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Washington - It's Official: Emanuel Accepts White House Job |
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U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) sits with his children during the nomination process for Speaker of the House-elect Nancy Pelosi during a swearing in ceremony for the 110th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol January 4, 2007 in Washington, DC.
The selection is the first major public decision by Obama since he was elected in a landslide on Tuesday.
The announcement will send a signal that Obama is eager to work with Congress and plans a swift launch of an aggressive agenda that will focus on the economy, taxes, energy, education and health care.
Republicans attacked the selection, however. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement: “This is an ironic choice for a President-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center.”
Obama plans to move briskly with his transition announcements and has also decided on longtime aide Robert Gibbs as his White House press secretary. Democratic sources say he also could make quick decisions on his economic and national security teams.
"The chief" is sometimes known as the second most powerful person in Washington. The job has vast authority, as the boss of the hundreds of aides who work directly for the president, a public face of the administration on television, and a negotiator and salesman on Capitol Hill.
The appointment was the first Obama offered after his election, and Emanuel pondered the opportunity for about 24 hours. Friends said Emanuel accepted the job because he thought it was important to serve this historic administration despite the potential strain on his wife, Amy Rule, and their three children, who live in the Chicago area.
At 49, Emanuel is two years older than his new boss.
Emanuel had been on track to eventually become House Speaker. But friends say he decided the career detour would be symbolic of what Obama calls for in people and a signal of how important this time is for the country. Emanuel viewed the decision as being not about personal advancement, but about putting aside personal ambition to bring change to the country, the friends said.
Emanuel is the fourth-ranking House Democratic leader and holds the title of Democratic Caucus Chairman. His departure will touch off a leadership fight among House Democrats, whose majority was fattened on Tuesday. He is also a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is among the most desirable assignments in Congress.
As chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Emanuel was the relentless architect of the Democrats' House takeover in 2006, and some Republicans said the choice sends a partisan signal at time when Obama is promising a new politics.
But Obama advisers say he likes and trusts Emanuel and believes his mastery of Capitol Hill will help speed his proposals at a time when money is tight and the nation's problems are great.
Emanuel has a hard-nosed style and is known for aggressively working the press. Despite his combative political instincts, he has working relationships with many congressional Republicans, including Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.), a rising GOP star who said after his reelection this week that he plans to leave his No. 3 post in the party's House leadership.
The runner-up for the post was former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), who may take another senior post in the administration.
Emanuel is known as a centrist and a pragmatic dealmaker. Under Clinton, he helped engineer passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is opposed by the party's left wing.
From his official biography: "Emanuel began his career with the consumer rights organization Illinois Public Action. He worked on Paul Simon’s 1984 election to the U.S. Senate and in 1989 served as a senior adviser and chief fundraiser for Richard M. Daley. Emanuel served as a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton. After leaving the White House, Emanuel returned to Chicago to serve as a managing director at a leading global investment bank.
"Emanuel graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1981 and received a Master’s Degree in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University in 1985. He is a resident of Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood where he and his wife are raising three children."
Fast Facts:
• 48 years old, married to Amy Rule, a woman he met on a blind date. They have three children.
• He studied ballet in high school and was offered a scholarship to the
Joffrey Ballet, but went to Sarah Lawrence College instead, where he
got a bachelor's degree. He has a master's degree in speech from
Northwestern University.
• As a teenager, he severed his right middle finger slicing meat at a
fast food restaurant and went swimming in Lake Michigan before getting
stitches. The wound became severly infected, Emanuel almost died and
the top of the finger was amputated.
• Has served in the White House before, as a senior advisor to Bill
Clinton. On Emanuel's 38th birthday, Clinton gave him a photo with the
following tongue-in-cheek inscription: "Now Mr. President, how many
times do I have to tell you, say it this way?" Clinton wrote. "And, by
the way, wish me a happy birthday. Always gently, Rahm. 11/29/97."
• Before working in the Clinton White House, Emanuel worked for Chicago
Mayor Richard M. Daley. He was first elected to Congress in 2002, and
is the fourth-highest ranking House Democrat.
• In between his stints in Washington, Emanuel got rich working as an
investment banker. He once sat on the board of Freddie Mac and recuses
himself from any Congressional votes on the mortgage giant.
• Orchestrated the Democratic takeover of the House in 2006 and is known among colleagues as Rahmbo.
• A devout Jew, Emanuel was so intent on negotiating the passage of
Congress's $700 billion bailout bill that he got a special waiver from
his rabbi to work through Rosh Hashanah.
• Has been known to send out cheesecakes from Eli's Bakery in Chicago
to campaign donors. Once, when a pollster made him angry, Emanuel sent
him a dead fish.
• His brother, Ari, is a high-powered Hollywood agent and the basis for Jeremy Piven's character in the HBO series Entourage, Ari Gold. Emmanuel himself was the basis for the character played by Bradley Whitford in The West Wing: Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman.
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Read Comments (61) — Post Yours »
1
Nov 06, 2008 at 09:54 AM Anonymous Says:
"A devout Jew, Emanuel was so intent on negotiating the passage of Congress's $700 billion bailout bill that he got a special waiver from his rabbi to work through Rosh Hashanah. "
Anybody have this Rabbi's number? I could use a few waivers myself.
2
Nov 06, 2008 at 09:51 AM Anonymous Says:
Is he a Shomer Torah Umitzvos or not?
3
Nov 06, 2008 at 09:37 AM hymie Says:
Is his wife jewish?
4
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:04 AM Anonymous Says:
"he got a special waiver from his rabbi to work through Rosh Hashanah."
First it calls him a "Devout Jew" then "he got a special waiver from his rabbi to work through Rosh Hashanah. "
Well, there is a flip-flop worthy of our president elect.
5
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:19 AM AuthenticSatmar Says:
His wife underwent a frum Geirus before they married.
There are many levels of frum, and although he may not be perfect, he associates himself with (Modern) Orthodox yiddishkeit.
As for the heter, it was that he can be present in discussions on the issue, but he can't do actaul melacha as writing etc.
6
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:18 AM Yitzy Says:
"A devout Jew" got a waiver from his REFORM Rabbi.
DEVOUT REFORM JEW - a classic oxymoron.
7
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:14 AM Anonymous Says:
He davens in an orthodox shul in Chicago
8
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:38 AM Anonymous Says:
Leave him and his level of observance alone. This is the same foolishness we had when Joe Leiberman was runniing for VP.
He is not being appointed Chief Rabbi.
9
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:35 AM Anonymous Says:
intresting his kids lokk frum jewish
10
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:35 AM Chaim S. Says:
Why don't you all get off your holier than thou horses and accept that a modern orthodox Jew who's wife doesn't wear a sheitel and the family uses cholov akum, can still be shomer torah umitzvos anyway. Is he only called "heimishe ehrliche yid" if he cons his buddies out of millions or takes an insurance company for a ride?
11
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:27 AM Charlie Hall Says:
Actually he is NOT "in line" to become Speaker; Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland would be the natural successor to Speaker Pelosi as he is #2 in the Democratic hierarchy. But as Rep. Emanuel is much younger than Rep. Hoyer he might eventually become Speaker.
Why aren't we considering the possibility that Rep. Emanuel might just want to discuss with his family whether they want to move to Washington, DC?
12
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:27 AM Joe Says:
Idiot leftist that will probably harm israel more then help it.
13
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:44 AM Anonymous Says:
“ "A devout Jew" got a waiver from his REFORM Rabbi.
DEVOUT REFORM JEW - a classic oxymoron. ”
Ah, there we go. Never mis a chance to stick in a jab at Reform Jews.
Newsflash: We already won the milchomah between Orthodox and Reform.
Now is the time to reach out to the new generations of Reform Jews and bring them back before it is too late.
Out of context nasty comments regarding their leaders are not likely to cause any young Reform or unaffiliated Jew to consider Orthodoxy a nice place to visit and maybe a great place to live.
14
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:01 AM Anonymous Says:
Nasty Rhambo and his cursing........sounds like an up and coming Elliot Spitzer to me. Watch this guy closely. People with these mindsets run themselves into the ground eventualy.
15
Nov 06, 2008 at 10:59 AM Anonymous Says:
"Did not do any actual melacha"?
How did he get there?
Did he Daven?
Did he hear Shoifar?
If he is any form of "orthodox" ... is he wearing a yarmulke?
and his boy certainly appears to be sitting there with a bare head!
Devout Jew who is "profane"?
"Frum Geirus before there were married" .... so the "Devout Jew" dated a non-Jewish girl
he sends people cheesecake from "Eli's Bakery in Chicago" a place which is open on Shabbos, and even admits on their website that they carry non-kosher cheesecake, besides that they sell treif meat, and shrimp, etc.,
So, this "devout Jew" sends people food from a treif establishment.
Am I the only one confused by his being called a "Devout Jew"?
16
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:03 AM WOW Says:
Dude its awesome. he is one of the most pro war democrats there is. that speask volumes about where obama is headed - middle ground.
17
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:11 AM Anonymous Says:
Beautiful family!
18
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:06 AM Anonymous Says:
#6 ... Sure there are "Devout Reform Jews"
They are devout in their Emunah that creation is a myth.
They are devout in their Emunah that the Torah was written by man.
They are devout in their Emunah that there is a no G-d.
Certainly there are Devout Reform Jews. They are reformed from doing old-fashioned silly ritualistic things like those "Fanatics" and "Ultra-Orthodox" are
always doing.
19
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:15 AM Anonymous Says:
“ "Did not do any actual melacha"?
How did he get there?
Did he Daven?
Did he hear Shoifar?
If he is any form of "orthodox" ... is he wearing a yarmulke?
and his boy certainly appears to be sitting there with a bare head!
Devout Jew who is "profane"?
"Frum Geirus before there were married" .... so the "Devout Jew" dated a non-Jewish girl
he sends people cheesecake from "Eli's Bakery in Chicago" a place which is open on Shabbos, and even admits on their website that they carry non-kosher cheesecake, besides that they sell treif meat, and shrimp, etc.,
So, this "devout Jew" sends people food from a treif establishment.
Am I the only one confused by his being called a "Devout Jew"? ”
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but you ain't G-d's CPA.
I know a 'modernish' family and the father never wore a yarmulka to work and the kids never wore yarmulka's if they visited his office. The father was by no means a ben torah but the house was kosher even though we might eat certain hashgachos that they relied on.
Shabbos was not shabbos the way a ben torah keeps it but no out-right chilul shabbos went on, only chillul kavod hashabbos.
Today, the children are 'black hat' frum and several grandchioldren are learning full time.
20
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:14 AM Anonymous Says:
"There are many levels of Orthodox."
Correct. from Zero to 100
But halacha is clear, that if one intentionally tosses out ANY one halacha, and says he will not observe that one because it is not meant to be observed any more in these times, he has pulled himself out of klall Yisroel, and can't even be a kosher witness.
So, though there may be many "levels" ... a purposeful choice of less than 100 is equal to zero. If one knows and admits that he should be at 100, but admits that he is too weak and, though he wants or wishes to be, he is unable to keep it all at level 100, that is okay and he remains a kosher Jew. But once the person claims that he need not follow the commandments, and denies that they are meant to be observed today, he is at a Level Zero.
21
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:21 AM Anonymous Says:
He davens in a modern orthodox shul. He sends his children to a conservative day school though. Given that fact, I am not willing to concede he's orthodox given the fact that there are many modern orthodox schools here in chicago but he chooses to send to a conservative school.
22
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:46 AM Anonymous Says:
#19 I too know of cases like the one you described. However, they ARE exceptions, not the rule.
In my shul, there are MANY very frum "black hatters" who came from "semi-observant" and/or Conservative/Reform families. But that does not make their parents' Orthodox. Kids turning out good does not retroactively absolve or wipe out the avairos of the parents.
While we certainly should be nice to the Conservative, Reform, and/or non/semi-observant Jew, and try to mekarev them, we must not be "accepting" of their behaviors. We can love them as fellow Yidden, while still clearly abhorring their failure to live a Torah life.
To much of this "acceptance" can lead to their complacency and feeling they are doing enough. I daven in a Shul where the rov, in his attempt to be mekarev some of those who drive to shul, will give these mechallilai Shabbos aliyas.... on Shabbos or even Yomim Noraim, even to those who clearly say they will never be Shomer Shabbos. These people pull right up to the front of the shul on Shabbos, and are clearly mechallail Shabbos b'farhesya in its full sense.
The rov's decision to treat them like they are shomer Shabbos, has the result that they do not even consider it. In my attempts to lovingly talk to them about moving close enough to shul to walk, two told me outright the following, "Rabbi XXXX knows I drive to shul on Shabbos. He has been giving me aliyas on Shabbos for many years. He accepts me as I am. That is why I daven here. I am accepted. I do not need to change."
The rov makes the claim that the very fact that they walked into shul forces us to believe that they want to do teshuva. I say, maybe you can say that the first week. Maybe you can be in denial and say that for weeks or months. But after a guy drives to shul, parks in front, and walks right in every week for 10 years, you can't keep making yourself believe that anymore.
The same goes for the Tenokim SheNisbau argument. Okay, maybe they did not know better at first. But, now that they come to shul for 10 years or more, and have had many people sit down lovingly, and try kiruv in every form, how can one still argue Tinok Shenishba. Sorry, he is a mechallail Shabbos B'Farhesya, and "K'Ilu Ovaid Kochovim."
I certainly am NOT saying be mean to him. I keep trying. Just as if I found out that a Jew I knew was involved in J for J or going to church, I would keep trying to straighten him out. But, I would NEVER let him or others believe that I "accept" his actions or behavior. I accept him as a person, but clearly do not accept his actions, and will clearly state that is my belief that until he does teshuva he can't be counted in a minyan.
23
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:38 AM Anonymous Says:
“ He davens in a modern orthodox shul. He sends his children to a conservative day school though. Given that fact, I am not willing to concede he's orthodox given the fact that there are many modern orthodox schools here in chicago but he chooses to send to a conservative school. ”
Wow. you must all feel better about being such perfect yiddin yourselves. You must get out of shul pretty early on Yom Kippur, not needing to say all those ashamnus and al-chaits.
24
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:34 AM Anonymous Says:
A DEVOUT JEW?? His wife converted according to Conservative. So we know what that means. A DEVOUT Jew??
25
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:54 AM Skipa Hanedrases Says:
I'm a Chassidic Jew and this is what I have to say. I have met many Rahm Emanuel's. The word devout is not the right word, they should have used "committed Jew" instead. He IS a committed Jew which means that he believes in Hashem, he believes that the Torah is mi-Sinai; he also wants his children to be ehrliche Yidden. He might be one step less frum then Young Israel (on average) but still he's a practicing Jew. I think he is frummer then Jerry Nadler who sent his children to Yeshiva. He has a good chance of becoming president of the United States, more then Lieberman who has vacillated too many times. Give him a break and appreciate how much he is frum then being fixated on how much he isn't frum. BTW, his children look like "zissa Yiddishe kinder” to me, kappel or not. I don't measure Jews by the size of their kappel; I know many very committed Sephardic Jew who don't wear Yarmulkes on the street.
26
Nov 06, 2008 at 12:02 PM Anonymous Says:
Perhaps a few of the writers here need to spend some time out in the world west of the Hudson River. I'd love to see you disqualify people from a minyan because they do not meet your standards of Orthodoxy.
If you'd like to see where this thinking ends, hop on a flight to eretz yisroel and see how much more polarized society is there and how much more sinah there is between frum and secular, charaidi and mizrachi, shas and degel, degel and agudah, agudah and NRP, etc, etc, etc.
27
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:58 AM Anonymous Says:
Gee whiz, give the guy a break. Isn't anyone happy that the guy who might have one of the most powerful jobs in Washington is a Jew who seems to be frummer than 90% of Jews, even if he isn't "heimish"?
28
Nov 06, 2008 at 11:31 AM Reality Check Says:
Anon 11:01
"Nasty Rhambo and his cursing........sounds like an up and coming Elliot Spitzer to me. Watch this guy closely. People with these mindsets run themselves into the ground eventualy."
Hits the nail on the head. My thoughts exactly.
Countdown begins........
Wonder what his aveiros are going to be.
29
Nov 06, 2008 at 12:25 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Gee whiz, give the guy a break. Isn't anyone happy that the guy who might have one of the most powerful jobs in Washington is a Jew who seems to be frummer than 90% of Jews, even if he isn't "heimish"? ”
That is a totally different issue. Some of us would prefer to have no yid in high profile government positions and there is certainly what to be said for that opinion.
30
Nov 06, 2008 at 12:50 PM Anonymous Says:
Come on people! enough is nobody good enough?! this is polotics not kashrus
31
Nov 06, 2008 at 12:48 PM Anonymous Says:
Oh, so his wife never really converted k'halacha. Therefore this "Devout" or "Committed" Jew is married to a non-Jew and is making gentile children.
Certainly not the same as missing only the yarmulka.
This "Devotion" and "Commitment" shows no bounds. Wow!
Even more, he is abusing his children if he raises them to believe they are Jewish, and Gosh, I could go on and on..... I have a really hard time with Jewish men marrying gentile women who have never really been megayer k'halacha, and bring children into the world who grow up believing they are Jews.
I have seen the heartbreak, when a nice Jewish boy meets a nice Jewish girl and gets emotionally involved. The then decide to marry, and tell their parents. All celebrate in joy, until the mesader kedushin does his work, basic chakira, and tells the young people that the kallah is a gentile because her mother was not migayer properly. It is bad enough for a person's world to be shattered by finding out one is not born Jewish, but to have this happen in this way is doubly heartbreaking.
Then, as Murphy's Lay dictates, the boy is usually a kohen, and can't marry her even if she converts.
So, don't get me started on selfish people who make children without their mother being megayer properly.
32
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:03 PM Anonymous Says:
She is reported to have been megayer by an Orthodox rabbi.
You'll now have to move on to splitting hairs about whether the Orthodox rabbi was Orthodox enough.
33
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:00 PM robroy560 Says:
I don't care; this guy is a partisan leftist, who happens to be Jewish. Politically liberal Jews put their party above their religion. He was a hack who was a big advisor to Richard "my dady stole an election" Daley.
As someone said here earlier, this is Eliot Spitzer with a Jewish wife. Look out.
34
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:00 PM Kenya or Kenisht Says:
The point is that just because someone has a "jewish" name doesnt make him Jewish and even if he was a torah observant jew, it doesnt mean we all have to embrace his new position. Yiddishkeit is a not a feel good religion. I dont have to have the warm and fuzzies over someone's name and I wont!
Who is this Rahm Emanuel person? Here is today's A7 report.
Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Barack Obama's new Jewish Chief of Staff, was active in the Oslo negotiations and choreographed the Rabin-Arafat handshake at the White House.
"It was an emotional moment for him," according to public relations consultant Richard Mintz, who worked with Emanuel. "He would like nothing more than to participate in another peace agreement signing."
Israeli media Thursday morning celebrated the appointment of Emanuel, a Chicago, Illinois Jewish Congressman who was born to former Israelis. His father was a member of the Jewish resistance Irgun movement during the British mandate and the Emanuels named him after an Irgun member who died in action. The parents met in Chicago after the older Emanuel moved there from Israel.
The family has three children, all living in the United States, although Emanuel volunteered in Israel during the Gulf War in 1991.
Rahm Emanuel rose in the ranks of the Democratic Party by proving to be an outstanding fundraiser and was the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman in 1988. Emanuel impressed Bill Clinton during the 1991 presidential campaign and was appointed the campaign finance director.
Emanuel raised the colossal sum of $72 million, much of the money coming from the Jewish community, and the success catapulted him into becoming a senior advisor to Clinton after he was elected President.
35
Nov 06, 2008 at 12:55 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Oh, so his wife never really converted k'halacha. Therefore this "Devout" or "Committed" Jew is married to a non-Jew and is making gentile children.
Certainly not the same as missing only the yarmulka.
This "Devotion" and "Commitment" shows no bounds. Wow!
Even more, he is abusing his children if he raises them to believe they are Jewish, and Gosh, I could go on and on..... I have a really hard time with Jewish men marrying gentile women who have never really been megayer k'halacha, and bring children into the world who grow up believing they are Jews.
I have seen the heartbreak, when a nice Jewish boy meets a nice Jewish girl and gets emotionally involved. The then decide to marry, and tell their parents. All celebrate in joy, until the mesader kedushin does his work, basic chakira, and tells the young people that the kallah is a gentile because her mother was not migayer properly. It is bad enough for a person's world to be shattered by finding out one is not born Jewish, but to have this happen in this way is doubly heartbreaking.
Then, as Murphy's Lay dictates, the boy is usually a kohen, and can't marry her even if she converts.
So, don't get me started on selfish people who make children without their mother being megayer properly. ”
i thought she was megayer
36
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:14 PM Anonymous Says:
Thanks #25. Committed is the right word. No one is saying that he shouldn't ahve the job if he isn't Orthodox only that he isn't Orthodox but more like Conservative.
And #10 Your comment is disgusting. "Is he only called "heimishe ehrliche yid" if he cons his buddies out of millions or takes an insurance company for a ride?" You know as well as I do that most people don't do that. Stop trying to stereotype the Orthodox as being liars and cheaters.
37
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:04 PM Kenya or Kenisht Says:
On the 1pm news: He accepted the position. Oh gee this is so wonderful.
38
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:21 PM Abe S. Says:
Who would ever want to be a traditional orthodox after they showed their true bigot colors this election. Rham Emanuel is a friend of Israel.
39
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:19 PM Chaim S. Says:
Chazal tell us that a Devout Jew is one who observes dinei nezikin. I think that means that he doesn't steal or do fraud. Beis din shel maloh asks if you dealt honestly with people. I think that means not doing fraud. It would seem that Devout Jew doesn't say anything about yarmulka which many don't wear so as not to make a possible chilul hashem. I personally know several "devout Kews" who must be devout since they wear bekeshis on Shabbos, who don't wear yarmulkas to work. I'm sure that Mr. Emanuel wears a yarmulka to the Orthodox shul that he davens in. Wake up all you xenophobes out there. (Oh I forgot. The xenophobes can't read or write English very well.)
40
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:26 PM Shloimy Says:
My feeling is, let us first give Emanuel (and Obama) a chance before deciding that they are disasters. If they do things that we don't like, we have every right to speak our mind, and more.
But it seems that too many of us here have already decided what the future holds and are not willing to wait and see.
Emanuel may or may not be a b'chezkas kashrus for purposes of eating in his kitchen, but why should that be the issue?
And yes, I voted for McCain, and I am disappointed that he lost. I just think we have to wait and see as to what the future holds. I felt the same way for Bush 2, Clinton, Bush 1 and Reagan.
41
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:36 PM Anonymous Says:
He is more Frum/commited than any other cabinet appointee Bush ever had....
42
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:51 PM Anonymous Says:
Ok, so he's Conservadox. What's the big deal??
43
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:47 PM Anonymous Says:
He is a modern orthodox man who keeps Shabbos, yontiv and kashrus.
44
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:56 PM vildechaia Says:
To # 15: Get a life. Why would it matter to you from whom he sends gifts?! It happens that Eli's Cheesecakes was started by a very great, gentle man - Eli Shulman. His son now runs it. And so what if it's "treif"?! Nobody is forcing you to eat their products.
45
Nov 06, 2008 at 01:53 PM Anonymous Says:
Rahm Emanuel was an Israeli soldier for G-D's Sake!!!!! I dont know what everybody is complaining about? Either you say that G-D Forbid there will be another Holocaust under Barack Obama Or you say his appointment Rahm Emanuel Isnt frum enough. You cant have it both ways!!!!!
46
Nov 06, 2008 at 02:15 PM anonymous Says:
“ Why don't you all get off your holier than thou horses and accept that a modern orthodox Jew who's wife doesn't wear a sheitel and the family uses cholov akum, can still be shomer torah umitzvos anyway. Is he only called "heimishe ehrliche yid" if he cons his buddies out of millions or takes an insurance company for a ride? ”
Believe you are so right, if you do't wear a sheitel but give tzadaka and have children who behave with derech eretz and your children are shomer shabbes and "earn an honest living " you are just as choshov but not to these khnokes
47
Nov 06, 2008 at 02:12 PM anonymous Says:
“ Is he a Shomer Torah Umitzvos or not? ”
One more thing they will serve him cholov yisroel and yoshon pizzas and of course he will observe the daf yomi. Have you ever worked in business world [not on 47th street] but for a large company or are you bank quetscher.
48
Nov 06, 2008 at 02:09 PM anonymous Says:
“ Is he a Shomer Torah Umitzvos or not? ”
This is not meah sheorim, this is a Christian country and we yidden live in the best galus. Don't worry a shomer shabbos and mitzvos could not fulfill the duties of the chief of staff to a U.S. President. Where do you people think you are living. Let us remember that we are in a golus abd my mother A'H said "men darf nisht ibereissen dus strickl". Be grateful you can walk with a strajmel and capote on the street which when I was child in Vienna was impossible
49
Nov 06, 2008 at 02:42 PM anonymous Says:
It is better to be a co0nservadox or whatever you call it and be an erlicher Yid than a shomer mitzvos who is sentenced for fraud and other criminal acts in a federal court. Yes there was a question of laying tefillin in Lewisburg penitentiary and the prison guards wanted to open the tefillin which were sent.Is that much more chushov than eating Eli's cheescake, you should not eat cheesecake anyhow it is not good for your blood lipids
50
Nov 06, 2008 at 02:40 PM lightning Says:
"Chabdeyhu Vechashdeyhu" applies at a time like this. "Respect him and suspect him." As Jews who understand full well that it can sometimes get very bad for us, we have an obligation to ourselves, to our people, and to all who persished in the Holocaust and other tragic eras in our history to be ever vigilant. No more pretending things are O.K. when our instincts tell us otherwise. Nevertheless, we can't put the cart before the horse, and must wait to see what happens.
51
Nov 06, 2008 at 02:34 PM chill out, frummies Says:
all you naysayers who are comparing obama to hitler and predicting another holocaust can just relax. do you think mr. emmanuel is going to let any anti-israel, anti-jewish garbage happen? i don't think so.
52
Nov 06, 2008 at 02:34 PM Anonymous Says:
As a Chicagoan, I can tell you that the synagogue to which he belongs is indeed orthodox, though it (and its Rabbi) are known to be at the very far left wing of the orthodox spectrum. And, unless I have misunderstood, the school which his children attend (and I believe he attended too) is not a conservative day school, but a non-demonational one (not that is better).
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Nov 06, 2008 at 03:29 PM Dovid (Modiin, Israel) Says:
You have to ask yourself, how do you define "friend of Israel"?
Are Rabin, Peres, Bibi, Barak, Sharon, Olmert, and Livni (Shas) "friends of Israel"? Each one of them succeed or tried to retreat from part of Eretz Yisroel without any real chance of peace and putting Jewish souls in harms ways all for a false ideology that loony left holds. In some cases "American friends of Israel" was pushing the government to make successions that was not in Israel best interest. In-fact only Yitzchak Shamir was strong enough to resist the "American friends of Israel" pressure.
I believe he will follow the path of Sharon, Olmert and Livni and not fully protect Israel.
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Nov 06, 2008 at 05:15 PM anonymous Says:
“ Chazal tell us that a Devout Jew is one who observes dinei nezikin. I think that means that he doesn't steal or do fraud. Beis din shel maloh asks if you dealt honestly with people. I think that means not doing fraud. It would seem that Devout Jew doesn't say anything about yarmulka which many don't wear so as not to make a possible chilul hashem. I personally know several "devout Kews" who must be devout since they wear bekeshis on Shabbos, who don't wear yarmulkas to work. I'm sure that Mr. Emanuel wears a yarmulka to the Orthodox shul that he davens in. Wake up all you xenophobes out there. (Oh I forgot. The xenophobes can't read or write English very well.) ”
My father who died in the Lodzer Ghetto had the same Hashkofo or Weltanschauung. To him an erlicher Yid was the top, well said
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Nov 06, 2008 at 07:05 PM Daniel in the Forest Says:
How sad that our enemies know better who is a Jew than we do. Or did Haman or Hitler make exceptions for Jews who's observance was less than perfect or who were (apparently) assimilated?
No they did not because they knew what dwells, even if hidden or dormant within the heart and soul of every Jew.
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Nov 06, 2008 at 07:35 PM anonymous Says:
“ How sad that our enemies know better who is a Jew than we do. Or did Haman or Hitler make exceptions for Jews who's observance was less than perfect or who were (apparently) assimilated?
No they did not because they knew what dwells, even if hidden or dormant within the heart and soul of every Jew.
”
The Jew who were tzitzis and a kapote were burned together with Jew who discovered through Hitler that he is a Jew/ The Bundist and Agudinik also were gassed in the same gas chamber.
The saddest situation was of the Mischling brought up as a Christian Hitler decided he is a Jew. Yes Hitler did not distinguish in his retziche ,
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Nov 06, 2008 at 07:47 PM Moderna Rabbi Says:
A heter al pi Torah:
Hold on a minute! The second day of Rosh Hashan is midrabonon. And doing a melacha d'raban on that day is "trei" d'rabonon. And this was a case of hefsed merubah. Also, losses of money means losses of tzedakah, so it was tzorech mitzvah...It should be easy to get a heter under such circumstances!
BTW - many products that we eat carry a hechsher, although the factory is open on Shabbos, so what's the problem? Do you think Heinz ketchup is closed on Shabbos??
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Nov 07, 2008 at 01:30 AM Anonymous Says:
“ I'm a Chassidic Jew and this is what I have to say. I have met many Rahm Emanuel's. The word devout is not the right word, they should have used "committed Jew" instead. He IS a committed Jew which means that he believes in Hashem, he believes that the Torah is mi-Sinai; he also wants his children to be ehrliche Yidden. He might be one step less frum then Young Israel (on average) but still he's a practicing Jew. I think he is frummer then Jerry Nadler who sent his children to Yeshiva. He has a good chance of becoming president of the United States, more then Lieberman who has vacillated too many times. Give him a break and appreciate how much he is frum then being fixated on how much he isn't frum. BTW, his children look like "zissa Yiddishe kinder” to me, kappel or not. I don't measure Jews by the size of their kappel; I know many very committed Sephardic Jew who don't wear Yarmulkes on the street. ”
I just want to say that it is really only because of people like you, that I continue to go to shul on Shabbos etc.
I wish there were more people like you, and that you and your family have only health and wealth!
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Nov 07, 2008 at 09:06 AM anonymous Says:
“ I just want to say that it is really only because of people like you, that I continue to go to shul on Shabbos etc.
I wish there were more people like you, and that you and your family have only health and wealth! ”
I come from a chassidish home and ahavas yisroel was on the forefront not the color of the kappel, hat or the sheitel. Ahavas yisroel is highest madreiga
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Nov 07, 2008 at 01:11 PM Askipah Hanidreses Says:
“ I just want to say that it is really only because of people like you, that I continue to go to shul on Shabbos etc.
I wish there were more people like you, and that you and your family have only health and wealth! ”
Thank you for telling me this, you brought me to tears. I have written thousands of posts, here and everywhere, and have edited Wikipedia with thousands of edits. If all this was done only to bring one Yid to daven in shul, then my thousands of hours of writing wasn't in vain. I wish you everything you wished me, plus all the brochess mentioned in the Torah. You made my Shabbos, Thanks again and gut Shabbos.
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Nov 07, 2008 at 03:57 PM Anonymous Says:
“
A heter al pi Torah:
Hold on a minute! The second day of Rosh Hashan is midrabonon. And doing a melacha d'raban on that day is "trei" d'rabonon. And this was a case of hefsed merubah. Also, losses of money means losses of tzedakah, so it was tzorech mitzvah...It should be easy to get a heter under such circumstances!
BTW - many products that we eat carry a hechsher, although the factory is open on Shabbos, so what's the problem? Do you think Heinz ketchup is closed on Shabbos?? ”
You are an apikores. Join the Reform.