NEW JORK — Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, the leading voice of the American Reformed Community, in his Monday sermon Yom Kippur urged Jews to limit their support for politicians, encouraged young Jews to take leadership roles in the face of increasing hostility in the US, and warned that hatred of Israel corrupts the US.
"My advice to the judaic community is to support only politicians who support us and our liberal imagination of America. Don't give to organizations who may have allied with us in the past, but they betrayed us after October 7th," he said.
Hirsch is the leader of the improvement movement in North America and elder rabbi Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan, 1 of the most crucial improvement institutions in the city.
In fresh years he has consistently sought further attachment to Israel and opposed anti-Zionist activities, while the reformed community, the largest denomination in the US, struggled with discrimination, anti-Zionist activism and hostile politics.
In his speech, Jom Kippur referred to the continuity between the historical persecution of Jews and contemporary discrimination, saying, "Being judaic is being part of a nation that others want to harm."
"Although the omnipresent anti-Jewish hostility is not new, it is fresh to us. We grew up in what is referred to as the 'Golden Age' of American Jews," he said, according to a transcript made available by The Times of Israel before the speech. "It was this clear and apparent change that made us so anxious."
Jews are the mark of hatred crimes much more frequently than any another group in fresh York City, and according to NYPD data, there have been at least 229 confirmed anti-Semitic crimes this year.
Hirsch warned that hatred of Israel and hostility towards Jews in politics, intellectual spheres, and online harm the U.S. society. another judaic leaders, specified as Deborah Lipstadt's historian, repeatedly warned that anti-Semitism is the forerunner of the deterioration of society.
"Hate against Jews harms America. We're not just worried about ourselves. We worry about the country we love," Hirsch said. "Unbalanced and obsessive hatred of Israel corrupts American values. If they let it to spread, not only will the Jews pay the price. America too."
Hirsch called on Jews to "stay and fight" for the United States, fresh York City and the judaic community of the United States through protests, advocacy, lobbying and political activity.
"Do not be enslaved by political tribes. hatred exists on both the right and left sides," he said.
The speech took place in hard politics for the centre Jews. Most American Jews, and the vast majority of reformed Jews, are Democrats. The turn of the organization against Israel put many judaic democrats in a hard situation erstwhile they moved on their loyalty to the organization and left with concerns about the welfare of the judaic community.
The Democratic candidate for the Michigan Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, for example, caused unrest among the Jews with his fierce criticism of Israel, an alliance with extremist streamer Hasan Pike, and comments, including an alleged justification for an effort to terrorize the synagogue.
His candidacy, which can decide the majority in the Senate, touched the Jews in the state. any called for the Democratic organization to agree the list "non-negotiable" rules concerning the safety of Jews, others They broke up with their erstwhile loyalty against the organization and others called on the community to vote El-Sayed.
W fresh York anti-Zionist politicians won a series of elections to the home of Representatives and local offices. Darializa Avila Chevalier, who attended the solemn rally on October 8, 2023, just after the devastating Hamas attack on Israel, won her primaries to the home at the beginning of that year in a territory adjacent to the synagogue.
"We should proceed to support initiatives promoting the general welfare of all Americans," Hirsch said. "But before you quit your time or funds, ask, examine and ask these agencies what they think about Jews, Israel and October 7."
He urged younger Jews to express themselves "in the field of ideas and values."
The polls showed that younger American Jews were more critical of Israel, a departure from older generations, while another young Jews took leadership positions in the face of confusion in places like close Columbia University.
"You have a chance to be a large generation. hard times bring strengths we didn't really know we had. Be a hero," said Hirsch. "Join the fight. Don't let go. This is just as good a definition of a hero — a individual who, erstwhile needed, cannot wait out."
In an interview, Hirsch said that he did not consider his appeal to abstain from political support to be controversial.
"That's what politics is. You support people who share your values and want to make them, and you argue those who argue your values," he said.
He added that he was impartial, not "telling people how to vote", admitted that voters were guided by various issues and perceived anti-Semitism as a problem both on the left and the right.
"This puts on members of the American judaic community who support candidates, an additional work to tell fact with their own, to condemn their own," he said. "I don't think it's always a good policy erstwhile the election group is treated as something obvious, and I don't think it's a good policy for American Jews."
He described the hatred of Israel as "unbalanced, obsessive, and reflexive," repeating anti-Semitic stereotypes, treating the judaic state as "opposed of all that you consider good and noble."
Such anti-Semitism, in all society where it appeared, damaged the society itself, he said.
Hirsch added that Israel, despite its "revelationships", is an ally of the United States, part of the Western world, and "stands up against forces that search to destruct the West."
"Israel fights civilization's conflict with those who want to destruct Western civilization," he said. "Obsessive hatred and unbridled hatred—is an opposition to reason and pluralism that form the heart of Western civilization."
https://www.timesofisrael.com/leading-us-reform-rabbi-in-yom-kippur-sermon-unhinged-obsession-loathing-of-israel-is-corrupting-us-values/
