(MENACHEM WECKER / JNS) — Marc Tracy’s New York Times article on Jan. 14 refers to “left-wing” Jews and a “left-wing” Jewish publication, and a “far-right” Israeli government and its “extreme-right ministers.” The avian metaphors add up to the culture reporter to implications for human appendages as well.
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“If I forget you, O’ Jerusalem,” states Psalm 137:5, “let me draw a blank on my right hand.”
The Times article headline has a different notion of the Jewish faith than does Jewish scripture. “Is Israel part of what it means to be Jewish?” the article asks, noting that “some progressive Jews” embrace “diasporism,” thus “reimagining their faith as one that blesses their lives in America and elsewhere.”
“The land of Israel is central to the religion, the foundational narrative of which is about returning from slavery to the Promised Land,” the article allows. “Over centuries of exile, Jews have pledged, ‘Next year in Jerusalem,’ and prayed facing that city.”
Since Oct. 7, “some Jews have been repelled by Israel’s military response, which has killed approximately 23,000, according to Gazan officials,” per the Times. (Hamas terrorists run the Gaza health ministry.)
“On Day 100, the NYT features a closely reported profile of the Wicked Son from the Passover Seder. ‘What does all this mean to you?’” wrote David Frum, an Atlantic staff writer and former speechwriter for former President George W. Bush.
“Oh look, the NYT has discovered more anti-Zionist Jews,” wrote John Podhoretz, editor-in-chief of Commentary magazine. “It’s their favorite thing, along with polyamorous moms and drag queens who love to entertain 3-year-olds.”
Other major national newspapers have in the past suggested that Jewish connections to Israel, including the Jewish Temples, are a matter of faith rather than history, even comparable to the Muslim prophet’s “night journey.”
A photo in the Times article, of a right hand’s index finger pointing to a passage from the Talmud, calls attention to the Aramaic text about how a Jewish man must not walk more than a certain, short distance without a yarmulke on his head.
Ironically, the other side of the page photographed in the Times cites a discussion in which one rabbi asks another whether one can legally leave Israel. “It is forbidden,” the second rabbi says.
The Jew who feels no connection to Israel is a complete fiction. There is no such thing as Judaism without Israel. Other than the few fringe NK, the only Jews who feel no connection to Israel also have no connection to Judaism. There are people with faint Jewish ancestry who are not really Jewish in any way who don’t care about Israel or anything else Jewish.
What did I just read?
Anything and everything is far right of that rag It’s a leftest anti American anti Isreal anti religion rag. Except for black and moslem causes
It’s sad that there are Jews out there that are so disconnected from any real active Judaism, that they have to get their Jewish information from the NY Times.
‘a “far-right” Israeli government’
Israel lost its “far right” government last October 11 when a National Unity government was created. The NY Times even ran a story on it.
The NYT is in general a Jew hating rag especially they despise Frum Jews. Having said,Judaism consists and is based only on the Torah.Without it there is no Judaism. We survived this long long Golus only because of Shmiras Torah U’Mitzvos.Judaism is not based as the rest of the world if we do or don’t have a country. We HAD Eretz Yisroel and then Hashem sent us into Goulus and we stayed loyal to the Torah.Therefore we are Jews.Period!
Eretz Yisroel and Medinat Yisrael are two different things. Eretz Yisroel is essential to Judaism, but more as an ideal to fulfill our job as a light to the nations, since we didn’t live up to it, Hashem sent us into the world to make the world a better place. Medinat Yisrael to say the least not so much.