J Street’s anti-Netanyahu petition (“I’m a Jew. Bibi does NOT speak for me!”) was a particularly revealing indicator of how, for all too many Jews, leftist policies and partisan politics have eclipsed authentic Judaism.
Jews who think Judaism means eating matzah on Passover and who have replaced the 613 commandments of the Torah with the directives of left-wing social justice and political correctness have long lost the battle to retain true Jewish identity. Jews who do not believe in Torah mi’Sinai seem to have increasingly little appetite for defending the nation the Torah represents. Lacking the defining identity the Torah bestows on its adherents, too many assimilated Jews are unable to recognize the dangers they face.
It is up to Jews on the right, primarily the Orthodox and those whose pintele yid still speaks to them, to wage the battle for Jewish survival. These are the Jews – from the Orthodox Union to Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, to individual rabbis –who came to Netanyahu’s defense. Some of these rabbis scrambled to sign a petition supporting Netanyahu spearheaded by Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, New York.
In Israel, more than sixty prominent religious-Zionist rabbis sent an open letter of support to Netanyahu in which they quoted the words of Moshe Rabbeinu (Devarim 31:6), “Be strong and resolute, neither fear nor dread them.” Netanyahu went on to repeat these words in his address to Congress.
The divide highlighted by the partisan bickering over Netanyahu’s speech was not just between Democrats and Republicans. It was between Jews and Jews. With the loss of so many Jews to intermarriage, those of us connected to Torah need to double down on our efforts to support organizations and efforts dedicated to Jewish survival.
As Jews increasingly leave the fold in a loud and rancorous manner, which threatens those of us left holding the mantle, it is our obligation to protect that mantle in an equally vociferous manner. Now is not the time to waver. Be strong and resolute.