A Pre-State Religious Zionist Icon in America
I was deeply touched by Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel’s narration of the life of his eminent grandfather, Rabbi Dr. Herbert S. Goldstein, in his opinion piece, “A Model of Pre-State American Zionism” (Dec, 26, 2025). Espousing Torah values and a religious way of life as a sine qua non to the Zionist dream, Rabbi Goldstein effectively mounted a strong resistance to the prevailing views of Zionism in the first half of the twentieth century wherein secularity took precedence over religion.
Responding to the currents of those times, his grandfather presciently transformed his shul, later known as the West Side Institutional Synagogue, into a major center for Jewish life. He did so by bringing in a multitude of athletic, social, and literacy “clubs,” which drew large numbers of Jews to his shul and prevented them from slipping into the perilous anonymity of secular life. In essence, the shul served as the greatest weapon against the forces of assimilation that washed over much of American Jewry at that time, while imbuing community members with a Zionist zeal that had so remarkably shaped the lives of his illustrious grandfather and his children.
I can relate. My mother was a lifelong friend of Herman Wouk, whom she came to know as a fellow camper up in Milton, Vermont in the late 1920s. According to my mother’s account, the camp director, Sam Borowsky, who served as president of the Borough Park Zionist Organization, instilled in the campers both religion and Zionism as inextricably tied. Herman Wouk was a great admirer of Rabbi Goldstein, principally because he was able to so persuasively infuse Zionism, religion, and a balanced form of secularism into all those who came within his orbit. Rabbi Reichel’s illuminating op-ed captures the passion of his grandfather’s unflagging commitment to Zionism – including enduring a long and difficult nautical voyage in the 1950s which he made into a yearly occurrence – which enabled him to serve as a role model both during his time and for generations later.
Commitment and zeal never fade with time. And neither will the name “Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein.”
Amy Neustein, Ph.D.
Fort Lee, N.J.
The writer is the author/editor of 16 academic books and is currently working on her parents’ memoir.
Public Shiva Provides Supreme Mitzvah Opportunity
I appreciate, admire, and support virtually everything Rabbi Rothwachs wrote in his initial article on the private shiva (“A Private Shiva? Comforting a Subject, Not Handling an Object,” Oct. 31, 2025) and in his well-thought-out response (Dec. 12, 2025) to what I wrote (“The Many Benefits of a Public Shiva,” Nov. 21, 2025), as well as the gracious tone of his response.
It respectfully seems to me that all the objectives served by the “private” shiva, and all the concerns raised by Rabbi Rothwachs so eloquently and movingly, are actually addressed and resolved within the framework of the public shiva as observed by adhering to the letter and spirit of Jewish laws and customs; this was noted by Rabbi Rothwachs himself in his original article, in my response, and in his follow-up reply to my response.
Just one more point: Although the primary purpose of the shiva may indeed be to satisfy the needs of each individual mourner, as noted by Rabbi Rothwachs, the act of nichum aveilim (consoling mourners) is widely considered to be not only a mitzvah in itself, but also one of the greatest mitzvot of all. It derives from the idea of chesed and emulating G-d, who comforted Yitzchak after his father passed away (Sota 14a). Rabbeinu Yonah actually stated, toward the beginning of the third chapter, that comforting mourners is a Biblical obligation of doing chesed (although Rambam writes that the obligation is rabbinic (Hilchos Avel, Chapter 14)).
Either way, a private shiva disenfranchises all Jews who know or care to console the mourner – except perhaps a select few – from observing this mitzvah. And unlike most mitzvot, this one is considered not just adhering to the word of G-d, but actually emulating the example set by G-d.
Nevertheless, I agree that the main objective is to satisfy the needs of each individual mourner. I simply believe that the legitimate concerns raised by Rabbi Rothwachs about the feelings of the mourner – which of course are primary – are adequately addressed within the framework of the public shiva, especially with all the accommodations discussed by Rabbi Rothwachs and by me.
Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq.
Kew Gardens, N.Y.
Mamdani’s Fake-Friendly Chanukah Video
I would like to comment regarding your recent incisive article by Stephen Flatow entitled “Mandy Patinkin’s Chanukah Cameo: A Cover for Mamdani’s Record?” (Dec. 26).
A few weeks ago, I wrote a letter to The Jewish Press in response to President Trump’s meeting with Mamdani at the Oval Office in which he failed to lecture Mamdani on his anti-Israel and antisemitic views. I proposed that our Orthodox rabbinic leaders should instead be the ones to meet with Mamdani and to fill that void within our Orthodox Jewish community that is desperately needed.
Unfortunately, since then I have not read of any rabbi representing our mainstream Orthodox rabbinic institutions such as the Orthodox Union, Agudath Israel, National Council of Young Israel, Yeshiva University, Touro University, etc., meeting with Mamdani to address concerns regarding our community. Instead, Mamdani recently met with a delegation of rabbis representing the Conservative and Reform branches of Judaism that would be more favorable to his overall policies and worldviews. However, interestingly, one of the Reform rabbis from the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, namely Ammiel Hirsch, left that meeting even more disillusioned than before, convinced that Mamdani’s strong ideological, jihadist convictions will not bode well for many NYC Jewish residents.
In order to help counteract the Rabbi Hirsch’s post-meeting negative report, Mamdani then chose a safer Jewish venue to help endear himself to his Jewish constituents. Namely, he posted a warm, cuddly Chanukah menorah-lighting video with a non-rabbinic, well-known Jewish celebrity, Mandy Patinkin. He not only lit the Chanukah candles while Patinkin recited the berachos, but also was seen wearing an apron and making potato latkes along with Patinkin. In the video, Patinkin, sporting a long white beard, actually looks and sounds very rabbinic (though without his head covered). (Many years ago, he appeared in a movie entitled Yentl along with Barbra Streisand, in which he portrayed a yeshiva student.) This also proved to be a safe choice by Mamdani because Patinkin had recently been interviewed blaming Netanyahu for all the antisemitism in the world rather than Hamas, due to how Israel reacted to October 7. I assume this interview alone endeared Patinkin to Mamdani.
I do hope, like Mr. Flatow, that our Jewish leaders will not be fooled by this video to think that it will at all foretell a warm embrace and support by Mamdani of his Jewish constituents.
I plead with all our Jewish leaders to pay attention and not remain complacent or believe that what occurred recently on Chanukah in Australia cannot occur here, as we may be facing a very dangerous situation here in New York City as well. All our Orthodox Jewish leaders must very strongly and unequivocally present their issues and concerns on behalf of our entire community directly to our new mayor as soon as possible to hopefully avert any new catastrophe. The time to act on this is now!
Josh Rosenthal
Queens, N.Y.