Amazing! Jews Aren’t Liberal Enough For Ezra Klein

The pup darling of liberals, Ezra Klein, says that “Progressive Jews are often alienated from their faith” because in most Rabbis’ sermons “whatever mysticism should exist is shattered as the Rabbi does his or her best to rally the assembled Jewry in defense of their besieged brethren”, so “[m]any respond by searching for a synagogue that does not mistake Zionism for Judaism. Others cease going altogether. “

With this, Klein endorses the new anti-AIPAC organization “JStreet”, “the new pro-peace Israel lobbying organization.”

Who wudda known? I’ve been attending services throughout my life, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, and never heard a sermon that was either pro-war, any war, or anti-peace, any peace. Indeed, I’ve never heard a sermon that didn’t come from the leftist side of the Democratic Party playbook, regardless of the issue, most of the issues raised having little relationship to Torah except a tenuous extended appeal to Tikkun Olam.

Tikkun Olam, to heal the world, of which charity is a part, is raised as the central mission of organized Judaism. Like any general principle, it is only applied to whatever “progressive” cause is current. And, Talmud teachings are little raised, like the priority of providing a means to work or a productive job being relegated to outright grants and dispensations for immoral behavior or lack of self-responsibility.

It’s well-established there’s only one other group – Blacks -- more reliably in the Democrat and liberal column than Jews. Many question why, as Jews are a more affluent group. The simplest explanation: our synagogues are dogged, even devoted, producers of liberals. It is, also, well-established that the branch of Judaism, Reform, that is most liberal has the highest rate of intermarriage and lowest rate of attachment to the Torah Judaism that has sustained us through millennia of thick and – mostly – thin.

It is, actually, politically conservative, even moderate, Jews who are most alienated from their congregations by unending liberal politics in almost every sphere of activity.

Yet, as epitomized by Democrat leaders pledge to abandon Iraq regardless of conditions or consequences, for some Jews this should apply to Israel as well. Effectively ignoring the continuing hostility to Israel’s very existence and vicious attacks upon Israel and its residents, regardless of whatever concessions are made, these “progressives” who find salvation in “JStreet” want more.

A better name for “JStreet” would be Lemming Street.

P.S.: For more of my thoughts on this, see here.

P.P.S.: For the Washington Post’s editorial view:

Mr. Carter justifies his meetings with familiar arguments about the value of dialogue with enemies. But he misses the point. Contacts between enemies can be useful: Israel is legendary for such negotiations, and even now it is engaged in back-channel bargaining with Hamas through Egypt. But it is one thing to communicate pragmatically, and quite another to publicly and unconditionally grant recognition and political sanction to a leader or a group that advocates terrorism, mass murder or the extinction of another state. That is what Mr. Carter is doing…

More, says "JStreet"!

Huffington Post huffs along:

If you think Carter is doing the right thing, consider giving this new organization your support.

Then jump from the cliff with the rest of the progressive lemmings.