Rabbi Yaier Lehrer
ylehrer@gmail.com
412-820-7000
Thought for Shabbat – 5/15/26
Just a few days ago, a congressman was sitting at a bar when the son of a sitting senator verbally attacked him, saying if another congressman loses his primary race, it will be because of “your people.” The congressman asked the senator’s son if the son thought he was Jewish, and the son responded yes. The congressman corrected him and told him of his Irish-Italian Catholic ancestry.
The son responded, I am sorry to accuse you of that (of being a Jew) and then launched into an anti-semitic rant, including saying that he hates Jews and gays and doesn’t care if they die. And since Abe Foxman, the stalwart multi-decade director of the Anti-Defamation League died this week, I started to wonder what he might have said. And while I can’t predict the actual words, I can assure you that they would have been blunt. But at the same time he would have been willing to listen to the senator’s son and give him an opportunity for forgiveness.
His words sometimes made fellow Jews cringe and others uncomfortable, but Abe’s career as a warrior against anti-semitism was fierce, unique and effective. He was a Holocaust survivor who lost many relatives while he was hidden by his Polish Catholic nanny who actually had him baptized to hide his Jewish identity.
From time to time, Foxman even regretted some of his statements and actions, but the words and actions always came from a man with a heart and mind created to protect his people. Although he retired in 2015, his death reminds us of the effect that a great warrior can have for his people. Presidents and other world leaders sought his advice. People came to him to be forgiven for unfortunate words or actions.
And today, at a time when warriors and champions are needed, one person cannot replace the legacy of Abraham Foxman. We need many people to fight against what is now a well-funded, organized movement that has created new anti-semites and enabled those who were already prone in that direction. And to do that we will need to channel the spirit and courage of Abraham Foxman, whose flag fell this week. Which of us will pick it up?
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Yaier Lehrer
If this man should fall, who will lift the flag and carry on?
Colonel Robert Shaw (played by Mathew Broderick) in the movie Glory to the assembled troops going into battle..