prominence for his incredible bravery during the Vietnam War. The son and grandson of US naval officers, John McCain followed in his family’s footsteps and became a naval pilot during the Vietnam War. He was shot down in 1967, and was held in inhuman conditions and tortured for five years, until his release from a Vietcong prison in 1973.
His time as a POW made McCain acutely aware of the values of freedom and human rights. “I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s,” McCain later recalled. “I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for.” For the rest of his life, he remained fiercely committed to supporting human rights.
In his first job after coming home, McCain worked as the US Navy’s liaison to the Senate. One of his roles was to accompany Sen. Henry Jackson (D-Washington) – a strong supporter and defender of Soviet Jews – to Israel. Sen. McCain later recalled his first moments in the Jewish state: “I will never forget that there was a crowd of people that were there to show their appreciation for (Sen. Jackson), and he stopped some in the crowd and told us to stop so that he could greet Natan Sharansky’s wife...I will never forget that...as long as I live.”
At the time of that visit, Sharansky was being held in a Soviet prison, but years later, after he was released, Sharansky once again inspired John McCain. “Some years ago,” McCain wrote, “I heard Natan Sharansky, the human rights icon, recount how he and his fellow refuseniks in the Soviet Union took renewed courage from statements made on their behalf by President Ronald Reagan.” That reminded him of his own anguish as a prisoner, when he took comfort from the thought that others had not forgotten him and were working for his release. McCain identified on a deep, visceral level with the plight of Soviet Jews who yearned for freedom and right to move to the Jewish homeland they longed for.
Staunch Friend of Israel
Since entering the Senate in 1986, John McCain was an outspoken supporter of Israel. “I’m a student of history,” the Senator recalled, explaining that “anybody who is familiar with the history of the Jewish people and with the Zionist idea can’t help but admire those who established the Jewish homeland. I think it’s remarkable that Zionism has been in the middle of wars and great trials and it has held fast to the ideals of democracy and social justice and human rights.”
Sen. McCain supported a strict stance on Iran, opposing Iranian nuclear ambitions. Appearing on Israeli television in 2008, McCain promised Israelis, “I have to look you in the eye and tell you that the United States of America can never allow a second Holocaust.” Sen McCain visited Israel dozens of times over the years, and was a steadfast ally of close US-Israeli relations.
Jewish Political Ally
Through his long career in the Senate, John McCain was a voice for civility and reason. He often reached across the aisle to work with senators who didn’t share his party nor his views. Perhaps nowhere was this more apparent than in Sen. McCain’s long fight for campaign finance reform, one of his signature pieces of legislation.
As outside money increasingly swayed elections in the 1990s, Sen. McCain became determined to act to curb such “soft money” from distorting elections. A conservative Republican, John McCain nevertheless teamed up with a Jewish liberal Democrat, Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, to tackle the issue. Despite representing very different political world views, the two Senators worked on legislation to regulate political donations, and lobbied their fellow Senators to support their efforts.
The resulting 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (colloquially known as McCain-Feingold) sought to limit outside money in political races. Although it was repeatedly challenged (and eventually rendered toothless by the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v FEC decision), Senators McCain and Feingold remained close, counting each other as good friends.
Jewish Best Friend
Ever the political maverick, John McCain bucked convention in another way too, becoming the best of friends with Sen. Joe Lieberman, formerly Democrat from Connecticut and an Orthodox Jew. McCain and Lieberman, as well as Sen. Lindsey Graham (Republican of South Carolina), became extremely close, dubbing themselves the “Three Amigos”. Together they would travel to conflict zones – often similarly dressed in open-necked button down shirts – and emerged as a strong voice in the Senate for a robust foreign policy based on upholding human rights around the world.
The friendship between McCain and Lieberman seems to have run particularly deep. When Sen. Lieberman changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Independent in 2006, that freed him to formally endorse McCain when he ran for president in 2008. After John McCain became ill with cancer, Joe Lieberman said that being “John McCain’s friendship has been one of the great blessings of my life.”
The Three Amigos
His many years of travelling and spending time with Joe Lieberman gave John McCain an appreciation for Judaism and Jewish ritual. In a memorable speech at the Israeli embassy in 2012 honoring Sen. Lieberman, McCain reminisced about walking Joe Lieberman home from the Senate on Friday afternoons, when Shabbat began early and Sen. Lieberman was unable to drive. He recalled waking up groggily on an airplane to see Sen. Lieberman wearing a tallit and saying Jewish prayers. McCain joked about all the kosher food he’d eaten in Sen. Lieberman’s company, and joked about Shabbat elevators. (“Pushing all those buttons – and nothing!”)
Mourning a Hero
In this age of hyper-partisan fury, John McCain stood out as a rare voice of civility. Friends and even political foes have described him as a beacon of courtesy and decency.
“He loved Israel and believed in its righteousness and always supported its security,” recalled Tzipi Livni, former Foreign Minister and leader of Israel’s Labour Party. “I had the privilege of working with him and will always remember the rare person he was” she explained; “Israel owes him a big thanks.”
In the US, Sen. Chuck Schumer (Democrat from New York) has already proposed naming the Senate building in which McCain had his offices after the Senator. Despite being from different parties and reflecting different worldviews, Sen. Schumer explains that Sen. McCain’s decency bridged political divides. “As you go through life, you meet few truly great people. John McCain was one of them.”
(8) Maurice H Bank, August 30, 2018 7:19 PM
A great friend of Jews and Israel
I was saddened as an American, but also as a Jew, at the death of this great man. I am only sorry he never did pick Joe Lieberman as his running mate. Maybe we would have been spared 8 years of Barack Obama and his UN abstentions against Israel! G-d Bless You John McCain. I am sure you are now in Heaven!
Raymond, August 30, 2018 7:56 PM
John McCain did not want to be President
For whatever reason, John McCain just did not want to be President. That is why he ran such a poor campaign for it in 2008, once he became the Republican nominee for President. As to why he ran for it in the first place when he did not even want it, one would have to ask John McCain that question, although obviously now it is too late to find out. In any case, the 2008 Presidential campaign was destined to be a disaster for the Republicans. Just weeks before the elections, the economy collapsed. That alone guaranteed a loss for whichever political party is in charge at the time. Also, tens of millions of voters felt self-righteous voting for the candidate with the darker skin color. I agree with you, though, that he should have chosen Joseph Lieberman to be his Vice Presidential running mate.
(7) Raymond, August 29, 2018 9:11 PM
Worthy of Our Respect
John McCain was consistently and strongly pro-Israel. That is all I need to know that he was a good man worthy of our respect.
(6) Harry Pearle, August 27, 2018 4:33 PM
Sen.McCain''s Endurance Under Torture May Inspire Students
Sen. McCain''s five years in prison in Vietnam under torture, might inspire us all to put up with life''s ordeals. I was thinking, especially about how McCain's endurance might help students in school to keep going, with GRIT.
My interest is student motivation and I hope to tell kids about the challenges of Sen. John McCain.... THANKS H
(5) Deborah, August 27, 2018 8:41 AM
May His Memory Be A Blessing
Further to remarks on Sen. McCain's (z"l) commitment to decency, let us also remember his courageous fight to punish human rights abusers from Putin's regime: his words in defence of Boris Nemtsov and Sergei Magnitsky helped the US to enforce Magnitsky sanctions against human rights abusers.
(4) Anonymous, August 26, 2018 8:43 PM
Please update your glossary
Please update your glossary - McCain was not a conservative Republican. And I mean that sincerely - you are a part of the old wave establishment ( Democrat or Republican) if you do not recognize that.
(3) buzz ALPERT, August 26, 2018 5:11 PM
McCain a true hero
I am a former Marine and I doubt there are many people who when offered a chance to leave a horrible prison camp would say they would only leave when all of the men were allowed to leave. That was John McCain. The guy had a rare courage and strength of character.
(2) Binnie Stein, August 26, 2018 4:42 PM
Rest in Peace, Senator John McCain
Senator John McCain was a true Profile In Courage, a person who understood Emmet (truth), Extraordinary Courage, Koach (Strength), Allegiance to his People and his Country, and Love of Family and Friends. He was a PATRIOT who will be sorely missed. May his soul find eternal comfort. I extend my thoughts to his grieving family. Binnie Stein, Woodmere, NY
(1) mgoldberg, August 26, 2018 2:23 PM
ok....but
During the last two years he had next to nothing to say about President Trumps remarkable decisiveness regarding Israel, Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the announcements calling the UN human rights group for the hateful bigotry they actually support. He in fact three years ago was ...The same Senator who was so confused he mistakenly had a photo-op with a ISIS Commander who Senator McCain thought as a "Highly Vetted" "Free Syrian Army" commander and funded his operations. The same ISIS Commander that went on to wage a genocidal war against anyone not Wahhabi in Syria and Iraq.
Which included some of the worst public atrocities on record.
He was award the 'Liberty Medal by Joe Biden.So was the "Liberty Medal" awarded for promoting a genocidal war in the Middle-East , which former pres. Obama helped create along with mass emigration to Europe?
When Obama and the dems tried to overthrow Netanyahu in 2015 deliberately interferring in a sovereign nations elections he made little mention of this. But he did criticize Pres Trum last year for what is now a brilliant foreign policy set of initiatives by saying in 2017-"To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain 'the last best hope of earth' for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history"
Just another side to the story.
Alan S>, August 26, 2018 10:13 PM
No one is perfect, but McCain was truly righteous among men.
There are always nuances of why people do things. Why blame McCain for something you blame Obama for? As for your statement about Trump: I will give him credit for everything he has done that is good. If he brings peace to the Korean peninsula, or to the Mid-East, he will take a place in the pantheon of great Presidents. But it is way off the mark to say 'what is now a brilliant foreign policy set of initiatives". Not as I see it. Nonetheless, as a non-Trump person, I'll be the first to sing his praises when the initiatives yield substantive peace. Keep in mind we can also credit Obama for laying some of the ground work that has enabled Israel to stay strong. And I'm no Obama foreign policy lover.
No, McCain was not perfect. Show me a person alive today who is. But McCain is everything a mench strives to be.
Nancy, August 27, 2018 9:31 PM
To commenter Alan S.
I agree with your sentiments completely.
Anonymous, August 27, 2018 3:59 AM
AND THIS IS THE TIME TO "INFORM" US?
To bring this up 1 day after this amazing man died is THE
most explicit example of disrespect! I cannot imagine thinking that anyone with any empathy at all would be interested in your "great reveal".....So RUDE-John McCain
was a MENSCH in every sense of the word. May his soul Rest-in-Peace and his family be comforted at this great loss to their family and to our country-and may You,M.Goldberg,get over yourself!
Deborah, August 27, 2018 8:44 AM
Does Everything Have To Be About Trump?!
Why have some American Jews now decided that defending Trump is now the litmus test for everything? Trump will finish his four or eight years and then he will be gone. "[But] there is no remembrance of former [generations], neither will the later ones that will be have any remembrance among those that will be afterwards." (Koheleth 1 v 11).
Anonymous, August 28, 2018 9:17 AM
Lashon Hara
Shame on you ! Lashon Hara is always bad, but most especially against one who has died and is no longer able to defend himself
Raymond, September 1, 2018 5:32 PM
Not Lashon Hara
Actually, talking negatively about John McCain is not lashon hara, for at least two reasons. 1) it is only lashon hara when the person we are talking about, is Jewish, and 2) If the person we are talking about is a public figure, such that things said about him can be assumed to be public knowledge, then it is also permitted to talk about his faults. So then the question becomes, even though we are allowed to talk about his faults, should we? My answer to that is, that John McCain was such a lightning rod, a man with such a strong, memorable personality that made people either love him or hate him, that it is perfectly understandable why some people are endlessly praising him, while others are finding reason to find fault with him. In reality, he was a combination of positive and negative qualities, just like the rest of us.