Now I am in no way a spokesman for, or employee of, Gov. Palin, nor is my organization, Jewish Americans for Sarah Palin, connected to her organization in any way. But as the leader of a grassroots organization of American Jews who support Gov. Palin and her policies, I am acquainted with enough individuals close to her advisers, to have learned this story through what I regard as reliable sources.
First, we can discard the myths that have come to surround her choice of the phrase.
It certainly was not because she "does not know what a blood libel is, or does not know of their horrific history," as David Harris of the National Jewish Democratic Council has claimed. Gov. Palin is, in fact, surprisingly well-informed about Jewish history. Consider, for example, the thoughtful Facebook message she distributed last month, on the occasion of Hannukah:
"More than two thousand years after the Maccabees rebelled against their oppressors and reconsecrated their Holy Temple, the Jewish people continue to face threats to their existence, and they continue to persevere and overcome great odds. Today we should all recommit ourselves to ensuring that the miracle of a Jewish state endures forever. The dreidel is one of the most familiar symbols of Hanukkah, with Hebrew letters on it representing the phrase Nes Gadol Haya Sham — "a great miracle happened there." Indeed a great miracle is still happening there. Todd and I wish the Jewish community a very Happy Hanukkah.
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