A Slur Against American Jewry?
This past week’s issue contained an article by R’ Moshe Taragin regarding the changing landscape faced by American Jews in a post-10/7 world. It contained the usual statements about how the U.S. is just another stop on our way to Eretz Yisrael, how it’s no longer safe for Jews in the U.S., and how it’s time for us all to pick up and move to Israel. All arguments we’ve seen before and the veracity of which can be, and have been, debated for many years.
That’s all well and good, and while many find this line of reasoning an insult to the wonderful kehillahs and organizations we’ve created in the Diaspora, which have spread the light of Torah and made a kiddush Hashem across the world, as a G-d-fearing Jew I don’t take issue with the argument that Israel is the Jewish homeland and that we will all find our way there in the times of Moshiach. What I found shocking and disturbing, however, was the following paragraph:
“Some Israelis wish that life in America becomes less secure for Jews, to encourage more rapid aliyah. I am uncomfortable wishing discomfort or antisemitism upon any Jew, regardless of where they live and independent of whether it inspires their return to Israel. Such calculations are better left to Hashem.”
Now I’ve always suspected that many Israelis, especially olim, harbor a sense of resentment towards American Jews. I think it’s because they perceive us as not having made the same sacrifices they have for Klal Yisrael, or at least towards the State of Israel, a claim I take issue with as we’ve supported the state with billions of dollars in private donations (never mind lobbying for government aid and political support) over the course of Israel’s existence. So to actually see it written out for me that yes, many people in Israel hope our lives in America become worse and our existence more precarious was a shocking admission of something I’ve suspected for a long time.
The real shocker was that R’ Taragin does not condemn this line of thinking outright. He says he’s “uncomfortable” with wishing us harm here in the States. Not that he doesn’t wish for this to happen, but that it’s not ideal. Words matter, as we’ve heard so many times since 10/7, and R’ Taragin’s refusal to condemn this reasoning is reckless and disturbing given the challenges faced by Yidden worldwide.
Let’s rephrase his statement and see how it looks. “Many people think October 7th was a good thing, but I’m uncomfortable calling it a good thing. G-d will decide if October 7th was a good thing.” Pretty messed up, right? If that statement came out of the mouth of literally anyone on earth, it would be met with disgust and condemnation.
I think reading a statement like the one contained in R’ Taragin’s article may cause many Jews in America to reconsider their staunch support for Israel. Perhaps people will start thinking that maybe we don’t have an ally in the Middle East, maybe the Israelis think all we are good for in the U.S. is our money and political support and they don’t truly care about our safety and well-being. Maybe we need to spend our dollars and political capital shoring up our defenses stateside, as we clearly don’t have anyone else to do it for us.
It’s possible I’m misreading the tone and content of R’ Taragin’s article. I sincerely hope that’s the case. It would be a shame if after all the “acheinu Bais Yisrael” of the last nine months, people started to think that supporting Israel is not in the best interest of Jews living in the Diaspora. That would be a great tragedy for Klal Yisrael and potential disaster for Jews across the world.
P.S. This is in no way an attack on R’ Taragin personally. My daughter, a recent olah, is friends with his daughter and attended his school in Israel. I know him to be a good and ehrliche Yid and a big talmid chacham. I just think the line of thinking he presented and refused to condemn in the strongest possible terms needs to be snuffed out for the well-being of Jews in America, Israel, and across the world.
Avrami Szlafrok
Woodmere/Brooklyn, N.Y.
Rabbi Taragin Responds:
Dear Avrumi,
Thank you for your very important correspondence. I completely concur about the importance of being vigilant and precise in both the way we articulate ideas and the way we speak to others. I am grateful to you for sharing your impressions. Your comments were written with concern and with menschlikeit. I can tell from your comments that you are deeply committed to Eretz Yisrael and of course to our people. It is my pleasure to meet you – even from afar. Hopefully we will meet in Yerushalayim…or in Gush Etzion.
Regarding your comments: Sadly, there may be some Israelis who don’t fully appreciate the vibrancy of Jewish life in the U.S. and the immense dedication which Jews have for Israel. Generally, this is prevalent among Israelis who haven’t visited the U.S. or don’t have family there. Given their lack of exposure, they sometimes reach inaccurate conclusions about U.S. Jewry or don’t fully appreciate their engagement with Israel. This attitude is unfortunate and should be corrected in strong language. I have often tried to convey this message to Israelis who may not fully appreciate the American Jewish community.
However, I believe you may have unintentionally misinterpreted my comments. I did not claim that some view the rise of antisemitism in the U.S. as chas v’shalom a punishment for lack of commitment or dedication to Israel. That opinion should be corrected in much stronger language than I used.
I was specifically discussing the impact of antisemitism upon aliyah. Some people, with whom I disagree, have viewed this phenomenon as providing favorable results. According to their theory, anything which catalyzes a more complete and quicker aliyah is welcome. Again, not as a punishment for lack of commitment to Israel, but as a method to hasten aliyah.
Responding to this idea – that antisemitism has a favorable impact upon aliyah – I wrote that I am uncomfortable with this position and with wishing any discomfort to Jews, even if it possibly serves a larger purpose such as aliyah.
Though I disagree with this position, those who support it can certainly point to various statements in Chazal and in our mesorah which suggest or allude to the fact that when we become too comfortable outside of Israel, persecution awakens us to return home to Israel. According to this approach – again, one which I disagree with – the ultimate value and benefit of living in Israel “justifies” whatever unfortunate suffering was necessary to achieve it.
On a completely different note, and unrelated to any possible misunderstanding of my comments, I don’t like using the word “condemn” regarding other Jews. I think we could all benefit from softer ways of speaking about other Jews with whom we disagree. When an errant idea warrants a more powerful response than the phrase “I am uncomfortable,” I think we should try to find something less vilifying than condemnation.
Thank you again for bringing this to my attention and for your concerned response.
Kol tuv and with hopes for continued ahavat Yisrael.
Avrami Szlafrok Responds:
Thank you for your thoughtful response to my letter.
It truly pained me to see it written that there are Jews in Eretz Yisrael who prioritize mass aliyah over the safety and security of Jews abroad. My own experience during my gap year in 2001-2002 kind of made me biased to think that it was a widely held belief by many in Israel. Without getting into all the details I had a very bad gap year experience and this attitude that I had detected was a big reason why. That said, it’s encouraging to hear that this is not a mainstream belief in Israel and especially not in the Religious Zionist community. If I misunderstood the context of your comments I truly apologize. It’s just that this is becoming a very touchy subject here in the Diaspora and I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way.
I don’t think that you agree with the “by any means necessary” perspective and my comment was aimed at what I felt was a criticism of such that wasn’t worded as strongly as I felt it could have been. I think we are both on the same page there.
It’s important to note that there are a lot of vocal pro-Israel pundits on social media and in print whose incendiary views regarding this matter tend to make a lot of Americans feel isolated, and aliyah is simply not an option for them at this time, for whatever reason.
I’ve always found your articles to be well reasoned and thoughtful, an important and productive contribution to the Israel/ Diaspora discourse. There are, however, some very loud and obnoxious personalities who would do Klal Yisrael a massive favor if they would write their opinions in a diary instead of on the internet or in the newspapers. The “GET OUT NOW” crowd contribute nothing productive to the conversation of Jewish safety as the overwhelming majority of Diaspora Jews either do not have the means to do so and many simply would rather fight than run. Others object on religious grounds, and I can make an educated guess as to your opinion on that, but they have a defensible position at least according to their gedolim. A mass aliyah is simply not a practical or viable solution to the problems facing Jews worldwide.
Once again, I appreciate your response and look forward to the day we can all declare Hashem’s malchut from Eretz Yisrael in the times of the ultimate Geulah.
Let Chareidim Learn
Rabbi Chaim Goldberg and others who believe that chareidim should serve in the IDF have the right idea – but reversed. It’s the secular IDF soldiers who should be required to learn at least some Torah. As Jews, we know that the world was created for the sake of Torah acceptance. Before entering Israel, the Jews were admonished in Vayikra: “…let the land not vomit you out for having defiled it….”
The land of Israel, with all the wars it’s seen in modern times, has been trying to “vomit” the Jews out since its modern inception. Did it ever occur to anyone that it’s for the sake of those who sit and learn Torah that Israel still exists?
The October 7th massacre has shown that in spite of Israel having one of the most powerful armies and one of the most sophisticated Intelligence capabilities in the world, the Torah’s admonishments cannot be taken lightly.
If the secular soldiers refuse to learn Torah, then the least they can do is serve in the army and do their due diligence (hishtadlus). Taking Jews away from learning Torah, if they’re not urgently needed in the army, but only for politically motivated “equality” reasons, is a serious mistake. They are the real protectors of Israel.
David Balsam
Brooklyn, NY
Jews Must Demand Protection
Re: your cover story in the June 28 issue (“From Coast to Coast, It’s Open Season on Jews,” by Ziona Greenwald):
LA, NYC, Montreal, Toronto, London, Paris… An endless list of different cities, different target types, one common thread: Few, if any arrests, fewer prosecutions, and even rarer punishment for violent anti-Israel protestors. Typically, police have been ordered to “stand down and not interfere,” even as Jewish communities are under repeated assault. Either the authorities secretly sympathize with the protestors, or they fear those mobs’ unhinged wrath, or both. After-the-fact pro forma condemnations from political leaders at all levels of government – municipal, state, and federal – only illustrate their complete lack of effective leadership and abject failure to protect the safety and security of all their constituents.
It is absolutely imperative that the Jewish community push back vigorously against that. It is not that authorities lack either the means or the will to act decisively. They regularly demonstrate that they do possess such powers, especially against disfavored groups, such as pro-life demonstrators. They rigidly enforce distancing rules, arrest, and even pursue serious jail time for those who unlawfully block access to abortion clinics.
The Jewish community deserves no less protection. Jews need to vote far more wisely, rewarding friends and rejecting enemies, while cultivating support among allies to do likewise. Politicians should no longer be able to take their votes for granted. Time to reverse that oft cited political maxim: Vote your fears, not your hopes.
Richard D. Wilkins
Syracuse, NY
