Rabbi Howard Morrison

With today's Parsha, we are introduced to the Jewish content of our Torah. It begins with the call by God for Abraham and Sarah to go forth on a spiritual and geographical mission, a journey which is now 4000 years old. Abraham and Sarah will be the progenitors of a new people, with a heritage, and with a promised land called Israel.

In Jewish tradition, Abraham is regarded as an iconoclast, one who smashes idols. Legend has it that as a young boy, Abraham already recognized monotheism and while watching his father Terach's idol shop, Abraham smashed the idols, later exclaiming to his father about the one and only God.

Abraham is not afraid to speak the truth from his heart. He will later speak against God for the potential innocent of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

Abraham is not afraid to act. He will risk his own life to rescue his nephew Lot who has been kidnapped by a quarreling group of kings.

What I am now going to discuss may be regarded as politics, may be regarded as not relevant for Canadian Jewry. But I would disagree.

In a few days, New Yorkers are going to elect its next Major. It is likely that Zohran Mamdani will win. Notwithstanding his views on the economy, the police, and other domestic matters, what is most disturbing is his non-apologetic stance on Israel, Zionism, Hamas, and more. His candidacy is relevant to us because Jews everywhere must stand up with truth to those potential leaders who are outright liars and even evil.

While it may be too late, a couple of weeks ago, over 1000 U.S. rabbis united in signing a statement condemning Mamdani's candidacy. These rabbis represented all the streams of Judaism and came from all over the U.S.

A couple of weeks ago, a leading New York pulpit rabbi delivered a sermon against Mamdani because the stakes are not merely political, but affect the fiber of Jews and Judaism in New York city. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of the Park Avenue Synagogue referred to Mamdani as a danger to the security of the New York Jewish community. Mamadani has refused to condemn the slogan, 'globalize the intifada.' He has denied recognizing Israel as a legitimate Jewish State. He has called to arrest Prime-Minister Netanyahu should he enter New York city soil. He has repeated the false claim that Israel is guilty of genocide. Mamdani has failed to recognize and condemn the evils perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023.  Rabbi Cosgrove went on to say that Zionism, Israel, and Jewish self-determination are not political positions or partisan causes but 'constituent building blocks and inseparable strands of his Jewish identity.' To accept Rabbi Cosgrove as a Jew while asking him to set aside his concern for Israel is as nonsensical as it is offensive.

The letter signed by the 1000 plus rabbis across the U.S. amounted to making the same comments and concerns.

Frankly, it is alarming to me that a large number of New York city Jews will be voting for Mamdani. If one does not like the other candidates, then do not vote. But a vote for Mamdani by Jews??? I am left speechless.

Two weeks ago, I saw the movie Truth and Treason, based on a true story about three non-Jewish young men who stand against Hitler through a letter writing campaign of resistance. The leader of the three, active in his Mormon church, states the absolute need to speak the truth, even if the consequence is extreme. By the end, he loses his life but believes in a heavenly court of truth which is transcendent to the Nazi fixed court.

Abraham was an articulator of truth.

Rabbi Cosgrove and the group of over 1000 rabbis are articulators of truth.

The potential election of Mamdani has ramifications everywhere. We here in Toronto also need to be articulators of truth and not be afraid to speak against the pro-Hamas supporters and the Mamadani-like figures here in our own community.

Our Jewish historic journey which began with the call by God to Abraham and Sarah necessitates that we all do our utmost in emulating the virtues of the very first Jewish couple.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison