Lakhota
Diamond Member
The reversal came after intense backlash from his former students.
WASHINGTON ― Rabbi Haskel Lookstein on Friday reversed an earlier decision to deliver the opening prayer at the Republican National Convention next week after facing a deluge of criticism from his former students who questioned how he could lend tacit support to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
“In the interest of bringing our community together, I have asked to be relieved of my commitment to deliver the invocation. My request has been honored with the same love and respect in which it was first offered and intended,” Lookstein wrote in an email. It was sent Friday and addressed to the “Ramaz Family,” those affiliated with an Orthodox Jewish Day School that Lookstein, until recently, headed.
According to Lookstein, he was invited to the convention by Ivanka Trump, who is a member of the Kehilath Jeshurun synagogue, where Lookstein is the Rabbi Emeritus, to appear at the convention in Cleveland on Monday. He accepted, apparently unaware of the political firestorm the decision would ignite.
Within hours of the Thursday announcement that he would appear at the convention, Ramaz alumni flooded the internet with petitions and calls for him to reconsider his decision. The reactions from many of his former students ranged from disgusted to disappointed and confused.
“To embrace Trump and Trumpism goes against all we’ve been taught. As graduates of Ramaz, and as current or former members of the Modern Orthodox community, this is a shanda beyond the pale,” Jacob Savage wrote in a change.org petition, using the Yiddish word for “shame.” The petition amassed over 800 signatures by the time Lookstein announced he was no longer planning to deliver the prayer.
It is not clear from Lookstein’s statement if will still be attending the convention. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
More: Ivanka Trump's Rabbi Backs Out Of Delivering Prayer At GOP Convention
That is so funny. Even Jews hate Trump. Well, what's not to hate...
WASHINGTON ― Rabbi Haskel Lookstein on Friday reversed an earlier decision to deliver the opening prayer at the Republican National Convention next week after facing a deluge of criticism from his former students who questioned how he could lend tacit support to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
“In the interest of bringing our community together, I have asked to be relieved of my commitment to deliver the invocation. My request has been honored with the same love and respect in which it was first offered and intended,” Lookstein wrote in an email. It was sent Friday and addressed to the “Ramaz Family,” those affiliated with an Orthodox Jewish Day School that Lookstein, until recently, headed.
According to Lookstein, he was invited to the convention by Ivanka Trump, who is a member of the Kehilath Jeshurun synagogue, where Lookstein is the Rabbi Emeritus, to appear at the convention in Cleveland on Monday. He accepted, apparently unaware of the political firestorm the decision would ignite.
Within hours of the Thursday announcement that he would appear at the convention, Ramaz alumni flooded the internet with petitions and calls for him to reconsider his decision. The reactions from many of his former students ranged from disgusted to disappointed and confused.
“To embrace Trump and Trumpism goes against all we’ve been taught. As graduates of Ramaz, and as current or former members of the Modern Orthodox community, this is a shanda beyond the pale,” Jacob Savage wrote in a change.org petition, using the Yiddish word for “shame.” The petition amassed over 800 signatures by the time Lookstein announced he was no longer planning to deliver the prayer.
It is not clear from Lookstein’s statement if will still be attending the convention. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
More: Ivanka Trump's Rabbi Backs Out Of Delivering Prayer At GOP Convention
That is so funny. Even Jews hate Trump. Well, what's not to hate...
