New York – When the Republican candidate for New York governor, Carl Paladino, addressed an Orthodox crowd on Sunday about his opposition to gay pride parades and how children shouldn’t be “brainwashed” into thinking being gay is OK, he clearly thought he’d find a receptive audience.
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He was right.
Orthodox viewpoints on homosexuality are derived from the Torah, which is clear in its condemnation of male gay sex, and Orthodox leaders almost uniformly oppose celebrating gay identity.
It was that opposition that prompted The New Jersey Jewish Standard, a Jewish weekly in a heavily Orthodox area of northern New Jersey, to apologize earlier this month for offending Orthodox sensibilities by printing a gay wedding announcement (though the newspaper later switched course, expressing regret for its hasty apology).
“Sometimes people feel that they have the right to make their choices and then to obligate others to celebrate their choices,” said Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, a past president of the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County in northern New Jersey. “We believe that we cannot celebrate these choices.”
Rabbi Avi Shafran, spokesman for Agudath Israel of America, which represents the black-hat segment of Orthodoxy, said the traditional Orthodox community is appalled by hate violence against anyone, including gays, but that the community is also “deeply dismayed at the ongoing and increasingly successful public and media campaign to ‘mainstream’ the homosexual lifestyle.”
It might have been insensitive for Paladino to reiterate his opposition to homosexual lifestyles in the immediate wake of anti-gay violence, Shafran said, but that was “a matter of sensitivity to feelings.”
Some Orthodox Jews say that stance — expressing distaste for homosexuality but condemning anti-gay discrimination — should be a model for the Orthodox community.
“which represents the black-hat segment of Orthodoxy”
I stopped reading right there. Who calls themselves “The Black Hat Segment”? The JTA wants to blame Yidden for Paladino’s disgusting pandering.
“Rabbi Avi Shafran, spokesman for Agudath Israel of America, which represents the black-hat segment of Orthodoxy, said the traditional Orthodox community is appalled by hate violence against anyone, including gays, but that the community is also deeply dismayed at the ongoing and increasingly successful public and media campaign to ‘mainstream’ the homosexual lifestyle.”
1000% correct.
Rabbi Shafran, all you have to do now is convince the local Agudah leadership in California, New York and elsewhere to stop supporting and electing homo legislators and those who openly support the homo agenda. (i.e., Assemblyman John Perez in California; Andrew Cuomo in New York, etc.) Just because they may control the ‘purse-strings’ is no reason to abandon Torah values.
Its not just his remarks on “gay rights” that offends 99 percent of yiddin..its his overall boorish, clumsy, hateful and arrogant comments about everyone including blacks, jews etc. If you want such a bizzaro as your governor, please vote for him.
One of the Orthodox Jewish population’s perception problem in the eyes of others, is that the Orthodox do a very poor job of Public Realtions. The Orthodox don’t feel they need the public relations as they have the Torah & Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) to guide us and the Rabbis make no excuses nor apologies for their stance on things. Nor should they! The problem arises where the differences arise within Orthodoxy itself. Simply put, to live in a lifestyle clearly prohibited by the Code of Jewish Law, is at the very least acting as a non-Jew. If done in public, it then becomes “Mumar”, a denouncer of Judaism, as Halacha dictates one who denounces any 1 Commandment, denounces them all. It’s not a pick-and-choose “feel good” religion. So the problem arises when any Gay/alternative lifestyles try to cling to their Orthodox past. And throughout the ages, we have learned that the way to prevent it is by shunning any & all association directly or implied. The only confused ones, are the ones whose Rabbis allow such advertisements (invitations) and don’t hear the loud condemnations coming to discourage it, those groups begin to feel the breakdown of values and can’t understand where it came from when it hits home.
So where do we stand in backing Paladino? One thing is certain, we are not allowed to support one who endorses the Gays & alternative lifestyles. If Paladino is the only man left standing, then you must support him even if he is a “loose cannon” shooting off his mouth getting himself into trouble.
“… and Orthodox leaders almost uniformly oppose celebrating gay identity …”
almost? How about omitting the “almost”?
Why is the JTA hedging and who are the Orthodox leaders who don’t oppose celebrating gay identity?
Even the panel discussion at YU last year cannot be construed as “celebrating gay identity”. It was more of a “how does the Frum community deal with these people?”
if world would have been world we should of have to back him all the way…..
what can we do that all community leaders like UJO etc. are running after a liberal democrat that doesnt deliver a simple thing. oilem goilem!!!! thats all i can say
Paladino could get the Tea Party support at this rate. Jews, Catholics and Muslims all hold this viewpoint as well. He should be a shoe-in.
Lets not forget years ago, when Ed Koch and Mario Cuomo ran against each other for governor, Cuomo put up signs in Orthodox communities that said, “VOTE FOR CUOMO, NOT THE HOMO.”
That is much worse than Paladino stating his position to a similar minded audience. BTW, some say that Andrew Cuomo was behind those signs. It’s funny how these so-called “liberals” are the most intolerant, nasty and demeaning of anyone.
Regarding the so-called gay community, in May, 1978, I was leaving the Salute to Israel Parade, along with thousands of other Yidden, as we were proceeding to enter Central Park to hear Menachem Begin (A’h) speak. As we were entering the park, there was a gay person (I am 200% certain of that fact) there who stated “Heil Hitler”, when he saw all of the observant Jews entering. To this day, I regret not punching that bigoted individual. He thought that he was cute with his remark.
I don’t understand why this is a public issue?
Did you know that it is perfectly legal in the United States to be an idol worshipper?
Yes..even in public.
Where’s the outcry??
Idol worship is THE cardinal sin for all mankind..and yet we support the government that supports peoples rights to idol worship.
We can support the message (as required by halacha) not not the messenger. Sorry to say, Paladino is unsuited for elective office.
Tayerer yiden. We are in Golus. Stop thowing yourselves in front of a moving locomotive. Why do we have to be in the forefront of everything. Sit quietly on the sidelines. Fight the battles that will effect you directly more than others. Stay out of the limelight.
It does us no good to stick our noses everywhere. Always the “kofetz b’rosh”. Every act that anyone takes is made out to be the most crucial for the existance of Yiddishkeit. “If we don’t fight this tooth and nail, who knows what’s next” We should prioritize our needs and bellyaches.
Andrew Koomoe was responsible for “vote for Cuomo not the Homo”
I guess shelly silver doesn’t follow the same torah as we do and rabbi Shafran as somehow he supports gay marriage
Dear Mr Common Sense #10 –
The Gemara in Chullin 89 is clear – Hashem forgives the non-Jews for violating the sheva mitzvos (including avodah zarah) as long as they do not have gay marriage – even if they do homosexual sex as long as they don’t go so far as having gay marriage because it is one thing to do a sin and feel bad and do tshuvah but it is another thing to be arrogant and say it is ok
Torahjew Says:
I guess shelly silver doesn’t follow the same torah as we do and rabbi Shafran as somehow he supports gay marriage
politicians are making laws for everybody not just yidden. Even if someone says that the state can allow gay marriages, that is just the secular state institutions not religious instutuions.
That means no rabbi, priest eman or whatever has to marry gays, therefore it is not against Torah values. Is a politicians against Torah values because he allows people to drive a car on shabbos?
To # 16 and 17
We live by secular laws and under secular institutions in galus not what you call torah values or halacha. The legislature and ultimately the courts will decide if gay marriage is constitutional. They could care less about your creative interpretation of what goyim can and cannot do in their bedrooms.
Learn the gmorah in meseches Sukkah at the end of the second perek. There is a punishment for the entire world for this grave sin. Don’t just sit by the sidelines. DO SOMETHING ABOUT ItT
#12 .
The mere fact that we belong to the עם הנבחר – and we therefore represent HaShem in this world, demands that we condemn depravy and immorality, if not it would be a great חילול השם. Even if no tangible results effect from the actual demonstration, the world at large DOES look up to us (whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not), and WE have to be seen as the upholders of morality.