Apparently many liberals Jews should have just stayed home and skipped Yom Kippur altogether. Why bother praying if the prayers are insincere?
I was going to call today Hard Charging Monday where I come back and storm the gates and go after the left.
Then I thought I could wait a day or so and just relax, and have today be Mellow Monday.
That was until another liberal Rabbi gave another bigoted speech on a holiday that was supposed to be about atonement.
For the sake of full disclosure, I did not hear the speech. My column today is outsourced by one of my readers in Florida. I have kept the identity of the person secret at their request. I have met them once, and find the person to be believable. I will be the first person to issue a retraction if this turns out to be wrong.
Below are the words of the upset congregant, whose only sin on Yom Kippur was being politically conservative and existing.
“Dear Eric,
I met you at (place redacted) last spring and I really enjoyed your spiel. I bought your 1st book and read your blog sporadically.
I wanted to write you about an inappropriate Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre sermon I suffered through last night. Let me give you some background first:
I am a political conservative who (personal information redacted).
Last night (and a week ago at Rosh Hashanah services), I sat through 2 sermons that in which I did not feel in the least bit enlightened. In fact, last night’s sermon literally physically made my blood boil–in terms of my heart rate going up and my blood pressure increasing (I could physically feel these changes occurring as I grew angrier).
The sad thing is, I agreed with 50% of the Rabbi’s sermon. His main point #1: too many American Jews are losing their emotional connection to Israel. (So far, I’m on board with you, Rabbi. I’m thinking this will be a GREAT sermon at this point. Little did I know what was to come…)
In the course of that sermon, I was told in these exact words that:
1.) [fervently/loudly stated]: ‘Despite some of the cable media propaganda, this Administration has given MORE aide to Israel than any other Administration in the history of the USA’
2.) main point #2: anti-Semitism is still everywhere. ‘Now with the popularity of the tea party movement, anti-Semites are finding their outlet for their hatred, as they come out in droves with their swastika signs’
3.) ‘If Israel had always stood as a united country through all of time, there might not have ever been Christianity or Islam’
There were many points made, but I was literally feeling nauseated in my seat. I was made to feel extremely uncomfortable at a religious service. I go with my husband to support him and to do what I know is important to him. I also go for my own spiritual enlightenment. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to have a religious leader do his entire sermon via a completely one-sided political diatribe.
I felt the complete opposite of enlightened. Sadly, I walked away from Kol Nidre services with my blood boiling.
How would you recommend I handle this situation? I told my husband how inappropriate, offensive, and inflammatory I felt the rabbi’s statements were and I think he partly agrees, but he doesn’t think it’s worth being as upset over it as I am. I honestly never want to go back to another service by this man.
Please help!
All the best on this Yom Kippur,
(name redacted)”
I responded as follows:
“(name redacted)
Nice to hear from you. Your email to me was meaningful and important. With your permission, I want to make it the entire subject of my column on Monday. I can leave your name out of it. Also, I would like to know the name of the Synagogue and the Rabbi.
The way I fight back is not just by boycotting offending synagogues. I name names and force them to defend themselves. Some see this as attacking other Jews, but I see it as reforming Judaism by getting the liberalism out.
It is deeply offensive to use Yom Kippur to push a liberal political agenda. So as soon as I hear from you, I will get to work on exposing this synagogue.
May you have a fabulous year!
eric :) aka the Tygrrrr Express”
She responded with more information.
“I forgot to mention another thing that I distinctly remember from the sermon. During the main point #2 (anti-semitism is still alive & well), somewhere amidst the tea party comments, the rabbi recalled the Helen Thomas incident in detail & repeated her words verbatim.
All in all, like I said earlier, I think his main point about American Jews needing to feel an emotional connection w/ Israel would have been right on point (I wholeheartedly agree), but for me, this got lost in a sermon that was peppered with sporadic political statements. Not to mention the fact that most American Jews who feel disconnected from Israel are at reform temples like his (and/or are politically liberal); but that part was left out.
I agreed with him also when he held up the cover of the recent Time magazine that was attacking against Israel. He scored points with me for pointing out how the press can be against Israel. But then he muddled this point by the statements I mentioned in my first message to you.
In any event, I know you’ve described a comparable synagogue experience in one of your blogs before (or perhaps Id.Big.; not sure where I read it), so that’s why I thought to write to you.
I really don’t want there to be any info that could possibly indicate who informed you of this incident for the sake of keeping the peace with my family & for their sake at their temple (and I trust that you will respect that). The temple name is Kol-Ami Emanuel and the rabbi is one who is pretty high up in the Reform sect of Judaism (from what I’ve heard)-Rabbi Sheldon Harr.
Most sincerely,
(name redacted)
P.S. I didn’t mention also that the elderly Jews in the service (and even the not-so-elderly) ones sat there nodding their heads in agreement the whole time and/or expressed shock to learn of these ‘anti-semitic’ tea-party people. It’s as if he’s completely utilizing his platform & captive audience to spread these untruths (along with a meaningful message, re: American Jews becoming closer to Israel), which to me, almost served as a mask for the other political components of his message/sermon.”
I hope that sane Jews everywhere boycott this Synagogue and stops being a disgrace to the profession that my late grandfather honored late into his life.
It may be a new Jewish year, but it looks like the same intolerant Jewish liberals have zero clue that true atonement and promises of being better people must include conservatives, and even Tea Party attendees.
I have led tea parties, and am deeply offended by another example of ideological bigotry in my own community.
Hineni. Here I am. Conservative, Republican, Jewish, and never backing down, not even to some intolerant liberal rabbi.
eric
I don’t know what the writer was so upset about. The point about Obama seems a little premature, but it’s possible over a one year period, anyway. We don’t know until the numbers come out this year, as last year’s spending was already set before Obama entered office. The Tea Party’s flippant use of Nazi symbolism should concern any sane person, but especially Jews. We certainly shouldn’t want the memory of WWII and the Holocaust to become trifling, current, political propaganda. And his third point is simply correct, there’s no other way around it. Both Christianity and Islam were born from Judaism, and had the state of Israel been united and patient through the Roman years, sure, there’s a very good chance there would be no Christianity or Islam today.
JMJ
“I don’t know what the writer was so upset about.”
Thats because you’re a liberal.
DUH.
“as last year’s spending was already set before Obama entered office.”
No it wasnt.
If so, why are all the moonbats proudly tattooing their names all over every useless package they legislated ? HUH ?
” The Tea Party’s flippant use of Nazi symbolism should concern any sane person,”
Does the nut job who took hostages at the Discovery channel speak for all of the democratic party ?
Of course not. Not anymore than a few idiots reprsent the Tea Party.
Speaking of “flippant use of Nazi symbolism” and trivializing the holocaust it would really be nice if you guys stopped calling anyone in disagreement with you “Nazis”
Micky, last year’s spending (aid and such) on Israel was already set in law.
JMJ
” last year’s spending (aid and such) on Israel was already set in law.”
Isnt that the whole point (if were talking only of Israel)
Point being Bush spent more on Israel than Obama ?
Obama needs to spend more in 2088-9 ?
But, the guys a liberal Jew, so wadda ya expect ?
I’m not professed in Judaism, but I do know the basic foundations and it certainly does not makes sense to for a Jew to defend those who by proxy support organizations that want to eliminate all Jews, or abort their own children. Every God base theocracy strictly forbids abortion and yet we have Liberal Jews and liberal Christians.
Sorry, it just doesnt jive by even the most complicated standards.
Judaism does not forbid abortion, Micky.
Christianity does not forbid abortion.
Islam does not forbid abortion.
In none of the holy texts of the three major monotheistic religions is abortion even mentioned.
There are ostensible adherants to these faith who make inference of the holy texts to oppose abortion, but in none of the those three faiths is abortion even mentioned in their founding texts. Now, I know how you wishy-washy, relativistic, conservatives are okay with inference over strict adherence to the literal word of the law, but the reason many liberal Christians, Jews and Muslims are okay with abortion is that it is nowhere directly mentioned in any of their holy books. (LOL!)
So what the %$#@ are you talking about?
JMJ
“Judaism does not forbid abortion, Micky.
Christianity does not forbid abortion.
Islam does not forbid abortion.’
Show me any text from the three that says its okay.
There are passages in every single text that define the sanctity iof life.
Lets just start with “THOU SHALT NOT KILL”
Fair enough ?
Sheesh
Genesis 9:6 – Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.
Exodus 20:13 – You shall not murder.
Deuteronomy 27:25a – Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.
Proverbs 6:16-19 – There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood…
See also Exodus 23:7 and Deuteronomy 19:11-12
===========================
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word “yeled” is used in the same way. In Exodus 21:22 it means an unborn child, “If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely…”. And yet, in other Old Testament usages, it means “youth” or even a teenager.
“In none of the holy texts of the three major monotheistic religions is abortion even mentioned.’
Yeah, none of them say you “cant commit suicide” or “slowly poison someone with arsenic” or “shoot dope” or “have an abortion”… verbatum.
Yet moonbats are worried about Salmon eggs.
Go figure
Jersey…
Religious or not.
Could you hold a stethescope to a regnant womans tummy, hear a heartbeat at 22 days old and then yank it out, kill it and throw it away ?
Micky,
Abortion has been around forever and yet none of the major religions address it directly. Ya’ know why? Because it was in the interest of the men who made and founded those religions to allow abortion for to allow there own ambitions.
Get with reality, man.
JMJ
“Abortion has been around forever and yet none of the major religions address it directly.”
OMG ! Thats the hugest load of crap I’ve ever heard !
Do you honestly believe that todays churchs are not denouncing abortion ? REALLY ?
Of course they address it directly on a freaking daily basis you total dufus !
This “directly” crap of yours is just that. You make it sound as if just because theres no passage in any scripture that secifically says “DONT DO ABORTIONS” that somehow life preserving God fearing eole have a ass to execute life.
Now, answer my question !
Only a comlete loon would try to make the case that religions dont comdemn abortion.
And you tell me to get with reality ?
(my “P” key aint happening without extreme force)
If you don’t believe my previous assessment (considered common knowledge among historians) then you really are a sucker.
And yes, Micky, most religious instutitions preach things that are outside their scriptures. These are doctrines, not scriptures. But as the scriptures of the three major monotheistic faiths are considered the unquestioned, infallible, unerring foundation of those religions, doctrine can and is always changing, but the scriptures remain the same.
There is nothing in any scriptures about abortion. Most churches and mosques currently (they haven’t always) preach – as a matter of doctrine rhetorically inferred from those scriptures – that abortion is always a sin, regardless of when it is performed. Only some synagogues preach that. Most Jews understand that if abortion was forbidden, it would have been directly forbidden in the Torah, as it is common knowledge that abortion has been widely and regularly practiced throughout history. In some mosques, as a matter of doctrine, abortion is considered allowable up through the first forty days of the preganancy. In the past, this has been extended up to 120 days. In the past, all most mosques preached that.
The point here is simple – if you are a Christian, a Jew, or a muslim, you most certainly can believe abortion is allowable while remaining adherant to your faith.
JMJ
JMJ Said: The Tea Party’s flippant use of Nazi symbolism should concern any sane person, but especially Jews.
Where has the Tea Party used Nazi symbolism? Anyone who walks in to a Tea Party rally with any poster using Nazi symbolism is asked to put it away or leave. Individuals who use that sort of symbolism do not represent any aspect of the Tea Party and we make it clear they aren’t. I’d like to see video proof of any of this without someone calling them on it. It makes my blood boil to see people spreading lies like that.
“There is nothing in any scriptures about abortion. ‘
Lets try this a different way.
First, your asinine assertion that the scriptures say nothing about abortion is just that. “ASININE”
second, the word did not exist even to be translated.
third, the bible says “thou shalt not kill”
fourth.
Just because the bible doesnt say you cant get drunk and run someone over doesnt mean that the principles of Christ and God allow it.
Theres plenty of things the bible doesnt say you cant do. Thats because the principles outline the spectrum by way of principles.
Abortion is a form of killing.
Thou shalt not kill.
Now answer my freaking question !!!