Now that the election is behind us, the contentiousness and tension of the campaign and election seasons should too be left behind. It is of the upmost importance to share our perspectives on the conduct of the election and how to move forward.
This should represent an opportunity to reckon with ourselves and our conduct throughout the campaign. Before anyone gets heated allow me to explain, we should recognize what is beneath the façade of militant identification to a candidate.
In the aftermath of the 2020 Election, I feel a conversation with my fellow Jewish brethren is warranted. I would like to make clear: this is not in any way partisan nor meant to admonish anyone, rather to remind each other of the proper Jewish conduct in the general public, especially in the face of the most contentious Presidential election in our nation’s history.
What is most troubling and worrisome is the potential long-term ramifications and the probable negative fallout this past campaign will take on the Jewish community.
Allow me to elaborate; while engaging in the political process and the subsequent discourse regarding which candidate would be a better president is “as American as apple pie” and ought to be encouraged, there is a line that when crossed could negatively impact the welfare of our Jewish community today, and even more so in the future.
Having the Jewish community engaged in political campaigns on both sides is beneficial. We all have a right, as individuals, to our political viewpoints, and to engage with them. In fact, we should be encouraged to do so.
However, what I and many of us witnessed this past year was cult-like behavior. The cult-like behavior expressed itself in messianic terms, framing the candidate in idolatrous proportions, clouding our judgment in evaluating the candidate and his policies and inhibiting his followers from practically assessing the opponent.
This behavior is an amateur manifestation of how to engage in the political process, it doesn’t bring support to your candidate, it actually diminishes the importance of the election and why you should support that candidate in the first place. More compelling to us, it exudes unwanted attention to our community.
Yes, unwanted attention is a negative byproduct of such idolatry-politics.
While others may counter my argument saying that this is simply how the campaign in the general public was run, that should never be an excuse for Jews; for better or for worse we are held to different standards.
Another negative aspect I’ve witnessed is the denigration of the opposing candidate to the extent that it can cause lasting damage to building relationships.
In this age when media can be transmitted to literally millions of people instantaneously, the imagery coming out of our community in the months leading up to the election was reminiscent of demagoguery. This persisted to the point where the image of our community being led by and consisting of active proponents of such idolatry became widespread. This portrayal is diametrically opposed to our values and how our community actually behaves.
Granted, it is only a few, but because of our distinct dress and behavior this is easily manipulated by those who don’t share our interests and who seek to negatively portray us. If not addressed thus could become more widespread within our community.
As someone who is in constant interaction with the secular world at large, I can tell you that the noise our community created pertaining to the election was nothing short of the complete opposite of what our community should portray itself as and the complete opposite of what our community has historically portrayed itself as.
Especially as someone in the government and public relations fields, I can tell you with absolute confidence this is detrimental to our community’s security and political influence.
I know the prevailing argument in the street is “so what who cares?”, but honestly (I reiterate this 1000000 times) only by building bridges, by establishing relationships with and engaging others, especially those with different viewpoints, can a minority community like ours survive. By staying in our little cocoon, we will never be able to achieve the results we so desperately need.
Now that Joe Biden is the acknowledged President-Elect, we as Jews have a moral obligation, to pray for his success as we did for our outgoing President, Donald Trump. This is the Jewish way.
Even if you did not vote for Joe Biden and wished for him to lose, understand that you and your community’s survival and success is dependent on the nuance of our political maneuvering and the democratic process.
I firmly believe it is in the interest of our community to promulgate bipartisanship; the existence of our community is contingent on bipartisanship. A pertinent example: President Trump’s commutation of the unjust and outrageous sentence of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin. People did not realize that there was an inconspicuous effort to secure the support of prominent Democrats to support the commutation, including the liberal icon then House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
This show of bipartisan unity was not only a vital piece in securing Rubashkin’s commutation, but in fact was even highlighted by the Trump White House. Even in an additional case, the Nachmani case (another travesty of justice), it was Democrats who at direct request of the White House threw their support behind commuting her sentence.
I am not trying to diminish President Trump’s role in these commutations, in fact he deserves the lion’s-share of the credit and then some, rather I am trying to emphasize that it is behind these casual observances of bipartisanship that amazing feats of politics are achieved. It is the best strategic move to maintain a foothold in both parties. We must cross the aisle continuously.
In no way am I saying that I do not want anyone to criticize the incoming Biden administration. We must criticize the President when he makes a mistake, whomever he may be. It is vital to the democratic process, but the matter in which we do it makes all the difference.
Today’s allies are tomorrow’s adversaries, and today’s adversaries are tomorrow’s allies.
It may seem like we are in one camp today, but this could all turn on a dime, hence the critical need to understand that as American society changes — and it perpetually does– we as members of the Jewish community must acknowledge this and pursue policies and behaviors that reflect this.
We all hope that the next four years will be productive and bring us and the whole nation progress, growth, and unity. We pray that the President should receive divine inspiration to govern correctly and efficiently and do the best for America and our community.
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Ezra Friedlander is CEO of the Friedlander Group, a New York City and Washington D.C. based public policy consulting group. www.thefriedlandergroup.com
Nobody cares about his opinion he is only for $$$$$
Thank Mr. Friedlander for continuing your efforts to get our community to support dems. Nah not gonna work we see straight through it #paidlobbiest.
Hi
The Headline should read as follows;
Bidding Biden Farewell !
Ezra Friedlander puts forth an argument that makes alot of sense! As much as we all supported Trump, we need to recognize that often times it takes two to tangle and YEs sometimes Democrats are necessary to further our agenda.
Your point is well taken, but you used the wrong wording for the saying.. The correct phrase is “Two to Tango.” Tango is a dance requiring 2 people. Therefore when you are talking about 2 people who have to work together or 2 different people who have to take the blame, you say, “It takes two to tango.”
Ezra Friedlander puts forth an argument that makes alot of sense!
Who voted for you to be our spokesperson? You only represent your self.
I did not support Biden but I wish him well. Some great rational and logical points from Ezra here. Hard to argue
BS”D
“….acknowledged President elect….”
What world are you in?
President Trump will be President of the United States for four more years.
PASHUT
I would venture to say that Ezra Friedlander and Rich Roberts would not last more than ten seconds being in the same room.
Mr. Friedlander speaks for himself. His efforts are completely void of Daas Torah. Transparently self-serving.
My complaint is not with this guy but rather with TLS for posting this. He is a paid lobbyist and nobody’s spokesperson aside from his own. Nobody should take this as true honest ‘advice,’ this is all paid by Biden, for Biden.
Mr Friedlander, you are missing the unintended consequences. You, and other askanim, have been trying to get Charedi Yidden to vote for many years now. The apathy has been a serious problem for our representation in Albany, Trenton and Washington.
The only way people will actually get up and vote, is through this contentious attitude. Of course, sane people on the side see the frantic fervor on the pro-Trump as childish and misinformed. But those people wouldn’t vote otherwise, and the cynical minded will never vote. So your choice is – shrill extremists or lazy moderates.
I personally think that the way to get people to vote without the ridiculous one party quasi-religious belief is through Rabbonim. If the Rabbonim of each Shul would make some point of mentioning the benefits of voting, in a non-partisan fashion, and they themselves would conspicuously go and vote, for any party, people would be more motivated to go out and vote. We may not reach the levels we had this year, but it will increase the voter turnout in the Brooklyn community.
Yeah. OK. Thanx.
So, we should pray for him or stop protesting ?
You see anyone protesting ?
We should support his to’eveh marriage agenda ?
Can you see Biden negotiating with Iran on a new nuclear deal ?
Or with Putin ?
Can you trust him with a tactical decision like taking out Al-Baghdadi ?
Pinchos Ezra, please, give it a rest.
PLEEEEEASE.
TLC we respectfully request that you not post anything from this self proclaimed “leader”.
We find it insulting.
I am by no means a Trump supporter. I am by no means a Biden supporter. I wish we had better choices.
You definitely make some good points.
However, Mr. Friedlander, you start off your letter by saying that you don’t wish to be partisan or to admonish and then you right a letter that, not only admonishes and is extremely partisan, but it is downright patronizing. Using terms like idolatry, amateur, cult-like, messianic sound like you aren’t talking to, but talking down on whomever your audience is. Additionally, there is a pervasive attitude of “I know better”. If you want to reach people, respect may go a long way.
Ezra is a paid democrat party shill, not one eord about his hires of which already some are extremely anti Israel pro iranian terror regime, also not a word about the fact that the democrat party leadership endorse and support their anti Israel Jew hater colleagues never once condemning them, instead they condemn their critics. When you acknowledge that it is the democrat party who have made Israel a partisan issue by supporting their enemies and calling any opposition to their anti Israel policies as ruining bipartisan supoort for Israel. It is the democrat party who have turned against Israel because their base being indoctrinated by anti Israel professors for years are anti Israel.
Interesting, Not one of the negative comments here say anything of substance. All they say is to attack the messenger.
It seems that everyone agrees that we need to work with whomever wins, not live in denial
Moral obligation to pray for his success? Should we pray for his success in passing laws for toevah and transgenderism, which is high on the democratic agenda?! Obligation. pish tosh. Not obligated for anything.
‘Wonderful’ stuff from the guy who told us 4 years ago to vote for Hillary!!!
Reb Sholom Schwadron zatzal used to say that he listens to the conversations in the mikvah and knows to do the exact opposite.
I see this guy’s name and without even reading the article know that I will be heading in the other direction.
Democrat pandering.
#paidlobbiest
Let’s just call it what it is, you’re not being bipartisan you’re being an equal opportunity suck up.
That’s what they called it when I was in elementary school.
Yes, that is what we do to get what we need. We swallow our pride, and ‘suck up’ to whomever necessary. And all of us, including inane commenters on TLS, reap the benefits of this ‘sucking up’.
You’re not in elementary school any more, I hope.
Ezra friedlander is constantly sticking up for these corrupt democrats. We all know this already. This letter is #Fake news
For some reason, nobody was saying that we’re allowed to criticize the president when it was Obama. just saying.
I’m surprised TLS allowed this disgusting mushchis to preach to us. You should be ashamed!
I don’t care if it is convenient to support Democrats at this point in time; if you are a frum Jew it is arguably inexcusable to support the Democratic Party in any way. This is not a partisan, political argument. It’s about Jewish morals, and having actual principles that we don’t throw aside simply because we want to ingratiate ourselves to the Democrats. It isn’t worth betraying our values as frum Jews.
Friedlander was poiretz geder and endorsed and worked for Christine Quinn for Mayor of NYC back about eight years ago. That shows you where is coming from.
He started a campaign to get Anwar Sadat, killer of thousands of Israelis, a congressional gold medal.
And the list goes on.
As the saying goes, he likes the Benjamins…
This Friedlander guy knows what overwhelming majority of us think of him!
He’s a sick puppy who gets his jollies by riling us up!! His father is liska rebbe who apparently supports him, which begs another question!!
Let me remind you all – Mr Freidlander supported Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016. At that time he penned a joke of an Op-Ed in TLS justifying his position.
Mr Freidlander – I’m sorry but you need to find a new audience, a naïve and uninformed one. You lost all credibility after supporting Hillary and the democrats after 8 years of their anti-semitic, anti-Israel policies and tactics. It was obvious to all, except to you, that the democrat party was becoming the single most existential threat to religious tolerance in America. This shift and ideology has only increased in fervor and brazenness over the past 4 years. I feel really sorry for you that you are stuck on the wrong team and don’t seem to be able to extricate yourself from it. May Hashem give you strength to overcome this nesoyon.