08/12/2018
The Jewish Telegraph, a newspaper for the UK Jewish community, was horrified to learn that an ultra orthodox rabbi had attempted to blame the November Pittsburgh massacre on the fact that the congregation had been celebrating the birth of a baby boy to a samesex couple. We reprint their article, which shows solidarity with LGBT Jews and the wider LGBT Community in the face of hate from all sources:
THE world reacted with horror of the murder of 11 innocent congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue — on Shabbat of all days, the most peaceful day of the week for Jews. There was sympathy expressed from some unlikely sources as the outpouring of grief and solidarity continued throughout the week.
But there was a distinct lack of sympathy from a well-respected rabbi whose online shiurim attract a vast weekly following. Rabbi Mordechai Aderet insisted in a vile offering this week that what happened in Pittsburgh was well deserved and that the congregation had brought it upon itself. The fact that the congregation was Reform and that a brit mila was taking place for the baby son of a gay couple was sufficient reason for Mr Aderet (he does not deserve the accolade ‘rabbi’) to believe he could speak in the name of God. Hitler did not differentiate between Jews of all shades. Mr Aderet was in a minority of one, as Orthodox colleagues throughout the world, including Israel’s Chief Rabbi, put aside cultural differences, to express horror, abomination and sympathy. One of the first rabbis to issue a letter of solidarity and condolence was the ultra-Orthodox Jonathan Guttentag, of Manchester’s Whitefield Synagogue, whose missive was sent immediately after Shabbat.
And then, there were the equally vile words of Baroness Tonge, who blamed the whole thing on Israel. The Jewish Telegraph this week started an online petition to have her stripped of her peerage and to date there has been huge support. People like her and Mr Aderet do not deserve to hold office or be in a position to influence others. The sooner they lose any authority they have, the better for everyone.
