LONDON (JTA) – American Jewish rabbis are erring by endorsing — and opposing — President Donald Trump, according to Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi of Great Britain who said he has always studiously avoided showing an affinity for any particular candidate.
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In a Jewish Telegraphic Agency interview, Sacks, who was chief rabbi from 1991 to 2013, said that even as he grew close and provided advice to political leaders of many stripes, he never endorsed any or allowed rabbis under his supervision to engage in political advocacy or electioneering.
“I can see that that is not the case in America. And I’m afraid American Jewry is making a big, big, big mistake,” Sacks said. “This is not a small thing. It’s a very, very big thing.”
Sacks made the comments in response to a question about Shmuel Kamenetsky, an influential haredi Orthodox rabbi who recently said that Jews should vote to reelect Trump out of gratitude. Another Orthodox rabbi, Aryeh Spero, blessed Trump and his reelection campaign this week at the Republican National Convention.
On the left, rabbis frequently wade into partisan political issues and even argue for specific political candidates in their personal capacity. (U.S. nonprofits, including houses of worship, face penalties if they engage in prohibited political activity as organizations.)
The consequence of blurring the line between politics and Judaism can be significant, Sacks said.
“You mix religion and politics, you get terrible politics and even worse religion,” he said, adding later, “I’m afraid I have absolutely not the slightest shred of sympathy for anyone who, as a rabbi, tells people how to vote.”
Sorry to disagree, rabbi.
How come you don’t comment on Reform or egalitarian rabbis who are always injecting themselves into politics? Especially , when the average non-Jew believes all Jews to be liberals who oppose morality and who are progressive bandwagoneers .
In fact , when there are evil elements who wish to destroy the country which gives us safe haven and rights as Jews at a critical time like this , it’s imperative to speak up.
These are not normal times.We need to show millions of law abiding religious citizens on which side we are.
In this week’s Yated, Rabbi Yossi Rosenberg has an article about this subject. As far as what Rav Shmuel Kaminesky said, “to vote for Trump because of Hakoras Hatov” these were the last words he said of a very long interview. He basically said, to vote for Trump because he stands for conservative policies and the Democrats stand with liberal policies.
wise man
Even when a major party planned a coup to take out an innocent duly elected president?
Even when dark forces are on a march destroying cities , homes and religion ?
This is no longer politics, rabbi.
It’s a Mayday , life threatening emergency.!!!!!
Finally someone has the courage to cry it out loud…..
On deaf ears anyway, they are so in to it and drunk like with the Donald.
so true and even pirke avoth mentions it
He seems to have forgotten how much of a big deal UK Jewry made of this year’s election there. Much more extreme than here.
Respectfully, request Rabbi Sachs, you are only half right. Jews opposing and/or supporting Biden are on the wrong side of history. We Jews, as Americans, must support President Trump because of each and every promise he made and has kept. It would be one thing if he was now running against a “moderate”, where the country really wouldn’t sway too much one way or the other. But Biden and the Liberal Left are certified lunatics who want to destroy the very fabric of this country and turn us into a socialist state. I don’t thing foreigners like the rabbi fully understand what is at stake here. It’s not about laying low and staying out of politics. It’s about the survival of America as a capitalist democratic republic, and not handing it over to to radical socialists.
This is a problem: well spoken laymen with smicha should not inject themselves into a debate with a gadol. It’s incredible he doesn’t realize how inappropriate his comments are.
I meant “Jews opposing TRUMP…..”
We have no choice . Orthodox rabbis generally stayed way , but what to when so many “rabbis ” from other denominations are always front and center .
Joe Blow from Osh Kosh believes all Jews are radicals. Just listen to radio call in shows. Should we keep silent ?
R. Yankev (Jonathan בלע”ז) Sacks is a חכם גדול, who I think highly of. Nevertheless, he is not necessarily aware of all the details and nuances in the USA as much as in the UK.
To say that מרן רב שמואל שליט”א “injected himself into politics” is exaggerating things. He was asked a question in an interview with a frum publication, to which he responded briefly. He gets a multitude of queries on a wide variety of topics. He did not get up and make a public speech about it. The press, as is their wont, blew it up into a big story. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the press injected itself into his life.
Respect for a גדול בישראל, a revered sage and leader, is in order.
חז”ל מורים לנו במסכת אבות הוו זהירין ברשות שאין מקרבין לאדם אלא לצורך עצמן. לענ”ד פשוט שי”ל אותו דבר על התקשורת ג”כ
While I agree with him in the aspect that we need not get down and wallow in the mud with them , there is too much at stake in this election to completely disengage. In my view we need to reject the Biden/Harris et al ticket, but not be shrill and in your face about it.
Go out and vote, encourage your friends family and neighbors to vote, and let’s hand them a resounding defeat at the ballot box
There is a long history of American rabbis supporting the wrong side in politics here. The two most prominent orthodox rabbis in America in 1861 were outspoken supporters of slavery!
Today we have rabbis defending a leader whose entire adult life has been a mockery of everything the Torah teaches. A licentious lying ganav who spouts anti-Semtiic memes and praises Jew-haters. The rabbi who spoke last night at the Republican convention had previously been part of the presidential campaign of the notorious defender of Nazi criminals Patrick Buchanan — and the RNC didn’t even identify him correctly, saying he was actually his distinguished 96 year old uncle in Israel who stays out of politics. The prominent rabbi who earlier endorsed Trump is sadly a prominent anti-vaxxer who would naturally be drawn to Trump’s science denial.
Fortunately there are those of us in the orthodox community who are upholding Torah teaching and opposing Trump.
Didn’t he & a lot of other British rabbis condemned at last election in in the UK ( rightfully so) the then Labor anti Semitic leader Mr Korbon
Didn’t the Gateshead Rav ban Rav Sacks in 2002?
“You mix religion and politics, you get terrible politics and even worse religion,” he said, adding later, “I’m afraid I have absolutely not the slightest shred of sympathy for anyone who, as a rabbi, tells people how to vote.”
Thank you Rabbi Sacks! (until 120 in only the best of health).
I do not know about American Jews. It seems Israel made a big mistake when it aligned itself with the Republicans.
what we need is another Dr./Salk not a philanderer and liar
Did Reb Yaakov ztz”l endorse political candidates? Were Reb Moshe, Rav Henkin, Rav YD Soloveitchik, Rav Hutner, Rav Ruderman, Reb Shmuel Birnbaum, Rav Gustman, zecher tzadikim livrochoh, zechusom yogain alainu, known to endorse political candidates?
Couldn’t agree more. We are in Halos and it’s not of our department to mix into politics.
rabbi rabbi rabbi rabbiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
When a leader of Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky’s stature makes the recommendation to vote Trump, he has wide “pleitzes” and can stand behind his endorsement.
Please respect gedoilay yisroel and not Refer Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky without the Rav in front of his name
There is one Trump hater who is not fully observant and uses different screen names. Fact is 91 percent of Orthodox Jews are voting Trump.
The majority of the Orthodox Jews live in blue states — so our votes for Trump will not matter anyways…
Just lost respect for this man – who does he think he is next to the likes of the gedolai hador like rav avigdor miller and rav shmuel kaminetsky??
A block jewish vote in New York and California could make a huge difference.
Won’t happen
A tremedous lack of kavod for a gadol hador. Not acceptable to talk like that. Most of these commenters don’t address this issue here. Reb Shmuel is a big pikeach even if he doesn’t have a college education like surely Rabbi Sacks has. His torah gives him the clarity.
In terms of religious morals, there is no question that a frum yid should vote for Republicans. Democrats are pro abortion until the 9th month, LGBQ+ rights, removing god and religion from public life and compelling people to say and do things that go against their religious beliefs.
On one hand it is a kisush hashem for a yid to stand up for morality on the other hand, there are many that hate us on both sides. American yiddin need to remember that they are in golus and the geula is near (our grandkids are promised to see the geula). I am afraid that most of you got lost in the woods and forgot the destination.
Chutzpah talking about Reb Shmuel like that.