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May 11, 2008

Obama's rabbi friend

Peggy Shapiro
For the third time I have gotten the same email from Rabbi Wolf supporting his neighbor Barack Obama. It seems that Rabbi Wolf is nearly the last man standing as far as Jewish justification of Obama. Obama critics never said that the man was a bad neighbor. He probably takes his garbage out on the designated days and doesn't throw too many loud parties. Let's look at what the good Rabbi has to say in defense of Obama.

"I support Barack Obama because he stands for what I believe, what our tradition demands."

Yep, we have had a tradition of minimizing anti-Semitic associations. It cost us dearly before and we should know better now."

"But to limit our understanding of Obama to the ill-conceived comments of the man who once  led his church is dishonest and self-defeating."

Rabbi Wolf magnanimously asks us not to tarnish Obama's image with those of his closest advisors and guides. What would Rabbi Wolf have said of a close associate of Goebbels? We can't judge him by the company he keeps? If Obama felt comfortable in Wright's church for over twenty years, then the minister's message did not hit the same raw nerve that it hit for many of us. If Obama admired the man who posted anti-Semitic messages on his church website, who promoted the Hamas view of the Middle East, and who traveled to Libya with Farrakhan, then Obama either shares some of his vision or has extremely bad judgment. Neither trait bodes well for his job as president. Wolf conveniently omits a series of Obama advisors whose stands on Israel should make us shudder. I am afraid that it's thinking like Wolf that can defeat us.

"Some want him to fall in line behind the intransigent, conservative thinking that has silenced Jewish debate on Israeli  policy and enabled the Bush Administration's criminal neglect of the  diplomatic process."

Now we get to the Rabbi's agenda. When the U.N., the E.U., nine Arab nations, Hamas, and Hezbollah are assaulting Israel with missiles and propaganda, the Rabbi feels that it is unfortunate that the U.S. doesn't join in the chorus of Israel detractors. The poor Rabbi worries that Israel does not have enough critics and wants to make sure that there is one in the White House.

"...race plays a key role in the hesitation to support the Obama candidacy. "

Let's ignore the fact that Jewish supporters helped give Obama a start on the political scene and that Jews tend to be among the most liberal voters. Now that Israel is fair game, why not accuse Jews of racism when they have real concerns about a candidates experience and associates?

"I hope someday to visit him in the White House."

That is a hope you can believe in.

In Philip Roth's book The Plot Against America, it's 1940 and the country is weary of crisis and fearful of becoming involved in another European war. When an anti-Semitic (and isolationist) candidate wins the election, the nation is so lost in the president's charisma that it accepts his embrace of dialogue and then friendship with the Third Reich. American Jews painfully feel their political voice stifled if they dare to criticize the administration. I mention this book because of a key character, a very well-known rabbi, who uses his position in the Jewish community to lend credibility to the new president. After all, how bad can the president be if a rabbi supports him? What does this rabbi get? Of course, a visit to the White House.

Update from Ed Lasky.

More from Israel enews: 

Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf is also a Reform rabbi who was one of the earliest Jewish advocates for "dialogue" with the PLO (he himself met with the PLO back in the 1970's) and was a founding member of Breira, a short-lived organization whose only purpose was to urge Israel to give into Arab pressure and give up land for peace. We all know how that worked out.

Rabbi Wolf is also a member of the Rabbinic Cabinet of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace whose entire mission "is to educate and mobilize American Jews in support of a negotiated two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." I urge you to check out their truly sickening agenda

Rabbi Wolf thinks Obama would be good for Israel, and that he is a friend of the Jews. In fact, if he has any criticism of Obama at all, it's that he's not radical enough in demanding Israel make "painful concessions."

Rabbi Wolf: "Many people remain concerned that Obama isn't committed to Israel. Some want him to fall in line behind the intransigent, conservative thinking that has silenced Jewish debate on Israeli policy and enabled the Bush Administration's criminal neglect of the diplomatic process. For my part, I've sometimes found Obama too cautious on Israel. He, like all our politicians, knows he mustn't stray too far from the conventional line, and that can be disappointing. But unlike anyone else on the stump, Obama has also made it clear that he'll broaden the dialogue. He knows what peace entails."

There's more.

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