“The President's words have given succor to those who advocate anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia,” the groups said. “Responsibility for the violence that occurred in Charlottesville, including the death of Heather Heyer, does not lie with many sides but with one side: the Nazi, alt-right and white supremacists who brought their hate to a peaceful community,” the groups said in their statement Wednesday. The rabbinical groups -- which include the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Rabbinical Assembly, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism -- hold the call every year for presidents to discuss the Jewish high holidays. An RCA spokesman said they “believe it is more effective to address questions and concerns directly with the White House” and instead pointed to their strongly worded rebuke of Trump’s Charlottesville remarks. “While as a rabbinical organization we prefer to address issues and not personalities, this situation rises above partisan politics and therefore we are taking the unusual approach to directly comment on the words of the president.” 
 
 Trump’s family, including daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, and grandchildren, are Orthodox Jews. Mr. Trump has given no indication that he intends to walk back his remarks or apologize for them: After an initial statement on Charlottesville in which he faulted “many sides” for the violence, Mr. Trump gave a more tempered statement denouncing racism and anti-Semitism last week — only to follow up by reiterating his initial, hedged assessment of events at a news conference in New York City.
– A coalition of rabbis won't hold its annual presidential conference call this year, accusing President Trump of showing support for "those who advocate anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia," ABC News reports. Per the Washington Post, the coalition—which includes the Rabbinical Assembly, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and others—canceled the conference call with a joint statement Wednesday over Trump's comments on Charlottesville, which the rabbis called "so lacking in moral leadership and empathy for the victims of racial and religious hatred that we cannot organize such a call this year." The coalition states the "Nazis, alt-right, and white supremacists" in Charlottesville "must be roundly condemned at all levels." George W. Bush and Bill Clinton talked with rabbinical groups ahead of the Jewish high holidays, and a conference call with hundreds of rabbis was held every year during the Obama administration, the New York Times reports. The call was typically free of "raw politics" and a chance for rabbis to discuss the high holidays and ask the president questions. Rabbi Jonah Pesner says the rabbis would have liked the opportunity to hear encouraging words from the current president; instead, Trump "has given anti-Semites comfort and aid." The organizations that pulled out of the call represent 4,000 rabbis and congregations. The move suggests Trump may have a very hard time gaining support among American Jews.