Like it or not, Jews have made important contributions to the American way of life over the past century.They have proven to be shrewd, resourceful, motivated, adaptable, successful in business and professional endeavors, and personally philanthropic.In that light of reality, the disrespect and abuse they now experience politically with respect to U.S.-Israel international alliance and unprovoked street-level domestic confrontations are unconscionable. There should be no place in the “land of the free and home of the brave” for religious intolerance and persecution, most recently evidenced by party rejection of an appealing Jewish Vice Presidential candidate from a critical toss-up state for a little-known heartland Christian.It appears that political jockeying for election advantage has challenged a fundamental precept of American exceptionalism. Phil Osifer