We traveled to Washington. We Davened, sang Hallel and Lained. We raised the Torah in triumph on the lawn of the White House and Davened Mussaf. We made our point. We delivered our message. We can now go home.
The fact that the “main event” has a pastor and a Muslim woman but not one speaker with a Yarmulka, speaks volumes. if they didn’t want a rabbi, that’s okay. But why not ONE prominent, well-respected rav or philanthropist with a Yarmulka?
Thank you to the massive crowd who proudly raised a Sefer Torah this morning in front of the White House.
Yossi Cohen (Actually a real name, and proud to use it).
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30 Responses
“The fact that the “main event” has a pastor and a Muslim woman but not one speaker with a Yarmulka, speaks volumes. if they didn’t want a rabbi, that’s okay. But why not ONE prominent, well-respected rav or philanthropist with a Yarmulka?” The answer is both simple and one that will annoy many, but it is a truth. The answer is that the State of Israel has no connection with authentic Yiddishkeit
How is it that these events always happen without the Agudah getting itself involved? That’s a major question on what they’re doing that they can’t get frum representation in something like this.
Your conclusion is exactly wrong. The Frum community must be there to demonstrate Achdus in our support for the Jews in Israel and against antisemitism. However, having a Rabbi appear on the podium standing and speaking with non-orthodox “Rabbis” and secular/religious leaders would be recognizing them as equals (this is something our Gedolim have Paskened for the past 100 years that we must not and cannot do). It’s why our frum organizations have never sat together with Conservative or Reform groups. We must be there as part of Klal Yisroel, to show the strength of our numbers and our unity. It would be a terrible Chilul Hashem if we weren’t there, and send a horrific message to our not-yet frum brethren. But our Rabbonim DO NOT belong on their secular stage.
I guess your message is from Halel Shalem: Lo lanuu Hashem, Lo lanu..
Agree 100% with letter writer. As for your comment Avrumi: Your “answer” is debatable and there are many valid opinions on both sides of the coin. As for this particular rally, it was not organized by the State of Israel. It was organized by various organizations and should have had speaker representation, and speakers, acceptable to all segments of the American Jewish Community including the Orthodox, and it does not.
Agree with NaNachIsntBreslov and LakewoodNJMom. In other words, Lakewood and the Augudah etc should be working with the other organizations (those that will listen in the non-religious world) to create a rally which will satisfy both ends. We can unify as Jews if we work together (again, some will refuse to cooperate but we must try). A speaker lineup that includes Rabbonim, congressional leaders, and appropriate other speakers will speak to both the right and the left segments. Muslims marched in Washington with tens of thousands of people. Why can’t we unify enough to have large numbers attend a rally ? We must answer hatred that sees no differentiation between Jews with achdus that sees no diffrentation (albeit with boundaries to ensure everything is done al pi torah) I would argue that yeshiva leit who are learning the whole day should not attend such a rally but the bnei torah who are in the workplace should attend.
Can’t we all just get along for a few minutes. Why do we have to take everything so personally. Show up to support Israel and the hoatage. Stop over thinking it.
Lakewood NJMom hit it right on the head. If you had an Orthodox Rabbi speak there would also be a fight to have a Conservative or Reform or a woman Rabbi speak. No question that would be worse than no Rabbi
To be fair a jewish kid with yarmulke spoke, but your right why not have a know frum askan like malcolm honlein or someone of his caliber speak for two minutes? Btw the president of Israel wears a yarmulke, ishai ribo wears a yarmulke, so their are yidden wearing yarmulkes at the rally, (even if it’s not everyone’s type of frum) but it is not really about defending Israeli right to self defense, advocating for the decimation of hamas, bringing the hostages home etc… hashem should protect us.
*take out not, and its really about defending Israeli right to self defense, advocating for the decimation of hamas, bringing the hostages home etc… hashem should protect us.
“We raised the Torah in triumph on the lawn of the White House and Davened Mussaf. We made our point”
Huh? What?
“We raised the Torah in triumph”???? What in the world are you talking about? Triumph? Over who? Over what?
Making a mockery over teffila. Just like Chal Hamoed wearing short khaki pants on a Pesach program, turning Hallel into a chilled concert performance. Nothing to be proud of.
LakewoodNJMom:
No one is saying we need rabbanim speaking at the rally. But there shouldn’t be even ONE frum person??? Is that by mistake?
We have enough enemies outside, why encourage more fighting from within?
There is no Orthodox Rabbi speaking because that would necessitate also having a Reform or Conservative Rabbi doing the same thing. The pastor will probably be a much better spokesman than any Reform rabbi.
This is not a religious event. You would be happy if the roster was the same with one or two Orthodox speakers? The event is a show of support for Israel, and those who are watching don’t care what’s on anyones head. No one is showing to to be inspired by the speakers.
Although I support the actions of the IDF in support of our nation’s defense, I also agree with the Satmer shitta that Zionism pulls Jews away from Yidishkeit. If Zionism is put first we lose sight of what is of utmost importance to Jews and that is adhering to the Torah and halacha.
As soon as I saw who the speakers will be I realized who the crowd will be and thought the entire atmosphere will not be for Chareidim. I knew the women in the crowd will be singing when the singers sing and who know if the pastor will mention Yushke…and an actress thrown into the mix…really not for frum Jews.
Frum Jews should make their own rally with rabbanim and frum singers.
IQUOTED THE FOLLOWING FROM AN EARLIER COMMENT FROM SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE ADDED MESSAGE THAT THIS IS ALSO THE MESSAGE I HAVE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE ROSHEI YESHIVA AND CHOSHUVE RABBANIM:
“Your conclusion is exactly wrong. The Frum community must be there to demonstrate Achdus in our support for the Jews in Israel and against antisemitism. However, having a Rabbi appear on the podium standing and speaking with non-orthodox “Rabbis” and secular/religious leaders would be recognizing them as equals (this is something our Gedolim have Paskened for the past 100 years that we must not and cannot do). It’s why our frum organizations have never sat together with Conservative or Reform groups. We must be there as part of Klal Yisroel, to show the strength of our numbers and our unity. It would be a terrible Chilul Hashem if we weren’t there, and send a horrific message to our not-yet frum brethren. But our Rabbonim DO NOT belong on their secular stage.”
HOWEVER THE LINEUP THE RALLY CHOSE TO HAVE: WITH ACTRESSES AND SINGERS AND “WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS” IS CERTAINLY PROBLEMATIC AS OPPOSED TO A RALLY WITH POLITICIANS AND OTHER PEOPLE HOLDING POSITIONS IN POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
ALSO A QUESTION IS HE SAYING HALLEL WITH A SEFER TORAH OPEN IN FRONT OF HIM?????????
Let’s not nitpick on who the speakers are or are not. The main goal was to bring as much people as possible. If you propose a Rav, someone else proposes Ms. Rabba. Then, others will not come, etc. And, after all, having a Rabbi for Israel is not news, having an influential paster and a muslim – is. And top members of congress.
avreimi: this isn’t about the medinah, it’s about getting the american gov’t to help protect the yidden who live in EY. it’s like you’re in a business partnership with a freieh yid–you’re both going to lobby legislators to help your business etc.
There is so much talk and even letters from Rabonnim about not going “it is not our derech” PLEASE! If your Bubbie was one of the hostages you would go wherever, whenever. Even the people there acting in ways we dont have good intentions. Stop the Sinas Chinam. That being said why aren’t we represented there where is Agudah who we support day in and day out? Where are they today with the voice that is supposed to be representing us.
Re: Just a nice Jewish Boy. You imply that the rabonim have sinas chinam when they tell us that the Torah’s approach is not to go? The Rabonim know way better than us what is called sinaas chinam, and what is not. They have much more love for other Yidden than all of us combined.
Rav Aharon Feldman put it very bluntly. He was promised that the program would be acceptable for frum Yiddin, yet it’s not. That’s all, it’s very simple.
There was power to the words of the Shunamis – בתוך עמי אנוכי יושבת . Showing up to be counted as part of Klal Yisrael has value in and of itself, irrespective of whether there is an Agudah representative speaking.
And for the record – President Herzog is at least somewhat observant – he has and regularly participates in the daily Minyanim in Beit Hanasi. I know this from a close family member who is a regular Mispalel at that Minyan.
an Israeli Yid
I’m sorry, but it was a magnificent display of Jewish unity. There was no kefira and often there was an invocation to G_d and H-shem. Everyone spoke beautifully and inspirationally. It was a beautiful event and it was just too bad that the chareidi world was the only one that did not participate
Lakewood feels that they have replaced Yerushalayim and don’t apply עמו אנוכי בצרה when it comes to the Eretz Yisroel. They are holding up Moshiach. If every Jew would move to EY they would be out of business.
This was meant to be a political event and demonstration of support from a wide range of constituencies, both Jewish and non-Jewish, for the Israeli response to Hamas and growing left-wing criticism. The inclusive nature of the speaker, including Congressional leaders, interfaith reps etc. was necessary for the desired optics. The crowd was probably the largest or near-largest or a Jewish rally in history (the Park Service no longer provides numerical estimates). Kol hakovod the the frum participants and yeshiva bochurim who wee pressured not to attend but felt the need to be there in solidarity.
Just sayin the Halacha is that by hagba one should not open the Torah scroll more than three columns
It was gratifying that there was no kol-isha woman singer.
To Lakewhut:
I learn in Lakewood Yeshiva (BMG) and I travelled to the rally with my Chavrusa and we learnt together on the way there and also returning home. I met at the rally many Talmidim from the Lakewood Yeshiva.
Herzog wears a yarmulke.
I listened to the rally from Yerusholayim. Unfortunately, the one speech that had Hashem and Torah concepts the most mentioned was from Pastor Hagree, who always speaks to our Oilom so respectfully.