Playing Politics with Yiddishkeit

The Orthodox of community in NY 9 is the target of a major campaign to preserve traditional marriage, and it seems that it works, to a great extent. It’s a positive phenomenon, that voters are ready to put their religion first when electing candidates. What disturbs me, though, is the fact that these voters are misled that they are answering to a Pro-Torah campaign, when it is just the opposite:

It's a cynic misuse of Torah and Yiddishkeit by political operatives!

Why? Let's do a little background:

David Weprin is a Frum Yid, who grew up in a secular family. He himself became frum as a young Bochur. This must have been a major sacrifice, that most of us haven't made, and it shows a lot about his character.

Throughout his career, especially when he chaired the Council Finance Committee, he helped tremendously Jewish causes and he was a forceful voice for Jewish issues. I don't think anybody questions that.

The State Government recently passed a bill that goes against our values and we are ought to be very upset about it. David Weprin supported it, together with scores of politicians, including the Orthodox speaker Shelly Silver. Weprin couldn't have made a difference, but Silver, through political maneuvering, could have prevented this bill from coming to a vote.

Orthodox Jewry long ago grappled with the issue of supporting candidates who enact secular and anti-religious laws. The Satmar Rav Z"l prohibited the Israeli Bechiros because we aren't allowed to have contact with such a Zionist Government, but our Gdolim advised that since we can't stop the secular laws, we should at least have a say - by electing Knesset member and even joining governments - to save and assist Judaism when possible. Even the Satmars only opposed the Israeli elections, since they are Jews and we have responsibility for their actions. In the US, they always voted for candidates who supported anti-Jewish laws.

Some took the Satmar position to further extreme, that even in Non-Jewish countries we have to guard against anti-Torah laws. I have some admiration for those who permanently stick to this position. They might be extreme, but they are principled and Erlich. My problem is with those who use this position to gain political points.

Our Askunim and leaders are supporting and lauding these politicians, including Silver. During the last city council elections in BP, Assemblyman Dov Hikind stuck out his neck to defeat a candidate whom Silver didn't want elected. (He won anyway, and Hikind is still reeling from this loss). He was also in bed with David Paterson, who fought for this bill, and all our Askunim are supportive of Gov. Coumo, Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn, who are fighting for these bills. Hikind fought for Brad Lander, a progressive who sticks out his neck for these bills.

So, supporting this bill is not what disqualifies a candidate to gain Orthodox support.

Also, when this bill was passed, why haven't we been in the fore-front to block it. The voice against it was mainly a Kol Anos Chalusha, and not the forceful voice we hear now. Dean Skelos and Shelly Silver had the power to block it from coming to the floor. Both have sizable Jewish communities, and if we have voiced our displeasure then so loud and clear, it could have made a difference. Why are we crying Lachar Hamasse? Why are we better with revenge than prevention?

Some will show to a remarks by Weprin in the state assembly where he somewhat disavowed Anti-assimilation policies, as something that is not in sync with the democratic law. I'm hurt by this statement as you, but I'm sure Weprin regrets this statement (still, I would like to hear some sort of apology.

But, since when are we seizing on one statement to trash some one's character?

Let's also not forget that Turner's top supporter is Ed Koch, who was Anti-marriage before it was so fashionable in the US. Harav Avigdor Miller Z"l and a lot of other Rabbis asered to vote for him, and this was probably the first time when the Anti-toeiva movement began. Turner is silent on these issues, and is beholden to Koch, so it’s far from clear how he would vote should such a law arise.

So, what's the tummel?

The truth is that the above mentioned Assemblyman realized that by being connected with an upset victory, he will grab more attention than going with the conventional choice. Yeshiva World, who always leans republican, looked the last few days as the Turner Website, publishing piece after piece of Turner press releases, and trashing Heimishe Askunim (if he means Yiddishkeit, he would adhere to some of the Bein Adam Lachaveiro Mitzvos). Knowing that Turner have nothing to show for us to deserve our support, those and other politicos seized on the marriage issue - using our erlichkeit and temimus push us to Turner.

Truth is, this pro-marriage campaign is cynical politics, using the Torah to achieve their ends. Dov Hikind is condemning using something he imagines as a 9/11 symbol in ads. We ought to condemn and be appalled by those who are using and discarding the Torah for political ends.

It's the season of Teshuva. David Weprin is a Baal Teshuva, so we're out to forgive him for some views that he held and comments he said that differs with ours. After all, he learned Yiddishkeit by himself, and not by birth like us. We will ask forgiveness for our misdeeds, so why are we so Mdakded with others? This is goyishe politics, to take one statement and use it to destroy someone's character.


Right-minded Jews ought to show all these politicians and Political Operatives that we will not fall for their Shtick and Abuse of our Torah Umitzvos.