US President Donald Trump speaks about legislation for additional coronavirus aid, in the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington, DC, July 20, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Leah Millis.

US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania on Friday sent the Jewish people their wishes for a “blessed start” to the High Holy Days, with Rosh Hashanah set to get underway at sundown.

“This year’s High Holy Days come with a sense of optimism for the people of Israel, as my Administration continues to make great strides in securing a more stable, prosperous, and peaceful Middle East region,” Trump stated. “Last month, we secured a historic agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel — the first between Israel and a major Arab country since 1994 — that normalizes relations between the two countries, including the exchange of embassies and ambassadors, as well as enhanced cooperation in a broad range of fields including education, healthcare, trade, and security. And, just days after Bahrain reached a similar deal with Israel, we were proud to host the leaders of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain at the White House earlier this week for the signing of these agreements and the Abraham Accords as a whole.”

“As the High Holy Days begin, this momentous milestone in geopolitical relations is a reminder that we can create a coalition of nations that have shared goals of eliminating extremism and promoting security and prosperity, while also  respecting religious freedom and building a more hopeful tomorrow for future generations,” he added.

Trump concluded, “Melania and I pray that He blesses all Jewish people throughout these High Holy Days. We hope that these 10 days provide those observing this special time a respite to build their faith and better experience the many blessings of the Almighty’s love and mercy.”

On Thursday, Trump’s challenger in the upcoming presidential election, Joe Biden, tweeted, “Ahead of #RoshHashanah, Jill and I want to wish everyone in the Jewish community a very happy, healthy, and sweet New Year.”

Ahead of #RoshHashanah, Jill and I want to wish everyone in the Jewish community a very happy, healthy, and sweet New Year. Tune in to our virtual event: https://t.co/ECEfGRqX5n

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 17, 2020

In a Zoom call with Jewish supporters later in the day, Biden pledged to “stamp out bigotry and antisemitism,” and noted that the traditions of the High Holiday season “remind us that we can find purpose in pain.”