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    THE PULPIT MUST NOT BE A POLITICAL PODIUM…. MOST OF THE TIME

    The IRS announced it

    will break with a long-
    standing rule and now

    allow houses of
    worship to endorse
    candidates for political
    office without losing
    their tax-exempt status.
    Since 1954, a provision in the tax code called
    the Johnson Amendment mandates that

    nonprofit organizations could lose their tax-
    exempt status if they participate in or intervene

    in “any political campaign on behalf of or in
    opposition to any candidate for public office.”
    The rule was violated regularly in some
    houses of worship, but the IRS rarely enforced
    it. In explaining the change, the agency
    advised that when a house of worship, “in
    good faith speaks to its congregation, through
    its customary channels of communication on
    matters of faith in connection with religious
    services, concerning electoral politics viewed
    through the lens of religious faith,” it neither
    participates nor intervenes in a political
    campaign.
    This means rabbis can now legally endorse
    candidate from the pulpit.
    But should they?
    I don’t believe so. In many or even most
    elections, reasonable people can come to a

    reasonable conclusion in either direction.
    Sure, it is fair, maybe even constructive at
    times, to try to persuade others to see things as
    you do, but if you can’t, the best practice is to
    acknowledge that not only is the other person
    entitled to his or her perspective, but their
    opinion is reasonable, legitimate, and fair. The
    fact that they arrived at a different conclusion,
    even one you are convinced is wrong, doesn’t
    mean they have corrupt character, less
    patriotism, compromised commitment to
    Israel, or less devotion to Torah.
    Rabbis and shuls should be spaces where
    people with diverse opinions can congregate,
    connect, learn together, daven together and
    work together on the issues that unite us. If
    rabbis begin to offer public endorsements,
    especially from the pulpit, will those who
    disagree with his conclusion still feel
    comfortable being part of that shul? What will
    the impact be on public discourse and debate
    within the community if the rabbi publicly
    weighs in endorsing one side, particularly
    invoking his Torah authority in doing so?
    Will those who disagree with the rabbi’s
    endorsement and choice continue to turn to
    him for direction, guidance, and support?
    Will they ask him their halachic questions,
    want him to officiate at their simchas and
    lifecycle events, trust him to advise on
    sensitive matters?

    If the answers to these questions is no, even if
    it is a small percentage of the shul/community
    who will feel alienated, is the endorsement
    worth it? Rabbonim are shepherds, charged
    with loving and caring for their flock. If some
    will be driven from the herd or who walk
    away feeling unwanted, the shepherd has
    failed in his mission.
    Ultimately, as Shlomo HaMelech taught
    ַּפְּלְֵגֵי־ַ֣מ�ִ֣יִם ֶלֶב-־ֶ֭מֶ֭לְֶך ְּבַּיַד־ה‘ ַֽע�ֽל-־” (21:1 Misheli(
    like is king a of heart The – ּכל־ֲאֲֶׁ֖ש֖ר ַיְַחְֹּ֣פ�֣ץ- ַיֶַּֽטּֽנּו
    a stream of water in the hand of G-d, wherever
    He wishes, He will direct it.” We say every
    single day in our prayers, “Al tivtechu
    b’nedivim, don’t place your faith and trust in
    princes and diplomats.”
    As G-d-fearing Jews, we recognize that it is
    the Master of the Universe who orchestrates
    domestic, foreign, and of course all policies
    and their consequences. To be a student of
    Torah and of Jewish history is to recognize the
    Almighty’s guiding hand. His hand guided our
    history and ultimately, it is His hand that is
    guiding our destiny.
    I said above that in most elections reasonable
    people can come to a reasonable conclusion in
    either direction, but like almost every rule,
    there are exceptions and we are living through
    one.
    One group of clergy didn’t wait for the IRS to
    change its rule before making a public
    endorsement. In an article titled, “We are
    NYC rabbis who support Zohran Mamdani
    – Here’s why,” they write:
    My co-authors (listed below) and I are
    among many New York City rabbis who
    voted for and proudly support Zohran
    Mamdani in the race for New York City
    mayor. Our religious tradition calls us to
    pursue justice and invokes our responsibility
    to bring it into the world. For many of us,

    the campaigns of Mamdani and mensch co-
    endorser Brad Lander marked the first time

    in a long while that we witnessed the Jewish
    call for justice clearly reflected in the
    platforms and character of mayoral
    candidates. We are confident that Zohran
    will carry those values forward – we hope,
    all the way to Gracie Mansion.
    Supporting Zohran and Brad was, for us, an
    explicitly Jewish act, and we’re kvelling
    over our contribution as Jewish New Yorkers
    to Mamdani’s historic victory…
    We believe that rent is too high, buses are
    too slow, and New York should be a
    welcoming, safe home for everyone – no
    matter where we came from or how long
    we’ve been here. Like Mamdani, we
    believe…that the Israeli government’s
    treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the
    West Bank is horrific and cannot be ignored.
    These convictions reflect a shared political
    ethic – not identical political beliefs – and
    they are strong enough to support both real
    coalition and real community.
    The blatant smear tactics we see used
    against Mamdani are frequently deployed

    against Muslim elected officials and leaders of
    color who dare to criticize Israel. These
    accusations are not about protecting Jews.
    They are about shutting down necessary
    reckoning with our city and country’s
    complicity in Israel’s occupation…
    We believe that Jewish safety will not be
    secured by demanding unconditional support
    for Israel or imposing litmus tests on public
    officials around language. It will be secured
    through effective policy, education, solidarity,
    and shared struggle. That is what Mamdani
    offers…
    Absurd, dangerous, and deeply disturbing
    articles like this one make this New York
    mayoral election an exception in which
    reasonable people should not be able come to
    certain conclusions and rabbis should be
    vocally opposing this article and this
    candidate. But let’s be clear about the
    parameters. Mamdani’s socialist views, calls
    to defund the police and dishonesty on his
    college application don’t, in my opinion,
    justify rabbis issuing an endorsement for his
    opponents. We should, however, call out and
    voice opposition to a candidate who is openly
    against Israel in the clearest possible terms
    and who proudly stands with antisemites.
    I recognize that people will disagree about
    where to draw the line and when to make the
    exception, but I hope that reasonable people
    can agree that stopping the election of a
    candidate who is undeniably and objectively
    anti-Israel and by extension antisemitic is not
    a violation of a rabbi’s responsibilities but the
    fulfillment of it.
    Mamdani has refused multiple times to
    recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish
    state, and he has supported the BDS movement
    against Israel. While he hasn’t himself used
    the phrase, “Globalize the Intifada,” he has
    refused to condemn those who do and defends
    their right to use the expression. As the
    intifada is actually being globalized with Jews
    suffering attacks around the world in growing
    numbers, in no place more than New York
    City, defending the expression is egregious
    and incites violence against Jews. The founder
    of the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at
    his alma mater, Mamdani has accused Israel
    of “genocide” and “apartheid,” and has vowed
    that as mayor he would arrest Benjamin
    Netanyahu.
    Despite the IRS’s rule change, don’t expect to
    see political endorsements from the BRS
    pulpit. But stopping Mamdani isn’t a question
    of politics, it is about self-preservation and the
    safety and security of the Jewish community.