My Neighbor, Barack - Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf - NY Jewish Week

[Kber]

Not everyone can claim to be the neighbor of a Presidential candidate - I can, though, because I am.


Barack Obama's Chicago home is across the street from KAM Isaiah Israel, the Hyde Park synagogue at which I've served for 27 years. He spoke to our congregation as an Illinois state senator; more recently, his Secret Service agents have made use of our, shall we say, facilities.


But it's not neighborly instinct that's led me to support the Obama candidacy: I support Barack Obama because he stands for what I believe, what our tradition demands.

More at link...
http://thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c55_a5420/Editoria...

Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf is rabbi emeritus at Chicago's KAM Isaiah Israel, Illinois's oldest Jewish congregation.

[Inuca]

1. Beautiful, thanks

I just hope that writings like this get wide enough a distribution.

[Kber]

4. You're welcome!

It was an interesting read.

KB

[ClayZ]

2. Nice! K and R!

[democrattotheend]

3. Wow, this is a great article

I am making copies of this when I go back to Montgomery County, PA next weekend or the weekend after. Thanks for posting.

"Yet, in spite of all of Obama's strengths, we've been loathe to admit a difficult truth: Among some American Jews, race plays a key role in the hesitation to support the Obama candidacy. We've forgotten that Black and Jewish America once shared a common vision. In the civil rights era, I and many in our community stood shoulder to shoulder with the giants of our generation, demanding freedom for all Americans.


Obama himself doesn't share our amnesia, however. "I would not be sitting here," he said in Cleveland, "if it were not for a whole host of Jewish Americans." That was literal truth, but not everyone remembers it."

That line in the debate totally made me melt!

[Kber]

5. Obama has repeatedly referred to "The task of repairing the world"

Tikkun Olam, in my world.

Makes me smile to think we are talking the same language.

KB

[frazzled]

6. I was waiting for Rabbi Wolf to speak.

I've seen the beautiful synagogue across the street from Obama's home (though I have never been there; I do know a faculty member from the U of C who attends there), and I had read the rabbi's wife was a supporter (along with much of the congregation). And I'd heard the stories about the Secret Service using the bathrooms there at night. I was waiting for him to speak. (As well as other clergy members of various denominations in Chicago.)

[Kber]

16. Interesting - didn't know about his wife

I wonder if Obama might be poised to resurrect the alliance between Jews and Blacks. It seems to me like some segments of the Jewish community are hungry for that possibility.
Thoughts?

[frazzled]

17. She was quoted briefly in the article from The Forward last month

http://www.forward.com/articles/12605 /

Some segments of the Jewish community support him and are hungr for that realliance, but I would say it is rare .... and on the more liberal/progressive side. KAM Isaiah Israel, as I understand it, is not only a reform congregation but politically progressive. I've seen the petition called "Jews for Obama," which contains the names of some prominent figures from the left, such as Todd Gitlin and others. But in the main, I'd say the Jewish community mistrusts him, and truly believes there is some underlying, publicly unexpressed antipathy (a la Jesse Jackson and Farakhan) in Obama. The rift definitely needs to be repaired, big time.

As I mentioned elsewhere, my childhood religious experience (as a Reform Jew) was tightly bound with the civil rights movement, and my rabbi played a big role in it. It's hard to shake that off, even if the rest of the community has.

[Kber]

21. My mother converted to Judaism

besides having a theology that spoke to her, she was very attracted to the active pursuit of justice exhibited not just by the American Jewish community in the 50's and 60's but by the breadth of 5000 years of history where either the pursuit of justice, or the failure to do so, dominated the narrative through which jews saw themselves, starting with the prophets.

She felt (and taught us) that the involvement of jews in the civil rights movement didn't spontaneously generate, but was a natural outcome of the teachings and history of the jewish people when they (we) are at our best.

I owe my commitment and historical perspective to her, a gift I value greatly.

[Adelante]

27. There is a Gallup poll today showing Barack in a good position

with Jewish voters.



http://www.gallup.com/poll/105595/Clinton-Obama-Closely...

[williesgirl]

7. Obama respects other's religions and viewpoints. This man recognizes that. rec'd

[Tatiana]

8. KAM Isaiah Israel is a very respected Jewish institution in Chicago.

They also do some important work in the community. This is an excellent piece. Thank you for posting.

[Scurrilous]

9. K & R

[City Lights]

10. K&R.

I really enjoyed that. Thanks, Kber!

[DevonRex]

11. K&R nt

[Growler]

12. K&R

[ieoeja]

13. K&R

[Indenturedebtor]

14. Thank you for posting

As a Reform Jew, there is no candidate in the race more in line with my religion IMO.

[K Gardner]

15. Beautiful testimony.. neighbors usually know ! K&R

[scheming daemons]

18. I predict that not only will not a single Clinton supporter comment in this thread, they won't even

..bother reading it.

[Kber]

19. What's there to say?

It's just one of those positive, "why I support my candidate thread."

Whether they read it, well, that's up to them.

Personally, just in case Hillary IS the nominee, I've been searching out info and posts that highlight her positives. I'm planning on voting for the democratic nominiee and I'm going to figure out how to get happy with that.

But I'm actively supporting Obama as long as he's got a realistic shot, which, last I checked, he still does.

[rucky]

26. Maybe there's a video somewhere of the Rabbi doing a Horah? n/t

[question everything]

28. Here is one Clinton supporter reading it

why is it that you, Obama supporters cannot be satisfied with idolizing him and smooching each other? Why is it that the only way you can be happy is by trashing Hillary and her supporters?

How small of you, how pathetic.

Like 1984, it is not enough for you to beat your opponent; you have to completely dehumanize them.

I do hope that DU is not a microcosm of the Democratic party. Because thanks to you, we will never be united, no matter what.

It is possible, since I am on that mass ignore list, that most of you will not even read this.

"See nothing, hear nothing.." a way to participate in a political forum - NOT.

[maddiejoan]

29. I read it

I'm also Jewish --and I think it's wonderful when anyone posts a positive reasoon to support their candidate.

Not sure I understand your need to use a lovely thread like this to attack Clinton supporters, but I thank the OP for posting it.

[qnr]

30. So much for the accuracy of that prediction n/t

[leftynyc]

20. K&R (n/t)

[whatchamacallit]

22. Stuff like this makes my day

[Kber]

23. Every once on a while I'm good for something!

[me b zola]

24. "I support Barack Obama because he stands for ..."

[uponit7771]

25. There are a lot of people speaking up for the character of Obama,....that's a good thing

[crankychatter]

31. Lovely essay... the Rabbi sees what Richardson sees

what we ALL see, except for Conservative pseudo-Dems

[JerseygirlCT]

32. I liked this especially

Obama's strong positions on poverty and the climate, his early and consistent opposition to the Iraq War, his commitment to ending the Darfur genocide - all these speak directly to Jewish concerns. If we're sidetracked by Wright's words, we'll be working against these interests. After all, a preacher speaks to a congregation, not for the congregation.

[JerseygirlCT]

33. I liked this especially

Obama's strong positions on poverty and the climate, his early and consistent opposition to the Iraq War, his commitment to ending the Darfur genocide - all these speak directly to Jewish concerns. If we're sidetracked by Wright's words, we'll be working against these interests. After all, a preacher speaks to a congregation, not for the congregation.

[tammywammy]

34. Nice post

[Cha]

35. Thank you for this, Kber...

Obama's the real deal and Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf is a beautiful testement to that.

[ekwhite]

36. Wow - that is one heck of a recommendation from Rabbi Wolf

Kber - you should forward that article to every MSM outlet, especially to people like Keith Olbermann and Jack Cafferty.

[eridani]

37. So, was the Borowski Report right?

Will Obama convert to Judaism to deflect criticism about his Christianity and his "Muslim" middle name? I still think that "Baruch Murray Obamawitz" has a nice ring to it.

[Kurovski]

38. K&R, (nt)

[SharonRB]

39. Thank you for posting this

I forwarded it to my father, whose main issue is Israel. He says he keeps getting contradictory information about Barack and Israel. This may help.

[Sensitivity]

40. Thanks for this thoughtful post

[Fyddlestyx]

41. K & R

[Lerkfish]

42. k&r

[rucognizant]

43. testing

did this work?