Stop Kvetching!

I’ll admit, I’m a big kvetch. I am too often bothered by things around me. When my kids and wife ask me why I’m so often annoyed, I cynically tell them that it’s because I set a high bar of standards for myself, which I expect of others. They go crazy when I say that.

Well, now that I’ve established that I’m a kvetch, I would like to say to the Jewish public… stop kvetching!

We Jews are constantly complaining – and with good reason – about the anti-Jewish and anti-Israel slant in the media and in the streets. The national media, spearheaded by The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, and NBC, etc., all present a skewered view of Israel and its war against the bloodthirsty Palestinian terrorists. Israel is depicted as a brutal occupier, leaving a trail of destruction in Jenin. Very little context is given to explain why Israel is forced to enter places like Jenin, which is to obliterate terrorist nests.

It reached a point last week when a BBC anchorwoman, in an interview with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, had the gall and Jew-phobia to say that Israeli soldiers were “happy to kill children.” Bennett very effectively put her in her place; and later, BBC issued a half-baked apology for the “poor choice of words.”

But has anybody seriously demanded her firing? Would one have to make such a demand if she said this about Muslims or any other minority? She’d be toast before she could leave the studio! But we take it on the chin and walk away, accepting BBC’s insipid backpedaling.

Last week, my siblings in Israel received via Instagram a picture of a well-written billboard erected somewhere in New York City that essentially called out The New York Times for its anti-Orthodox hatred and misinformation.

While my sibs applauded the effort of those behind the billboard, they wondered who was behind it. They also wondered why it was so mild, as though begging The Times to be nice and not write nasty things about the Orthodox.

I informed them that it was really the Agudah, which is behind the “KnowUs” campaign. I told them that although it is very weak, it is more than any other organization is doing.

In response to an excellent article by Michael Schick on the topic of The Times’ bigotry, I wrote a published letter to Mishpacha magazine claiming that while the words and the KnowUs campaign (KnowUs.org) are a good start, nothing will happen until we have action. A public rally against The Times, the source of much of the hatred against Orthodox Jewry and Israel, including CUNY and the like, must be held. There is no cause in America that succeeded without some form of noise.

While I received accolades for the letter from many people, nothing, of course, has happened.

I picked up the phone and called one of the more outspoken members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and told him of my rally idea and why it was so important. He responded by telling me that I was right, and he will take it up with the Agudah. So far, gornisht.

I know that during summertime, we Jews are all over the map and in camps. But as early as possible following the summer, our trusty organizations should get into action.

Here’s the plan. Agudah, the Orthodox Union, and the National Council of Young Israel coordinate together and arrange a site for the rally – preferably in front of the Times building. Then each organization, through its professional staff, encourages its member shuls to send congregants to the rally and help arrange for transportation to do so. Respectable people who are agreeable to all the organizations should be chosen to address the audience. Placards should be made to make our outrage clear to the media. It would be great to have yeshivos participate, but I understand that this gets complicated.

Rabbinic organizations like the RCA, the Igud Harabbonim, and the Young Israel Council of Rabbis should see to it that their rabbanim address the urgency in their public addresses.

Secular organizations such as the ZOA, the Presidents’ Conference, or Stand With Us may wish to join, as well. Is there a problem with that? Remember “am echad” and swallow deep.

Sounds impractical? Remember the days when we could easily get 100,000-200,000 Jews to a pro-Israel or Soviet Jewry rally? Ask the left today how they manage to get their people out in a flash with no organization.

If there is no rally, nothing will change. How do I know? Has anything changed until now??

Let me remind the readers once again to get on the case of State Senator Toby Stavisky. I called her office and emailed her several times asking how she reconciles writing a public letter (carried by The New York Times) threatening Yeshiva University with cutting state funds for their issue with LGBTQ clubs, and yet, nothing is heard from her about the outrageous Jew-hatred tolerated and promoted by the CUNY administration. I called New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, as well, with the same complaint. Never heard back from him.

Stavisky finally did respond, explaining her delay due to having surgery. I do wish her well. However, the response she provided did not begin to approach the question, other than to say that she has issued statements against anti-Semitism.

Please contact Senator Stavisky at (Albany) 518-455-3461 or (Flushing) 718-445-0004. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Comptroller Lander’s number is 212-669-3916.

My fellow Jews, please do something! Or stop kvetching!

Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.