Submitted Comments RSS Feed Comments by Rabbi Shael Siegel
Posted in: Ben-Ami responds to Foxman
I find Ben Ami ill informed and arrogant if he can say that Sarah Palin's views on the settlements isn't representative of mainstream American or Israeli thinking: "Her views are outside the mainstream of American and Israeli thinking and her statements lack understanding of either the Jewish community or the meaning of the settlement issue to the chances of Israel's survival as a Jewish democracy." The Israel I am intimately acquainted with has abandoned the left and supportive of Bibi. This may not fit into the world view of J street, butt nevertheless its a reality that htey will ahve to face. Mainstream America is yet to be defined by Ben Ami, but surely it isn't composed of only left over left wingers.
Posted in: Goldberg on Cohen
M.O.T. Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Lezeh (loosely translated: Jews are responsible for one another) are powerful words conveying an awesome ethic which has been part of our national psyche and vocabulary for a very long time. It has been the gold standard by which the members of the tribe comported ourselves. This rule has had a tribal like quality to it and unless you are a member of a tribe it is hard to grasp. Other ethnic groups who maintain a strong network and filial association can empathize with the sense of responsibility and belonging that we feel. The dictum kol yisrael areveim zeh lezeh defies the traditional definition of responsibility, because it also assumes belonging and group identification, transcending blood ties and demanding loyalty and fealty to the group. The idea of the “kehilla” is founded on this idea. In fact the underpinnings of the very idea of “Jewish community and infrastructure”, including the overpowering need to extend tzedakah wherever it is needed is built upon the simple yet complex idea that we are bound to each other. This paradigm that has helped define us as a global community for millennia undoubtedly (obviously) applies to Israel as well. Israel has enjoyed the financial, emotional and political support of the American Jewish community since the inception of modern Israel because of the abiding principal that kol yisrael arevim ze lezeh. Even though we were separated by geography, culture, language, law and citizenship there was always the bond of brothers, an unspoken pledge amongst us, which transcended space and defied logic. American Jews may have disagreed with some of Israel’s policies, and Israelis may have ridiculed their spoiled and naïve American brothers, but we settled our differences behind closed doors in a space reserved for members of the tribe. While there may have been dissension within our community we presented ourselves to the public as a unified front having settled any previous differences that threatened the harmony of the tribe. All of this has begun to erode and while it is difficult to pinpoint its genesis (I shall leave this to the sociologist) one can certainly point to a series of recent benchmarks that underscore this lamentable reality. J Street is one, but a more insidious manifestation was the support that Barak Obama garnered from some quarters of the Jewish community. There is nothing inherently wrong with voting liberal. There is nothing wrong with voting conservative. What is troublesome is voting for a candidate that has leanings not favorable to a significant segment of the corpus of the Jewish people. While this in itself may be disconcerting what is reprehensible is that individuals in leadership positions have chosen to join those that that have applied the infamous double standard to Israel’s conduct of war. The U.N. War Crimes Commission for Gaza is headed up by non other than Richard Goldstone, a Jew determined to nail Israel to the cross and is a persona non grata in Israel. Another maverick Jew is Ronnie Kasrils, a small time South African Jewish politician trying to make a name for himself by leading a campaign against Israeli soldiers carrying dual citizenship. He is trying to pressure his government into prosecuting those soldiers, members of the IDF holding South African citizenship, for war crimes. There was a time that members of the tribe all shared common goals and even if there were fundamental disagreement rarely was there an instant when we turned against our own. All that has changed in a very short time. People like Kasrils and Goldstone have joined the auspicious gang of sophisticated Spanish bounty hunters on the hunt for Israeli war criminals, not wanting to dull their skills honed during the Inquisition. Add to that the new breed of self hating Jews, Yehudonim, like Rahm Emanuel, and David Axelrod and we have a picture that doesn’t bode well for our future. A couple days ago Robert Novak died. I couldn’t help but wonder who was worse Kasrils or Novak?
Posted in: Unhip Commentary
I too took exception with the Myers piece, but Ben Harris' rebuttal was pithy, to the point and very cool - almost hip!
Posted in: Four commentaries
"we are at the dawn of a new day..." writes Rabbi Braus. What day is she referring to?
Posted in: Chabad rabbi aims to clarify remarks on killing civilians
This past issue of Moment Magazine’s (May/June, 2009) column “Ask the Rabbi” considered the question “How Should Jews Treat Their Arab Neighbors”. Frankly, the question was as ridiculous as its responses were, (although the Chabad response was the most entertaining) and I felt vindicated for having let my subscription lapse years ago. Rabbi Winkler, the independent, must be watching too many Israeli films produced and directed by self hating Israeli’s (The Lemon Tree) and not investing enough time in understanding the texts which he quotes. It’s always convenient to pull out a quote from one of our prophets, because there has never been a time when one couldn’t reconcile a particular historical event with a quote confirming one position. Besides, it’s so rabbinic! Arguing that Israel falls short in treating it’s minorities in the spirit of the prophets is quite disingenuous. While I am not an apologist for those governmental ministries responsible for the minorities I would assume that our prophets would be extremely proud of our ethical standards and treatment of all our minorities. Had only we been treated as well at any time in our history (excluding our United States experience)! What galls me however is the sanctimonious and smug remark that we (Israel) “impose unjewish occidental models of government…” I wasn’t aware that Winkler had a monopoly on what constitutes a “Jewish” model, especially since he’s an “independent” (whatever that means). There are numerous models, many of them legitimate and which may not necessarily play into the Winkler design, but nevertheless legitimate. Quoting Ezekiel to suit his liberal leanings he conveniently avoids Pentateuchal intolerance as Rabbi Manis Friedman chooses to accept! Rabbi Manis Friedman’s answer was reprehensible, but what more can be expected from a fundamentalist approach to biblical text and religion. Reading those four short paragraphs of Rabbi Friedman I can understand those who have rejected religion as one of the greatest divisive forces known to civilized man. He manipulates biblical text to rationalize wholesale murder of man, woman and child (cattle too). With his approach there never will be an end to bloodshed. Manis Friedman has tried to wiggle out of what he said by doing a little backpedaling as was reported in the JTA after members of his own cult disavowed his comments. But I do believe that what he said initially was his intended remark. The Muslims in the Middle East well subscribe to his approach and have done exceedingly well in sustaining and cultivating intolerance murder and war. The fact of the matter is there are no simple answers and they won’t be found on the pages of Moment Magazine and unfortunately can’t be found in Biblical text. While biblical text may be a means by which one can find a moral compass it is still text and subject to interpretation. As evident here, anyone, regardless of training or persuasion can put their own political / social spin on the text interpreting the word of God to mean anything and everything and sometimes nothing. Asking a rabbi, regardless of persuasion a question as loaded and pregnant as the one asked in the current issue of Moment ought to be considered nothing more than a klutz kasha. Rabbi Shael Siegel
Posted in: Op-Ed: Bernie, Sully and me
Rabbi Avi Shafran finally, finally has shown his true colors. In his article “Bernie, Sully and Me” carried in the JTA April 2, 2009 he revealed the corrupted understanding that he and obviously other hareidi Jews have for halacha. True to his twisted understanding of Jewish law he was able to reason that Bernie Madoff isn’t so terrible. After all there is no difference according to Shafran between stealing a dime or a billion dollars. And there is no distinction according to him with regard to scope and severity. Anyone, according to him who has a creative accountant is guilty of defrauding 300 million Americans. Using Shafran’s reasoning the murder of six million Jews in Europe would have been the same as murdering one Jew. And the murder of one Jew during the crusades would have been no different than the hundreds of thousands that were killed. And continuing his line of reason it matters not if one chayal is killed or many during a campaign. Scope and severity do not play a role in the world of Rabbi Avi Shafran. Interestingly though it does play a significant role in halachic Judaism if one is vaguely familiar with Talmud. Tell me Rabbi Shafran do you really think that if someone steals a candy bar from a kiosk it’s the same in the eyes of halacha as someone who not only defrauds family and friends of billions but also bankrupts charities? Do you believe that the anti-Semitic backlash around the globe would have been as virulent had Bernie Madoff stole a carton of cigarettes off of a truck? Disturbing as all this is however, is his comparing Bernies’s misadventure to the successful adventure (thank god) of Captain Sullenberg. While Shafran considers Madoff’s decision to turn himself in as sublimity of spirit, Captain Sullenberg did what he was supposed to do and there is nothing sublime in what he did. I suppose that if ones’ logic is as faulty as Shafran’s that he believes stealing ten cents is no different than stealing a billion dollars than I really can’t expect him to understand that Captain Sullenberg’s skill and disregard for his own safety ought not to be referenced in the same essay as the likes of Madoff. And certainly no comparison should be made between the two. One is a crook; the other is a gifted pilot who placed the lives of others before his own. If ever there was sublimity of spirit it was that manifested by Sullenberg. As the aircraft was sinking he repeatedly walked through the aisle, checking every seat making certain that no one was left behind. Madoff on the other hand made sure that everyone and every charity was left behind.
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Updated 02/10/12 @ 11:08AM EST
- French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that the solution to the Iran crisis is "never military."
- A poll showed that nearly half of likely voters believed the United States should use military force to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
- Rabbi Gunther Plaut, a major figure in Reform Judaism, died in Toronto.
- The application for a proposed Hebrew-language charter school was accepted by the District of Columbia Public Charter School board.
- A truck driving calves from Eilat to the Golan Heights was hijacked into the West Bank.
- Sarkozy: Iran solution should be non-military
- Poll: Half of U.S. voters back strike on nuclear Iran
- German city of Wurzburg brings back its long-lost Jews
- Reform leader Rabbi Gunther Plaut dies
- D.C. Hebrew-language charter school accepted for review
- Op-Ed: Kick the reaction addiction on campus
- Berman moves to grant investor visas to Israelis
- Holy cow! Calves hijacked into Palestinian territory
Posted in: Neusner returns to Reform Judaism
12/09/09 10:50 PM
Reform Judaism – American Style In the December 4th issue of the Forward, Jacob Neusner wrote an interesting piece on his journey from classical reform Judaism to conservative Judaism and then back to Reform Judaism. Usually I enjoy Neusner’s articles because they are well thought out, cerebral yet understated and with sophisticated humor. This piece however was somewhat different and my reaction to it was viscerally negative. My acceptance of all formats and approaches to Jewish practice has no limits (although I reject Jewish practice as defined by denominational [Reform, Conservative & Orhtodox] affiliation). I have said many times that there are multiple portals into Jewish practice as well as an equal number of egresses out of Judaism as well. Judaism, in our tradition is a large tent where all are invited in, as Abraham demonstrated early on in his own journey of religious discovery. Our tradition confirmed this much later when the Passover Seder was formalized and with the incorporation of text that would certainly suggest the welcoming of all kinds of Jewish belief as attested to by the reading of the kol dichfin (kol dichfin yasei uyachal kol ditztrich yasei vifsach). Neusner presents several arguments why he moved from Reform to Conservative and then back to Reform. It would appear that his preeminent argument is that Reform Judaism is uniquely American saying that “if Reform Judaism didn’t exist today, American Jews would have to invent it”. He got that wrong from a factual point of view. Conservative Judaism is a purely American experiment (failing) and Reform Judaism was an exponent of the “German Jew” attempting to emulate the Protestant German culture. He goes on to say that the proof is in the pudding: the demographic preeminence can be explained by its wide appeal and relevancy. The error in Neusner’s reasoning goes to the core of what he believes Judaism to be. According to Neusner and many others like him Judaism is a religion. Ironically, it was the Reform movement in Germany that successfully reformulated and redefined Judaism from a comprehensive culture encompassing religious practice to a religion exclusively. It was their way of gaining acceptance and entry in to German society. Judaism was never a religion, but seen and understood as a great culture in exile with a rich history and tradition. So for him to say “I affirm Reform Judaism as the American Judaism” sounds as though he is seeking a Jewish answer to American Protestantism. The Jewish world according to Neusner is divided between segregationist and integrationists. I couldn’t agree more as I have written on many occasions and most recently in my last essay on November 30, 2009, A Sate of Mind. However that is no argument for Reform Judaism or any movement for that matter. Being an integrationist and an involved and committed Jew are not mutually exclusive. There are many successfully integrated Orthodox Jews as well as Conservative Jews who could certainly be seen as integrationists. Neusner’s Jewish worldview flawed as it is, erroneously is an attempt at bolstering his movement by suggesting three planks (Why is it that programmatic suggestions seems to always come in threes, like the three legged stool that Obama often times refers to when explaining the way to rebuild the economy or a country). The third plank affirms the tradition of individualism, validating the individual conscience, which syncs well with his second plank that halacha should be a voice but not a veto (when was it anything else in Reform Judaism?) as he suggests “I was brought up to affirm what I found personally meaningful and to dismiss as irrelevant what did not fit”. This strikes me as though he sees his Judaism as nothing more than silly putty: fun to play with, but when it ossifies and no longer does what you want it to do, it is abandoned. Somehow it seems too chaotic, too convenient, too American. In that sense he is right. Reform Judaism is an American expression. It reflects the American culture, a disposable culture. When something is no longer useful or relevant dismiss it. It’s something like the sprawling American suburb, where Reform Judaism is so comfortable; with single use buildings put up overnight and dismantled when they have outlived their use. Reform Judaism-American Style.