Dear Ivanka,
I write to you today, reflecting on a momentous occasion: the day after your father enacted an executive order that effectively bars 218 million people from entering our nation. This comes as your children enjoy the freedom of a playground, much like you did with your mother, an immigrant who found sanctuary in America.
As I look out at Lady Liberty from my own home in New York, I am compelled to ask: how can you remain silent? What significance do the words of the iconic poem inscribed on her pedestal hold for you?
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
As a fellow human being, a mother, and a proud Jewish woman, I must also bring to your attention the voice of Bana al-Abed, the brave 7-year-old girl who implored your father to assist the suffering people of Syria. Her plea resonates deeply: “[C]an you please save the children and people of Syria? You must do something for the children of Syria because they are like your children and deserve peace like you.”
This letter is particularly poignant as it follows Holocaust Remembrance Day—a day when you likely shared tender moments with your own three children in the comfort of your Manhattan home or your new residence in Kalorama. What narratives will you share with them regarding their grandfather’s actions that obstruct the dreams of the impoverished seeking refuge in this great nation? How will you convey the stories of their great-grandparents who endured the Holocaust? What will you say about their great-great-aunt Esther, who tragically lost her life in Novogrudok?
As a Jewish mother and a fellow New Yorker, I feel a profound sense of helplessness in this moment. Being so close to those in power, I urge you to consider what actions you might take to prevent history from repeating itself. Is there not something you can do to advocate for those who are suffering?
Thank you for considering my words.
Sincerely,
Rachel Cohen