Kurt Stone: Obama at Shul

May 23, 2008


Mr. Obama Goes To Shul


BOCA RATON, FLORIDA * Senator Barack Obama came to Temple B'nai Torah this
afternoon. As will often happen with candidates out on the campaign trail,
his arrival was delayed by several hours. And although he apologized for
being tardy and making us wait, he never did mention the reason for his
delay. As I found out later that night, he had hopped up to Capitol Hill in
order to vote in favor of a measure which greatly expands the G.I. Bill. He
could have taken the high, self-serving road and told those assembled why he
was late. He could also have taken the low, "finger-pointing" road and
flailed Senator McCain for being one of 22 Republicans voting against our
men and women in uniform.

Instead, he did neither.

This was not his reason for going to shul.

Rather, he was here, in the midst of approximately 750 mostly-Jewish men,
women and teens, to talk about himself, Israel, and anti-Semitism, and to
address head-on the virtual St. Vitus' dance of fear that has been such a
noxious staple of cyberspace this past year

I managed to snag a VIP pass and, guiltily walking past the long line of
folks standing out in the rain, was seated about 6 feet away from the
senator. Sitting with me were -- somewhat surprisingly -- at least thee
lions of the Republican Party and a couple of die-hard Clinton acolytes.
They, like so many in the assembled minyan, were not there because they
already supported Senator Obama. Rather, they had come to find out for
themselves just who the "skinny guy with the strange-sounding name" is, and
whether or not he will be as bad for Israel as so many have claimed.

Senator Obama certainly had his work cut out for himself.

To make the senator's task even more challenging, just the day before he
attended shul, the New York Times ran a story entitled "Many Florida Jews
Express Doubts On Obama." In the article, staff writer Jodi Kantor quoted a
handful of South Florida Jews who were dismissive -- if not downright
hostile -- to Senator Obama's candidacy. One elderly woman said she would
never vote for Obama "because of his attitude on Israel." A second averred
that Obama "is part of Chicago's large Palestinian community." A third
worried that if he were elected, Obama "might fill his administration with
followers of Louis Farrakhan." And yet a fourth opined, "His father was a
Muslim and you can't take that out of him."

No one ever said running for president was easy; especially when you're
a guy named Barack Obama, and you're speaking in a synagogue before more
Jews than the rabbi has seen since last Rosh Hashana.

With a mesmerizing mix of eloquence and erudition, articulation and
affability, the Senator won over the vast majority of the assembled minyan.
During the more than two hours he spent speaking and dialoguing, Senator
Obama made it abundantly clear that he was, is, and always shall be, a
staunch defender of the Jewish State. [One should know a fact: after going
over the voting records of both Senator Clinton and Obama vis-a-vis issues
pertaining to Israel, AIPAC -- the main Israel support lobby in the U.S.
gave both a 100% rating. That's 100% of the time that both senators voted
in a manner that was favorable to the Jewish State.]

Senator Obama told of how, as a youngster attending summer camp, he had a
Jewish counselor who told him about Zionism:

"I really connected with it, because in Zionism, there is this sense of
rootedness, of having a place and a home. And for a kid with my unusual
background . . . and not knowing precisely where I fit, this struck a
tremendous chord."

When asked about his relationship with a Palestinian professor from the
University of Chicago, the Senator said:

"Yes, I have met the man, but why do people automatically conclude that
therefore I must be in agreement with what he espouses? People do have the
ability to listen to those with whom they disagree. How can one ever make
any progress if the only folks they talk to are those with whom they are in
agreement?"

Obama went on to say:

"I don't want to get in to the 'some of my best friends are Jewish' trap,
because it's terribly demeaning. But I will tell you this: when I first ran
[unsuccessfully] for Congress against Bobby Rush, the main argument against
me was that I was too close to the Jewish community! I have always believed
that Jewish and African Americans have an historic bond, an historic memory.
I mourn the passing of the time when Jewish Americans and African Americans
worked together in harmony to bring about change. If it weren't for the
Jewish community and their central role in the Civil Rights struggle, I
wouldn't be here today, running for President of the United States."

Addressing all the emails that are going around [indeed, I just received
one entitled "The Fifty Lies of Barack Obama"], he made a telling point with
a fine degree of humor:

"You know, no one believes those emails that start out: 'I'm a Nigerian
who has $5 million in the bank but can't get at it . . . however if you'll
only send me a thousand dollars . . .' Or all those medicines that promise
to help expand your . . . well, let's not go there . . . [laughter] . . .
But seriously, why then do people believe scurrilous rumors? Promising
millions for nothing or potency for pennies has about as much reality as
proclaiming that I am a Jihadist."

Many in the crowd were of the opinion that "George W. Bush is the best
friend Israel has ever had." I hear this from my students more often than
is comfortable. Senator Obama addressed this in words of stark simplicity:

"In the past seven years, Iran has become infinitely more powerful than
ever before. It has given tremendous financial support to the major enemies
of Israel. This has all happened under the Bush-Cheney-McCain watch. How
can anyone conclude that the one who empowers your worst enemy is your best
friend? It doesn't make any sense."

One person in the crowd asked why, in saying he would convene a summit
meeting of all Arab countries, he excluded Israel, Obama smiled and
answered:

"Well first, Israel isn't an Arab country; its a Jewish State. Secondly,
they are our strongest ally . . . our best friend in the region. The
countries we would be talking to are the ones we want to convince that
someday, somehow, they're going to have to learn how to live in peace with
Israel. If you only talk to your friends, there is absolutely no chance
that you're ever going to be able to change your enemies. That is part of
the definition of courage"

By way of example, Senator Obama mentioned how, when speaking before
students at a school of Ramallah, he told them, "One day you are going to
have to learn to live in peace with Israel."

Did Senator Obama's "performance" make supporters out of everyone in
attendance? Probably not, for he is, as we say in Hebrew, raq basar va'dahm
["merely flesh and blood"]. Nonetheless, I believe he quelled the fear and
uncertainty in many hearts.

There no doubt will always be those who choose to believe the worst about
Senator Obama -- or anyone in the public eye for that matter. There will
also always be those who seek to hide incipient racism beneath the veneer of
inept rhetoric. And believe me, I am fully expecting people to write and
tell me that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes -- that Senator Obama
is a Muslim, ant-Semitic . . . the whole nine yards.

And yet, for at least one afternoon, in one shul, the minyan had the
opportunity to listen to -- and share with -- a man who reminded us that the
Arabic barack and the Hebrew baruch share the same meaning: "Blessed."

It was a "sermon" well worth the wait.

Oh yes: by the end, even the three Republicans were on their feet.

And don't worry about being late Senator. You see, ever since Sinai,
we've been on Jewish Standard Time .


C2008 Kurt F. Stone


Kurt Stone is a rabbi, writer, lecturer, political activist, professor,
actor, and medical ethicist. Educated at the University of California, the
Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University and the Hebrew Union
College, Stone holds a B.A. in American Political History, a Master of
Hebrew Letters, and a Doctor of Divinity. A resident of South Florida for
more than 25 years, he is currently spiritual leader of the North Broward
Havurah in Coral Springs.

Handwriting of Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama may speak volumes

This story was sent to you by: lcatran1@ix.netcom.com

--------------------
Handwriting of Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama may speak volumes
--------------------

Experts see telltale markings of personality in penmanship samples from the presidential candidates.

By Faye Fiore
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

May 13 2008

WASHINGTON — Now that the presidential contest is looking ever more like a two-man race, the country can't help but marvel: John McCain, once a longshot, wouldn't lie down. Barack Obama, the new kid, charmed voters. And Hillary Rodham Clinton, an early favorite, has yet to surrender.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-handwriting13-2008may13,0,5566144.story

Visit latimes.com at http://www.latimes.com

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