I’ve been called kike, cheap Jew, and Hymie. To the best of my recollection, never Amalek.
Amalek is a biblical phrase, so I would assume that it is at least one level higher in Kedusha than the other terms. I just don’t know if I feel comfortable in the Amalek role—it’s very not me….
I want to use this forum for two distinct purposes. First, I wish to publicly thank (Rabbi) Shalom Cohen—a Shas party candidate to become Israel’s Chief Rabbi—for his recent public pronouncement two days before Tisha B’Av (what? and two months before would have been okay?) calling Modern Orthodox Jews “Amalek.”
Quoting Yeshiva World News, quoting Rabbi Cohen, and then Rabbi Yosef: “Rosh Yeshivat Porat Yosef, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen, Shlita, a member of Shas’ Moetzes Gedolei Yisrael, on Motzoei Shabbos Chazon 5773, announced that the kippa sruga (dati leumi) community “is Amalek.” Gadol Hador Rav Ovadia Yosef, Shlita one week later, in his Motzoei Shabbos Nachamu drasha, apologized and issued a clarification regarding his position on the dati leumi tzibur. The rav referred to remarks made a week earlier by Rosh Yeshivat Shalom Cohen, Shlita, at which time the rosh yeshiva referred to the dati leumi tzibur as “Amalek.” He elaborated by explaining he has no doubt that Rav Cohen’s remarks against the dati leumi community were referring only to those who have chosen to align themselves with people in the coalition who remain determined to uproot Torah. “I too am witness regarding the man and he was referring to politicians, “ added Rav Ovadia.”
Politicians only. Really? It took one week to come up with that?
Shalom Cohen of the Shas party, with Rav OvadiaYosef, whose own son ended up winning the election for Sephardi chief rabbi—sitting by his side seemingly giving his tacit approval—has accomplished something I have asked for in these very pages. As a result of Shalom Cohen’s pronouncement, the RCA and the OU worked collaboratively to release a unified statement calling on us all to embrace Ahavat Chinam (unconditional love) rather than Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred).
As I have said many times, I am all for Jewish organizations working together for the good of the Klal—and this is certainly for the good of the Klal. I think, though, that both the RCA and the OU realize that they are preaching to the choir. I love Rabbi Shmuel Goldin dearly, as he is a real hero of American Orthodoxy, but I’m not thinking the statement made it into the Shas newspapers. It’s not playing in Geula or Bnei Brak or Peoria.
Second, I want to thank Reb Shalom for granting me this clarity of purpose: You can be sure that the next time I am asked to support an Israeli-based organization, I will ask whether they have any official association whatsoever with Shas. If they do, count me out. Rav OvadiaYosef’s apology for his disciple’s anger management issues sounds more like a Rashi explanation than a known fact. Let the word go forth from New Jersey that I will not support anyone who benefits from anyone who calls me Amalek. And please note that Rabbi Shalom Cohen himself did not apologize.
Secondly, I wish to use this forum to call upon those writers who populate our Orthodox newspapers with their often insightful opinions, whose columns also have a legitimate say in the yeshivish and haredi newspapers such as Hamodia or the Yated Ne’eman.I publicly call upon people like Jonathan Rosenblum and Avi Shafran to repudiate—in the strongest of all possible terms—the garbage that came out of Shas’s mouth. I call upon true Gedolim and Torah Sages to issue loud and public pronouncements against such filth. Now is their shining moment; they have been handed a gold cup on a silver platter. Where is the outrage?
And if they don’t come to defend their Modern Orthodox brothers befarhesia—in public—then what is all the dialogue in the world worth? How are we any different than the Muslim population who insists they are not radical Islamic fundamentalists but refuse or are cowed into not speaking out against maniacal suicide bombers and other terrorists? Is suicide bombing ethical? Okay class, let’s discuss it. Nope. Not doing it.
There is no place here for dialogue. I don’t want to have intra-faith breakfasts. And please don’t waste my time trying to spin Cohen’s words. Apologize head on—or get out of my world. If you mean it, show it. Lead, or get out of the way. I say this because I still believe in the power of the Chief Rabbinate—a venerable institution that can hopefully be restored soon to its glory.
We’re way better than this, and it’s only people like the Shafrans and Rosenblums of the world who can use the pen as a loving sword to help put an end to this nonsense. Haredim beating up fellow haredim who serve in Tzahal. Haredim beating up on other haredim who choose to work for a living. Shas-nikim beating up on the Modern Orthodox. Enough already. And yes, of course—it goes both ways—and I’ll be the first to speak out against any Jewish leader who paints any of my brothers or sisters with a broad-stroke red paint brush. Enough is enough.
In the meantime, now that I am Amalek, what color kippah sruga would look best on me? And do you like the new circle designs or the standard white base with a pattern around it?
Robert Katz has been a Bergen County resident for 25 years and has been a Jewish communal professional since graduating Yeshiva Unversity in 1985. He can be reached for comments at: rkatz_jewishlinkbc.com
By Robert Katz
