New York, NY – Despite speaking from the same podium, aides to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio offered up a myriad of “distractions” as excuses to why the mayor did not respond to Tuesday evening’s tirade by Agudath Israel America’s Novominsker Rebbe Rabbi Yaakov Perlow against Open Orthodoxy.
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NYDAILYNEWS.com (http://nydn.us/1wyM3Jv) reports that aides to de Blasio said not only did the mayor experience difficulty understanding Perlow’s heavy accent and intermittent injections of Yiddish and Hebrew, but that he was also under constant distraction from well-wishers and attendees of the 92nd Agudath Israel dinner who desired a moment with New York City’s Mayor.
Below video, is the speech of the Novominsker Rebbe on May 27.
As VINNEWS reported on Wednesday, Rabbi Perlow ripped Open Orthodoxy, telling the audience, “Stand up and be counted. Speak up and openly reject this new deviationists, cloaking themselves in the mantle of Orthodoxy. Refute their arguments, condemn their statements, protect the mesorah that has kept us alive throughout the years.”
But aides to de Blasio hinted that it wasn’t the mayor’s place to rebuke Perlow, and that the mayor had simply come to thank Agudath Israel for its lengthy history in helping the city.
“The mayor came to thank the organization for its decades of service to the city,” City Hall spokesman Phil Walzak said. “Even though the mayor may not agree with every element of every speaker’s remarks at this event, he is still going to recognize the good work the group does every day.”
Leading area rabbis also gave the mayor a free pass, including executive director of the New York Board of Rabbis, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, who said, “It’s not so much what the mayor did or didn’t do. It’s the fact that a leader would make such disparaging comments about our people.
The real problem is someone could make these kinds of statements to disparage 90% of the Jewish community.”
In defense of Rabbi Perlow’s remarks, Agudath Israel’s spokesman Avi Shafran released an email, saying, “Rabbi Perlow did not disparage fellow Jews, but rather theologies that claim to be faithful to the Jewish religious tradition but are not. What he addressed were ideas and beliefs, not innocent Jews who may have been misled by the Zeitgeist and its blandishments.”
Rest assured that this is the LAST time His Honor will show up at an Agudah dinner.
Oh come now, 90% of the Jewish community are members or supporters of Open Orthodoxy? Chill out!
1.) The Novominsker doesn’t have such a thick accent, and he tends to use much higher English than any Rebbe I have seen (he is a college graduate btw).
2) Joe Potasnik is a nice guy, as is the Novominsker Rebbe shlita, but
The Novominsker is 100% right.
He should have said it though after the politicians left, so not to put them in a pickle.
What was the Mayor suppose to do.? He dosent understand nor listen to those speeches and its not his interest what ever is said at a dinner which has nothing to do with politics….The Rebbe had to SAY what he thought his audience has to hear and the Mayor has his own agendas…
“it wasn’t the mayor’s place to rebuke Perlow” Correct. That sums it up. The mayor doesn’t understand the depth of the issue at hand or what’s at stake for Klal Yisroel. This is an internal mater for us alone. He has no business making any comment.
Why would the mayor be expected to be involved in all of this? why is he being criticized? Don’t get it
I don’t think that the Mayor should have any stance on divisions within any religion. He’s not even a church going Xian, anyway.
This Rabbi Patasnick is all wrong. As one of the senior Rabbis of the Orthodox/Charedi, the Novominsker Rebbe needs no one’s permission to reject totally what goes under the name of Open Orthodoxy if it is considered
fundamentally deviant even if large numbers of American Jews have embraced it.
“Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, who said, “It’s not so much what the mayor did or didn’t do. It’s the fact that a leader would make such disparaging comments about our people.
The real problem is someone could make these kinds of statements to disparage 90% of the Jewish community.”
Excuse the ignorance of an out-of-towner, but who is Potasnik, and can it be possible that 90% of the Jewish Community are OO?
Rabbi Perlow didn’t say “Open orthodoxy has no place in NYC, or that their must sit at the back of the bus.” His statements were Jewish based. Who needs politicians by these affairs, anyway?
DeBlasio couldn’t respond even if he wanted to. They couldn’t adjust the teleprompter to change his canned remarks because his aides can’t think that fast.
The Pshat is from earlier Miforshim,, ‘ that the reason the Riboineh Shel Olom, never again, spoke to Avrom after the Akeido, is because Avrom had a Haveh Amino to Shecht his son ‘.
The Nisoyon actually was that Avrom should Not listen.
HKB”H called the idea of a father Shechting his son, “LO Olso Al Libi”.
“Novominsker Rebbe Declares War on Open Orthodoxy at Agudah Dinner, Calling it Milchemes Mitzvah.”
De Blasio is inconsequential to Rav Perlow’s speech. What is disturbing to me however, is that the Rebbe called for a מלחמת מצוה against Open Orthodoxy and the השקפות of Avi Weiss. A מלחמת מצוה? But, it is quite clearly evident in the רמב”ם הלכות מלכים ומלחמותיהם פרק ה’ משנה א:
אי זו היא מלחמת מצוה? זו מלחמת שבעה עממים ומלחמת עמלק ועזרת ישראל מיד צר שבא עליהם
I wasn’t aware that waging ‘war’ on the נארישקייט of Avi Weiss was one of these three categories. חכמים הזהרו בדבריכם.
“In defense of Rabbi Perlow’s remarks, Agudath Israel’s spokesman Avi Shafran released an email, saying, “Rabbi Perlow did not disparage fellow Jews, but rather theologies that claim to be faithful to the Jewish religious tradition but are not.”
Calling for a מלחמת מצוה against someone is not considered disparaging? Live and learn.
What is open orthodoxy?
The mayor said in his speech “It get’s better every year’…
Perhaps he 4got that he uses this line at every function.
At a Breakfast for another organization he used the exact line…
At any rate, “What is it any of his chazerishe business”!?
Funny how the same reporters who always criticize our mosdos for trying to breach “church & state” when it comes to funding, now want the Mayor to do the exact same thing and “go after the agudah”.
First of all the Agudah has transformed itself from a grass root organization that serviced the frum community from cradle to grave to an elaborate governmental lobbying organization that needs all these politicians so that they can stay relevant.
Second of all the Novominsker Rebbe shlita is the Roish Agudas Yisroel and while I may not be happy with what the Rebbe says I do find it insulting to the frum tzibbur that Avi Shafran has to clarify what the Rebbe said. Avi Shafran should not speak for the Rebbe! That is a bizoyon Hatorah! If Rabbi Sherer ztl wanted to clarify something he didn’t need someone clarifying what he said. Avi Shafran should be embarrassed of himself!
I can’t believe that their are people who think the mayor should have walked out of the hall. Does the mayor know the difference between Open orthodoxy and orthodoxy. Why should he get involved in a religious dispute which he has nothing to do with. Just a bunch of people looking to make an issue over absolutely nothing. BTW The Mayor needs the votes Agudah represents. The Mayor is a liberal and Aguda is conservative on some issues but liberal on some issues he knows our voters can vote either way.
Hockey is getting more interesting.