New York – 22 Young Israel Synagogues Publicly Oppose National Organization’s Defense Of Netanyahu

    5

    Israelis hold protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his residence in Jerusalem, as the recommendations to prosecute him have been published, on February 28, 2019. Photo by Hadas Parush/Flash90 New York – Twenty-two synagogues that belong to the national Orthodox Young Israel movement have condemned its defense of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political deal with a far-right party.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    The synagogues called on the National Council of Young Israel to stop making political statements. Young Israel is an Orthodox synagogue association with 175 member congregations. Its political statements tend to the right.

    “In recognition of the current, highly divisive political environment in the United States, Israel, and beyond, we … call upon NCYI leadership to immediately cease making all political pronouncements,” the synagogues’ statement said Friday, adding that “all past statements issued by NCYI leadership about political matters — including but not limited to its recent statement about Otzma Yehudit and the Israeli political process — do not represent the diverse views within our individual synagogue communities…”

    The signatories included synagogue leaders from New York, New Jersey, California, Florida and other Jewish population centers.

    Also Friday, 38 religious Zionist American rabbis signed a statement condemning the merger, writing about Jewish Power, or Otzma Yehudit, that “This violent, racist party has no place in the Religious Zionist movement.”

    On Monday, the National Council of Young Israel’s president defended Netanyahu’s orchestration of a merger between the far-right Jewish Power and Jewish Home, a more moderate right-wing party, to shore up his right-wing base ahead of April’s elections. While many major American Jewish groups condemned the merger as normalizing bigotry, the National Council of Young Israel called it a matter of political calculus.

    Following a backlash, the National Council’s president clarified that the statement does not necessarily speak for individual synagogues.


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    5 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    yaakov doe
    Member
    yaakov doe
    5 years ago

    Why has Young Israel, a synagogue movement become so involved in politics? Their upcoming dinner features non Jewish Republican political operatives. Shouldn’t a religious organization steer clear of any hint of politics?
    With Yiddishkeit thriving in America, could it be that the Young Israel organization has outlived it’s purpose and should be dissolved.

    5 years ago

    The right policy for Synagogues is to stay out of politics. The same is true for the US Synagogues aren’t allowed to indorse candidates.

    JCSHOULSON
    JCSHOULSON
    5 years ago

    Why doesn’t someone publish the platform of Otzma Yehudit so we can see whether or not they are racists and preach violence. If all they want to do is buy out the Arabs in Israel, hell, I’ll donate.

    savtat
    savtat
    5 years ago

    I believe that the law is that non profits are not permitted to expound political preferences.