Page 4«..3456..1020..»

Satmar Rabbi Files Lawsuit Against Town of Ramapo Over Flying Israeli Flag At Town Hall – Rockland County Business Journal

Posted By on March 21, 2024

RCBJ-Audible (Listen For Free)

The Legal Beat

A Ramapo Satmar Rabbi says it is illegal to fly an Israeli flag on government property in the Town of Ramapo.

Leibish Iliovits claims in a lawsuit filed Monday in Rockland County Supreme Court that the Town of Ramapo is violating New York State law, which prohibits flying the flag of another country. Town Supervisor Michael Specht is also named as a defendant.

The lawsuit relies on Section 141, Chapter 44, Article 5 of the New York Public Buildings law, which prohibits flying a foreign flag on government property absent an applicable exception.

Iliovits asserts the flying of the flag in front of Ramapos town hall violates his first amendment rights, freedom of speech, free exercise of his religion, freedom of association and the establishment clause and for acts of viewpoint discrimination and retaliation.

The New York statute states: It shall not be lawful to display the flag or emblem of any foreign country upon any state, county, or municipal building. The statute makes an exception when a public official displays a flag when a foreigner visits a municipality as a public guest.

Ramapo officials displayed the blue-and-white flag with a Star of David on Oct. 12 to show solidarity with the Jewish State following the terrorist group Hamass invasion and killing of Israeli citizens. It did not, at that time, issue a proclamation but the town stands firm in its belief that the flag is flying legally.

In 2022, the United States Supreme Court in Shurtleff v. City of Boston said the flying of a foreign flag can be a permissible expression of government speech, though it also found that if a government allows third parties to fly flags on municipal buildings, it cannot discriminate based on content. The case concerned the City of Bostons program that allowed outside groups to have their flags flown outside Boston City Hall. In a 9-0 decision, the Court ruled the city violated a Christians groups free speech rights when it denied its request to raise a Christian flag over City Hall.

The U.S. Supreme Court has regularly recognized that a government has the right to speak for itself. It may say what it wishes, and more importantly, may select the views it wants to express. As a general rule, government speech is not subject to scrutiny under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.

Government speech can apply in a wide variety of contexts public radio or television, erection of park monuments, specialty license plates, and flag raisings are just a few examples but it only applies when the speech originates with the government. It is generally free to have and share its own viewpoint, but cannot discriminate based on content.

A court may have to address the issue of whether the Town of Ramapos First Amendments right to speak for itself and by displaying an Israeli flag trumps the state statute banning the flying of foreign flags.

Among the Satmar Hasidic community, there is widespread opposition to the state of Israel or the public use or display of any of its symbols including the flag and the Star of David.

The Satmars made two requests in February to Town Supervisor Michael Specht to remove the flag, unsuccessfully. With a third stab, the town attached a proclamation, which it says satisfies New York Law.

But the plaintiff disagrees, arguing the proclamation was issued more than two months after the flag was first posted and the purported reason for the display of the flag fails to indicate that those it seeks to honor were specifically guests of Ramapo.

The opposition is particularly painful now because of Israels current war and the tactics used by it in Gaza and upon its millions of Palestinians, the lawsuit states. Iliovits says he is a leader in the ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jewish community in Rockland County, and that his community relies on his guidance on cultural, religious, and social issues. The plaintiff says many in his community feel extreme displeasure to unsettled discomfort, at the sight of the flag.

He claims members of his community are unwilling to enter the town hall and that those who do so feel great trepidation due to the flag.

Nearly 100,000 or 30 percent of Rockland Countys population is Jewish, with an estimated 50,000 Hasidic Jews. Satmar is one of the largest Hasidic dynasties in the world, with some 26,000 households. It is characterized by extreme conservatism, complete rejection of modern culture, and fierce anti-Zionism.

Not all Hasidim align with the Satmars, who believe the Jewish people were not meant to return to Israel through exertion of physical force but were instead meant to wait for divine intervention and messianic destiny.

The late Grand Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum (for whom Kiryas Joel is named) taught his followers to confront Zionism.

Ultra-orthodox sects such as the Satmars see Zionist symbolism as an ever-present lure to its dangerous philosophies and, ultimately, a threat to the Jewish people and faith, the lawsuit states. It finds the nation-state of Israel no less a danger as one united with Zionism.

The suit says it is unclear whos suggestion or request or from which government official the Israeli flag found its way to be prominently displayed on the front of the Ramapo building.

The plaintiff is seeking to have the flag taken down immediately and permanently. He is represented by Jonathan Wallace of Amagansett, NY and Stanley L Cohen of Jeffersonville, NY.

Town Supervisor Michael Specht said the flag remains aloft but said he had no comment at this time when asked about the lawsuit.

On October 7, the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Hamas (a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, or FTO) led surprise attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip. More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals (including at least 35 U.S. citizens in Israel) were killed. Gazas health ministry has reported the number of Palestinians killed in the war has surpassed 30,000.

The raising of the Israeli flag has been a continuous issue in Rockland County. The Israeli flag has been repeatedly swiped from the outside of Ramapo Town Hall. In the first theft, two men Alter Goldberger, 75, of Monroe in Orange County, and Yehonatan Ovadia, 32, of Chestnut Ridge have pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and paid $25 each for the cost of the flag.

Both men were accused of stealing the flag in November as a hate crime. They purportedly were affiliated with an anti-Israel state group, Neturei Karta, meaning Guardians of the City in Aramaic. The anti-Zionist group supports dissolving the state of Israel, formed in May 1948, until the coming of the Messiah.

In the Town of Clarkstown, a 15-year-old was charged in connection with the theft of an Israeli flag from Town Hall on Thanksgiving. His case was handled by the County Attorneys Office in Family Court because of his age. There is no Israeli flag flying at Clarkstown town hall, as of this writing.

Rockland for Ceasefire, a recently formed group that is demanding an end to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, has been campaigning to have Israeli flags removed, and for towns and villages to sign resolutions supporting a Middle East ceasefire. To date, both the Village of Nyack and Clarkstown have denied the groups request for a resolution, saying it is not the business of municipal government.

While several municipalities have exercised their presumed rights to fly the Israeli flag, Rockland County Ed Day says its policy is not to fly flags of other countries on county buildings.

The rest is here:

Satmar Rabbi Files Lawsuit Against Town of Ramapo Over Flying Israeli Flag At Town Hall - Rockland County Business Journal

School to hire new rabbi The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle – The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

Posted By on March 21, 2024

The school began the process of hiring a new spiritual leader for the 2024-2025 school year, a position that has not been filled since the passing of Rabbi Emily Feigenson in March 2020. For the last four years, Reverend Anne Gardner has been the sole religious figure at the school.

President Rick Commons said the new leader will work alongside Gardner as someone who has experience in working with Jewish students.

What weve decided to do is pair someone with Gardner, who is not necessarily a rabbi, but somebody who has expertise in working with students who are Jewish or identify as Jewish, and who has expertise in Jewish life and culture, Commons said.

After the passing of Feigenson and the simultaneous retirement of Father Jae Young, the school decided to hire a chaplain who could represent all people of all religions. Garnder identified that the school would benefit from hiring someone with knowledge of rabbinic studies, according to Commons.

Jewish Club co-leader Oren Hartstein 24 said he and his co-leader, Charlotte Newman 24, were consulted by the administration about the decision.

Jewish Club was made aware that the school intended on hiring a rabbi, Hartstein said. Newman and I were both aware of the decision and consulted on if we thought a rabbi would be a welcome addition to our school, [but] the decision itself was made by members of the administration.

Jewish Club was made aware that the school intended on hiring a rabbi, Hartstein said. Newman and I were both aware of the decision and consulted on if we thought a rabbi would be a welcome addition to our school, [but] the decision itself was made by members of the administration.

Sydney Assil 26 said that having a rabbi on campus will be helpful in creating a welcoming environment for Jewish students.

[A rabbi on campus] will create a supportive and safe environment for me and my Jewish peers, Assil said. I know that we have a Church on campus and other religious support, but theres no one for Jewish kids to go toabout our culture and religion.

Commons said that hiring a rabbi is part of the schools commitment to combat antisemitism as it rises globally.

We are in times when there is a rising tide of antisemitismin Los Angeles and around the world, Commons said. Harvard-Westlake has committed to fighting against the tide and trying to reduce it where we are and everywhere that our students go. [Hiring a new rabbi]is part of that as well.

Read the original:

School to hire new rabbi The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle - The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

Arsonist with kill rabbi tattoo sentenced to decades in prison for burning rabbi’s home – JTA News – Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Posted By on March 21, 2024

(New York Jewish Week) An arsonist with a tattoo reading KILL Rabbi Max was sentenced to decades in prison for setting fire to a rabbis home in 2019.

Matthew Karelefsky, 46, was convicted last month of charges including attempted murder, arson and assault for the crime in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Midwood. On Monday, he received a sentence in Brooklyn Supreme Court of 25 years to life in prison.

The crime occurred on June 13, 2019, when a rabbi at a Midwood yeshiva woke up shortly before 4 a.m. to a fire in his family home. The flames spread to houses on either side of the rabbis property, forcing 13 people to evacuate the buildings. Six people were injured by smoke inhalation, including a 6-week-old infant.

After the fire, K9 investigators found arson implements underneath the rabbis front porch. The items included a Kingsford charcoal bag, a plastic milk carton and empty containers of lighter fluid.

Video surveillance showed Karelefsky purchasing the items at a neighborhood grocery store the day before the fire and igniting the blaze. Police arrested Karelefsky in New York two days after the fire. Karelefsky was living near Pittsburgh at the time of the incident.

Karelefsky had a tattoo on his forearm that said, Never let go of the HATRED KILL Rabbi Max, the Brooklyn district attorneys office said. The rabbi was not identified in the statement, but was named as Rabbi Jonathan Max in media reports.

Karelefsky claimed that Max had abused him as a child, but did not provide evidence. Max dismissed the allegation, saying he had not known Karelefsky as a child, only meeting him as an adult. Karelefsky began threatening Max when the rabbi supported Karelefskys wife in divorce proceedings, Max said.

Hes a very amiable fellow, Max told the New York Times in 2019. You talk to him, hes the sweetest guy. Theres no anger in me toward him. Hes sick. How can you be angry at disease?

Karelefsky declined to comment to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency at the time of the arson. There do not appear to be any other public accusations of sexual misconduct against Max.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement on Monday that Karelefsky had been brought to justice.

This defendants actions destroyed the homes of several families and put numerous people in harms way, Gonzalez said. I am thankful that there were no life-threatening injuries.

Originally posted here:

Arsonist with kill rabbi tattoo sentenced to decades in prison for burning rabbi's home - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Absurd and Obscene: Manhattan Rabbi Slams Canadas Trudeau for Punishing Israel – VINNews

Posted By on March 21, 2024

NEW YORK (VINnews) Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, the rabbi of an iconic Manhattan shul, lashed out at the Canadian government for its disgraceful decision to withhold arms from Israel and continue to fund UNRWA, which he called effectively a subcontractor of Hamas.

Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email

The renowned Senior Rabbi of Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side tweeted a picture of himself holding his Canadian ID card, and wrote that he is a Canadian who is embarrassed of the Canadian government.

Rabbi Steinmetz posted the following:

I am a Canadian who is embarrassed of the Canadian government. Prime Minister Trudeau has decided to officially suspend sales of weapons to Israel and to continue to fund UNWRA, which is effectively a subcontractor of Hamas.

He continued, This policy of rewarding terrorists and punishing a democratic ally is absurd and obscene. It is particularly galling that a Prime Minister who went out of his way to court the Jewish community when he needed them has turned his back on Israel so quickly.

History will eventually tell the story of Trudeau the appeaser. And long after he exits the world stage, Israel will remain, strong and proud, a beacon of democracy in the Middle East.

Invoking a timely and appropos message from the Megillah, he concluded his tweet:

[Safety] and Salvation will stand for the Jews from a different source, and you and your fathers family will be destroyed.

Continued here:

Absurd and Obscene: Manhattan Rabbi Slams Canadas Trudeau for Punishing Israel - VINNews

25 years to life for man who set fire to rabbi’s Brooklyn home in hate-fueled arson – Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Posted By on March 21, 2024

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Photo: Mary Altaffer/AP

A 46-year-old from Pennsylvania will spend the rest of his life in prison after he burned down three houses in Midwood in an attempt to kill a rabbi.

Matthew Karelefsky, 46, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison by the Brooklyn Supreme Court on Monday for his involvement in a 2019 arson that targeted a rabbis home in the Midwood.

The arson resulted in the destruction of three homes, including that of the intended victim, and caused injuries to six individuals, among them a six-week-old infant, a firefighter and two NYPD officers.

Karelefsky was convicted on Feb. 7, 2024, of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree arson, six counts of second-degree assault, and two counts of fourth-degree arson following a jury trial in front of Justice Donald Leo.

The conviction stems from an incident on June 13, 2019, when a fire was deliberately set at a three-story multi-family home at 1492 E. 17th St., spreading to adjacent properties and necessitating the evacuation of 13 residents.

This defendants actions destroyed the homes of several families and put numerous people in harms way, said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. I am thankful that there were no life-threatening injuries. With todays sentence, this defendant has been brought to justice.

Investigations revealed that the fire was intentionally ignited underneath the front porch of the rabbis home, with fire marshals finding evidence of an accelerant, including remnants of a Kingsford charcoal bag, charcoal, a plastic milk carton, empty lighter fluid containers, lighter boxes and several rags soaked in lighter fluid. Video surveillance captured Karelefsky purchasing the arson materials at a local grocery store the day before the incident and later setting the fire.

Karelefsky was apprehended on June 15, 2019, in Manhattan. At the time of his arrest, he was identified in part by his distinctive attire a pink shirt with a white collar as seen in surveillance footage near the scene before and after the arson. Notably, Karelefsky has a tattoo on his forearm stating, Never let go of the HATRED KILL Rabbi Max, which, along with his social media posts, indicated a premeditated animosity towards the rabbi.

March 20 | Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

March 20 | Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

March 20 | Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

March 20 | Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Read the original here:

25 years to life for man who set fire to rabbi's Brooklyn home in hate-fueled arson - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Pepperdine to Host Ambassadors Sam Brownback and Rabbi David Saperstein to Discuss Bipartisan Approaches to … – Pepperdine University Newsroom

Posted By on March 21, 2024

On Monday, April 8, 2024, at 12:30 PM, the Sudreau Global Justice Institute, in partnership with the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, will feature two former International Religious Freedom ambassadors who will address bipartisan strategies related to international religious freedom. Sam Brownback, who served under President Trumps administration, and Rabbi David Saperstein, who served under President Obamas administration, will speak broadly about the importance of the United States advancing religious freedom around the world, how the two pursued international religious freedom both in and out of government, and how the right and left can work together in pursuit of it. The discussion will be moderated by Pete Peterson, dean of the School of Public Policy, and held in the Caruso Auditorium on the Malibu campus.

Brownback served as the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom from February 2018 to January 2021. He served as the 46th governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018 and prior to that represented his home state in the US Senate and the House of Representatives. While a member of the Senate, he worked actively on the issue of religious freedom in multiple countries and was a key sponsor of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

Prior to his public service, Brownback practiced law and taught agricultural law at Kansas State University. He earned a bachelor of science from Kansas State University and a juris doctor from the University of Kansas. Ambassador Brownback currently serves as co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit and is a Senior Fellow at Global Christian Relief. He is also chair of the National Committee for Religious Freedom.

For 40 years, Rabbi Saperstein directed the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, representing the Reform Jewish Movement, the largest segment of American Jewry, to the US Congress and administration. During President Obamas second second term, Rabbi Saperstein served as the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, carrying out his responsibilities as the countrys chief diplomat on religious freedom issues. Since leaving government, he has served as the senior advisor on policy and strategy to the Union for Reform Judaism. As an attorney, he taught seminars on church-state law and on Jewish law for 35 years at the Georgetown University Law Center. From 2019 to 2020, Rabbi Saperstein served as the president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the international arm of the Reform Jewish Movement.

He currently serves as a co-chair of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network and was a Distinguished Fellow at the PM Glynn Center at the Australian Catholic University.

Attendees will enjoy catered lunch from Chick-fil-A at noon prior to the discussion. The event is free to attend, however, registration is required.

Read more:

Pepperdine to Host Ambassadors Sam Brownback and Rabbi David Saperstein to Discuss Bipartisan Approaches to ... - Pepperdine University Newsroom

Mi Yodaya: The Power of Curiosity | Jonathan Muskat | The Blogs – The Times of Israel

Posted By on March 21, 2024

Rabbi Menachem Penner graced our community with his presence this past Shabbat, imparting not only insightful teachings but also igniting a flame of inspiration that continues to burn within us. His discussions on pressing issues such as the aguna crisis and the LGBTQ community were not just informative but deeply transformative.

What truly resonated with me was Rabbi Penners heartfelt reflections on navigating parenthood while staying true to halachic values, especially with his son being a member of the LGBTQ community. His journey of empathy and understanding, fueled by love and commitment, is a beacon of light in a world often shrouded in darkness.

In a brief conversation after Shabbat, Rabbi Penner shared with me that God placed him in a situation of being a parent of an LGBTQ son so he had to develop a sense of empathy. He sees every challenge as an opportunity for growth and connection with the divine. He emphasized the importance of embracing our roles with love, even in the face of adversity. His and his wifes recent initiative of organizing a Shabbaton for 35 couples who are parents of LGBTQ children speaks volumes about his dedication to fostering inclusivity and support within our community.

Reflecting on Rabbi Penners words brings to mind the wisdom of Mordechai urging Esther to embrace her pivotal role in history. Esther was nervous about approaching King Achashverosh unannounced, but Mordechai tells her that she must go to the king. U-mi yodaya im let ka-zot higa-at la-malchut and who knows if this is why you have attained a royal position just for this crisis? For years, Esther must have been bemoaning her fate as being kidnapped and taken to the palace never to return home. Why was she placed in such a situation? But maybe it was for this reason. Esther embraces her challenging situation and channels it to save the entire Jewish nation. Just as Esthers seemingly daunting circumstances led to the salvation of her people, our own challenges may hold hidden purpose and potential for greatness.

Rabbi Hershel Schachter once remarked that he had a time in his life when he felt that God was being unfair to him. He was one of the last of his friends to get married and he and his wife waited many long, painful and lonely years to have children. Later on in life, he understood why he had to endure this challenge. His experiences have equipped him to offer solace and understanding to others facing similar struggles, turning his pain into a source of strength and compassion. Rabbi Schachters journey serves as a poignant reminder that even in our darkest moments, there lies the opportunity for profound growth and empathy.

In a world filled with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and constant comparisons, especially in the social media world when it seems that everyone else has a perfect life, its easy to question why we face certain trials. Yet, as Rabbi Penner and Rabbi Schachter demonstrate, its through embracing our challenges with faith and curiosity that we uncover our true purpose and potential.

Life is a tapestry woven with threads of disappointment and triumph, but its how we navigate the twists and turns that define our journey. Instead of lamenting our fate, let us approach each challenge with the curiosity of mi yodaya, of being curious, of having an open heart and a steadfast belief that, perhaps, we were placed in this moment for a reason. Like Esther, like Rabbi Schachter, like Rabbi Penner, may we find the courage to embrace our roles and transform adversity into opportunity, making ourselves and our communities stronger and more resilient in the process.

Jonathan Muskat is the Rabbi of the Young Israel of Oceanside.

Read more from the original source:

Mi Yodaya: The Power of Curiosity | Jonathan Muskat | The Blogs - The Times of Israel

We must finish this war: An open letter to Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg – The Times of Israel

Posted By on March 21, 2024

Politicians around the world, media personalities, and UN officials have been warning and even threatening Israel not to proceed with the war and particularly not to engage in Rafah the last strong hold of Hamas on the border of Gaza with Egypt. They argue that the cost in civilian casualties would be too high. They tell Israel to stop before the goals of the war are achieved, exactly when those goals are within reach.

I find these chattering advisors from afar annoying, but only after the head Masorti (conservative) Rabbi in the UK, Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, came out with a similar statement telling us to stop, did I feel the imperative to answer.

I belong to the oldest Masorti Synagogue in Israel, the Moriah Congregation in Haifa. Our Rabbi was called up into the Reserves on Oct. 7th and served for more than three months, this while he has a pregnant wife and young son. My own son was called up, as were all his friends and many more from our congregation Therefore, it is with some authority that I can say to you, Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, it would have been better if you had remained silent and not advised us on how to conduct a just war against Hamas in Gaza.

We do not send our children to defend us unless we trust that they will not be called to target civilians or to commit immoral acts. They are our children, nobody cares more about how they behave than we do. Nobody. We would be unable to live with ourselves if we did not know of the righteousness of our cause. We do more than any country has ever done to protect enemy civilians and this is demonstrated by the remarkable statistics of combatants versus civilians. (Dont take Israelis word for this statistic, instead read the analysis by expert in urban warfare John Spencer.)

When we go into Rafah we will continue as we have done these five months. Why do you think otherwise? We are morally obligated to rescue our hostages and destroy Hamas so that they can no longer endanger our people. We are morally obligated to finish the job now so our grandchildren are not forced to fight this war again because of our failure today. We are morally obligated to allow the displaced people here in Israel to return to their homes. Our rabbis sister-in-law is one of those people. Therefore, we will finish and achieve our just goals while following the laws of warfare and international humanitarian law as we have been doing since this war was forced upon us.

Rabbi Wittenberg, you said I live in dread of the future hatred this is likely to engender but as you know from our long history it is NOT our actions that engender our enemies hatred. In every generation they raise up to destroy us. Hamas and all the jihadists incite hatred of Israelis, Jews, Christians, and all those they call infidels without any connection to how any of us act. It was not our actions that made the Germans hate us. It was not our actions that caused the brutal invasion of our country and massacre of our civilians on Oct 7th.

Only if we are allowed to win this war will therebe a chance that the Palestinian Arabs will be deradicalized. For the sake of our people and also for the sake of the people in Gaza we will do what we must to win this war.

I've lived in Israel for thirty plus years, I was a marine biologist and raised two sons here, but I didn't know the country. Then my husband and I, with our dog Taffy, hiked the 1000 kilometer Israel National Trail and a new path opened up in front of us and we discovered Israel. Now I am a Registered Israeli Tour Guide and it is the adventure of a life time to show others what I've found.

Read more from the original source:

We must finish this war: An open letter to Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg - The Times of Israel

‘It Has Nothing To Do With War In Gaza,’ Says Rabbi Abraham Cooper Asked To Remove Kippah In Riyadh – I24NEWS – i24NEWS

Posted By on March 21, 2024

In an ironic twist, a U.S. delegation tasked with advancing religious freedom cut short their visit to Saudi Arabia after its chairperson, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, was asked to remove his religious head covering while out in public.

Now, Rabbi Cooper is sharing his side of the story with i24NEWS, saying it has "nothing to do with [the war in] Gaza" and is a clear sign of how far the Kingdom has to go to achieve the goals of its Vision 2030.

"As an organization mandated by the U.S. Congress, we look at 28 different countries and the issue of the human rights within the lens of religious freedom. It obviously includes China, Russia, Iran, Cuba - and Saudi Arabia," explained Rabbi Cooper about the purpose of his visit toi24NEWS.

The report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) may then influence Washington's decision on whether or not a particular country complies or should be sanctioned for the level of religious freedoms.

"On the first full day we were there, we were taken to this lovely area in Riyadh that is a UNESCO site that in some ways reminds the Old City of Jerusalem, and tells the history of the city."

"A gentleman said: 'We have laws in Saudi Arabia that we don't allow in public any display of another religion's symbols. What you do in private is certainly your business, but we ask you to remove your kippah," recalled Rabbi Cooper.

The commission's chair compared it to asking a woman of Muslim faith to remove her hijab and added: "50 years ago, I spent a month in the Soviet Union where it was illegal to wear a kippah. I didn't take if off back then, and I'm certainly not taking it off now."

Rabbi Cooper says he told the official: "I am a U.S. citizen and a member of a government delegation, are you sure you want me to remove the kippah?" The man went to check, but after ten minutes came back and asked him to leave.

The site's workers escorted the entire delegation back to the van, which included the vice chair who is an African American pastor, as well as the executive director and other staff members. The commission's members decided to leave Saudi Arabia after the incident. Rabbi Cooper was contacted by the Saudi ambassador to the U.S., who said the delegation were welcome back to the Kingdom and called the incident "unfortunate." Rabbi Cooper said he does intend to return and complete the meetings that were planned.

"I am absolutely convinced that this doesn't have to do with Gaza. It has everything to do with major changes [in the society]. Walking away from Wahhabism - you can't just snap your fingers."

Rabbi told i24NEWS that in his opinion, the decision did not come from the top quite the contrary.

"Our job is to normalize that if someone walks down the street in an Arab capital wearing a kippah - nobody cares. We're not there yet, but I'm hopeful we will be," concluded Rabbi Cooper.

Read more stories like this >>

US delegation's trip to Saudi Arabia cut short after rabbi told to remove kippah>>

Jewish groups decry Canadian regulations putting Kosher meat 'in jeopardy'>>

Stabber in Switzerland affiliated with Islamic State, Swiss Police say>>

Visit link:

'It Has Nothing To Do With War In Gaza,' Says Rabbi Abraham Cooper Asked To Remove Kippah In Riyadh - I24NEWS - i24NEWS

A rabbi uses a traditional Indian dance form to retell the Passover story from Pharaohs perspective – JTA News – Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Posted By on March 21, 2024

(New York Jewish Week) Walking tall across the black stage of the East Villages Theater for the New City, Kalamandalam John makes a regal Pharaoh, with the bearing of a dancer.

Thats because John is a master of Kathakali, a traditional Indian dance form. He is in New York City to star in Pharaoh, a unique, Indian-influenced retelling of the biblical Exodus story through the perspective of Pharaoh, the Egyptian ruler who enslaved the Israelites.

Written by Rabbi Misha Shulman and directed by Michael Posnick, the play, which opens on Friday, employs this ancient Indian dance drama style to tell the Passover story from the bad guys point of view. Indian-inspired and Torah-influenced, the play explores Pharaohs inner life and struggles.

Kathakali means story play. In Kathakali theater, performers tell and honor stories through the medium of classical dance, with its own alphabet of 54 gestures hand movements, facial expressions using every muscle, eye language that convey emotion. Its a kind of imaginative midrash, or biblical commentary, in motion.

Shulman, who leads The New Shul in Manhattan, has long been interested in traditional Indian performing arts. In 2008, he traveled to the small village of Muzhikulam in southern India to watch a 15-day play performed in the ancient theater form, Kudiyatam, which is closely related to Kathakali. Villagers and others would gather in the open-air theater to watch the performance for about five hours each evening beginning at dusk, sitting a few feet away from the one man on stage.

Its riveting, and the slowest thing youve ever witnessed, Shulman told the New York Jewish Week. It was the best thing I had seen in my life.

He realized then that he wanted to approximate the Hindu theatrical tradition for a Western audience. That play was about a 10-headed demon God. What was beautiful is that you get to be with this mythical bad guy for so long and fall in love, Shulman said. I needed a bad guy that everyone knew, and I landed on Pharaoh.

Though Shulman does not have Indian heritage, he grew up surrounded by Indian culture: His father is a professor emeritus of Indian studies at Hebrew University. Their home in Israel was filled with Indian culture and Hindu stories, and Shulman said that two of the most important religious experiences of his life were in Hindu temples.

Shulman has spent 15 years working on Pharaoh, which was originally slated to premiere in March 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut theaters around the world. I needed to get it right, he said about the long birthing period.

In the 2020 version, Shulman played Pharaoh, with his own adaptation of Kathakali dance. But he has since taken on the full-time rabbinic role and realized that the stage role was not the right thing at this time. Through a series of connections, he met Johns daughter, who is also a dancer (and a dentist) and learned that John planned to be in New York this spring.

When John showed up, watching him answered all my questions for the play to be what I thought it should be, he said. Before, it was New York experimental, multicultural, on the fly. Now it is something deeply respectful of the tradition that inspired the play.

John is a master teacher of Kathakali and has been performing for more than 50 years. Hailing from Cheruthuruthy, a town in the south of India thats known as a major center for traditional Indian performing arts, hes the first Christian to become a Kathakali performer.

Our nonprofit newsroom depends on readers like you. Make a donation now to support independent Jewish journalism in New York.

In a conversation at the theater, John explained that this is the first time he is performing a story of Jewish relevance although, as a Christian, he is familiar with the story of the Exodus.

To take on this role or rather, roles, as he will play 54 different characters during the course of the performance, including Pharaoh, his wife and son, an Egyptian priest and a stammering Moses he learned the words before adding the flow of gestures. It takes time to go through the body, he explained.

John rehearses in loose pants and a sweatshirt, his feet bare. In Kathakali tradition, the costume is worn only in performance. It takes three hours to apply the vibrantly colored make-up, dress in layers of skirt and decades-old adornments that weigh almost seven pounds and don the massive crown. All were brought from India, where they were made by specialized carpenters and artisans.

A 68-year-old man of agility, grace and strength, John demonstrates the stance of the Kathakali dancer, with his large toe folded over the other toes, which he will hold in the dance movements.

As is Kathakali tradition, when Pharaoh is performed, John is led onto the stage, hidden behind a cloth. He is accompanied onstage by two musicians, Galen Passen on the sitar and Tripp Dudley on tabla and percussion. John offers them a blessing as the show begins. Shulman narrates the story and occasionally sings as John performs.

The play opens with a broken Pharaoh grieving at the fresh grave of his son. Having lost everything, he then offers his account of events leading up to the final plague set upon the Egyptians, the death of the first-born.

If you take Pharaoh and the entire civilization of Egypt and turn it into what we all have so much fun doing at our seders flattening it out to a caricature of evil and stubbornness if we can do that to Pharaoh, we can do that to anyone, Shulman said.

According to the rabbi, Pharaoh is about dimensionalizing the Passover story letting go of a singular perspective. Ultimately, he said, its a play about empathy and imagination.

The play has felt extremely relevant since I started working on it, Shulman said. Now, my understanding of the play and its importance has a lot to do with the conversation around Oct. 7and peoples inabilities to take on another persons perspective and the instinct to vilify anyone who disagrees and sees things differently. We are all caught up in seeing our political opponents as enemies. The play offers some softening of that painful piece of society right now.

As an actor, Shulman who moved from Israel to New York in 1999 to study acting at Hunter College has performed around the world. His own plays have often focused on Israeli-Palestinian affairs, including Desert Sunrise and Martyrs Street. This is his sixth play produced at Theater for the New City, a 50-year-old venue for innovative theater.

Shulman is also the director of the School of Creative Judaism, which he founded in 2009; the alternative Hebrew school brings together religion, art and activism under the framework of Jewish tradition.

Asked about what hed like audience members to take away from Pharaoh, the rabbi said, Id like them to try and take these archetypes as something that happens within each one of us, rather than something thats just out there to embody something about the story.

Our nonprofit newsroom depends on readers like you. Make a donation now to support independent Jewish journalism in New York.

At its core, Pharaoh answers the call at the heart of our tradition and at the heart of Passover: to ask questions, to seek truth, to continuously work for our own and others liberation, he said.

Pharaohplays at Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., from March 15-31, Performances are scheduled for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., with no performance on Friday, March 22. Running time is 75 minutes (no intermission). Get tickets here.

See the rest here:

A rabbi uses a traditional Indian dance form to retell the Passover story from Pharaohs perspective - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency


Page 4«..3456..1020..»

matomo tracker