Open letter to the Frum community

[Jellybelly]

There was an interesting full page ad/letter in this weeks mishpacha magazine. I don’t have a way of posting it, if someone can, pls do. It seems to be trying to down play Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky’s endorsement of Trump in the previous weeks magazine. I don’t disagree with most of it, I just think it was very random and probably started by a never trumper. To sum it up on one sentence, it seems to be saying that the Frum community is too much into the Trump camp and we should chill out a little bit. It states 5 points( I’m too lazy to type them up), which can be easily refuted. It was signed by a rav and a few journalists, a very random group.
Did anyone else see this? Did anyone else find it a little odd?

[mmgfarb]

Sinai, Not Washington

An Open Letter to the Torah Community

The unhealthy confusion of Torah values with politics brings disrepute to Torah and harm to Torah Jews.

No party platform can substitute for our mesorah.

As a community, we ought to clearly and proudly stand up for the Torah’s stance on societal issues, embracing a worldview that identifies with no party or political orientation. Our interests may dovetail with a particular party or politician in one or another situation, but our values must remain those of Sinai, not Washington.

Moral degradation infects a broad swath of the American political spectrum. In the camps of both liberals and conservatives, many political players are on a hyper-partisan quest for victory at all costs.

Good character and benevolent governance are devalued, contrition is seen as weakness and humility is confused with humiliation. Many politicians and media figures revel in dividing rather than uniting the citizens of our country. Others legitimize conspiracy theories. None of this is good for America, and certainly not for us Jews.

Shameless dissembling and personal indecency acted out in public before the entire country are, in the end, no less morally corrosive than the embrace of abortion-on-demand or the normalization of same-gender relationships. The integrity and impact of what we convey to our children and students about kedusha, tzni’us, emes, kavod habriyos and middos tovos are rendered hollow when contradicted by our admiration for, or even absence of revulsion at, politicians and media figures whose words and deeds stand opposed to what we Jews are called upon to embrace and exemplify.

These are not new problems. But the challenge seems to grow worse with time. If we don’t stop to seriously consider the negative impact of our community’s unhealthy relationship with the current political style, we risk further erosion of our ability to live lives dedicated to truly Jewish ideals.

We Jews are charged to be an example for all Americans.

Serious moral issues — truth, loyalty, contrition, vengeance, tolerance — are at the heart of much of today’s political discourse. Whether we realize it or not, many of us have come to be guided in such matters, at least in part, by politicians and media figures with whom we share neither values nor worldview.

We are a people charged with modeling and teaching ethical behavior and morality to others. It should be inconceivable for us to be, and be seen as, willing disciples of deeply flawed people who are now the de facto arbiters of what is morally acceptable. We should be ashamed when Torah leaders seem to have been replaced as our ethical guides by people of low character and alien values.

As Orthodox Jews, we live in a benevolent host society to which we have rightly given our loyalty. It is thus important that we not be regarded by the American public as turning a blind eye to the degradation of our moral climate in exchange for political support for parochial interests.

We must not allow ourselves to be co-opted by any party.

There are issues of great importance to us, like education funding, anti-discrimination laws and the affordability and safety of our neighborhoods, and we rightly advocate for our positions.

But we must reject the efforts of those who, for self-serving electoral gain, seek to turn Jews against any party or faction. Our practical focus should be on recruiting allies and building alliances, and we ought to shun partisan posturing that only alienates us from those who govern us.

We must ensure that Israel is not used as a political weapon.

We must oppose efforts to turn support for Israel from a broad consensus into a wedge issue. Although we may rightly be concerned about trends regarding Israel in some corners, indicting an entire party as anti-Israel is not only inaccurate but has the potential of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nor should any party’s strong support for Israel become a justification to blindly support its politicians in every other matter. We should advocate for Israel’s security and other needs without painting ourselves into a partisan corner.

We should vote as Jews, not partisans.

Nothing stated above is intended to address anyone’s voting choices. We write simply to caution against the reflexive identification of Orthodox communal interests with any particular party or political philosophy.

To that end, let us commit to being guided only by Torah perspectives and strive to insulate ourselves, our families, students and congregants from being influenced by the objectionable speech and conduct that have come to infect many parts of the political spectrum.

When we vote, let us do so as Torah Jews, with deliberation and seriousness, not as part of any partisan bandwagon. We are not inherently Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals. We are Jews – in the voting booth no less than in our homes – who are committed, in the end, only to Torah.

Rabbi Emanuel Feldman

Rabbi Hillel Goldberg

Jeff Jacoby

Eytan Kobre

Yosef Rapaport

Rabbi Avi Shafran

Dr. Aviva Weisbord

I don't think the letter is coming against Trump per se, I would imagine most of the signees would agree that Trump may be a better pick for the frum community over Biden. I think they're coming to counter a very troubling, radical move in the frum community where we have started to think along the ridiculous partisan lines instead of as God-fearing Jews. We should be advocating for policy that aligns with our values, not excuse things that are only partially in line with us just because it's "our" party. You're welcome to disagree with the sentiment but I for one think it's long due and very important.

[Jellybelly]

Where I could agree, is that maybe it shouldn’t be so public that we vote republican, but isn’t it black and white which party a religious Jew should vote for?

[Dan]

I don't think the letter is coming against Trump per se, I would imagine most of the signees would agree that Trump may be a better pick for the frum community over Biden. I think they're coming to counter a very troubling, radical move in the frum community where we have started to think along the ridiculous partisan lines instead of as God-fearing Jews. We should be advocating for policy that aligns with our values, not excuse things that are only partially in line with us just because it's "our" party. You're welcome to disagree with the sentiment but I for one think it's long due and very important.

Well said.

[Dan]

I just think it was very random and probably started by a never trumper.

Bumping this seems apropos:

Title of the article is “ the folly of the Frum never Trumpers”
😜

If you think I'm a never trumper then you need to work on your reading comprehension.

[Jellybelly]

Very possible, but pls explain where I’m wrong

[mmgfarb]

Where I could agree, is that maybe it shouldn’t be so public that we vote republican, but isn’t it black and white which party a religious Jew should vote for?

You're missing the point entirely.

[Jellybelly]

I personally don’t know anyone that thinks of the Republican Party as their party, most people I know just think it’s the only option and can’t see it any other way

[Jellybelly]

The fact that we talk about it all day, I would have to quote @jj1000 on this, is that it’s sports for the Yeshiva guys. It’s kosher entertainment, for the most part

[moko]

I don't think the letter is coming against Trump per se, I would imagine most of the signees would agree that Trump may be a better pick for the frum community over Biden. I think they're coming to counter a very troubling, radical move in the frum community where we have started to think along the ridiculous partisan lines instead of as God-fearing Jews. We should be advocating for policy that aligns with our values, not excuse things that are only partially in line with us just because it's "our" party. You're welcome to disagree with the sentiment but I for one think it's long due and very important.

I suspect this letter represent the view of the silent majority in our communities.

The fact that we talk about it all day, I would have to quote @jj1000 on this, is that it’s sports for the Yeshiva guys. It’s kosher entertainment, for the most part

its not so kosher these days....

[EliJelly]

I don't think the letter is coming against Trump per se, I would imagine most of the signees would agree that Trump may be a better pick for the frum community over Biden. I think they're coming to counter a very troubling, radical move in the frum community where we have started to think along the ridiculous partisan lines instead of as God-fearing Jews. We should be advocating for policy that aligns with our values, not excuse things that are only partially in line with us just because it's "our" party. You're welcome to disagree with the sentiment but I for one think it's long due and very important.

+1000

[aygart]

Discussed already here. In the quote is a response to the open letter.

https://cross-currents.com/2020/08/02/response-to-an-open-letter-yes-but/

They both agree about99% of the substance of both letters. What do you think it is that they are disagreeing about?

[Jellybelly]

Gordimer 4 president!

[Chapshnell]

I don't think the letter is coming against Trump per se, I would imagine most of the signees would agree that Trump may be a better pick for the frum community over Biden. I think they're coming to counter a very troubling, radical move in the frum community where we have started to think along the ridiculous partisan lines instead of as God-fearing Jews. We should be advocating for policy that aligns with our values, not excuse things that are only partially in line with us just because it's "our" party. You're welcome to disagree with the sentiment but I for one think it's long due and very important.

one of these signers is a never trumper.. just saying.

[Jellybelly]

one of these signers is a never trumper.. just saying.

I’d say 2

[zh cohen]

I’d say 2

Not sure which 2 you are referring to, but Eytan Kobre has been writing anti-Trump articles for the past 5 years. In 2016 his argument was that if you don't live in a swing state, your vote is not about policy, it's about identifying with a specific person/party. That would be convincing if he was consistent in saying that non-swingstate voters shouldn't vote for anyone in a Presidential election (or write-in someone who's values they fully identify with)

[Randomex]

It seems to be trying to down play Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky’s endorsement of Trump in the previous weeks magazine.

IIRC, that letter appeared in an earlier issue as well (or possibly earlier in some other publication).

[CountValentine]

Where I could agree, is that maybe it shouldn’t be so public that we vote republican, but isn’t it black and white which party a religious Jew should vote for?

You are confusing voting republican and voting for a scumbag.

[zh cohen]

IIRC, that letter appeared in an earlier issue as well (or possibly earlier in some other publication).

It was in the Mishpacha the same week as the interview with Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky. I don't think there is any connection between the two

[ExGingi]

You are confusing voting republican and voting for a scumbag.

When the choices are between two of those, if you happen to live in a state where your vote counts, you vote based on important issues, despite the fact that no matter how you vote it will be for a s....