Rahm Emanuel called a 'hater of Jews' in Jerusalem
Rahm Emanuel and his son visited the Kotel (Western Wall) on Thursday morning, but not before trying to shake off the press, and not before Itamar Ben Gvir was arrested for heckling Emanuel in the Old City's Cardo (did I ever tell you about 'free speech' in Israel?) and calling him a 'hater of Jews' (Hat Tip: Shy Guy). White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel prayed with his son, who is celebrating his bar-mitzvah, at the Western Wall and inserted a note into its stones on Thursday, after police misled the media into believing Emanuel is on his way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and heading there. Following the maneuver, Emanuel's security allowed him to join his son at the Western Wall. Earlier, Emanuel and his family toured Jerusalem's Old City, and met with Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitz.I was kind of surprised that Emanuel visited the Old City - after all in his book it's 'occupied territory.' Then again, Candidate Obama visited too in the summer of 2008.
A bar-mitzva celebration for Emanuel's son, Zach, is to take place on Sunday.
Earlier on Thursday, right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir verbally abused Emanuel and his family, as they were walking through the Cardo in Jerusalem's Old City.
Ben-Gvir also yelled at police officers "for shame," and "you won't shut me up!"
Police immediately surrounded Ben-Gvir, who shouted that Emanuel was "a hater of Israel," and removed him from the scene, taking him into custody.
But I'd hate to have to take my kids to the Kotel, show them where the Holy Temples were and then tell them that I'm the guy who's leading the fight to force the Jewish people to turn this site over to a terror organization that won't let Jews pray there (as was the case from 1948-67).You'd think Emanuel would have a little bit of shame.
By the way, the guy in the sunglasses next to Emanuel at the Kotel is Israeli security. I see those guys about once a week (please don't ask how or why). And the guy being manhandled by the police in the second picture is Itamar Ben Gvir.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:57 PM
7 Comments:
It says a lot that Israel is more concerned with stopping a protest against the despicable Emanuel than it is with sending him and the boss for whom he works a message.
What could go wrong indeed
I say Yemach Shemo to Rahm Emmanuel who has proven how lowly a Jew can get. He is a chillul Hashem and a shame for the Jewish people. I hope that his sons BarUnmitzvah is a tragedy. We await the coming of the Righteous redeemer who lead us with upright pride to our land...
It's the political season again in America. He garnered a couple of votes from the easily fooled. He needs to do some praying also because if he was part of offering Sestak a job to get out of the primary, he has some serious concerns that may require divine intervention.
is rahm wearing one of those kipot that are handed out at the wall?
he doesnt own his own?
this is too weird
israel will never give away the kotel or any of yerushalaim
oh, I see he had his holy photo-op at the kotel...
I may be in the minority here, but Rahm did the right thing by taking his son to Israel and celebrate his son's Bar Mitzvah in Israel. It's not that I approve of him or his boss, but he wishes to instill Jewish values in his son, a sense of Jewish culture, history, and miracle of survival.
To muman613. A Jew can get more lowly than Rahmbo. He can kill. He can be a Goldstone and much worse. There is always another wrung of tragedy and evil within man. It is foolish to consider Rahm Emanuel as the focus of Jewish evil because of his boss. Because a man is a politician does not mean he cannot feel emotion, wonder, sadness.
I'm not even a full Jew from the parental standpoint, but I've read and studied about repentance, of the value of returning to goodness, away from evil, of regret, of love for family, of cherishing even a small spark of Jewish magic. Folks are too cynical.
Obama is the sum of many negatives and wrong-headed politics, worldview, ect... but his chief of staff is not one of them. How many American Jews throw away there heritage, have no interest in visiting Israel, shun their Jewish heritage, are ashamed of it, have no interest in taking their children to Israel.
One can say it is a cynical move, that it is for the cameras, is devoid of meaning, is a simple political calculation. But we do not see his heart or are able to divine his future conduct. I think he did the right thing by visiting Israel with his son and it is a private manner.
"You'd think Emanuel would have a little bit of shame."
Why would anyone think that of some-one who works for Oy-vey-ma?
Post a Comment
<< Home