A thought

What is Wrong with Us?

The Satmar Rebbe Yoel Teitelbum (1887-1979) was an inveterate opponent of secular Zionism back in Hungary before the Holocaust.

He was rescued by Zionists from extermination Bergen Belsen and brought to Palestine as it was called then. His flight was controversial since he had consistently insisted that his followers not try to escape, and most of them perished. He refused to acknowledge his debt to his rescuers.  As soon as possible, he decamped with a group of followers in 1946 to Williamsburg, New York, where he set about reestablishing his community. Today, it has spread throughout the Jewish world, but in tightly controlled enclaves. You can read all about him on Wikipedia.

His rigid ideology of separatism, some would say Ghetto mentality, and opposition to Zionism and secularism, enabled him to grow exponentially. His encouragement of his followers to have as many children as possible (ten is not unusual) in response to the Holocaust has paid off enormously. While other denominations in Judaism are shrinking, Satmar and its offshoots, as well as other Hassidic dynasties, are exploding into hundreds of thousands.

Satmar’s exclusivity and isolationism is legendary. Which is why they dislike Chabad for its outreach. The story is told that a Jewish journalist asked the Rebbe soon after he arrived, how many Jews he thought there were in America, to which he replied, ‘a thousand’, the number of his followers at that time. The rest, he said, did not count. There is no doubt that the movement has done exceptionally well in preserving its identity and increasing his power.

Over the years, I have watched cliques of what I once thought were simply crazy members of a fringe group called Neturei Karta, standing shoulder to shoulder with those who actively march and campaign for the destruction of the Jewish State. And I thought they did not matter. How naïve was I? Now it is clear that thousands of Satmar Chassidim actually do support their ideology and will demonstrate against Israel and vote for Mamdani, who wishes to demolish the Jewish State.

But their isolationist ideology is, in essence, corrupt. They seem to think that they can do anything so long as it is in the interests of their community (see The Curious Case of Kiryas Joel by Louis Grumet). This mirrors the Jihadi ideology that you can do anything if it benefits the cause. They have been extremely savvy in courting and supporting politicians in a strongly democratic New York in furthering their cause. And now, to almost universal disgust, they have thrown their support for a Jihadi, anti-Zionist candidate for mayor of New York who represents the antithesis of what any self-respecting Jew stands for.

There are many ways in which I disagree with secular Zionism and its negation of Judaism. But I respect their right to disagree, and I join those of them willing to fight and die for the Jewish state (sadly, they too have draft dodgers). As I am disgusted by those of the Charedi world who refuse to fight for the country they live in and benefit from.

But it is important to realise that there are many other Chassidic sects and Rebbes who do support Israel, even if they may feel alienated by secularism. The fact that a numerically important Chassidic sect, whose numbers could have swung the vote against Mamdani, and left-wing secular Jews have chosen instead to support him, can only bring to mind those Jews who supported Hitler, ignoring his Jew-hatred because they thought he was only opposed to communism and would leave them alone.  I am not suggesting that Mamdani is Hitler, although many of his followers call for our death, but Jewish delusions remain as strong as ever. Do they really believe that if things got dangerous, they would be safe?

But it is not just them I decry. There is a popular New York Jewish paper called The Jewish Press (or as I prefer to call it The Jewish Distress) that was always a supporter of Kahana.  It now campaigns for Curtis Sliwa (founder of “The Guardian Angels” who likes to sport a red beret) for mayor. A man with no experience except in seeking headlines. The guy has very little support (half of what Cuomo has who in turn has only half in the polls as Mamdani). Cuomo is a problematic character, but certainly the lesser of two. You might have thought that Sliwa’s Jewish supporters could help Cuomo challenge Mamdani and, like the present mayor Adams, get him to withdraw from the race. But no, they insist he carries on, dividing the opposition.

I have come across several religious Jews who have met him and swear that Mamdani is not anti-Semitic, just anti-Zionist. He is a wily politician. And look at who he surrounds himself with. I have heard that trope too often from Jews to accept it without grave concerns. We shall see.

Between the divisive and destructive politics of Israel, the deluded New York Jewish left and the lunatic Jewish Right in New York, what the heck is wrong with us? No solidarity?  This is precisely what Moshe warned about repeatedly in the Torah. We are a stiff-necked people.

Rabbi Jeremy Rosen lives in New York. He was born in Manchester. His writings are concerned with religion, culture, history and current affairs – anything he finds interesting or relevant. They are designed to entertain and to stimulate. Disagreement is always welcome.