Mandami's Election - A Post-Mortem

New York mayor-elect, Zohran Mandami (NPR)

In what was a most unsurprising result of yesterday’s election for mayor of New York, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani — a virulently anti-Israel Muslim — has won. He will be the next mayor of New York.

I am going to attempt a post-mortem on this election: why he won, how he did it, what the next four years might look like, and what it could mean for the future.

Is Mamdani an Antisemite?

The conventional wisdom says yes — based on his harsh anti-Israel rhetoric. Yet a poll conducted just before the election showed that 40% of New York Jews supported him. Would Jews, regardless of their politics, ever knowingly support an antisemite? Of course not.

What they support are Mamdani’s views on Israel, views shared by many progressives and Palestinian sympathizers who believe Israel committed genocide in Gaza. If that belief alone defines antisemitism, then many Jews including some who proudly identify with their Jewish heritage (like actor Mandy Patinkin) would fall under that label.

It’s also telling that the largest and most visible Orthodox Jewish sect in the city, Satmar, endorsed Mamdani. Clearly, he is not seen by all as a personal Jew-hater. His animus is directed not toward Jews as individuals but toward Israel as a Jewish state. He feels perfectly comfortable around progressive Jews who share his worldview.

Why He Won

Mamdani’s anti-Israel views had little to do with his victory. His success stems from his charisma, populist appeal, and focus on bread-and-butter issues that resonate with everyday New Yorkers.

The cost of living in New York has skyrocketed. A typical middle-income earner struggles to make ends meet as taxes, fees, and housing costs continue to rise. Mamdani spoke directly to these frustrations, promising free buses, strict rent controls, and government-run grocery stores offering food at lower prices than for-profit competitors.

Young voters — especially burdened by the city’s high costs — were drawn to these promises, which no other candidate addressed so boldly. They turned out in record numbers.

Mamdani also benefited from weak opponents. His main challenger was a disgraced former governor, forced to resign over sexual misconduct allegations. A figure devoid of charisma or credibility. Add to that public frustration with a Republican president who promised to lower prices but instead raised them through tariffs on imported goods, and Mamdani’s path to victory was clear.

For most voters, Israel wasn’t even on the radar. They saw a dynamic young populist running against a tainted establishment figure — and it wasn’t a contest.

What It Means for New York Jews

Should Jews in the city with the world’s largest Jewish population be concerned about the next four years? Absolutely. But not because Mamdani will target them directly. He won’t risk confirming accusations of antisemitism by ignoring attacks on Jews.

The real concern is indirect: a surge in anti-Israel activism and protests that Mamdani will likely endorse, if not attend himself. Some of these demonstrations may turn violent. This is where the Jewish community — and all fair-minded New Yorkers — must remain vigilant.

If clashes erupt between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters, how the mayor responds will be crucial. The ADL has already pledged heightened vigilance against antisemitism; others must do the same. Expect the anti-Israel fervor to spread to other major cities, especially in academia, where Mamdani’s sympathies will surely find fertile ground. That’s where the true danger of his mayoralty lies.

The Broader Political Impact

Mamdani’s victory also raises questions about the direction of the Democratic Party. Progressives already wield disproportionate influence within it, and now one of their own governs the nation’s largest city. Will the party tilt further left? Will figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez become the new face of Democratic leadership — perhaps even a presidential candidate with Mamdani as a running mate?

I doubt it. In fact, I suspect the opposite. The American electorate at its core is not composed of ‘New York liberals’. It is moderate, pragmatic, and centrist. The swing voters who decide national elections are not ideological purists but practical thinkers. That’s how we’ve had both Obama and Trump — two-term presidents from opposite parties. Americans vote for competence and results, not dogma.

The Coming Reckoning

Mamdani’s utopian promises will soon collide with economic reality. There will be no lasting free buses, and certainly no government-run grocery stores. If any of his ‘free’ programs do materialize, they’ll require massive tax hikes. Not just on big business but on ordinary consumers, who will feel it at the checkout counter.

If large corporations face the kind of tax burdens needed to fund his socialist programs, they’ll leave the city — and take much of its tax base with them. That will trigger deficits, layoffs, and service breakdowns. One can easily imagine garbage piling up in the streets when the money runs out.

As noble as socialism may sound, it has failed everywhere it’s been tried — and New York will be no exception. The only question is how long it takes for the pain to set in.

Ironically, Mamdani’s election may turn out to be a gift to the Republican Party. By the midterms, frustration with his failed policies could produce a landslide of protest votes against Democrats nationwide.

The next four years in New York may be painful. But they could also mark the end of the socialist experiment in American politics. When the promises collapse under their own weight, voters may rediscover the political centrism that has guided this country — more or less successfully — since the end of World War II.

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Jews Who Support Mamdani

Four rabbis that support Mamdani (Israel Hayom)

Today’s the big day. Today is the day that the most anti-Israel candidate for mayor of New York in history will likely be elected its mayor. Probably by a wide margin.

This should not be happening in a city whose Jewish population is the largest of any city in the world. Because of that, candidates for mayor in the past were uniformly pro-Israel. But not this time. Zohran Mamdani, a little-known New York Assemblyman who was given little chance to win the Democratic primary, won big!

And now, according to most polls, he has a double-digit lead over his opponent, former Governor Andrew Cuomo — who, although a strong supporter of Israel throughout his political career, ran afoul of the Orthodox Jewish community because of some heavy-handed tactics during the Covid pandemic. That, along with accusations of sexual misconduct (which forced him to resign as governor), would have prevented any chance he might have had to become mayor.

Having lost to Mamdani in the primary, Cuomo is now running as an independent in today’s general election. Although both candidates have been polling below 50%, if Republican Curtis Sliwa had suspended his campaign, there is little doubt that the majority of his voters would have gone to Cuomo.

That being the case, the Jewish community has not given up. Over 1,100 heterodox rabbis have signed a letter urging Jews to vote against Mamdani. Agudah and other Orthodox Jewish institutions and rabbis have been urging their people to do the same. Most recently, YU’s Rav Hershel Schachter penned a letter urging all Yeshiva University students to vote today, even if it means missing significant parts of their seder (one of their daily Torah learning sessions in the Beis Medrash).

I absolutely agree with the urgency of voting in this election. The issues at stake for the Jewish people have never been greater. So even if the odds are stacked against defeating Mamdani today, that doesn’t mean the Jewish voting public should not do their utmost to try. That means going to the voting booth and casting your vote, no matter how difficult it may be — or how futile the attempt might seem. As I have said multiple times: you never know.

What I have also said is that significant numbers of Jews actually support Mamdani. They are the ones who secured his nomination in the Democratic primary and plan to vote for him in the general. How many is that? A lot more than one might think. As noted by Rabbi Efrem Goldberg on the Aish website:

“Polls ranging from as high as 43% (and on the low end, 21%) show that Jewish voters in New York intend to vote for him. Prominent Jewish actors and media personalities have unabashedly endorsed Mamdani. This week, a campaign video produced in partnership with the organization Jews for Racial and Economic Justice was released, which includes four self-described rabbis expressing open support for Mamdani.”

A lot of Jews appear not to care about Mamdani’s views about Israel. Or worse, actually agree with him. What are those views? Rabbi Goldberg reminds us of the following:

“In the last week, more videos have emerged demonstrating New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s obsessive hatred of Israel. During a panel at the 2023 Democratic Socialists of America’s national convention, he said, ‘We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.’

Additionally, in an effort to blame the problems of his city on Israel, he said, ‘You have so many opportunities to make clear the ways in which that struggle over there (Israel) is tied to capitalist interests over here.’”

He has defended suicide bombers as soldiers, repeatedly refused to condemn the violent and threatening phrase “Globalize the Intifada,” falsely accused Israel of genocide, and announced he would attempt to have Prime Minister Netanyahu arrested as a war criminal if he came to New York. His hateful preoccupation with Israel has been well documented — and many Jews in New York are concerned they will be less safe if he wins.

And yet, with all that, as many as 43% of New York’s Jews plan to vote for him. Why? Because, as I have said — and as Rabbi Goldberg also notes:

“In the best-case scenario, these Jewish poll responders, celebrities, and rabbis seem to be putting their liberalism and progressivism ahead of their Jewish identity and loyalty to Israel. They are prioritizing being part of a socialist movement over the safety and preservation of their own families and their people. In the worst-case scenario, they are not making a choice between two things (progressive politics and Jewish identity) they embrace, rather they are substituting one for the other — rejecting their Jewish identities. Either way, it is deeply troubling.”

Sadly, I agree with Rabbi Goldberg. But then he makes an astonishing suggestion about how we should think about these Jews. Strangely enough, I agree with him. Without using the halachic appellation of Tinok Shenishba (which in our day applies mostly to Jews raised without the slightest idea of what it really means to be Jewish), he says that we must love them as brothers, no matter how misguided their views are.

As I said, although I agree with him in theory, the idea of loving a Jew who runs away from their Judaism or replaces it with progressive socialist values is difficult, if not impossible, to do. The easiest thing to do is to ignore them and lament their eventual demise as Jews — as over 70% of them continue to intermarry.

Ignoring them may be the easiest thing to do, but it is not the right thing to do. These progressive Jews, celebrities, and self-styled rabbis are indeed our brothers. We are required by halacha to be responsible for their welfare — both physically and spiritually.

The question is, how? I don’t know how it is even possible to talk to people whose progressive values supersede, by far, the values of the Torah. Even if they knew what those values were, they would surely reject them out of hand as anathema to their worldview. I can’t begin to understand how you can reach out to someone whose progressive values are so deeply ingrained into their psyche. Which they adhere to with near-religious fervor.

So yes, we must never give up on the near-impossible task of showing them the light. How we climb that steep hill is something I cannot begin to fathom. Reaching out to the majority of secular Jews who understand the dangers of a Mamdani mayoralty is one thing. I wholeheartedly support that.

But even though it isn’t their fault, how can you relate to Jews who believe with complete faith that Mamdani’s views about Israel are the right ones - and who, in most cases, probably consider Judaism completely irrelevant to their lives?

Comments to the post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross-posted

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The Most Dangerous Antisemite in America

Tucker Carlson

I pretty much agree with Representative Randy Fine. Tucker Carlson is the most dangerous antisemite in America. Perhaps even more dangerous than the presumptive New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani, although probably not by much. Both of these men could not be further apart politically, and yet they have one thing in common: they do not care much for Jews.

The dangers of Mamdani are fairly obvious. He inspires virulent hatred of Israel and thereby, by association, hatred of the Jewish people. Most Americans believe that if you are Jewish, you support Israel. - even though there is plenty of evidence lately that many Jews no longer do. They have been led to believe that Israel has been committing genocide against the Palestinian people through its tactics in Gaza.

They blame Israel’s leadership for that, and thereby Israel itself, seeing what was once a socially conscientious nation as having slid down the rabbit hole of the extremist right. Although this is patently untrue, it would be nearly impossible to convince these Jews otherwise.

Be that as it may, Mamdani’s views about Israel are clear. He has openly stated more than once that he does not believe Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state. He has spent most of his adult life making that view well known. It is a view shared by Hamas, which Mamdani has refused to condemn. The only difference between Hamas and Mamdani is that Hamas actually tried to act on that belief on October 7, 2023. But short of that, Mamdani has supported and even attended many Palestinian protests that called for the destruction of Israel and restoring the land to its ‘rightful’ owners - the Palestinian people.

Not that he can implement his views as mayor of New York. But he can - and will - set a tone that encourages increased protests against the Jewish state, which will no doubt lead to increased violence against the Jewish people of New York. The victims will most likely be those of us who are most visibly Jewish, living in large Jewish neighborhoods. That is where the danger of a Mamdani administration lies: the anti-Jewish violence he will surely inspire, even if unintentionally.

That said, I do believe he will be vigilant to assure that such violence doesn’t happen. And that if it does, he will act quickly to stop it. He surely does not want to be accused of looking the other way when Jews are hurt. Nonetheless, that danger exists, and he will have to be vigilant if he wants to avoid validating accusations of antisemitism.

So, as dangerous as Mamdani is, at least he is clear about his views. And most Jewish clergy across all denominations know it.

Carlson, however, is a far more dangerous enemy. First, because he has built up a following of millions of people based on his conservative politics. He is an icon of the right and a leader of public opinion in conservative circles. He is charismatic and articulate. Until recently was not seen as any kind of antisemite. After he was fired from Fox, he started his own podcast, which now boasts over a million devoted followers. No longer constrained by Fox’s standards, his antisemitism has become increasingly exposed.

Carlson is very clever about it. Denying he’s an antisemite but is openly hostile to Israel. Couching his hostility in terms of his Christian faith. Thankfully, some Christian clergy have called him out for that. But couching it in his Christian faith is exactly how white supremacists frame their antisemitism.

Some of what Carlson says about Israel mirrors what far-right white supremacists and other fringe right-wing antisemites have been saying for many decades. For example - that Israel has infiltrated the U.S. government and now runs the show. Some of his rhetoric even mimics what the anti-Israel left says. As far apart as these two camps are politically, antisemitism is the one thing they have in common.

Carlson’s followers have followed him down that same rabbit hole. Where they once supported Israel, Carlson has disabused them of that support.

I do not believe that most mainstream conservative Republicans agree with him. However, the fact that over a million people do is nothing to sneeze at. Add to that Carlson’s relationship with the president’s son, the vice president, and the recent defense he received from Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts—for hosting avowed antisemite Nick Fuentes on his podcast - and that makes for an unprecedented and dangerous influence on political discours in this country.

Roberts has since made clear that he rejects Fuentes’ antisemitism in totality and reaffirmed his organization’s determination to fight it. But I suspect Roberts still has a warm spot for his old conservative colleague even if he disagrees with him.

So yes. We are getting it from both sides: from the left and from the right. But the right is more dangerous, because I believe that conservative values are more mainstream.

This could turn back the clock to a time when Jews were persecuted simply for being Jews and marginalized as second class citizens by a dominant Christian culture.

I don’t think we are anywhere near that now. We still have many friends in high places who defend us and consider us equal citizens. But the Carlsons of the world are trying to change that, and they have made some inroads.

This is why we must do our utmost to discredit Carlson and show him to be every bit the antisemite he truly is. Thankfully, there are people in Congress—like Senators John Fetterman and Ted Cruz, Representative Elise Stefanik, and many others who are doing just that. And we owe them all a big thank you.

Comments to the post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross-posted

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Antisemitism in America - A Closer Look

Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson (TOI)

Shoshana Friedman is the executive editor of Mishpacha Magazine. She writes a biweekly column that often deals with the trials and tribulations of her job as an editor. But she also frequently opines on the state of world Jewry.

An American who now resides in Israel - where religious politics often define who you are, Friedman does not seem to bend to the political winds of the world she inhabits. Friedman is sharp, articulate, concise, and gets right to the heart of the matter very quickly. That is my impression after reading her columns which I rarely miss, and with which I rarely disagree.

This week she struck a particular chord with me.  And, as usual, I agree with her. Remarking on the recent discovery of extremely antisemitic rhetoric by young Republicans, here is what she said:

I noticed a disturbing story in the news. Politico had obtained and published a private Telegram chat. Its members were young Republicans — aspiring future leaders and politicians — and their conversation was a noxious brew of racial slurs, violent language, and Nazi references.

When one member promised that the group would vote for the most right-wing person to lead the organization, a member responded, “Great. I love Hitler.” The response: a smiley face.

Friedman goes on to wonder if this is some sort of trend of the right or just a bunch of young Republicans saying stupid things online they don’t really mean. Either way they paid a price for it.

But then says some of the very same things I have said. That although in the past antisemitism was mostly found on the fringes of society, those fringes were on the right. The KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and the like were found solely on the extremist fringes of right-wing politics. There was nothing comparable on the left.

But as Friedman also notes, the antisemitic fringes of the right have been marginalized to the point that few of us felt threatened by them. The American body politic had largely rejected their version of right-wing politics.

Now, the greater danger comes from the left. The left actually inspires real fear among Jews living in areas where it now dominates public discourse. Here is how Friedman puts it:

We didn’t view those radical fringes as immediate and as dangerous as the radical leftist sentiment that swept toward the moderate mainstream, bringing havoc to cities and hatred to campuses as it muzzled intellectual discourse, educators and thinkers, and even individual liberties.

That being said, it seems that antisemitism on the right is no longer as unacceptable as it was just a couple of years ago. Now there are voices on the right that are far more mainstream than your typical white supremacist. As Friedman further notes:

Now the voices on the radical right — Fuentes, Owens, Carlson, among others — have been getting louder. The voices on that leaked chat are nowhere near as resonant, but they serve as a troubling harmony to those influential choruses. Extremes always exist and are never a healthy place for us. The question is whether their influence remains limited to the fringes. On ideological, social, religious, and political issues, we’ve seen the radical ideas of the Left influence, tilt, and sometimes even overtake, the views of the moderate faction. Are we seeing the same trend take root on the other side? Are those young Republicans the future of the party? Are their violent pro-Nazi statements a harbinger of more hate to come?

I would add Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to the list of radical voices on the right. Friedman’s concern should not go unnoticed. It’s one thing when fringe groups like white supremacists spew antisemitic hatred. But when mainstream figures with millions of devoted followers start making antisemitic noises… when a powerful right-wing member of Congress starts doing the same… it ought to make our ears perk up and pay attention.

We cannot afford to be complacent and focus only on the left just because the right had been relegated to the fringes. Because now, antisemitism is being echoed by some on the mainstream right. We need to be concerned and do whatever we can to fight this trend.

That being said, I do not see the Carlsons and Taylor Greenes of the world having much influence on the vast majority of congress on both sides of the political aisle. And perhaps more importantly, on the attitude of the current administration. The president has proven its pro-Israel and pro-Jewish bona fides time and again. Both during his first term and his second. I say this knowing full well there have been instances some point to where the president seemed to ‘dog whistle’ to the fringes on the right or otherwise appear less than favorable to Israel or the Jewish people.

But one has to look at the big picture. Not isolated incidents open to interpretation. If one does that, one can see a lifetime of support for the Jewish state that existed long before he ever thought about running for president.

This is what I look at. Some remain cynical about his support and say that he is neither pro-Israel nor pro-Jewish—that he is only pro-Trump and will abandon both Israel and the Jewish people if he sees profit in doing so.

I don’t think so. Abandoning the Jewish people would mean abandoning his own daughter, and I don’t believe he would sell her out for some ulterior motive.

I also do not see the American people abandoning Israel or turning on their fellow Jewish citizens. The decline in support for Israel is a direct function of media bias in reporting Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war. A media that sees Palestinians as the oppressed and Israelis as the oppressors will always slant its reportage in favor of the oppressed. Regardless of context or fault. The war in Gaza only magnified that perception.

But now that the war is over and Palestinians in Gaza begin to restore their lives, my hope is that Israel will once again be seen as it once was. As an example of what a Jewish democracy can accomplish and contribute to the world.

And with that, opinions from the likes of Carlson and Taylor Greene will once again be relegated to the fringes of public opinion, and eventually to the trash heap of history where they belong.

What about the ascendancy of the left? If my hunch is right, if Mamdani is elected mayor of New York, he will prove to be a massive failure and will be replaced in the next election by a more mainstream, pro-Israel leader.

Bottom line for me - things may look bleak right now. But I am an optimist and don’t think they will stay that way.

Comments to the post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross-posted

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Hashmonaim - a Bridge Toward Reconciliation

The Hashmonaim Brigades (TOI)

As upset as I am about the extremely negative Charedi attitude toward army service, I have always been careful to place the blame where it truly belongs - on the Charedi leadership. They are the ones who have convinced their followers that their views represent Daas Torah, the ultimate expression of divine will.

To be clear, these leaders would never claim to speak for God, nor are they so arrogant as to believe that literally. But they do believe they are channeling His will in drawing on a lifetime of Torah study and communal leadership. They are not infallible — and would be the first to say so. And yet their policies toward the State of Israel are shaped by a long-standing belief that the government acts with hostility toward Torah Judaism.

That suspicion may have had some justification decades ago. But even then, any anti-religious intent was far from universal among Israel’s political leadership. Nevertheless, once early policies produced what they perceived as intolerable religious results, the Charedi worldview hardened. Ever since, many of their leaders have viewed anything the government does as malicious.

This mindset filters down to the rank and file. Ordinary Charedim, who are by definition Chareid L’Dvar HaShem - trembling at the possibility of transgressing God’s will - naturally defer to their rabbinic authorities. They have been taught that to question these leaders is to risk violating God’s word itself. Thus, their opposition to army service stems not from selfishness or indifference, but from a deeply ingrained Emunas Chachamim — faith that their sages know best.

Without such direction, I believe most Charedim would not instinctively oppose military service. Deep down, I think many understand the sacrifices soldiers make: that many are observant Jews; that families endure pain, fear, and loss; and that religious Zionist rabbis consider IDF service a religious obligation. They know of the Hesder yeshivot where Torah study and service are combined. And I suspect that in their heart of hearts, many Charedim realize they are not doing their part.

Still, cultural pressure is immense. A Charedi man raised to distrust the state faces enormous personal conflict in enlisting. Even joining the new Charedi units - such as the Hashmonaim Brigade - is condemned by much of the leadership. Those who enlist do so at great personal sacrifice. They are quite literally, heroes.

Professor Adam Ferziger captured this tension perfectly in a powerful observation he made at the Kotel:

“Before me stood a contingent of IDF soldiers — bearded, many with peyot — inductees into the new Hashmonaim Brigade. Families with black hats and long skirts watched proudly. Yet just steps away, a much larger group of black-clad young men prayed loudly in protest against the draft. Amid the fervor, I saw heads turn toward the soldiers — a flicker of curiosity, perhaps even admiration, crossing their faces.”

That scene, Ferziger wrote, ‘captures Israel’s national dilemma’. Indeed, the ongoing war and the enormous sacrifices of Israeli soldiers have only deepened resentment toward the Charedi sector. But it is precisely here, in the example of the Hashmonaim Brigade, that a potential bridge exists.

These young men deserve our admiration. They have not only risked life and limb like every other soldier — they have also defied powerful cultural and social pressures within their own community. They serve the Jewish people with devotion while maintaining their faith and standards.

Professor Ferziger himself approached the soldiers and said simply, 'Tizke le-mitzvot - May you continue to merit God’s commands'. That gesture captured the spirit of what our nation needs.

He added that these soldiers are heroes — not despite their Charedi identity, but because of the immense inner struggle they have overcome to affirm it alongside their service.

If there can be a grass roots effort that can begin to heal the bitter rift between Jew and Jew, this might just be it. 

Comments to the post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross-posted

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The Million Man Prayer Rally

The million man rally in Jerusalem (YWN)

I fully support full-time Torah study. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that the Jewish people could not survive without it. It needs to be studied by the best and brightest among us so that we, the Jewish people, can know how to live in our time. I am therefore vehemently opposed to any attempt to destroy or weaken the Charedi yeshiva system. 

One may wonder how this squares with my oft-mentioned complaint that Charedim need to serve in the military. Well, the two are not mutually exclusive. One can both learn Torah diligently and serve as well as prepare to serve when the time comes (such as in war).

This is, in fact, what a Hesder Yeshiva does. But I am not opposed to the idea that there should be yeshivas where full-time Torah study exempts one from the military. This too is in line with what the Charedi world seeks.

The big difference between us is the extent to which exemptions like that should be given. In my view, they should only be given to those who have the potential for greatness in Torah study. Those with the potential to guide others in advanced learning. Or who have the ability to rule on complex halachic issues. Or to lead the Jewish people in other ways.

What that number should be is something I am not qualified to determine. All I am saying is that there should be exemptions in some cases. The rest should be subject to army service, like everyone else. To the extent that there may be religious issues that might be impediments, they can and should be worked out between Charedi rabbinic leaders and military leaders who can come to a solution where the needs of both sides are met.

The Charedi leadership completely rejects that idea. They are opposed to any of their people serving in the army. First, they fear that serving in a secular army will dilute their religious observance - if not entirely disabuse them of it. And secondly, they believe that Torah study should be full time for every last one of them for as long as possible. Subjecting Charedim to the draft will destroy that paradigm.

So opposed are they that they are going to great lengths to fighting it.  And have told their students to ignore draft notices — even if it means being arrested and jailed, as some have been.

Government funding for yeshivas that don’t comply has been cut off.

These leaders are now apoplectic about their situation and have called for a prayer rally. Which is happening today. They are characterizing their dilemma as an extreme attack against the Torah world by the Zionist government. 

They consider themselves to be the ones that are suffering. As though what the rest of the country has gone through (and to some extent - still going through) does not exist. There is not a word about what the hostages and their families have gone through (and are still going through), Not a word about the many IDF soldiers that have given their lives in battle for the Jewish people. Not a word about those who have sustained permanent injuries. Or what their families have gone through. Not a word about the disruption to family life that so many in Israel have gone through; the disruption to their livelihoods, Not a word about the sleepless nights by mothers worrying about ever seeing their sons whole again, if at all!

These things were not worthy of a million man prayer rally. Not even a hundred man prayer rally. At best, a couple of verses of Tehilim were quickly recited after every public prayer service and then everyone just went their way.

I understand how they feel about Torah study. And as I said, I even agree with them about its importance. What I vehemently disagree with is their unwillingness to compromise and and their hard core defiance. A defiance that has been accompanied by some very harsh rhetoric against the government and anyone that supports them. 

What this shows is that they do not consider the rest of the Jewish world – even those of us that are fully observant – to be part of the Jewish nation. There is only one Jewish nation that matters. The Charedi Jewish nation. They are the ones that will perpetuate Judaism into the future. They practically do not acknowledge our existence! 

Right now, they are in the middle of that ‘million-man prayer rally’. Hundreds of thousands of them have been gathering in Jerusalem for an all-day prayer session, closing off all access to and from the city. And if they don’t get their way now, they will take even stronger measures to protest the government. I read somewhere that they are talking about closing down the airport. And if that doesn’t work. What’s next?

I cannot understand why these leaders can’t find a way to compromise. It might be true that their last attempt at compromise failed. They blamed the government for that. But that shouldn’t mean the end of negotiations.

The truth is that the army needs people. And the largest pool of available people to fill that need are the ‘million’ people at the prayer rally.

And yet these leaders are so respected that no one dares challenge them. Other rabbinic leaders of a bit lesser stature just walk in lockstep with them. I suppose  many (or even most) of them agree totally with these leaders. But it would not surprise me if there were a significant number of them who might actually disagree privately but fear the consequences of publicly challenging them.

Then there is the call by the American Agudah Moetzes to join their Israeli brethren in prayer characterizing the draft laws in the same evil terms that their Israeli counterparts do. But here too, I have to wonder if there is any private dissent among them? We will never know since they never discuss dissent when they declare their public policy decisions.

I believe these elderly Charedi leaders who have riled up their public are leading them into an impossible situation from which they may never recover. The increased anger and hatred this will surely generate will not go away any time soon.

Comments to the post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross-posted

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Isolationism is Not the Solution

“I am not Israeli. I am a Jew living in Eretz Yisroel.”

This was said by a respected, mainstream Charedi Talmid Chacham and Posek of Anglo extraction about how he viewed his tenure in Israel. It was forwarded to me by a friend who had a discussion with him about the responsibility of Charedi Jews toward the larger Jewish society in Israel. The debate centered on the Charedi rejection of army service. This Posek seemed to feel that he had no obligation to a community he did not consider himself a part of.

He in fact believes that the proper approach for a Jew living in Israel is to completely cut themselves off from Israeli society, which he sees as having nothing to do with authentic Judaism. He takes the adage ‘A People Apart’ to a new level. Which means excluding even his own people. He would be quite content to never have any interaction with ‘Israelis’ and if he never saw another secular Israeli again in his life, that would be too soon for him.

I have no doubt that he believes with complete faith that this is what God. That we must separate ourselves from the non-Jewish ways of the secular world. And that complete and to isolation from them is the best way to do that,. Thereby staying in the “safe space” of the daled amos of Halacha. What goes on in the ‘outside world’ doesn’t concern him, and is a best a distraction. The ‘outside world’ has nothing to do with him — unless it somehow penetrates his ‘safe space’ and threatens to disrupt it. Then he becomes not only a Jew living in Israel, but a Jew on a warpath to fortify that ‘safe space’ and prevent the outside world from entering.

Zionism - even religious Zionism - lies outside his ‘safe space’ and must be fought with the same vigor as secular Zionism. ‘What’, he would ask, ‘do Charedim have to do with Zionism?’

All that being said, I am 100% certain that he is otherwise a decent, caring man who would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. He is not the confrontational type and would probably run away from conflict. And is surely a beloved figure in his community.

Therein lies the problem. Second tier leadership like his is the prototype of what is wrong with much of today’s Charedi world. This second-tier leader simply reflects what his superior, elderly rabbinic leaders believe which they consider Daas Torah. No matter how they might personally feel, they suppress those feelings in deference to what they perceive as the greater wisdom of those they consider greater than themselves.

As a beloved figure, his attitude is easily transmitted as the true Hashkafa of the Torah - to the exclusion of every other Hashkafa.

The result is disastrous for the Jewish people. (This Posek might call me an Apikores for saying something like that, but that doesn’t make it any less true.)

The very last thing God wants from His people is for any segment to cut themselves off from the rest. No matter how strongly they might disagree.

First of all, to cut oneself off from other religious Jews who have a different outlook on Zionism - one that has a strong basis in Halacha - is an exercise in Sinas Chinam. You can disagree. Even strongly. Even if that disagreement means protesting a government edict they support, you must still respect a view that is based on a Torah Hashkafa. The last thing one should do is to cut oneself  from other religious Jews

But even cutting themselves off from secular Jews — whether Zionist or not — is wrong. Cutting oneself off from the rest of Jewry in order to insulate oneself from their way of life is precisely why the Tzadikim – the righteous men of the generation of the destruction of Beis HaMedrash were killed. They failed to reach out to the ‘secular’ Jews of their time to show them the right way to live as Jews. Instead, they looked inward and let the masses drift as they pleased. Even if they would not have succeeded, they were required to try!

In the case of this Posek, his attitude is one of the primary motivations for aredi opposition to the draft. They fear that the interaction will go the opposite way — that it will influence their people to become less observant, or not observant at all. What, they ask, do we have to do with them? Let them go their way, and we’ll stay in the safe space of our own daled amos.

He says he’s not Israeli?! He may not think so, but he is. He is every bit an Israeli as I am an American If he carries an Israeli passport, votes in Israeli elections, speaks mostly in Ivrit (Hebrew), belongs to Israel’s national health insurance program (Kupat Cholim), or in any way benefits from his status as an Israeli citizen then he an Israeli. Being Israeli or American does not preclude one from being a Jew in every sense of the word.

I’m sure what he meant to convey is that he does not participate in any of the culture associated with Israelis — which he considers anti-Torah. Well, no religious Jew would be involved with anti-Torah activity. But not everything Israeli - is anti-Torah. And not every Israeli is anti-religious.

In fact, the opposite is true. Most Israelis are traditional — meaning that even though they may not fully observe Halacha, they care enough about their Judaism to participate in many of its practices: keeping kosher, fasting on Yom Kippur, refraining from chametz on Pesach, and so on. They may not know the details of Halacha and may err in their observance, but the point is that they are anything but anti-religious.

What they have become, however, is anti-Charedi. Ever since the war in Gaza called upon Israelis to participate in defending their country - Charedim have vehemently refused to do at any level (with some minuscule exceptions). Resentment has grown. What was once tolerance for the Charedi way of life has turned into unprecedented hostility among increasing numbers of secular and even some religious Zionist Jews.

This Posek’s attitude explains why, and it only serves to exacerbate that divide even further. As will the following – as reported in the Times of Israel:

A planned massive “million man” Haredi prayer rally against IDF conscription slated for Thursday is expected to block the main entrance to Jerusalem for hours and cause major congestion in the capital, police say.

Making matters worse is another - related incident that happened:

Several ultra-Orthodox men twice interrupt proceedings at the High Court of Justice dealing with military conscription enforcement for their community, shouting in the courtroom against the enlistment of ultra-Orthodox yeshivas students.

At least two of the protesters shout “We’d rather die than enlist,” a common ultra-Orthodox anti-enlistment slogan, before being ejected from the courtroom by court security guards who handcuff at least one of the men.

So instead of showing secular and religious Zionist Jews the ‘pleasant ways of the Torah’, they are showing everyone how self-centered they are and how little they seem to care for anyone else. Even as the sacrifices made by so many IDF soldiers have ended in tragedy for themselves and their families!

As much as I might otherwise tolerate the views of someone I so profoundly disagree with, an attitude like his - achieves the opposite for me. Even though it is based on his sincere belief that this is what God wants - it makes me intolerant. 

I can’t help but worry that attitudes like his - rooted in the teachings of his mentors - will lead to the destruction of us all. 

Comments to this post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross posted

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Why Mamdani is Bad for the Jews and Bad for New York

Cuomo, Mamdani, and Sliwa (Newsday)

I have to admit that one of the more depressing things I have ever encountered is the likelihood of a mayor in New York that will be so vehemently anti-Israel. In my wildest dreams, I could never have imagined that. And yet, it seems that unless an upset of gargantuan proportion takes place, the polls predict that this will happen.

What makes me even more depressed is that Jews may be one of the key factors in getting him elected. I never realized there were more than just a few Jews whose politics reflected strong socialist values. I had always thought these extremist progressive Jews were on the fringes of the Jewish body politic. I believed that most Jews were indeed liberal and voted Democratic, but were nevertheless very supportive of Israel. I think that is still true even though that support has waned somewhat, for reasons beyond the scope of this post.

What I didn’t realize is that there are enough Jews that are so progressive that they can swing an election in favor of someone who believes that Israel is an apartheid state that oppresses indigenous Palestinians with a brutal occupation, and that it should be boycotted  if not dismantled entirely as a Jewish state. Although they are still in the minority, they are growing in number and are increasingly found among younger Jews whose connection to Judaism is, at best, tenuous.

These progressive young Jews have joined their non-Jewish progressive counterparts in supporting a candidate who shares their values. A candidate enthusiastically endorsed by perhaps the most famous Jewish socialist in the US, Bernie Sanders. 

What these people are voting for are Mamdani’s socialist promises of better economic times once his progressive policies are implemented. After all, who doesn’t like total rent control, free transportation, and government-subsidized grocery stores? All of which promise to save voters tons of money in their everyday lives. It’s therefore not surprising that even some mainstream Democrats might vote for someone making promises like that.

Honestly, it’s hard to argue with Mamdani’s promises. Why vote for a status quo that has failed you? Give someone with fresh ideas a chance to show he can change things for the better – as promised.

This is what’s going to get Mamdani elected. His being so anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian is not really on the radar of the typical New York voter — unless they are Jewish or Muslim.

I’m not going to go into why this type of thinking is a big mistake — other than to say there is no such thing as a free lunch! And that socialism has failed every time it has been tried. 

Aside from Mamdani’s policies being doomed to failure, the biggest concern for mainstream New York Jewish voters is his anti-Israel stance and rhetoric. Although his policies will not directly affect Israel - other than perhaps divesting any municipal funds currently invested in the Jewish state - the very idea of arresting the Prime Minister of Israel is an image I never thought I’d see in a city with the largest Jewish population in the world. Calling Israel’s war against Hamas genocide - and blaming him entirely for all Palestinian deaths in Gaza without the slightest reference to Hamas’s part in that is yet another thing I never thought I would see from the mayor of New York.

His anti-Israel rhetoric will surely increase anti-Zionist activism. Which he will surely support if not join personally.  Resultant antisemitic violence that might ensue might be opposed by Mamdani and he will not tolerate it. But it will surely be his own rhetoric that will be responsible for inflaming it in the first place.

This is why so many rabbinic leaders across denominations have urged their members to vote against Mamdani in the upcoming election. As of the last count, over 1,000 heterodox rabbis as well as virtually all mainstream Orthodox rabbis and organizations have signed on to that message.

Some might say it’s a waste of time when the polls show what seems like an insurmountable lead for Mamdani. But as I’ve said, that does not free the Jewish voter in New York from doing their civic duty. Besides, polls have been wrong before. Even lopsided ones like his. You never know.

As it turns out, Mamdani’s ‘insurmountable’ lead is shrinking. Although he still leads Cuomo by a substantial margin, Mamdani is not projected to get a majority of the vote. That’s because of a third candidate — Republican Curtis Sliwa will get a small percentage of the vote. Which might otherwise go to Cuomo. If Sliwa were to drop out of the race, it might become competitive.

I believe the entire mainstream Jewish establishment — from Orthodox to Reform — would agree that Cuomo is far from ideal. Under normal circumstances, he would be getting very little, if any, support from any of these organizations or rabbis. But I think they all agree that Cuomo is by far the lesser of two evils. A city government led by a centrist Democrat would fare far better than one led by a socialist.

And perhaps most importantly for the mainstream Jewish community, Cuomo is not anti-Israel. He is a longtime supporter of the Jewish state. We will not be hearing talk about Israel as an apartheid state or accusations of genocide in Gaza. Nor would anyone be talking about arresting the Prime Minister of Israel.

It is late in the game. Early voting has already begun. The media is reporting the highest early voting turnout in New York history. The stakes are high. Many New Yorkers know that and are responding by voting early. The only question is: how are they voting? Is it a progressive surge or an anti-progressive backlash – a surge driven by fear a New York governed by socialism? It’s hard to know.

One thing seems clear: Sliwa is not backing out, even though he has no chance of winning. It’s also clear that people that will vote for Sliwa would never vote for Mamdani. If Sliwa were out, they would likely switch their vote to Cuomo.

I strongly urge people who do not want to see a Mamdani mayoralty in New York not to help elect him by voting for Sliwa. Because every vote for Sliwa is, in effect, a vote for Mamdani. I urge every Sliwa supporter to switch their vote to Cuomo. If enough Sliwa voters do that; and if my hunch is right that most New Yorkers don’t want to see their city turn socialist; then the polls may be wrong and Cuomo might win.

If he does, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. If Mamdani wins, Jews may find themselves in a very precarious situation, as pro-Palestinian rallies will surely increase - rallies that will be heartily supported by the new mayor. And that is surely something not to look forward to.

Comments to this post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross-posted

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When a Religious Leader Loses His Sense of Moral Clarity

Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef (TOI)

One must respect the opinions of rabbinic leaders in every generation. They generally earn their titles as leaders by virtue of their Torah knowledge, piety,  and their life-long experiences. They are the ultimate Chareid L’Dvar HaShem - trembling lest they violate the word of God - especially since they guide the Jewish people.

It is therefore a mistake to denigrate or worse - humiliate - these great figures. Regardless of how much one disagrees with them. They did not become leaders by accident. They became leaders because many other rabbinic authorities recognized them as such. That, together with the wisdom that comes with age, makes them leaders.

So, I respect those leaders even when I disagree strongly with them. Some would say that my very disagreement is an insult regardless of how respectfully I state it. That is pure nonsense. Others might say that my disagreement is meaningless in the face of their superior Torah knowledge, wisdom, and piety. That may  - or may not be true. But that has never stopped me from expressing my difference of opinion about some of their policy positions and statements. Most often those disagreements are the product of influences from my own rabbinic mentors who - even though many are no longer alive - were nonetheless great leaders who themselves possessed Torah knowledge, wisdom, piety, and life experience.

But sometimes lines are crossed where I cannot in good conscience respect such a leader. When I read something like the following, I lost any level of respect I ever had for him. I dare say that my rabbinic mentors might even agree with me. I am talking about a story involving Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the rabbinic leader of the Sephardic Shas party and former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel.

If what the Times of Israel reports is true, I can no longer respect Rabbi Yosef. No matter how much piety, Torah knowledge, and life experience he may have. 

It isn’t only that I have profound differences with him; it is what he said about another rabbinic leader:

Former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, who is also the spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, calls a fellow rabbi and bereaved father a heretic for advocating conscription for yeshiva students.

“Who is an apikores?” Yosef is heard saying in recordings first leaked by Kol Chai radio and published by Ynet, referring to the traditional Jewish term for a heretic. “He says, ‘Everyone should go to the army.’ What do you mean by everyone [should go] to the army? They study Torah. Just as there is an air force, there is the ‘God force’ of those who sit and study Torah and protect the entire people of Israel.”

In the recording, Yosef explicitly criticizes Rabbi Tamir Granot, who serves as the head of the hesder yeshiva Orot Shaul in Tel Aviv — which combines Torah study and military service — and whose son, Cpt. Amitay Granot, was killed by an anti-tank missile on the Lebanon border in October 2023.

“Several heads of yeshivot attacked me,” Yosef says. “There was one rabbi — I don’t know if he’s a rabbi — Granot, the head of a hesder yeshiva. The way he spoke against us on television. Aren’t you afraid of the humiliation of the Torah scholars?”

“I think there are some of them who, if they were to come to join a minyan (prayer quorum), we would not include them in the minyan,” Yosef continues. “They fall under the category of apikores. Not all of them.”

I cannot understand how someone who is supposed to be a leader of the Jewish people can be so callous as to call a fellow rabbi a heretic merely because he suggested that yeshiva students should serve in the army. That would be bad enough. But to call the head of a Hesder yeshiva who lost his son in battle an apikores is beyond disgusting.

Even if I grant that Rabbi Yosef is entitled to his view against conscription of yeshiva students, to call a Rosh Yeshiva, who believes that Torah study and military service can coexist to protect the Jewish people... and Rabbi Yosef calls him an apikores?! That he said it about a man who lost his son in battle makes it one of the worst things I have ever heard a rabbinic leader ever say. It is the height of insensitivity and callousness. 

Although I profoundly disagree with him, Rabbi Yosef is entitled to his religious views exempting yeshiva students from army service. But tin my view he has lost any claim to moral authority with those comments. I believes it disqualifies him from any claim of leadership among the Jewish people..

I would therefore advise anyone who considers Rabbi Yosef their spiritual leader, to find another one. Because I believe Rabbi Yosef has lost his way.

Comments to this post can be made at Emes Ve-Emunah II where it is cross-posted

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No New Post Today.

In an effort to improve the reading and commenting experience for my readers,  I am experimenting with another format - Substack - and do not have enough time to research and write a new post today. 

For what it's worth I have not had any great success thus far. New post tomorrow.