They don’t deserve to be called rabbis. They don’t know what Judaism is, instead they define it purely by their progressive values which are often against true Jewish values, even going so far as to justify antisemitism and calls for violence against Jews and Israel.
I don’t think sympathetic outreach will do a thing to bring them back to sanity. I fear we’re in a new world where the sane will need to “cut bait” with the anti-Zionist crowd. Judaism, like the rest of the world, will become more and more split. Eventually, the Haredim will emerge as the keepers of the faith, and the others will fade away. Sadly, Jews are gonna be the worst enemies of the Jewish people. I see it in my own small community where bleeding heart progressives revile me for supporting Bibi and his aggressive policies. I saw Susan Rice yesterday on a panel and she made my skin crawl. I remembered Obama’s push for a “negotiate first” policy with Iran and how that insanity is still maintained by many lefties and Jews. Few seem to remember Iran’s taking the American embassy hostage in the 1970s. Oh well, that was so many years ago. How could it inform our decisions today?!!!
Excellent analysis and explanation, however, overly sympathetic. Irrespective of their personal situations, they do great damage. Not many people are as knowledgeable, thoughtful and empathetic as you are. I renew my invitation to let me take you out to lunch when you are next in Israel.
FYI, I ran this letter through my AskHillel chatbot.
Here's what it said.
This letter invokes the language of tikkun olam, mutual responsibility, and pride in diasporic Jewish life. But your concern is that it crosses a boundary: using Jewish identity to sanctify political support for a candidate who, at best, fails to affirm Israel's legitimacy, and at worst, aligns with rhetoric that endangers Jews. That triggers multiple Tier 1 conflicts.
First, Chilul Hashem: When rabbis use their status to publicly legitimize figures who equivocate on phrases like “globalize the intifada,” it risks desecrating Torah’s ethical reputation, especially if such figures oppose the only Jewish state’s right to self-defense or existence.
Second, Emet (Truth) and Areivut (Mutual Responsibility): The authors conflate moral solidarity with uncritical alliance. Defending a figure who distances himself from violent rhetoric only rhetorically—but not ideologically—may obscure real communal risk. This fails to meet Jewish truth standards and erodes covenantal accountability to fellow Jews.
Third, Tier Conflict—Justice vs. National Self-Preservation: The letter prioritizes progressive coalition-building and social justice values without addressing the core national ethics of Jewish self-defense and sovereignty. That risks Tier 1P erosion—undermining Jewish peoplehood as a moral actor.
What might be a safeguard? Those invoking Judaism to justify support for political actors must meet a test of Kiddush Hashem: does this support elevate Torah’s moral voice and protect the dignity and safety of the Jewish people? If not, it should be retracted—or at least reframed with humility.
--there is nothing wrong with being very critical of Netanyahu. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are.
--there is nothing wrong with criticizing this or that Israeli policy. Israelis do it all the time.
--BUT, if you hate Netanyahu and Israel, without a single word about Iran, Hamas, terrorism, and all the rest, then you are somewhere between a fool and an antisemite. If you are Jewish you have more than a little self-hatred.
Also: to anyone who says, “Well, they are Jewish therefore…” I would reply in 2 words: “Phyllis Schlafly”—a woman who does not ‘speak for women’, not on any decent understanding of what ‘speaking for women’ means. The same holds for these people ‘speaking for Jews.’
This is a completely insane situation. I'm not sure we should even give them the respect of considering them Jewish, because there is nothing Jewish about aiding and abetting the killing of fellow Jews, and that is exactly what they are doing. They are frauds.
From email:
They've exiled themselves and aren't Rabbis, not even close.
From email:
What to do?
EXCOMMUNICATE THEM!
“And to the slanderers let there be no hope…”
From email:
They don’t deserve to be called rabbis. They don’t know what Judaism is, instead they define it purely by their progressive values which are often against true Jewish values, even going so far as to justify antisemitism and calls for violence against Jews and Israel.
From email:
I don’t think sympathetic outreach will do a thing to bring them back to sanity. I fear we’re in a new world where the sane will need to “cut bait” with the anti-Zionist crowd. Judaism, like the rest of the world, will become more and more split. Eventually, the Haredim will emerge as the keepers of the faith, and the others will fade away. Sadly, Jews are gonna be the worst enemies of the Jewish people. I see it in my own small community where bleeding heart progressives revile me for supporting Bibi and his aggressive policies. I saw Susan Rice yesterday on a panel and she made my skin crawl. I remembered Obama’s push for a “negotiate first” policy with Iran and how that insanity is still maintained by many lefties and Jews. Few seem to remember Iran’s taking the American embassy hostage in the 1970s. Oh well, that was so many years ago. How could it inform our decisions today?!!!
From email:
Excellent analysis and explanation, however, overly sympathetic. Irrespective of their personal situations, they do great damage. Not many people are as knowledgeable, thoughtful and empathetic as you are. I renew my invitation to let me take you out to lunch when you are next in Israel.
From Elder of Ziyon:
FYI, I ran this letter through my AskHillel chatbot.
Here's what it said.
This letter invokes the language of tikkun olam, mutual responsibility, and pride in diasporic Jewish life. But your concern is that it crosses a boundary: using Jewish identity to sanctify political support for a candidate who, at best, fails to affirm Israel's legitimacy, and at worst, aligns with rhetoric that endangers Jews. That triggers multiple Tier 1 conflicts.
First, Chilul Hashem: When rabbis use their status to publicly legitimize figures who equivocate on phrases like “globalize the intifada,” it risks desecrating Torah’s ethical reputation, especially if such figures oppose the only Jewish state’s right to self-defense or existence.
Second, Emet (Truth) and Areivut (Mutual Responsibility): The authors conflate moral solidarity with uncritical alliance. Defending a figure who distances himself from violent rhetoric only rhetorically—but not ideologically—may obscure real communal risk. This fails to meet Jewish truth standards and erodes covenantal accountability to fellow Jews.
Third, Tier Conflict—Justice vs. National Self-Preservation: The letter prioritizes progressive coalition-building and social justice values without addressing the core national ethics of Jewish self-defense and sovereignty. That risks Tier 1P erosion—undermining Jewish peoplehood as a moral actor.
What might be a safeguard? Those invoking Judaism to justify support for political actors must meet a test of Kiddush Hashem: does this support elevate Torah’s moral voice and protect the dignity and safety of the Jewish people? If not, it should be retracted—or at least reframed with humility.
Thanks!
From email:
The transgender “rabbi” is also a declared atheist. For this person “rabbi” is a title of political activism, not religion.
From Joan Levin:
Jews can be our worst enemies! I’ll add these so called “rabbis” to my list.
From Louis:
Is this what Judaism has come to? Is this what being a rabbi has come to?
This seems like a completely different religion to the Judaism I grew up with.
From email:
Dear Phyllis,
Well done. And gentler than I might have been.
I would only add:
--there is nothing wrong with being very critical of Netanyahu. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are.
--there is nothing wrong with criticizing this or that Israeli policy. Israelis do it all the time.
--BUT, if you hate Netanyahu and Israel, without a single word about Iran, Hamas, terrorism, and all the rest, then you are somewhere between a fool and an antisemite. If you are Jewish you have more than a little self-hatred.
Also: to anyone who says, “Well, they are Jewish therefore…” I would reply in 2 words: “Phyllis Schlafly”—a woman who does not ‘speak for women’, not on any decent understanding of what ‘speaking for women’ means. The same holds for these people ‘speaking for Jews.’
Sigh
Hang in there
From email:
This is too disgusting to contemplate at length.
A suicidal mania seems to have taken hold of the west.
From email:
Dumb asses!
This is a completely insane situation. I'm not sure we should even give them the respect of considering them Jewish, because there is nothing Jewish about aiding and abetting the killing of fellow Jews, and that is exactly what they are doing. They are frauds.
"I once lived there and can say much more but for now, silence is the better part of valor ..."
Please at some point write about your experiences in Park Slope. It would be very interesting to read.
a little good nooze for these self-hatin' s**mucks that dare call "themselfs" rabbis!
https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/israel-bans-neturei-kartas-us-spokesman-rj3kj89w
yippie!