By the time you read this article, a lecture on the topic of “The Failure of American Jewish Leadership,” by Dr. Charles Jacobs, will have been delivered at the Young Israel of Hillcrest.
As you know, I am consumed with that topic. I only wish I could have been there. Jewish American organized, religious, political, lay, and rabbinic leadership has been an utter failure, especially in the past year.
This came into full relief last week in the wake of the vote in the Senate not to support sanctions against the ICC, which looks to criminalize Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, IDF soldiers, and in essence all Jews, if we support the Zionist goals in Gaza, which is to eradicate the Hamas terror machine.
The bill, passed earlier in the House, needed Democratic support and had the solid support of Republican Senators. However, Charles Schumer, beyond a doubt the most treacherous Jew to Israel in American history, managed to block all Democratic senators, save the idiosyncratic John Fetterman (who is such an outcast in the Democratic Party that he supports Israel), from supporting the bill.
All the other Democrats, including Jewish ones such as Adam Schiff (CA), Jacky Rosen (NV), Jon Ossoff (GA), and Richard Blumenthal (CT), voted with the Democrats. Schumer, who as we know preens when he says he’s the Shomer Yisrael (Guardian of Israel), causes more harm to Israel than the worst of the “Squad” and even Bernie Sanders. No one takes those people seriously. But Charles Schumer, who parades around like the quintessential Jew, uses his high perch to bring as much harm to the State of Israel as possible, only because of his egotistic need to ingratiate himself to his non-Jewish colleagues. I can’t mention his name without bristling.
The reaction from our dependable so-called grass roots organizations (aside from the CJV and ZOA)? Pick your favorite one. If you can find one that reacted, please let me know. Can you find one that urged its constituents to either rally against Schumer’s office in New York or flood his office with calls or email? (None of his offices ever picks up the phone with a live person. I guess no one really needs anything from him.)
It came to a head last week when I commented on a rabbinic chat of a major Orthodox organization in which I routinely participate. The chat is usually used, understandably, for a discussion of halachah or practical rabbinic issues that the rabbi may be facing. On occasion, a rabbi will submit his drashah for the chat to hear. All very nice.
But I decided to post an innocent question. Does anyone know if the organization published any kind of response to the ICC vote and the Shumer sabotage? I was not shocked to see no response, and they went off into a different topic. But I did not let go. I reposted my question and made it clear that I was waiting for an answer.
Finally, the president jumped in and said the organization has a policy of silence on these matters. I knew that, but I was incredulous at seeing it put in print.
I asked how he could possibly be silent when the ICC issue could well lead to a situation of pidyon sh’vuyim (redeeming the captive) for Israeli leadership, the IDF, and even you and me? Who sets this policy?
More disappointing is that only two rabbanim joined in the conversation. One for a moment. The other, a respected talmid chacham from Brooklyn, forcefully backed up what I was saying in two different posts. In his second post, he said, “Our silence on this issue…speaks volumes for our failure as rabbanim!” I told him that he had more courage than me to express the problem more succinctly than I did.
But that was it. Since 10:13 p.m. last night, there was not a single response.
While this is my direct experience with one of the Orthodox organizations, as of this writing, it’s true of them all, not to mention the secular. One outspoken lay leader of another organization, who is not afraid to grapple with these kinds of issues, told me, “Sometimes I feel like I’m talking into a tunnel.”
I received enough grief from some of the organizational leaders over the years when I mention names, so I will leave them out. But now it’s up to you. Call your organization and ask them why you see all kinds of updates of all the things they are doing. How about a little leadership? How about organizing some form of protest to Schumer?? (To be fair, one of the organizations did put out a call to action but did not urge each person to call Schumer.)
In the meantime, call and email Schumer at many of his offices as I did. Let him know what you think of him. He cannot continue to live in his self-adoring bubble. Please do not invite him to any Jewish gathering!
This gives me the opportunity to once again drive home the point: Try never to vote Democrat! Even the good ones will fall in line with the rest of the Democratic destructive agenda – with the possible exceptions of Ritche Torres and John Fetterman.
Here in Maryland, we elected a moderate Democrat, Angela Alsobrooks. Although fair in her Israel stance, she voted with her party against the bill. So did our good friends Senators Booker and Gillibrand. If Republican Larry Hogan had won the senate seat in Maryland, it would have been an entirely different story.
Since we cannot find inspiration in our current leadership, I am presenting to you our new leaders: the freed Israeli hostages.
The hostages that were freed this past week, especially the females, showed incredible g’vurah, strength, and emunah, faith in Hashem, as did their families.
One of the females pleaded with her savage captors to release an older gentleman before her. Naturally, her request was denied. Another described how she managed not to eat non-kosher or chametz during captivity. Yet another mother asked a sh’eilah if she could violate the Shabbos to greet her freed daughter, and she did not. Another young woman braided the hair of other young captives to maintain their dignity. An older gentleman explained how he consistently shaved to maintain his own self-respect. Released men were seen making a beautiful Kiddush on Shabbos.
What a source of inspiration indeed! What leadership!
And Hannah prayed and said: My heart exulted in Hashem, my pride was raised through Hashem; my mouth opened wide against my antagonists, for I rejoiced in Your salvation. (Samuel I 2:1)
So said Hashem: Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for there is reward for your accomplishment – the words of Hashem – and they shall return from the enemy’s land. (Jeremiah 31:15)
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
