JERUSALEM – “That man is a genius,” said one reveler in reference to President-Elect Donald Trump at an informal party for Republicans Overseas Israel at a downtown pub in Jerusalem.
About 100 people were still gathered at Mike’s Place restaurant and bar at 4am watching the election results, with plenty of booing every time Hillary Clinton’s name was mentioned, the Times of Israel reported.
Israeli Likud activist Osnat Maiden expressed her support for Trump.
“There’s going to be a revolution, he’s going to win with a big margin,” she said before the final tally came through. “The first time I saw Donald Trump a year and a half ago on Fox News, I said that man is a genius, it doesn’t matter what he says or the stupid things he does, he’s so strong, he’ll be president.”
Another Trump supporter, a man decorated with Vietnam veterans patches, cursed at the TV every time an image of Clinton appeared.
“That *tch right there is a Benghazi murderer!” he yelled. “That piece of [expletive] woman is a whore!”
A group of 18-year-old students on a gap year to study at a yeshiva in Jerusalem were huddled in one corner.
“We’re here to watch history in the making,” said Yeshua Soskil from Maryland, noting that his rabbis would probably let him off the hook if he’s late for class.
“We can’t miss this, we can’t sleep through this,” said Ezra Epstein, another yeshiva student from New Jersey, who voted for Gary Johnson.
However, he added, “I’d like to see Trump win because I think it will be so entertaining to watch.”
“Though I’ll also feel safer with Trump, I feel like my survival chances are best with him,” Epstein said.
Mike’s Place sold cocktails named after the candidates.
“The Donald obviously has bourbon, we use an American bourbon, Wild Turkey,” explained Mike’s Place General Manager Udi Kaniel.
“We’ve sold a close amount of Donalds and Hillarys, and we won’t reveal the actual amount until later in the night,” quipped Kaniel. “But the difference is less than four percent.”
As for the Donald drink? “I hope Donald does as good as it tastes,” said Marc Zell, the director of Republicans Abroad Overseas.
Meanwhile, Jews of the Hasidic Lubavitch sect in Brooklyn showed their support for Trump. See the video here.
One, named only as Chaim, told Ynet news that Clinton has never gotten along with Israeli leaders.
“This is the first time in history that I would ever think about voting for a Republican. My father voted Democrat, my grandfather voted Democrat, this is the first time,” Chaim said.
“Also Trump would be good for the Jewish community in America,” he said.
Three days before the election, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner visited the Ohel, or gravesite, of the venerated Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson to pray for her father to win. Some may say it seems her prayers worked.
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