Legacy of Leadership

Kaploun boasts an impressive yichus. On his father’s side, he’s a descendant of Reb Moshe Zalman Feiglin (incidentally, also the grandfather and namesake of Israeli politician Moshe Feiglin), who established a Lubavitch outpost in Australia to help local Jews practice their faith in peace. One of his grandfathers on his mother’s side, Rabbi Zvi Oster, was a chassid of the Shinever Rav ztz”l, son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz. He was one of three chassidim who received his Rebbe’s approval to leave Europe and emigrate to the United States, as the Rebbe felt confident that the move to the goldene medinah wouldn’t impact their religious observance.

Upon arriving in the United States in 1920, Rabbi Oster established a beis medrash in Brownsville, Brooklyn, which became known as the “Karliner shtibel.” It was famous for having a mikveh, and one of the regular users there was the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch z”ya.

“The Rebbe wanted to pay to use the mikveh, but my grandfather was firm as a brick wall,” Yehuda relates. “He told him: ‘I give the Rebbe money, I don’t take.’ The Rebbe Rayatz pondered for a moment before replying that he would pay him back another way: ‘Your grandchildren will be my chassidim.’”

It didn’t take long until the grandchildren — most notably the six Hecht brothers, whom the Rebbe referred to as the “Shisha Sidrei Mishnah” — became among the greatest chassidim of the Rebbe Rayatz and later, the Lubavitcher Rebbe. They traveled across the country, establishing the Tomchei Temimim yeshivos, serving as rabbis, and working tirelessly to propagate Judaism at the Rebbe’s command. The well-known Krinsky family is also descended from Yehuda’s grandfather. Indeed, the Rayatz had discharged his mikveh debt in full.

One of those “Shisha Sidrei Mishnah,” Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Hecht, was Yehuda’s grandfather. “The Rebbe once instructed him to address United States senators at a conference to deliver the Rebbe’s view on chinuch. He didn’t think twice, and packed his bags for Washington. When he arrived, he found that the event’s programming was already closed. No one had any intention of allowing a Jewish rabbi from New York to address the assembled guests.

“But an order is an order. Grandfather waited until all the speakers finished their speeches, and then seized his moment, jumping on a chair and announcing that he had a message from an American rabbi on the topic of education. Later, the Rebbe would approvingly cite Moshe Yitzchak’s deed to his followers as an example of doing what needs to be done with ‘shturem’ (lit. a storm, meaning boldness, audacity). Similarly, when he once wanted to convey a message to then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin, he instructed that it be communicated with the chutzpah and boldness displayed by Reb Moshe Yitzchak…”

When it came to Moshe Yitzchak’s sons, the fruit didn’t fall far from the tree. While they never had to jump on their chairs, they would often be invited to high-level conferences, and even to the White House, to advocate for Jews and Jewish chinuch. One of the Hecht brothers accompanied the Halabi community in New York, working night and day to help the Syrian Jews integrate into life in America while preserving their heritage. Yehuda’s father, Rabbi Yaakov Kaploun, may he live and be well, was a rabbi and school principal for 60 years. One of his cousins is the rabbi of Eilat, and another uncle is the rabbi of New Haven.

Yehuda considers it his mission to continue the work of his parents and teachers. “I learned that in kindergarten,” he tells Mishpacha. “My grandfather on one side worked behind the scenes, providing charity to needy families quietly and inconspicuously. On the other side, I had a grandfather who knew how to act with shturem, with verve and audacity, on matters relating to Judaism. Both these approaches have their place.”

Darkening Horizons

As a close friend of the late writer and Holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel, Yehuda Kaploun learned a valuable lesson: History has a way of repeating itself. “Our situation is similar to that of Jews in 1930s Germany, on the eve of Kristallnacht. They, too, lived in peace and quiet until the ground shook under their feet. And in the United States, the ground is already shaking.” That historical comparison may have once sounded outlandish, but after this past year, it rings true to many. And he pins the blame on Democrats’ unwillingness to confront the forces of hate.

“I recently visited Abu Dhabi, where I could wear a kippah and walk around openly as a Jew without fear, while in the US there are places where that could be dangerous, such as Harvard, Columbia, and California. That’s what happens when the president of the country won’t even make a statement about combating anti-Semitism. In contrast, in places such as Abu Dhabi, which signed Trump’s Abraham Accords, Jews can walk freely, without fear. Who would have believed that in the United States, a country founded on the principle of freedom of religion, Jews would live in fear simply for being Jews?”

Kaploun contrasts a mealy-mouthed Democratic response to anti-Semitism with the decisive response that Trump has vowed to the situation on campuses. At a recent event on anti-Semitism that Kaploun convened, the former president promised to cancel federal funding for universities that tolerate pro-Hamas propaganda. “I’ll remove their accreditation and this horrible situation will end,” he said.

Kaploun himself thinks that if the White House bully pulpit and full range of powers are used, there is hope of reversing the wave of anti-Semitic vitriol. “Only if the administration starts to take a different tone will both local authorities and rioters understand that something has changed,” he says.

Speaking both at the anti-Semitism event and a follow-up event organized by the Israeli American Council, Trump also promised to back Israel’s fight against Iran and its proxies, saying that unlike the current administration, which has spent a year trying to check Israel, “I’ll support Israel’s right to win — but please do it fast.”

The former president’s repeated ominous statements that “Israel won’t exist in two years” unless he is reelected, and that in that case,  “the Jewish people would have a lot to do with it” — created a media storm and didn’t go down well  with many Jewish observers.

But Kaploun himself says that many Jews — well beyond the Orthodox fold — now understand that both Trump’s track record on Israel and the failures on the other side of the aisle justify a vote for him.

“Aside from the fact that Trump is surrounded by Jews and ohavei Yisrael, I’ve heard Trump express his opinions in person on multiple occasions. He’s adamantly in favor of the State of Israel and against its enemies, whom he sees as the enemies of humanity.  He’s repeated his view many times in meetings we’ve held, declaring that Israel is the first line of defense against Islamism. He’s said it again and again: if Israel, chalilah, falls to terrorism, the US will be the next target.”

Aside for former president Trump, only three other speakers addressed the conference: Mrs. Miriam Edelson, wife of the late Sheldon Edelson, who is an active supporter of the Trump campaign; Rabbi Chaim Meir Rosenberg, rabbi of the Florida state police; and Yehuda Kaploun. His father, Rabbi Yaakov Kaploun, blessed the candidate with Birchas Kohanim.

“Miriam,” Kaploun says, referring to Mrs. Adelson, with whom he’s in constant contact, “described it well: Trump is a true friend. He has Jewish grandchildren, he’s close to Israel, and he proved it with deeds. And you know what? Trump is not a politician. He’s a businessman who keeps his word. He declared that he would recognize the Golan, that he would move the embassy, that he would stand by Israel — and he did exactly that.”

Radical Environment

Raised in New York, Yehuda Kaploun first crossed paths with Trump thanks to his business partner at RussKap Water, Ed Russo. “Russo has been my partner for years in various initiatives, mainly relating to green energy and sustainable water generation. Trump appointed him as an adviser on green energy issues, and so I got to meet Trump on several occasions, though I never thought about working for him. Recently, after seeing the situation of American Jewry and Israel, I came to the conclusion that there’s no choice but to do everything possible to reelect Trump. That’s why I’m fully committed and am doing everything to reelect Trump as president of the United States.”

That’s how Kaploun entered his current role, raising funds for Trump’s campaign and liaising between the campaign and Jewish leaders.

In recent weeks, Kaploun’s political advocacy has taken precedence over the company he cofounded, RussKap Water, a leader in the field of atmospheric water generation (AWG).

He’s been busy around the clock with the campaign — especially with a get-out-the vote effort directed at the non-Orthodox community.

“Donald Trump has said that his vote share only rose to 40 percent in polling —he’s right that that is terrible given what he’s done for the Jewish people and what Democrats represent. But according to current polling he doesn’t need 100 percent of the vote. He only needs something like 55 percent in Pennsylvania and Georgia to win handily, and that’s what we’re working on.”

Kaploun contends that despite the short time left until the election, the message will resonate because of the bleakness on the American Jewish scene at the moment. “There were many non-Orthodox community leaders and influencers at the anti-Semitism event, and they are starting to understand. Trump’s case is resonating because of what we’re seeing on campuses.”

In his meetings with leaders of American Jewish communities, he points out the clear differences between the parties: “Democrats are afraid to even say the words ‘radical Islamic terror’ while Trump says it openly. He speaks fearlessly about the threat of Iran and makes clear that its goal is to destroy the United States. This when Democrats refuse to even recognize the butchers of women and kidnappers of children as terrorists. How can you go along with that?

“Just look around at the world today,” Kaploun says. “Countries that signed the Abraham Accords or were on the path to a truce are seeing peace and prosperity, while other Muslim countries can’t seem to stop slaughtering each other. This is exactly what I said in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, when I was invited by the Saudi government. I told them: Avraham Avinu was the grandfather of all of us. When guests arrived, he didn’t ask what religion they adhered to, but offered them bread and water. We’re required to follow in Abraham’s footsteps. Just being humane will make the world a better place.”

Ambassador of Goodwill

Still, even the additional 15 percent of the Jewish vote that Kaploun thinks will make a difference is a very steep hill to climb, and would signal a major political realignment. Is Kaploun optimistic that Trump will indeed become the next president? “A Jew has to be optimistic,” he replies. “G-d has given me the privilege to be in a position where I can make a difference. I’m currently part of the next president’s team. And my partner and I are candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize for our work on green energy. We’ve merited to be mekadesh Shem Shamayim and to show that we’re leading the world to a better place. So yes, I’m optimistic, and I’m confident that I wasn’t sent here for nothing.”

But he refuses to answer the obvious question. When I ask whether we can expect to see him in an official role, US ambassador to Israel, for example, should Trump become the next president, he shuts down the question. “I’m not thinking about a position, especially given the excellent job done by David Friedman. What’s important to me is to do everything in my power to help Trump win, so that we — Jews everywhere — can feel safer.”

“My grandfather didn’t think twice before doing his duty — he did what was required of him with all his shturem and power, without fearing anyone. I’m doing my bit at the next president’s side, but every single one of us can chip in from wherever they are.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1033)