By Derek Saker
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| American Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudah (Agudah wesbsite) |
Derek has submitted his thoughts on issues he feels are important to the Jewish community. As always the opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect my own. His words - which are lightly edited for clarity - follow.
Outspoken Yes/ Haughtiness No
With the alarming rise of antisemitism, I naturally believe that the collective “we,” the Orthodox community, has a right, a responsibility, a leadership duty to keep politicians, public personalities and the larger community in constant check. And to, call-out and admonish when necessary, raising concerns and calling for decisive action when warranted.
At the same time, hyper-over-sensitivity needs to be curtailed. Like when some in Orthodox media scream headlines about an Orthodox Jew found to have been by example publicly shouted at, pushed or shoved for no apparent reasons other than for being Jewish.
Is such action acceptable? No. But look at big picture and get a sense of weight. It otherwise reflects an immaturity, an inability to divorce those situations which warrant a hard-hitting response and those overzealous reactions that defeat the very legitimate arguments trying to made and feeds into certain stereotypes.
There was a recent editorial in an Orthodox media outlet admonishing the NY State Democratic Governor for not providing “more serious time” for an invited interview and accusing her of mere “window-dressing” in her engagement with the Orthodox community.
This was true. But at the same time, that IS politics!
Get real, grow up. Stop behaving like a crying baby. Ddon’t expect the Governor to jump at the request for “more time.” Especially when her relationship with Orthodox community is troublesome at best. Particularly in the closing week of a close election, she like any politician, has to strategically weigh her time and with whom.
Yes, we can and should hold to the fire any such politician – but not with the screaming headlines of audacity and haughtiness.
Besides, you think “our” Orthodox politicians and political machers in the community don’t do the same? So many actions “with others” are “just for show.”
Politics is a messy business. And whether gentile or Jew – all have dirty hands at times. That aside, the last thing we as a community want post any election, is to have mud on our faces.
Yes, take strong positions. Intelligently articulate this and that, but do it with political maturity in the context of a mature player.
Communal Growth and Wider Responsibility
I believe that with the growth B”H of the Orthodox community, the community crossed a Rubicon some years ago in terms of the newfound representation and the ‘power’ it can yield.
This in itself, a tremendous hakaras hatov to the fertile land of America – which has made the exceptional - possible.
At the same time, unsurprisingly, with the above reality – comes the enormity of responsibility. The mantle of astute leadership, of derech eretz, of Kiddish Hashem in an often extremely complex, nuanced political and communal world – especially where other players can be so very different, embracing such very different causes, very different priorities. And not least - very different religious beliefs.
Yes, while obviously prioritizing the concern of issues affecting immediate Orthodox ommunity, there is also the responsibility to step-up-to-the-larger-communal-plate and embrace a more collective and engaging role as contributors to wider American society, not just pre-occupied only in self-interests, however important they made be. Just like we hope by example, many non-Jewish politicians, communities, and leaders are vigorously engaged in countering antisemitism.
The Orthodox community is part of the inter-woven fabric of Americanism and American society. All the good and less good of America. Not a separate tapestry, as many would like to think or like it to be. Coupled with this mantle of more “external” responsibility is a necessity for greater “internal political maturity” as a community.
As the Orthodox community B”H grows, it evolves. It is not monolithic politically and otherwise. Just as we ourselves lambaste non-Jews for casting “all Orthodox Jews as the same” – so too, the Orthodox community itself has to more proactively recognize and appreciate that within Orthodoxy - there are increasingly very diverse and very opposing political beliefs and perspectives – that need to be respected in an environment of mature, democratic tolerance.
This lack of internal political maturity can arguably be seen most acutely with the NY State Yeshiva-Educational issue – paranoia feeding into more paranoia.
Most alarmingly where almost every Orthodox organization and institution marched in lock-step-and-barrel. Whether apprehensive, scared to publicly dissent or offer constructive criticism, there seems to be a lack of confidence, of mature discourse, to express, very strongly at times, very different perspectives on the matters of the political day.
While the community with its growth has crossed the Rubicon – it is arguably still very much fixated only with the concern-for-itself. And an extension of that is a preoccupation to always “speak with one voice” - or to lose influence.
We Can Do No Wrong!
I feel some of the haughty references stem from the growingly insular wagons and again, lacking of maturity – seen also in some ways by the rush to always publicize to the n’th degree any good-deed someone in the Orthodox community does. As if to show – ‘look at us, look how good we are.’ ‘We are never at fault.’
A notable sign of political and communal maturity is honesty and admitting, coming to terms, addressing the ills, communal and individual. And importantly, being more humble. What can WE LEARN from OTHERS at times.
As leaders, as a community, as institutions, taking public ownership at times of difficult issues – before the secular Jewish papers and other media capture the initiative and color their reporting with their often very narrow agendas and malignant narratives of Orthodoxy.
Yes of course the Orthodox community as a whole does do so much good, much unnoticed, but we also err, have erred since timely memorial - and will in the future.
People err. Many in leadership err (and general community can err, particular with a sometimes sheep mentality) …many leaders, Orthodox institutions and communities got it tragically wrong with child sexual abuse for decades.
Arguably the community, in leadership, has lagged much behind in addressing the stigmatization of disability – developmental AND importantly mental illness. (paranoia concern about shidduchim)
Many in community, in leadership and institutions have failed in the barometer of tax responsibility.
Many in leadership have failed in trying to cultivate a less divisive and less intolerant community.
Many in leadership/community fail to embrace concerns/policies to avoid global warming, even the importance of better looking after our immediate environments, of diminishing waste. Playing our part - even in the very basics – by example, diminishing the use of disposable plastics, correctly discarding plastic etc. - but which all add up to a whole. Seen as immaterial – for the goyim.
But we are ALL affected by the lack of proactive engagement. We all live on one planet, earth. Bnei Bark, Lakewood, Boro Park, Passaic are not geographically on a different planet. At least literally.
Looking the Other Way
And then there is the issue of Trump. Yes, I know, many embrace the policies of this king of narcissism, this repugnant bully and so much worse, and we look the other way – we overlook his horrific character, believing the end in this case, justifies the means.
But when is enough is enough? When will all this looking the other way – lead to hitting a pole and much worse.
If leadership and community don’t look in the mirror – this will G-d forbid back-fire so badly for the community, and for less affiliated Jews. It will reflect so badly on us, as individuals, as a people, and as a faith.
While I don’t believe Trump is an antisemite, he of course embraces any possible support he can get at whatever price. So fixated is he in “not being a loser” and “winning again.” So if you happen to be a movement of neo-Nazi Americans who supports Trump – he likewise, like many of us - looks the other way.
But this has all added more and more fuel to the growing fires of antisemitism in itself. Now he is attacking DeSantis and threatening him if he runs.
We are all perfectly imperfect. In our personal lives. As leaders. As communities.
As we know too well, bad things happen when good people do nothing.
It has taken decades for us as Orthodox Jews to B”H swell our numbers. Let it not take decades for us to learn to act with utmost communal maturity and responsibility.
Within our own, increasingly diverse Orthodox communities and outwardly amongst the much larger community that we are part of.