An Open Letter to the Jewish Community:
As leaders of the Jewish community, none of whose organizations will endorse or oppose any candidate for President, we feel compelled to speak out against certain rhetoric and tactics in the current campaign that we find particularly abhorrent. Of particular concern, over the past several weeks, many in our community have received hateful emails that use falsehood and innuendo to mischaracterize Senator Barack Obama’s religious beliefs and who he is as a person.
These tactics attempt to drive a wedge between our community and a presidential candidate based on despicable and false attacks and innuendo based on religion. We reject these efforts to manipulate members of our community into supporting or opposing candidates.
Attempts of this sort to mislead and inflame voters should not be part of our political discourse and should be rebuffed by all who believe in our democracy. Jewish voters, like all voters, should support whichever candidate they believe would make the best president. We urge everyone to make that decision based on the factual records of these candidates, and nothing less.
Sincerely,
William Daroff, Vice President, United Jewish Communities
Nathan J. Diament, Director, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Abraham Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League
Richard S. Gordon, President, American Jewish Congress
David Harris, Executive Director, American Jewish Committee
Rabbi Marvin Hier, Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center
Rabbi David Saperstein, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Phyllis Snyder, President, National Council of Jewish Women
Hadar Susskind, Washington Director, Jewish Council for Public Affairs
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52 Responses
Islamic tendencies are no minor matter.
So the OU joined a bunch of left-leaning Jewish organizations (like the vast majority of non religious Jews) and is lending support to Sen.Obama. Sure says a lot about the OU…at least they didn’t put something out in support of the Rishanta, hillary.
Go Romney/Thompson/Rudy!
Thank you for posting this message. The president is a post that should be held by an individual who represents the
the views of the public. Its well documented that Obama’s spiritual advisor (his reverand), last year awarded “the farakan” may his name be blotted out, an award on achievement for his efforts. To have a president that’s getting spiritual advice from spmeone who endorses a flaming anti-Semite is something the public should know about. Obama is a true Abomination!
Bottom line: The guy is running on poetry, magic words, emotions, carizma etc…. with nothing to show for himself.
I assume that these hate emails (none of which I have received – has anyone else?) are painting him as a muslim. Perhaps he is? Do we really know what his beliefs are. Politicians will lie about anything to get elected. Why shouldnt Obama be hiding his beliefs too?
this election is not about who you are voting for its about who you are not voting for. none of them have much appeal as a presidential candidate. so one has to figure out who is out and last one remaining is your choice.
i will remind our readers that actually each of these are no more than puppets of g-d to play out history as he so chooses so it really doesnt make a difference what we choose. where we do have a say and rightly so is our voice to society of morality and values and that is only where we should be placing our vote. the best way is for our leaders to use their understanding of g-ds will to let us know where to go from here.
The real problem is Obama’s left wing minister is an anti Semite who has openly called for Israel to be exterminated as a jewish state.
Of course obama is a democrat which is more important to the jewish establishment than anti semitism.
The democratic party is a party of anti semites. But the OU is too establishment to care.
#2 can you read the English language? The first sentance make it very clear that they are NOT supporting any candidate.
Personally I’m more concerned that he avoids addressing issues by saying his apponents are bringing unhealthy attitudes into the debate ie. Hillary brings up terrorism and he basically responds that these are scare tactics. How about actually addressing issue?
This letter from O-U, etc., stinks!
There are e-mails and rumors all over the net all the time, about every possible subject. So, why did these esteemed left-wing and reform organizations find it necessary to come out with a highly-publicised joint public statement?
May I suggest that these left-wing groups (ADL, Reform, etc.) jumped at the chance to support Obama, who they think may win the primaries and become the Democrat nominee.
The O-U should be ashamed of themselves, associating with these enemies of Torah.
Rav Moshe Feinstein led the Orthodox Rabbinate in forbidding joint actions with Reform and Consevative organizations, which would legitimize them in the eyes of the “Amcha” public. What happened to this Issur?
and Rebetzin Hillary, who publicly hugged Suha Arafat, is a better candidate than Obama?
Kudos to the OU.
People, we’re in golus. We need to maintain our dignity and integrity and speak well for ourselves in public forums such as this one.
Well-researched, reasoned literature on candidates is one thing but hate mail based on rumor and innuendo should not be part of the discourse.
Obama is a left wing’er and we should not vote for him, nor should we defend him. Rabbi Miller Ztl was fire against the liberal/left ( and that was back in the 1980’s & early 90’s what would he have said about Obama who’s ideas are sooooo far to the left, he could make the left of the eighties look like republicans.
Obama’s spiritual leader has made public statements equating Zionism with Racism. Why doesn’t the OU call on Obama to denounce those remarks and at least let the public know his own belief on the matter?
Forget what Obama may believe or not. It’s what we know the Republicans believe that should worry us. They pander, like slaves, to a religion in the name of which millions and millions of yidn, throughout history, have have been murdered al kiddush Hashem. Can we put the safety and security of our kinderlach, yeshivas and other mosdos into the hands of people who believe that yidn must be converted or exterminated before their god can return? They want to remove the separation of church and state, forcing, chas v’sholom, jewish children to recite, or even witness, their prayers in schools.
The Republicans are the true sonei yisroel, and they have seduced frum Jews by pretending that their religion has similiar values to ours, l’havdil elef havdolim, and by pretending that their support for Israel is anything but an apocalyptic fantasy.
Raboisay, Islam may be the enemy outside our walls, but the Republicans and their religious core are the enemy within our walls.
I have indeed received one of these hate mails. It was truly pathetic and deceiving. It quotes something as being factually true based on a website that if anyone bothered to check out is clearly lower in credibility than a tabloid. Honestly, it seems that most of the people who have posted so far are incredibly ignorant. First of all, Obama is a christian, not a muslim. That is a fact. Secondly, as Jews who wish to be able to practice our beliefs without government persecution or intervention (something we clearly take for granted in America), we need a president who believes that our government should be run based on the constitution, not on any single person’s religious beliefs. There are those presently in the campaign who would not be able to separate their religious beliefs from their politics and believe that America should be run based on their particular beliefs and not on the ideals set forth by the founders of this country in the constitution. Barack Obama is not one of those people, rather he recognizes that the constitution guarantees us the freedom to practice our beliefs. To quote Senator Obama, [People] “need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice…This brings me to my second point. Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values.”
yeah but a frum Jew one should not vote for any democratic candidate anyways, we have conservitive views.
Does this mean that Obama now has the OU Hechsher? Is he OU Glatt, OUd, or OUde?
Numbers 14 and 16-Well said…it is nice to see people commenting when they actually know what they are talking about. Thank you for your enlightening comments.
Hey illini07! Good to see you back! I was wondering what happened to you, I was worried that you where too busy paying the taxes that your democratic friends levied on you, that you just didn’t have the time to look at TYW!
I really must thank you for coming to the rescue of the magic negro.
Much appreciated!
The point is, there is going to be a democratic candidate. The OU is not talking about supporting a democratic candidate vs. a repulican candidate – they are talking dem vs. dem.
Since there will be a dem candidate, who should it be? I would rather see Clinton defeated sooner rather than later.
B”H we have some level heads like Reb #16. Also, should never forget that part of the Republicans’ true agenda is to rob the aniyim, the yesomim, the almonos, to enrich their wealthy white protestant constituents and the corporations they own. But far too many nebachdike frum yidden fall into the trap of thinking that the Republicans are on our side. Make no mistake.
It’s also pretty obvious that these attacks on the senator are just racism, plain and simple. The fact that yidden are buying into this just shows you the yeridas hadoros we’ve experienced since yidden and blacks marched together against bigotry and racism.
I”Y this whole affair should be mechazek us all to speak out against bigotry and racism wherever we see it. Especially when yidden are involved, it is a tremendous chillul Hashem.
If anyone needs confirmation that Republicans are the real threat to be feared (aside from the fact that Bush is pouring money into Saudi Arabia, a kingdom committed to the destruction, rachmone litzlon, of klal yisroel) see this article from the AP:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hw36mXsH7fbogLzqW06NU31aQAmgD8U761G80
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former congressman and delegate to the United Nations was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an al-Qaida and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan.
The former Republican congressman from Michigan, Mark Deli Siljander, was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly lying about lobbying senators on behalf of an Islamic charity that authorities said was secretly sending funds to terrorists.
A 42-count indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., accuses the Islamic American Relief Agency of paying Siljander $50,000 for the lobbying — money that turned out to be stolen from the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Siljander, who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, was appointed by President Reagan to serve as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations for one year in 1987.
yitzchokm: If Barack Obama is a magic negro, you’re a shameful kike. And just because you’re quoting Rush Limbaugh who was quoting an African-American, doesn’t get you off the hook. Words matter, and you shouldn’t treyf up this forum with your nivl peh.
There is no mention of separation of church and state anywhere in the constitution. The closest is the establishment clause. There is also no such thing as OUde besides baby formula.
#10 R. Moshe did indeed pasken that way. But the Rav held otherwise. The OU is generally guided by the Rav POV when dealing with communal issues.
all the issues aside,
I don’t see what the UOR are doing by “denouncing” these emails. why don’t they denounce all the spam I get for all kinds of garbage? the OU is becoming way too political for their own good. when respected organizations start spouting political cliches at every opportunity, people start thinking of THEM as cliches. Stick to the Orthodox community you were formed for!
are we sure that the OU stands behind this statement? if they were, wouldnt one of the rabonim be signing and not the director?
#26, ’07 and the rest of you libs.
OK. So you found one Republican who is bad. Big deal. Right. When we redistribute YOUR money, you could talk. When 35% of YOUR paycheck goes to others, you can talk. When you can’t get a good job because of affirmative action, you can talk. When you little son sees two men living together as a family, and your disgusted, you can talk. Until then, support Republicans. No party is a friend of the Jews. Easov is never going to be our friend. But until our redemption comes, we have to try to be and live the best way we can.
Ps, I know that a Republican made affirmative action. Yes, it was a mistake.
Pps, before ppl start writing how the dems support the Torah, think about the bad things they do, morally wise, and the effect it has on our kids.
illini07, have no fear when people read these posts, they understand that it is the opinion of the poster and not the entire board or if all Yidden. I did not like the reference in 23 either.
with that said, if I was concerned that other peoples opinions would be somehow construed as my opinions by other readers, I would have stopped posting along time ago (something that would probably have made many people happy) 🙂
yitzchokm, Thanks for the good laugh I got. I love that description of magic negro. Don’t worry about that Politically Correct comment or two who couldn’t tolerate a good joke.
Its a shamel that secular Jews blindly follow the Democrats. Although not entirely wholesome, the Republicans certainly share a lot more values with Yidden then the immorally corrupt Democrats.
There isn’t much worse then Hillary Arafat or Obama Hussein. While the Democrats produce the Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons, the Republicans produce the Ronald Reagans and George W. Bush’s.
Baruch Hashem the vast majority of Torah Yidden these days vote against the Democrats, the party of abortion, taxes, feigeles, crime, antisemites, race baiting liars.
Oh yes, and the Democrats would rather accept terrorism then allow torturing murderous terrorists to force them to give information to help stop the next terror attack.
The OU did not endorse Obamas.They merely said that as a community , the Jewish community should not be labeled as a hate community against a legitimate presidential candidate.What if Obama is elected? Support whomever you prefer.Just be for that candidate.Do not be stupid to alienate our community from any candidate of a major party.The OU is right.This has nothing to do with the Rov or Rav Moshe
If the US under Bush is Bush country, is it going to be an Obama-nation if Obama is elected?
It is truly disgusting to see frum Yidden support Democrats. How could you support that morally corrupt, traitorous, lying,thieving, pandering bunch of maniacal anti-Israel morons?
And tough, I just love that ditty of Rush,” Barak the Magic Negro lived in DC”, sung by none other than that great Ohev Yisroel, Al Sharpton (or rather a parody thereof). Coudnt stop laughing because it was so true!!!!
For many years, Mr. Obama has been an adjunct (part-time) professor in the University of Chicago Law School. He has been very respectful toward his students, including our Kipah-wearing brethren.
I’m very sorry people but the word “negro” is a word in the American English language to be found in any dictionary. It does not necesarily have a negative connotation. Kike on the other hand is not English but Slang and always used negatively.
TO TOWN CRYBABY NO. 29:
Rav Avigdor Miller, ZT”L, stated openly that every Jew should support Republicans, in preference to Democrats, because the Democrat party today has become synonymous with Abortion, Gay “Rights,” and Pornography.
I fail to see the “Sinas Chinom” in pointing out that the ADL, Reform and others mentioned in the Obama press release are ardent supporters of the abovementioned immoral agenda, and that any self-respecting Orthodox Torah organization has no business associating themselves in public with those groups and, thereby, legitimizing them.
Perhaps you, yourself, are blinded by Sinas Chinom (and political partisanship).
The problem with some of you libs on here is that you fail to realize that you should be supporting the people who at least come close to what you should be thinking as a Shomer Torah Umitzvos. No one from the party of the Donkey even comes close! I challenge everyone to come up with a list of possitive things each of the Donkey candidates have done. None of them, not Mrs. William Jefferson Blyth Clinton, not Osama Hussein Obama, or anyone else has ever done anything positive.
As I said, the challenge is out there. And, no, “caring” about something is not doing!
ML
How about “Magic African-American from Gaza”?
46, et al, supporting the OU’s action (and does this really fall under the rubric of interdenominational or ecumenical dialogue and what the gedolim assured 50 years ago?) does not make one a lib. I think that 40 said it quite well.
The smoke does seem to be getting thicker. 2 talk show hosts from the right spent quite a bit of time discussing the issue of Obama and his church. But I’m all for letting the grownups handle it, not the rabble rousers. 45 and others, yes, kannaim pog’im bo, but we are none of us on the level of Pinchas, or Rabbi Miller, zt”l.
The Jews (and Israe’s) best friends in Congress (and the White House) are all Republicans.
There is nothing wrong in paroding the racist Revrend’s Magic Negro comment. Its quite funny actually.
illini07! Public Service Announcement: there is no “immoral agenda.” I fail to see why we should have the right to practice our religion, but others should not have the right to live their lives as they see fit. This country is not run by religion, nor should it be.
Really? The founding fathers were influenced by religion when they wrote the Constitution! Some of the Fathers to sign Constitution had STATE religions! (Not that I think that it was right to have. The morels of the United States where strongly influenced by religion.
As to the way we have to look at morality, we have a Torah. According to the Torah, gays are called disgusting. According to the Democrats, gays have a right to be gay. They have a right to get married to each other, and adopt children. According to the (most) Republicans, gays are disgusting. Sound familiar?
Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution; letting people act like pigs is not.
If WE are going to decide what is morally correct, we are lost. We must understand that man has fallen, and what we see today as a proper way of life wan shunned upon a few years ago.
We have the Torah to guide us.
For those who think that the Dems. are worth it because of the “good” they do, when (if) Chas V’Shlom you find someone you care about your child watching pornography, think if it’s worth the price. This is the price of the Kollel life.
PS I am NOT against the Kollel life, as I know that it is their Torah which protects us from harm. Just look at the price.
the town crier re: rush l. post 55, finally you said something that I could agree with.
Crier, For every ostensibly pro-Jewish/Israel Democrat you name I can name you at LEAST 2 Republicans.
And Lieberman is hardly the example Yidden need. He is pro-abortion and pro-feigele.
Crier, Think a bit. There is a reason the vast majority of Torah Yidden tend to vote Republican.
For one the Democrats are anathema to Torah values. And two, as unwholesome as any politician is, the Republicans tend to be the best we get.
While it is entirely acceptable to attack Israel in the Democrat party, as many member of their Congressional Black Caucus are fond of doing on frequent occasion, the Republicans are nearly uniformly in support of Israel and many Jewish values.
The usual anti-Rush crowd bunch of elitists that only know how to call him names. Well stick with your friendly immoral traitors the harry rieds & nancy pelosis. I’ll stick with rush. The only drivel garbage I see are democrat supporters such as town crier and npr. Only those that speak garbage drivel claim rush does. Aka psychological projection.
Goerge W has been Israel’s best friend in the White House since Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon — who supplied them large military hardware needed when war broke out (all Republicans). OTOH Bill CLinton gave Israel Oslo, and Jimmy Carter (both Democrats) was and is a real antisemite.
Crier, You will keep on ‘crying’ as Acheinu Bnei Yisrowl (as well as most Americans) keep on electing Republican President’s.
You will stop crying once you understand WHY most Torah Yidden (and plain Americans) tend to vote Republican.
The game is played based on electoral votes, not popular votes. Both candidates tried to get the most electoral votes, and Bush won.
Sorry for your loss.
if memory serves correctly, billy boy clinton never received more than 50% of the popular vote. in fact, Bush was the first President to win a majority of the popular vote, since 1988 – when his father won the majority of votes. Joseph is correct it is electoral votes that count, not popular votes. if you needed a majority of popular votes, in 93 and 96 there would have been a runoff of the two top vote recipients and who knows, maybe we would not have had the immoral billy boy with his scandals in the White House.