She’s a massive hypocrite and perfect example of failed Jewish leadership in the diaspora. This is why after a lifetime of being a liberal Democrat and mostly secular reform Jew, I no longer associate with the Democratic Party or reform Judaism in any way.
Wow, I would like to read an encapsulation of the signs or signals that motivated you. In both sphere;s, but, particularly with regards to the 'reform' and where the two sphere's intersect. In the meantime here are a few points of my take on the Dem./Ref. issue. a) "Jewish Values" largely replaced Torah Values. They are not the same. Although "Jewish Values" in their beginning decades still had their roots in Torah or at least 'living a Jewish life/way'. b) drastically far too many Jewish individuals/groups/organizations when faced with making a choice in a decision when our Jewish Culture differs from one's political party... VERY often... it seems that for the "Jewish Values" folks and the Dem./Ref. folks they will almost always choose according to their preferred political party. Thus a 'worship' away from God/H'shem and towards Avodah Zara - idol worship.
I’m not certain of the op’s thoughts, but perhaps the point is calling out her using the “identities” of race and gender to define herself which is required and celebrated by Leftists. And on their hierarchy, white men and Jews are at the bottom.
Her father was Jewish and she was raised Jewish. Spare me the "mother must be Jewish" for her to be an authentic Jew.
I believe that came out of the fact that (pre-DNA testing) they could only be 100% sure of who a child's mother was.
As far as Buchdahl's lack of commitment to Israel goes, she makes the same mistake a lot of far-left liberals do: antisemites (like all racists) are not sophisticated thinkers. When you vilify Netanyahu's policies, they vilify all Jews.
Much as we Americans are all judged for our government's policies.
If Rabbi Buchdahl cannot look at the face of hate and call it out, she should no longer consider herself a Jewish leader.
So this is in fact a disgustingly racist comment. You really should take it back.
I know nothing about this rabbi or her conversion. I do know that some of the greatest Tannaic Rabbis were converts (e.g. Onkelos) or descendants of converts (Shmaya and Avtalyon, Rabbi Akiva himself according to some).
That's NOT the point. V900 claims that "they" never can convert to Judaism looking like they do except in a "clownworld reform synagogue". V900 is a vile racist, but Orthodox Judaism of course is not: we have all witnessed orthodox rabbis authorizing the conversion of people from Chinese and Korean origin.
This raises the old question of what is a Jew: an ethnicity or a religion? It is both of course, but there have always been converts to it who did not share the ethnic lineage, and conversely, there have been ethnic Jews who left the faith -- in large numbers with the advent of modern secularism. I am for the more inclusive practice of allowing converts, but being a Jew should mean supporting Israel. If one cannot do that, why bother? Israel is central to the Jewish faith.
It’s obvious they can’t. What makes this woman Jewish or makes her a rabbi. I’m currently in Nuremberg. I just visited all the sights associated with the Holocaust. The Nazis wouldn’t have even noticed her!! When 2000 years of murder and persecution of her ancestors come about maybe she can identify as a Jew. As for the rest of the real Jews who belong to congregations with rabbis like her….shame on you! The new antisemitism will not ignore you!
Since her father is Jewish - I guess her name could have given it away - the Nazis would most definitely have noticed her, and sent her to Auschwitz. In fact a single Jewish grandparent was sufficient for that. Being in Nuremberg, you could easily look the law up.
Most appalling is that you feel comfortable saying that a woman with East Asian features cannot identify as a real Jew - not in 2000 years!-, while visiting the site where the Nazis established the racial laws that determined who is a real German ...
Good for her. EDIT - watching it now ... not sure what she meant about 'trans teens' tho .... She appears to believe in 'gender ideology' and I def do not.
She was clear in her words that she did not trust him nor support him, but stated she had to stay true to the synagogue rule that they do not endorse candidates. But she was clear in her letter and her sermon that she would not support him
I agree with that rule - however when a candidate's platform is the destruction of Israel and murdering all the Jews of the world I think an exception is in order.
The truth about the danger to Jewish people with Mamdani’s possibility of being elected. Too little too late since many people have voted already! I have loved her from afar in California, but I am done. So sad.
The reason for this double standard is that her faith is not actually traditional Judaism; it is Leftism. Like 'woke Christianity', anti-Israel Jews are silent when it comes to Islamic jihad and its allies, but are quite vocal against Trump and Netanyahu.
Leftism is a syncretic faith that can incorporate elements of traditional faiths into it for the purpose of using those faiths' traditional moral authority to tear down the West and advance the revolution. Most women who get ordained are feminists who use the authority of the pulpit to 'smash the patriarchy' by using one of its traditional institutions, the church (or in this case, the synagogue).
We see the same thing among Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and numerous other Left-leaning denominations that endorse gay marriage, abortion, and suffer from TDS. They have their own feminist theologians, and many of them refer to God the Mother.
For example, in Canada, the United Church invites imams to preach against Israel from the pulpit of their own churches and has set aside space in its seminaries to ordain imams. It is critical of Israel and endorses a two-state solution, which your readers will know is code for the destruction of Israel.
The Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and various Baptist denominations do the same. Not surprisingly, Reform Jews also endorse the two-state solution. Do they know what it really means and that during the entire history of modern Israel, it has been consistently rejected by Palestinians?
As for Leftism being a religion, if you examine what is known as a "functional religion", it fits that definition. This is distinct from the essentialist definition of religion: "Functionalist definitions focus on what religion does, emphasizing its social and psychological functions for individuals and society. Essentialist definitions focus on what religion is, defining it by its core beliefs or essential content, such as a belief in the supernatural."
There are many para-religions, or secular religions, that arose from the 19th century onward in direct proportion to the rise of secularism. As people left traditional faiths, they gravitated towards secular faiths instead, including socialism and Leftism, which is now a world religion with thousands of expressions, including feminism, transgenderism, neo-Marxist race ideology, and, of course, neo-Marxist anti-Zionism.
Some feminists starting in the 1970s and 80s decided to appropriate traditional forms of faith and use their authority and resources to undermine traditional values and usher in Leftist progressivism. They have taken over entire denominations, including most recently Anglicanism, resulting in the major schism that just occurred, when Indian and African priests rejected the feminist pro-LBGTQ Archbishop of Canterbury -- who also, of course, happens to be anti-Israel, even as Europe is being overrun by Islamists and churches are being burned down and vandalized by them and their anarchist useful idiot allies in Antifa.
Judaism was not immune to this takeover by feminists, resulting in Reform Judaism.
From one Durkheimian to another, I need to say I love this comment.
Eric Kauffman refers to the Church of Social Justice as "a pseudo-religious belief system which is organised around the sacralization of racial, sexual & gender minorities and which prioritises subjectivity & lived experience over objectivity and empirical evidence."
This is from Dennis Prager:
"Most people do not recognize what is probably the single most important fact of modern life. One reason is that leftism is overwhelmingly secular (more than merely secular: it is inherently opposed to all traditional religions), and therefore people do not regard it as a religion. Another is that leftism so convincingly portrays itself as solely the product of reason, intellect, and science that it has not been seen as the dogma-based ideology that it is. Therefore, the vast majority of the people who affirm leftist beliefs think of their views as the only way to properly think about life.
If you want to understand why so many Jews vote left while nearly all the Western world’s opposition to — and frequently hatred of — Israel emanates from the left, one explanation is this: For most American Jews, their religion is leftism, while Judaism is their ethnicity and culture. The Reform, and increasingly the Conservative, movements have, to a large extent, become political movements that use Hebrew and Jewish rituals to equate Judaism with progressive politics.
The truth is that the left has been far more successful in converting in converting Jews and Christians to Leftism than Christianity and Judaism have been in influencing leftists to convert to Christianity or Judaism."
The Church of Social Justice is the newest, strongest faith in the modern West and one of its strengths is its denial of its religious roots. And like all new faiths it soon exhibits the supercessionist urge to attack Judaism in the hope of replacing/supplanting it. New young gods always hate the old gods and the stubborn insistence of Jews in refusing to abandon their own faith drives them mad.
This sadly says it all too well about the state of Tikun Ilam and what it has led toWhen you think that social justice defines Judaism to the exclusion of any traditional Jewish values this is the result
If Bughdal was serious about her comments she wound have spoken out much earlier and showed solidarity with many other clergy who were similarly concerned
This rabbi is a coward who hopes to be destroyed last. Tragically, this traitor is sacrificing the Diaspora that includes her flock and the rest of us.
Sorry the author decided in these dark times to eat our own. Her sermon Friday night was live-streamed and recorded for everyone to hear. She clearly said Zohran crossed a line and is not an acceptable candidate for Jews to choose. I'm sorry to see this space become host to name calling comments (so very unJewish). What does it say about Jews who lynch a Rabbi building a strong zionist Torah-knowledgeable Hebrew-speaking multigenerational Jewish community in NYC today. Am Yisrael Chai.
I personally feel the harsh vitriol is warranted. Many of us saw the writing on the wall with Mandami early on. As a rabbi who HAS engaged politically in the past, as the article states, she should have come out against Mamdani's obvious anti-Israel bias much earlier. We need to hold others accountable for their actions, especially in such a serious situation as this one, when our safety, as Jews, is in serious jeopardy.
Oh? She definitely acts like she is. And long has appeared and Acted like she certainly is running for Office. Whether that office is in Government or whether that office is within a larg Jewish confederation... she IS .... ALWAYS running for office. She pure Hollywood in her interviews and communication. A VERY smart, savvy, communicable, cunny, very intelligent and talented and VERY cunning 'leader'.
I agree with you, and her leadership has done great things. She's brilliant. I wish she had sounded the alarm earlier, but she also came off her sabbatical to give that sermon, which says a lot.
She obviously isn’t Torah knowledgeable. Neither is Judith Shalom. The Torah makes it very clear we must defend ourselves against our enemies. “Tikun Olam” was a 2000 year old series of legal recommendations as to how to regard the rights of your Jewish neighbors. It had nothing to do with the rights of non Jews or world wide morality. Again a leftist woke interpretation of what Judaism should be. But what can you expect from an Asian reform rabbi and those ignorant Jews who follow such people?
It says that her past strong leftist political agitation combined with her deliberate silence on Mamdani until the other day speaks volumes.
Yes it is good that she finally pushed back. But “better late than never” is not nearly the same as the principle that Israel can never be thrown under the bus, nor “Globalize the Intifada” lovers be allowed to gain popularity in silence.
Exactly. Cut to the chase. Torah as in The Book of Books; Their implied Teachings and Practices as illuminated via Talmud. And the Sefer Yetzirah; Zohar; and 10's or 100's of thousand books which are all part of Torah. And more.
So,so true. This nonsense was started by European Jews in Budapest who thought they could acclimate themselves within the Christian population in the 1800s. Look what happened to them despite the organ in their big cathedral like synagogue!
Rabbi Cosgrove of Conservative Park Avenue Synagogue unequivocally denounced Mamdani as a danger to the safety of NY Jews in an excellent, powerful speech. Recommended.
Rabbi Ammi Hirsch, of the Reform Steven Wise Free Synagogue spoke harshly about Mamdani, from the point of view of the candidate's anti- Israel deadly views.
Buchdahl just very recently spoke against Mamdani in a sermon. Many have already voted.
Maybe someone should excerpt the pertinent moments from her sermon and post them everywhere. Today.
There are many Mamdani supporters in her Reform movement and probably in her own synagogue, and she may have thought that she can lose her job. Thus she tarried.
Her own personal "lesser evil" might have been to shut up on this issue or not pronounce herself openly and widely about it. She cannot endorse another candidate, but she could have spoken a lot sooner.
Many of her woke congregants , " as Jews" consider social reforms the most important aspect of a Mayor's task. Her own worldview is left oriented.
Finally, Buchdahl did speak, but very late and ostensibly only " in the family ", as her voice, unlike other prominent Rabbis, isn't properly publicised at this urgent time, with not a minute to spare.
Reform rabbis are the worst. She probably converted Reform too. I worked in a Reform temple during the Second Intafata. The Temple supported the terrorists and one of my students actually taunted me about my classic car. I spoke to his father who did nothing. Reform Judaism is no Judaism
She has been clear, both in a letter she wrote and her last sermon, that she does not support Mamdami and is well aware of the danger. However, she also stated she had to stay true to the synagogue's rule of not endorsing political candidates because that also opens a can of worms. I do understand her predicament. I will say she is an amazing rabbi; incredibly brilliant and insightful. I have also attended several classes there, one being on Israel. In the Israel class, I was appalled by how far-left the attendees were, one even comparing the war in Gaza to the Holocaust. I question how much they represent the majority of congregants, but I found it alarming. I do agree that the social justice part of the Reform movement might well be its greatest failure. It only works if you put the oxygen mask on yourself first.
Anyone who compares what has happened in Gaza to the Holocaust sadly is need of a basic history on what happened to European Jewry between 1933 and 1945
She needs to resign! When the cattle cars come around d again she will be thrown into them too! Her remarks are despicable! I do t care what denomination of Judaism she affiliates with! But her knowledge is is lower than low…as the daughter of Holocaust survivors I find her remarks enough to make me vomit…her knowledge of Judaism, of Israel, or anything regarding JEWISHNESS is not enough to make her any kind of Rabbi…RESIGNATION is her best option‼️👺
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of New York’s Central Synagogue:
“Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has contributed to a mainstreaming of some of the most abhorrent antisemitism. His shocking 2023 accusation: ‘when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.’ This crosses the line clearly into antisemitism – not only demonizing Israelis but echoing the age old antisemitic trope that Jews across the world are the root cause of our problem here. His false claims of genocide, his reluctance to label Hamas a terrorist organization, his unwillingness to condemn phrases like ‘Globalize the Intifada’ and absolute opposition to Israel as a Jewish state contributes to an atmo-sphere of denigration and ostracization of Jewish people everywhere. In addition to danger-ous rhetoric, his pledge to shut down the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, which broke up violent protests at Columbia, could mean that when Jews are under attack, we may not feel protected. It is hard not to fear that the environment we witnessed for our Jewish children on Columbia’s campus after October 7 could be a preview of the way that New York City could start feeling for all Jews.”
Never expect courage from a gentry progressive, these are the kinds of people who get mugged or robbed (or worse) and immediately begin apologizing for their attacker and figuring out how to blame "society".
I do think her statement is a good thing though, I know a bunch of NYC red-diaper babies who are planning to vote for Mamdani—they might not bow down to God, but when a sleazy salesman says the word "socialist" they've been conditioned to bow down and obey. (And that he's a member of a "marginalized minority" makes them swoon like he was a pop star.) But maybe hearing this from someone like her will give them second thoughts.
If so many of us have learned since 10/7 that Jew hate never dies, it only hibernates and transforms, our gentry progressives who were raised on 20th-century Leftism will be the last to learn, if they do at all. They are in many ways a carbon copy of the socialist Jews of a century ago, whose faith in universal brotherhood led them to close their eyes and ears to reality until it was too late.
I agree that a month ago that statement could be considered “good enough” (a fairly low standard).
By waiting until Oct 31st after so may have voted - especially given how she has been so political in her actions as rabbi in the past - it was definitely NOT good enough.
But I will concede it is less worse than the rabbis who openly support Mamdani.
Sorry, Andy, you caught me at a bad time—I was just perusing the front pages and editorial section of the NY Times, something I very rarely do.
Now I know why all my friends in NYC think of Israel as some sort of Genghis Khan!
Sadly, if you get most of your information from the Times (w a dash of PBS and NPR) you hear very little about Israel's enemies (who seem to be painted as either hapless helpless victims and/or innocent peace lovers) but hear constantly about every wound inflicted by the IDF, physical or psychic, no matter how small or unconfirmed and no matter the context. And even more sadly, just about every educated urban professional in America treats the NYT like Catholics treat the Vatican.
Never mind the mayor or the rabbis (never mind Al Jazeera!) this is the real urgent danger to Jews and Israel: America's most prestigious news source (owned by Jews!) is on a jihad against the Jewish state and there seems to be no slander too low for them not to whitewash and repeat.
The NY Times is as much an enemy of Israel as is Qatar or Iran, which I just discovered. Maybe the next missile launch should be aimed at Times Square ;) (just kidding, barely)
Now I know why my NYC friends treat Israel like the Queen treats Alice in Wonderland: 'Sentence first—verdict afterwards.'
They absolutely know Israel has committed great, monstrous, unforgivable crimes, yet when pressed to detail or defend their claims, they just get mad and flustered.
Reading the Times is like listening to someone describe a boxing match by only discussing one fighter—barely a word about Hamas, about the Palestinians' insane Jew hate and their rejection of every peace plan, about the many times their leaders have crowed about wanting to mass-martyr their people to victory.
And this is a Jewish-owned paper packed with Jewish writers and employees! Do they really hate Likud and Netanyahu so much that they're willing to help "globalize the intifada" as a way to remove them from power?? Is it just cowardice?
I'm pretty confident that the 10/7 Gaza War will represent another great stain on the Gray Lady, similar to how they ignored the Holocaust and opposed the rescue of European Jews. What the hell is wrong with these people?!?
She’s a massive hypocrite and perfect example of failed Jewish leadership in the diaspora. This is why after a lifetime of being a liberal Democrat and mostly secular reform Jew, I no longer associate with the Democratic Party or reform Judaism in any way.
I came to the same conclusions.
I’m with you sister.
Wow, I would like to read an encapsulation of the signs or signals that motivated you. In both sphere;s, but, particularly with regards to the 'reform' and where the two sphere's intersect. In the meantime here are a few points of my take on the Dem./Ref. issue. a) "Jewish Values" largely replaced Torah Values. They are not the same. Although "Jewish Values" in their beginning decades still had their roots in Torah or at least 'living a Jewish life/way'. b) drastically far too many Jewish individuals/groups/organizations when faced with making a choice in a decision when our Jewish Culture differs from one's political party... VERY often... it seems that for the "Jewish Values" folks and the Dem./Ref. folks they will almost always choose according to their preferred political party. Thus a 'worship' away from God/H'shem and towards Avodah Zara - idol worship.
I’m just dumbfounded at some of the people “leading” congregations “identifying as rabbis “.
“First East Asian, female rabbi!”
Looooool! What kind of clown show nonsense is this?!
Maybe Reform Synagogues can just make an website where you can pay a fee and become “Jewish”.
Pretty disgusting comment. Is the implication that an East Asian-looking person cannot convert to Judaism?
I’m not certain of the op’s thoughts, but perhaps the point is calling out her using the “identities” of race and gender to define herself which is required and celebrated by Leftists. And on their hierarchy, white men and Jews are at the bottom.
They can convert all they like. And sure, they may even find some clownworld reform synagogue that will pretend they’re Jewish.
But all the LARPing in the world won’t make them Jews.
Her father was Jewish and she was raised Jewish. Spare me the "mother must be Jewish" for her to be an authentic Jew.
I believe that came out of the fact that (pre-DNA testing) they could only be 100% sure of who a child's mother was.
As far as Buchdahl's lack of commitment to Israel goes, she makes the same mistake a lot of far-left liberals do: antisemites (like all racists) are not sophisticated thinkers. When you vilify Netanyahu's policies, they vilify all Jews.
Much as we Americans are all judged for our government's policies.
If Rabbi Buchdahl cannot look at the face of hate and call it out, she should no longer consider herself a Jewish leader.
Her father was a Jew. Ah, so she’s not Jewish. As I said.
🤷
"They" ...
So this is in fact a disgustingly racist comment. You really should take it back.
I know nothing about this rabbi or her conversion. I do know that some of the greatest Tannaic Rabbis were converts (e.g. Onkelos) or descendants of converts (Shmaya and Avtalyon, Rabbi Akiva himself according to some).
Did she really convert though? That's the point.
That's NOT the point. V900 claims that "they" never can convert to Judaism looking like they do except in a "clownworld reform synagogue". V900 is a vile racist, but Orthodox Judaism of course is not: we have all witnessed orthodox rabbis authorizing the conversion of people from Chinese and Korean origin.
Are you a Jew? Are you the final judge of who is and who is not a Jew?
This raises the old question of what is a Jew: an ethnicity or a religion? It is both of course, but there have always been converts to it who did not share the ethnic lineage, and conversely, there have been ethnic Jews who left the faith -- in large numbers with the advent of modern secularism. I am for the more inclusive practice of allowing converts, but being a Jew should mean supporting Israel. If one cannot do that, why bother? Israel is central to the Jewish faith.
But for leftists, supporting Israel requires you to thinkforyourself.
And leftists today are taught not to do that…
It’s obvious they can’t. What makes this woman Jewish or makes her a rabbi. I’m currently in Nuremberg. I just visited all the sights associated with the Holocaust. The Nazis wouldn’t have even noticed her!! When 2000 years of murder and persecution of her ancestors come about maybe she can identify as a Jew. As for the rest of the real Jews who belong to congregations with rabbis like her….shame on you! The new antisemitism will not ignore you!
Since her father is Jewish - I guess her name could have given it away - the Nazis would most definitely have noticed her, and sent her to Auschwitz. In fact a single Jewish grandparent was sufficient for that. Being in Nuremberg, you could easily look the law up.
Most appalling is that you feel comfortable saying that a woman with East Asian features cannot identify as a real Jew - not in 2000 years!-, while visiting the site where the Nazis established the racial laws that determined who is a real German ...
She finally addressed Mamdani in Friday's sermon. Better late than never.
And what did she say about him? Better early than too late.
That he is a clear and present danger to the Jewish community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hngs_NusJRo
It sounds like she got a lot of criticism for her initial apolitical stance, and rightly so, so decided to speak up. That's good.
Good for her. EDIT - watching it now ... not sure what she meant about 'trans teens' tho .... She appears to believe in 'gender ideology' and I def do not.
She was clear in her words that she did not trust him nor support him, but stated she had to stay true to the synagogue rule that they do not endorse candidates. But she was clear in her letter and her sermon that she would not support him
I agree with that rule - however when a candidate's platform is the destruction of Israel and murdering all the Jews of the world I think an exception is in order.
Agreed 💯
Good to know. But it’s late in the game and she should have spoken up much sooner which she could have done without endorsing anyone.
Agreed. It would have been helpful to make a statement before early voting already took place. Was that intentional?
So it’s ok to stand against Netanyahu but not against Mamdani?!?!?!? 🙄🙄🙄
Then still a massive hypocrite.
But I guess this is slightly less worse.
Besides she could say “no one should vote for Mamdani” without actually endorsing another candidate. That would hew tithe supposed synagogue rule…
The truth about the danger to Jewish people with Mamdani’s possibility of being elected. Too little too late since many people have voted already! I have loved her from afar in California, but I am done. So sad.
Did she say you should vote against him?
If not, then in fact is is NOT better late than never.
Reform "Jews" are similar to Woke "Regressive" Leftists. I wonder if they even understand what morality is in Judaism?
They are woke regressive leftists and they will not be left out when the antisemitism tide turns again against the Jews.
You’re right-sad,sad little person ‼️🙏
The reason for this double standard is that her faith is not actually traditional Judaism; it is Leftism. Like 'woke Christianity', anti-Israel Jews are silent when it comes to Islamic jihad and its allies, but are quite vocal against Trump and Netanyahu.
Leftism is a syncretic faith that can incorporate elements of traditional faiths into it for the purpose of using those faiths' traditional moral authority to tear down the West and advance the revolution. Most women who get ordained are feminists who use the authority of the pulpit to 'smash the patriarchy' by using one of its traditional institutions, the church (or in this case, the synagogue).
We see the same thing among Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and numerous other Left-leaning denominations that endorse gay marriage, abortion, and suffer from TDS. They have their own feminist theologians, and many of them refer to God the Mother.
For example, in Canada, the United Church invites imams to preach against Israel from the pulpit of their own churches and has set aside space in its seminaries to ordain imams. It is critical of Israel and endorses a two-state solution, which your readers will know is code for the destruction of Israel.
The Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and various Baptist denominations do the same. Not surprisingly, Reform Jews also endorse the two-state solution. Do they know what it really means and that during the entire history of modern Israel, it has been consistently rejected by Palestinians?
As for Leftism being a religion, if you examine what is known as a "functional religion", it fits that definition. This is distinct from the essentialist definition of religion: "Functionalist definitions focus on what religion does, emphasizing its social and psychological functions for individuals and society. Essentialist definitions focus on what religion is, defining it by its core beliefs or essential content, such as a belief in the supernatural."
There are many para-religions, or secular religions, that arose from the 19th century onward in direct proportion to the rise of secularism. As people left traditional faiths, they gravitated towards secular faiths instead, including socialism and Leftism, which is now a world religion with thousands of expressions, including feminism, transgenderism, neo-Marxist race ideology, and, of course, neo-Marxist anti-Zionism.
Some feminists starting in the 1970s and 80s decided to appropriate traditional forms of faith and use their authority and resources to undermine traditional values and usher in Leftist progressivism. They have taken over entire denominations, including most recently Anglicanism, resulting in the major schism that just occurred, when Indian and African priests rejected the feminist pro-LBGTQ Archbishop of Canterbury -- who also, of course, happens to be anti-Israel, even as Europe is being overrun by Islamists and churches are being burned down and vandalized by them and their anarchist useful idiot allies in Antifa.
Judaism was not immune to this takeover by feminists, resulting in Reform Judaism.
From one Durkheimian to another, I need to say I love this comment.
Eric Kauffman refers to the Church of Social Justice as "a pseudo-religious belief system which is organised around the sacralization of racial, sexual & gender minorities and which prioritises subjectivity & lived experience over objectivity and empirical evidence."
This is from Dennis Prager:
"Most people do not recognize what is probably the single most important fact of modern life. One reason is that leftism is overwhelmingly secular (more than merely secular: it is inherently opposed to all traditional religions), and therefore people do not regard it as a religion. Another is that leftism so convincingly portrays itself as solely the product of reason, intellect, and science that it has not been seen as the dogma-based ideology that it is. Therefore, the vast majority of the people who affirm leftist beliefs think of their views as the only way to properly think about life.
If you want to understand why so many Jews vote left while nearly all the Western world’s opposition to — and frequently hatred of — Israel emanates from the left, one explanation is this: For most American Jews, their religion is leftism, while Judaism is their ethnicity and culture. The Reform, and increasingly the Conservative, movements have, to a large extent, become political movements that use Hebrew and Jewish rituals to equate Judaism with progressive politics.
The truth is that the left has been far more successful in converting in converting Jews and Christians to Leftism than Christianity and Judaism have been in influencing leftists to convert to Christianity or Judaism."
The Church of Social Justice is the newest, strongest faith in the modern West and one of its strengths is its denial of its religious roots. And like all new faiths it soon exhibits the supercessionist urge to attack Judaism in the hope of replacing/supplanting it. New young gods always hate the old gods and the stubborn insistence of Jews in refusing to abandon their own faith drives them mad.
PREACH!
This sadly says it all too well about the state of Tikun Ilam and what it has led toWhen you think that social justice defines Judaism to the exclusion of any traditional Jewish values this is the result
Great comment. And I will name that tune with three simple words: LEFTISM TRUMPS JUDAISM
Wow-you have an awesome knowledge of what all this might mean.It’s important that we know this. All I can say is 🤮‼️🤮
If Bughdal was serious about her comments she wound have spoken out much earlier and showed solidarity with many other clergy who were similarly concerned
This rabbi is a coward who hopes to be destroyed last. Tragically, this traitor is sacrificing the Diaspora that includes her flock and the rest of us.
Sorry the author decided in these dark times to eat our own. Her sermon Friday night was live-streamed and recorded for everyone to hear. She clearly said Zohran crossed a line and is not an acceptable candidate for Jews to choose. I'm sorry to see this space become host to name calling comments (so very unJewish). What does it say about Jews who lynch a Rabbi building a strong zionist Torah-knowledgeable Hebrew-speaking multigenerational Jewish community in NYC today. Am Yisrael Chai.
A bit too late, no??
unfortunately so, but the harsh vitriol not warranted with someone doing so much good and willing to reflect and speak out at last.
I personally feel the harsh vitriol is warranted. Many of us saw the writing on the wall with Mandami early on. As a rabbi who HAS engaged politically in the past, as the article states, she should have come out against Mamdani's obvious anti-Israel bias much earlier. We need to hold others accountable for their actions, especially in such a serious situation as this one, when our safety, as Jews, is in serious jeopardy.
based on their own comments, the vitriol is easily conflated with racism.
Racism?! Are you joking? What in the article shows racism?
nothing to joke about here. racist comments, like I said.
Rabbis are supposed to lead. “Better late never” is hardly a ringing endorsement here.
she's not running for mayor.
Oh? She definitely acts like she is. And long has appeared and Acted like she certainly is running for Office. Whether that office is in Government or whether that office is within a larg Jewish confederation... she IS .... ALWAYS running for office. She pure Hollywood in her interviews and communication. A VERY smart, savvy, communicable, cunny, very intelligent and talented and VERY cunning 'leader'.
I agree with you, and her leadership has done great things. She's brilliant. I wish she had sounded the alarm earlier, but she also came off her sabbatical to give that sermon, which says a lot.
She obviously isn’t Torah knowledgeable. Neither is Judith Shalom. The Torah makes it very clear we must defend ourselves against our enemies. “Tikun Olam” was a 2000 year old series of legal recommendations as to how to regard the rights of your Jewish neighbors. It had nothing to do with the rights of non Jews or world wide morality. Again a leftist woke interpretation of what Judaism should be. But what can you expect from an Asian reform rabbi and those ignorant Jews who follow such people?
You sounds like a real winner, good luck with that.
It says that her past strong leftist political agitation combined with her deliberate silence on Mamdani until the other day speaks volumes.
Yes it is good that she finally pushed back. But “better late than never” is not nearly the same as the principle that Israel can never be thrown under the bus, nor “Globalize the Intifada” lovers be allowed to gain popularity in silence.
“First they came for the trade unionists…”
I’ve read several essays on this incident and Reform’s focus on “social justice.” There’s one word that is never mentioned in these articles: Torah.
Exactly. Cut to the chase. Torah as in The Book of Books; Their implied Teachings and Practices as illuminated via Talmud. And the Sefer Yetzirah; Zohar; and 10's or 100's of thousand books which are all part of Torah. And more.
This is what woke values look like when packaged as Tikun Olam as opposed to traditional Jewish values
I would hesitate before calling her “New York City’s most famous rabbi”
So,so true. This nonsense was started by European Jews in Budapest who thought they could acclimate themselves within the Christian population in the 1800s. Look what happened to them despite the organ in their big cathedral like synagogue!
Never heard of her. But she seems to be a hypocritical pig.
Rabbi Cosgrove of Conservative Park Avenue Synagogue unequivocally denounced Mamdani as a danger to the safety of NY Jews in an excellent, powerful speech. Recommended.
Rabbi Ammi Hirsch, of the Reform Steven Wise Free Synagogue spoke harshly about Mamdani, from the point of view of the candidate's anti- Israel deadly views.
Buchdahl just very recently spoke against Mamdani in a sermon. Many have already voted.
Maybe someone should excerpt the pertinent moments from her sermon and post them everywhere. Today.
There are many Mamdani supporters in her Reform movement and probably in her own synagogue, and she may have thought that she can lose her job. Thus she tarried.
Her own personal "lesser evil" might have been to shut up on this issue or not pronounce herself openly and widely about it. She cannot endorse another candidate, but she could have spoken a lot sooner.
Many of her woke congregants , " as Jews" consider social reforms the most important aspect of a Mayor's task. Her own worldview is left oriented.
Finally, Buchdahl did speak, but very late and ostensibly only " in the family ", as her voice, unlike other prominent Rabbis, isn't properly publicised at this urgent time, with not a minute to spare.
Yes. Exactly.
Reform rabbis are the worst. She probably converted Reform too. I worked in a Reform temple during the Second Intafata. The Temple supported the terrorists and one of my students actually taunted me about my classic car. I spoke to his father who did nothing. Reform Judaism is no Judaism
She has been clear, both in a letter she wrote and her last sermon, that she does not support Mamdami and is well aware of the danger. However, she also stated she had to stay true to the synagogue's rule of not endorsing political candidates because that also opens a can of worms. I do understand her predicament. I will say she is an amazing rabbi; incredibly brilliant and insightful. I have also attended several classes there, one being on Israel. In the Israel class, I was appalled by how far-left the attendees were, one even comparing the war in Gaza to the Holocaust. I question how much they represent the majority of congregants, but I found it alarming. I do agree that the social justice part of the Reform movement might well be its greatest failure. It only works if you put the oxygen mask on yourself first.
Elie Weisel said as a survivor: “Silence is not an option” for anyone!
Anyone who compares what has happened in Gaza to the Holocaust sadly is need of a basic history on what happened to European Jewry between 1933 and 1945
She needs to resign! When the cattle cars come around d again she will be thrown into them too! Her remarks are despicable! I do t care what denomination of Judaism she affiliates with! But her knowledge is is lower than low…as the daughter of Holocaust survivors I find her remarks enough to make me vomit…her knowledge of Judaism, of Israel, or anything regarding JEWISHNESS is not enough to make her any kind of Rabbi…RESIGNATION is her best option‼️👺
This is from Fri Oct 31.
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of New York’s Central Synagogue:
“Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has contributed to a mainstreaming of some of the most abhorrent antisemitism. His shocking 2023 accusation: ‘when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.’ This crosses the line clearly into antisemitism – not only demonizing Israelis but echoing the age old antisemitic trope that Jews across the world are the root cause of our problem here. His false claims of genocide, his reluctance to label Hamas a terrorist organization, his unwillingness to condemn phrases like ‘Globalize the Intifada’ and absolute opposition to Israel as a Jewish state contributes to an atmo-sphere of denigration and ostracization of Jewish people everywhere. In addition to danger-ous rhetoric, his pledge to shut down the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, which broke up violent protests at Columbia, could mean that when Jews are under attack, we may not feel protected. It is hard not to fear that the environment we witnessed for our Jewish children on Columbia’s campus after October 7 could be a preview of the way that New York City could start feeling for all Jews.”
Sounds pretty kosher to me.
It is great but should have been earlier in view of Mamdani’s well documented record and running as Sinwar in a suit
Never expect courage from a gentry progressive, these are the kinds of people who get mugged or robbed (or worse) and immediately begin apologizing for their attacker and figuring out how to blame "society".
I do think her statement is a good thing though, I know a bunch of NYC red-diaper babies who are planning to vote for Mamdani—they might not bow down to God, but when a sleazy salesman says the word "socialist" they've been conditioned to bow down and obey. (And that he's a member of a "marginalized minority" makes them swoon like he was a pop star.) But maybe hearing this from someone like her will give them second thoughts.
If so many of us have learned since 10/7 that Jew hate never dies, it only hibernates and transforms, our gentry progressives who were raised on 20th-century Leftism will be the last to learn, if they do at all. They are in many ways a carbon copy of the socialist Jews of a century ago, whose faith in universal brotherhood led them to close their eyes and ears to reality until it was too late.
I agree that a month ago that statement could be considered “good enough” (a fairly low standard).
By waiting until Oct 31st after so may have voted - especially given how she has been so political in her actions as rabbi in the past - it was definitely NOT good enough.
But I will concede it is less worse than the rabbis who openly support Mamdani.
Sorry, Andy, you caught me at a bad time—I was just perusing the front pages and editorial section of the NY Times, something I very rarely do.
Now I know why all my friends in NYC think of Israel as some sort of Genghis Khan!
Sadly, if you get most of your information from the Times (w a dash of PBS and NPR) you hear very little about Israel's enemies (who seem to be painted as either hapless helpless victims and/or innocent peace lovers) but hear constantly about every wound inflicted by the IDF, physical or psychic, no matter how small or unconfirmed and no matter the context. And even more sadly, just about every educated urban professional in America treats the NYT like Catholics treat the Vatican.
Never mind the mayor or the rabbis (never mind Al Jazeera!) this is the real urgent danger to Jews and Israel: America's most prestigious news source (owned by Jews!) is on a jihad against the Jewish state and there seems to be no slander too low for them not to whitewash and repeat.
The NY Times is as much an enemy of Israel as is Qatar or Iran, which I just discovered. Maybe the next missile launch should be aimed at Times Square ;) (just kidding, barely)
My bad, actually; I misread “a good thing” - which I agree with you on - as “good enough”, and hence my diatribe.
I don’t disagree with you on the NYT save perhaps on this tiniest of margins, which at this point is likely a distinction without a difference.
If you wss as the need to read Pravda on the Hudson then read the NYT
I kinda just had my mind blown.
Now I know why my NYC friends treat Israel like the Queen treats Alice in Wonderland: 'Sentence first—verdict afterwards.'
They absolutely know Israel has committed great, monstrous, unforgivable crimes, yet when pressed to detail or defend their claims, they just get mad and flustered.
Reading the Times is like listening to someone describe a boxing match by only discussing one fighter—barely a word about Hamas, about the Palestinians' insane Jew hate and their rejection of every peace plan, about the many times their leaders have crowed about wanting to mass-martyr their people to victory.
And this is a Jewish-owned paper packed with Jewish writers and employees! Do they really hate Likud and Netanyahu so much that they're willing to help "globalize the intifada" as a way to remove them from power?? Is it just cowardice?
I'm pretty confident that the 10/7 Gaza War will represent another great stain on the Gray Lady, similar to how they ignored the Holocaust and opposed the rescue of European Jews. What the hell is wrong with these people?!?