They're not "neutral" and there's no reason for her to frame the congregation that way. Central has platformed other political figures, most notably Ritchie Torres for MLK Day Shabbat. The letter is a CYA due to the fact that Mamdani is about to get elected, and she doesn't want to piss off him or his wealthy supporters (many of whom belong to her synagogue). And anyway the Reform movement leans left--everyone knows this. She's just declining to endorse a candidate for a local office, and that's her and her congregation's right to do.
Funny though almost 1000 other rabbis, including reform rabbis, had no trouble condemning Mamdani. This is not about leaning left. This is simply moral cowardice. When a rabbi can’t hold her own congregation to account then what good is she? Amiell Hirsch had no such problem.
Weeks before her book tour she orchestrated sending money to Gaza with UJA to cover 2 years of failed moral leadership. Close to 70% of Gaza’s infrastructure was destroyed and she finally found empathy (book sales).
Now she refuses to oppose a candidate that has no interest in being balanced about Israeli public policy. This looks more like opportunistic behavior than genuine empathy to me!
No. She's trying to walk a fine line with her large congregation, given that it's located in the city the election is happening in. Also the policy she's speaking of isn't really hers, it's from Central's Board of Trustees re: endorsing political candidates.
Excellent and accurate .
I find any rabbi who refuses to condemn a politician who will not denounce the words "global intifada" not fit for the pulpit...free speech.
She needs to step down. She's a fraud.
They're not "neutral" and there's no reason for her to frame the congregation that way. Central has platformed other political figures, most notably Ritchie Torres for MLK Day Shabbat. The letter is a CYA due to the fact that Mamdani is about to get elected, and she doesn't want to piss off him or his wealthy supporters (many of whom belong to her synagogue). And anyway the Reform movement leans left--everyone knows this. She's just declining to endorse a candidate for a local office, and that's her and her congregation's right to do.
Funny though almost 1000 other rabbis, including reform rabbis, had no trouble condemning Mamdani. This is not about leaning left. This is simply moral cowardice. When a rabbi can’t hold her own congregation to account then what good is she? Amiell Hirsch had no such problem.
Most of those rabbis don't live in NYC and don't have wealthy congregants who openly support him, so the stakes are lower for them.
Weeks before her book tour she orchestrated sending money to Gaza with UJA to cover 2 years of failed moral leadership. Close to 70% of Gaza’s infrastructure was destroyed and she finally found empathy (book sales).
Now she refuses to oppose a candidate that has no interest in being balanced about Israeli public policy. This looks more like opportunistic behavior than genuine empathy to me!
No. She's trying to walk a fine line with her large congregation, given that it's located in the city the election is happening in. Also the policy she's speaking of isn't really hers, it's from Central's Board of Trustees re: endorsing political candidates.