Tallahassee, FL – Saying it is ”fundamental” to freedom to be able to display ”religious symbols,” Gov. Charlie Crist has quietly placed a boxed Jewish scroll on the door leading into his formal Capitol office.
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Crist put up the mezuzah — a portion of sacred Jewish parchment contained inside a case — with the help of Rabbi Schneur Oirechman, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of the Panhandle. The mezuzah was a gift from House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, a Delray Beach Republican, who gave it to Crist, who is not Jewish, while he was on a trade mission to Israel last May.
Crist’s action has drawn the ire of the American Civil Liberties Union, which said Monday it is wrong for the governor to put up any religious symbol in such a public place.
Crist said in response that he is “celebrating the diversity that is Florida: many religions, many people, many opportunities.” [miamiherald]
Shmendrick,
when your chasidishe cousin lands on business in China or thailand, or in jail in Atlantic city or Otisville, and the only one who can or will assist is Lubavitch, suddenly you wont think Lubavitch is so treif. Dont talk like a fool.
It’s a kiddush Hashem that a mezuzah is on the door of the Governor’s office. And that he’s doing it to declare that religion is kosher is even more of a kiddush Hashem. Rebbi sent a mezuzah to Ardeban, who was not Jewish, and nobody suggests he was wrong to do so. The only time it’s a problem for a goy to have a mezuzah is if he’s likely to take it down and throw it in the garbage ch”v, not if he keeps it up and treats it with respect.
Shmendrik, I’m sure they didn’t say a bracha, but the menorah lightings are 100% kosher and require a bracha – how dare you say otherwise? (They always make sure to have a yid do the lighting and say the bracha, even if there’s a goy with his hands on it too.)
AND WHEN REB YEHUDA SENT A MEZUZA TO THE KING PERSIA THAT WAS ALSO WRONG…..
SHMENDRIK YOU ARE DEPRESSED AND NEED SOME CHABAD IN YOUR LIFE…
Good line about atheism.
The ACLU is not as bad as the Bnai Brith Anti Defamation League. They went to court in South Florida to prevent Lubavitch from displaying menorahs in public at toll plazas. ADL spokesman Art Teitelbaum issued a halachic ruling that because one makes a bracha on a menorah it is a religious symbol, ma she’ain kain with a Xmas tree. Therefore the menorah should not be displayed, but the Xmas tree may be displaed because itis not a reigious symbol. (I heard it straight from him in the Broward county courthouse where the case was heard.) Lubavitch’s response. They put menorahs on cars and part them at the toll plazas. Same difference.
as far as the ACLU. He can just tell them the reason he only put one on one side of the door rather than both sides is because in “celebrating diversity that is Florida” he left the other side empty to celebrate Atheism
Well, I think it is better than hanging a moose head in the dining room!
It was probably not right to do this. However some aino Yehudim think that a mezuza brings good luck or protection and I know of aino Yehudim who moved into an apt. after it was vacated by Yehudim and didn’t want to take down the mezuza left there bec. she thought it would bring bad luck.
The governor is proudly displaying a gift from the House Majority Leader from a trade mission to Israel. Given his statement that he’s “celebrating the diversity of Florida”, he’ll probably now have to counter the mezuzah with some other religions’ religious symbols to prove that he’s doing it out of political correctness.
And Crist is not Jewish, as well. Typical Lubavitch politics. And he probably made a bracha, just like they do at their possul menorah lightings.
Actualy, he doesn’t have to. The building is owned by ano-yehudim, the state, there is no obligation of mezzuzah on that door. I hope that whoever put it up didn’t make a bracha, likboa mezzuza.