Dissension on the Right, Conclusion

There were other conservatives who criticized Fuentes and Carlson and Roberts.  I am not going to repeat all their comments here.  Rather, I want to end this three part post with a few personal words.  I start my day with saying the "Modeh Ani" prayer.  It is a prayer that I say in Hebrew, although I do then repeat it in English.  Here is the prayer:  "I gratefully thank You, O living and eternal King, for You have returned my soul within me with compassion - abundant is your faithfulness."  Amen.    

I then say what is considered to be the most important prayer in Judaism, the "She'ma."  I say it twice a day, in the morning after the Modeh Ani, and at bedtime.  Here it is:  "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is one (or the only one)."  The second verse is as follows:  "Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity."  Amen.  Yes, I say the She'ma in Hebrew, and then I repeat it in English.  Just my habit.  

Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove is the Rabbi at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City.  In terms of religious affiliation, it is considered to be a conservative shul (synagogue).  While there are some Jews supporting NYC mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani (honestly, I can't believe it), Rabbi Cosgrove eloquently stated where he stands:  "I believe Zohran Mamdani poses a danger to the security of the New York Jewish community."

He continued:  "Mamdani's refusal to condemn inciteful slogans like 'globalize the intifada,' his denial of Israel's legitimacy as a Jewish state, his call to arrest Israel's Prime Minister should he enter New York, and his thrice-repeated accusation of genocide in Thursday's debate - for these and so many other statements, past, present, and unrepentent - he is a danger to the Jewish body politic of New York."

And, hopefully this next paragraph of the Rabbi's clarifies things for my non-Jewish friends and readers:  "Zionism, Israel, Jewish self-determination - these are not political preferences or partisan talking points,  They are constituent building blocks and inseparable strands of my Jewish identity.  To accept me as a Jew, but to ask me to check my concern for the people and State of Israel at the door is as nonsensical a proposition as it is offensive - no different than asking me to reject G-d, Torah, mitzvot, or any other pillar of my faith."

My dear readers, our country is at a crossroads.  All of us individually are at a crossroads.  For us conservatives, do we stand against the likes of Carlson, Owens, Bannon and now, unfortunately, even the head of the Heritage Foundation, Roberts?  Roberts, who refused to criticize Carlson for not standing up to the hateful and antisemitic comments of Fuentes.  Or, do we let these individuals tear the conservative movement apart?  

For my fellow Jews, I want to give you a quote from one of my Chabad Rabbis, Rabbi Moshe Bryski:  "Never again is now.  Never again is not an easy oath to make.  It's not going to be simple - you're (not just) going to register your protest and sign a petition.  It would mean sacrifice.  It would mean courage.  It would mean standing up to the world.  It would mean not being intimidated by the world."  Are you up to the challenge?  

For conservative Jews, it means refusing to tolerate antisemitism and Jew hatred just because it comes from "our side."  It means being willing to condemn the likes of Fuentes, Carlson and the rest.  It means refusing to support them just because they are pro-Trump.  For liberal Jews, it is past time for you to condemn the likes of Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders - and not support them just because they are anti-Trump.

How we react, what we do and say, may well determine the future of this great country.