Monday, June 09, 2025

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Friday, June 06, 2025

“Tommy Robinson: It’s Time To Tell You EVERYTHING That Happened To Me in...

Saturday, February 04, 2023

An Oprn Letter to Rep Talib

 Dear Rep Talib,

I live in your district , I am part of the community of Jews living in Southfield Michigan that pray daily for the Scion of David to assume his throne and witness G-D’s presence return to Zion in the soon to be rebuilt Third Temple. 

It is either irony or cynicism that has brought this circumstance about. However, you correctly pointed out Free speech includes speech we disagree with even find vile odious and even somewhat threading . Yet your recent remarks regarding the removal Rep Omar from the Foreign Relations Committee are unacceptable. 

Madam Congressperson Rep Omar was removed not because of gender, race or faith she was removed for embracing hate, bigotry and prejudice! Please do not trot out the support you enjoy from self loathing Stockholm syndrome, infected Jews, who lack even a modicum of self-respect.

By embracing hate Rep Omar has failed her district ,state and country as whole. Remember the Republicans disciplined MTG for her outrageous comments . The Democrats instead appear to stand with Rep Omar and by which tacitly endorse Antisemitism. Support for Rep Omar by her Democratic Party colleagues render the round table addressing the ruse in Anti-Semitism chaired by the Second Gentleman into nothing more than a  Photo op. 

This is the failure, this is the shame ! I am looking forward to a day when I have representation in Congress once again 

Thank you 

Rabbi Bernard S Antin 


Sunday, January 06, 2019

Passover, A Jewish Story

Yesterday April 12, 17 Nisan 5780 I saw "Saturday Night Seder" featuring Jason Alexander.

  

 Fairness demands I disclose the stated purpose was to entertain those isolated at home because of the Stay at Home orders promulgated worldwide in response to the COVID19 virus pandemic. The program was a fundraiser for the CDC Foundation. For the most part the video had some outstanding musical numbers and other segments about the Exodus.

Unfortunately the participants including several "Rabbis'  offer insights that succeeded  in making the Exodus being only incidentally a Jewish story. Rather the Seder recalls the yearning of the oppressed for redemption, a slaves' hope for freedom, a call to fight for Social Justice etc....

True there are some universal values conveyed by the Seder and the Exodus as a paradigm for personal growth , hope and the like . The straw that really got to me was 

Harvey Fierstein's tirade against a literal reading of "Next Year in Jerusalem" deriding the thought of a Jewish return to its ancestral Capital. Mr. Fierstein would prefer Miami or Berlin. 


Although the organizers had a noble intention in mind but I was left as though my story and culture had been usurped and appropriated . The Exodus as depicted in the Haggadah  was fulfillment of prophecy made to Jewry's ancestor Abraham, The Exodus features miracles, signs and wonders forging a special relationship between G-D and the Bene Yisrael/ Jewry. Repeating the story is for internal use, to communicate the special relationship between Jewry and G-D. Indeed non-Jews pretty much could not participate in the Passover sacrifice. Recasting the Exodus story as universal erodes away its true message of G-D's intimate involvement in human affairs, exemplified by Jewry's Exodus from Egypt. 

Exchanging Jerusalem as Jewry's home  and to speak of home in vague terms thereby eviscerating the notion of Exile, Diaspora and redemption. Further what I found most irksome is how Mr. Fierstein came across sounding like the Haggadah's  Wicked son who excluded himself from the Exodus redemption.  Further one cannot help thinking Mr. Fierstein's grandfather or Great Grandfather who have called out Next Year in Jerusalem expressed the active yearning of generations to see Jewry restored to their land living under  the rule of the Mashiach , the Temple rebuilt and the world perfected. Not some generalized desire for a better world.        

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

KOTEL COMMENT


Dear Mr. President,
As a supporter the following has me greatly concerned


“Q    Wait, can I just get one more?  Something that General McMaster declined to answer on two occasions from behind that podium that's causing some unhappiness on the Hill, the refusal to say whether the Western Wall is in Israel or not.  Can you explain why you guys can't answer that question?

MR. SPICER:  The Western Wall is obviously one of the holiest sites in Jewish faith.  It’s clearly in Jerusalem.  But there’s been -- it’s an issues that's had serious consideration. It will be a topic that's going to be discussed during the President’s trip between the parties that he meets with.

But obviously I think this stems from a comment that was made yesterday and which was not the policy of the United States. And so I think just because -- so just to be clear about what was said yesterday.  “ (White Press Briefing May 16, 2017)


True, acknowledging the Western Wall, Kotel is located in Jerusalem and is a Jewish holy site is far more positive than many if not most governments’ policies on the matter. Mr. Spicer did somewhat disavow an earlier comment denying Israel’s sovereignty over Judaism’s holiest site in the Temple’s absence.


Had this word dance taken place during any other administration the statement denying the Kotel’s status would be hardly worth notice, same old, same old. However, in contrast to the overt animus for Prime Minister Netanyahu by President Obama and the on-going support for Anti –Israel/Anti Zionist/Anti Semitism by the Democratic Party, President Trump promised a new chapter.


Indeed UN Ambassador Haly said in an interview with CBN “The Western Wall is part of Israel and I think that is how we have always seen it and that is how we should pursue it,”  Although the Administration after taking office has evidently placed moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem on a back burner equivocation as to where the Kotel is located is as disappointing as it is unacceptable.

Those of us who supported you last year expect better from you Mr. President, do not disappoint us.
Wishing you and the United States the greatest success
Bernard S.Antin Esq.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Identity Crisis

The plan to build a new plaza at the Kotel to accommodate ceremonies and worship that do not conform with Jewish Law is emblematic of The State of Israel's on-going and seemingly endless identity crisis.

The problem lies in where the balance between Jewish and Democratic values. When the State looks at the Kotel, Cave of the Patriarchs, Rachel's Tomb etc... does it see a historic site or a religious/holy site?

As a historic site the Kotel should be available to all humanity and especially to all Jewry. However, as a religious site, a place for prayer for hundreds of years. The place to where Jewish Law mandates Jews face when at prayer it should comport with the requirements of Jewish law. Who should be tasked with setting Jewish Law observance standards within the State of Israel?  One would believe authority and administration would be coordinated under the Authority of the Chief Rabbinate. Yet this new prayer area is under the Prime Minister's office.

How then does this new area promote the interests of the non-Orthodox ? Those who so deeply long for gender mixed prayer at the Kotel believe the Temple is a memory, an anachronism,
best consigned to History. Further, these groups are dubious regarding notions such as Mashiach, Messiah, in gathering of exiles and building the Third Temple. Therefore, the desire for access to the place is rooted someplace deeper in Jewish psyche than logic.

That elusive beyond logic need to connect to the Kotel belies how fundamental and complex this issue is. An additional consideration is that connecting remains important. That in spite of strident denial and defiance of Jewish Law ancestral values remains even if actively suppressed.

Leading a double life reduces life's narrow bridge to a mere hairs' breath all but  ensures a fall.
It is time to be true to one's self and stand with a timeless  G-D connected people.