Talk about separating church from state.
Just two days after The Brooklyn Paper reported that City Council candidate Isaac Abraham would not attend a political meeting in a church basement because of his religious views, the group behind the forum has found a new – entirely secular – venue.
The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats had planned to hold its April 23 endorsement meeting in the cellar of the Park Slope United Methodist Church, but Abraham – an Orthodox Jew and longtime activist in Williamsburg’s Satmar community who is vying to succeed Councilman David Yassky (D–Williamsburg) – said that his faith barred him from entering the building.
“I asked my rabbi and [he said] it was better that I not go,” Abraham told The Brooklyn Paper earlier this week.
Abraham was criticized by club President Lucy Koteen, who suggested that Abraham could not represent a secular community if he “has so many restrictions on his life.”
“When you are on City Council, you have to go to funerals – if someone gets shot, are you not going to go because it’s a Catholic church?” Koteen asked.
But in the ensuing controversy, Koteen’s group found a new location for the forum, which will test the six candidates fighting to win the 33rd Council District that covers Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint and parts of Williamsburg, Boerum Hill, and Park Slope.
“We respect the diverse populations and we want to hear from all candidates,” Koteen said on Friday. “We respect anybody who puts themselves out to there to run as a public servant, and we want to hear from all voices.”
The endorsement meeting will take place at an Eighth Street venue – fittingly named Camp Friendship – that is down the block from the Park Slope United Methodist Church.
For his part, Abraham said that he is eager to show Brownstone Brooklyn his political views next month.
“I will attend and make my position and platform clear to the people,” he said.
(Source: The Brooklyn Paper / YWN-112)
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10 Responses
kol hakovod
Oh please. This is just foolish. He will never get elected to anything with this holier than thou attitude. Whats wrong with going into the basement of a church?
# 2 the answer to your question is Halacha!
To Anon #2;
One question; Assuming you yourself are not a rov, did you ever actually ask a rov about going into the basement of a church, or is this statement on your own?
Who said number 2 “anonymous” is a yid?
The comments section is for ALL reader of YWN.
The permissability of going into parts of a church, reform temple, and the like that are not used for services is a longstanding machlokes haposkim. He did exactly what should be done, which is to ask his Rabbi and follow what he says. If you ask someone who disagrees then follow his ruling and respect that he received a different onethe same way that you want him to reciprocate.
GO Issac GO !! You are the best candidate for this job !! Someone who has for so many years devoted his life to help yidden and the community when they had issues deserves to get elected !!!
To #2
It is not a “holier than thou attitude.”
For 1,500 years, no good ever came from a Jew going into a Church. Forced conversions, mandatory attendance at sermons, the possible presence of idol-like figures, etc.
Recently, a frum friend of mine who felt he had to attend the funeral of a city worker sat through a service in which a section of their testament was read which talked about Jews in a very negative way (first, there is discretion as to what to read at a funeral and, second, the priest knew that there were at least a few Jews there…so much for politically correct). He told me that he regretted the decision: it was a political decision and, in the future, he will not make the same mistake (regardless of the political consequences).
#4 ..and of course it depends what kind of ‘rov’..if its those kind who have no problem that their congrgants check their blackberries on yom kuper to see where stock market is and other ‘hetirim’he wont have problem even if its kiche itselv..and #2 from his postings all over one can see he is from that catasgory
I agree with baki. Rav Zimmerman Shlita, the Av Beis Din of Gateshead, says that to go into certain parts of a Church that are not being used as a Church at that time (for example to vote) is mutar. I’m not suggesting that Mr. Abraham is wrong. He asked a shailah and followed the advice of his Rav. That’s exactly what he should have done.
But people like Sinaipres should know that the halachs is not so clear cut.