The Blogs: An American rabbi's letter to Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed | Reuven H. Taff

Rabbi Reuven H. Taff writes an open letter to Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed, congratulating him but expressing deep concern over his victory speech accusing Israel of 'apartheid or genocide.' Taff urges El-Sayed to condemn antisemitism from allies, meet with Michigan Jewish leaders, and acknowledge the pain his words have caused.

Rabbi Reuven H. Taff, an American rabbi, publishes an open letter to Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan. The rabbi congratulates El-Sayed on his election but expresses deep concern over his victory speech, in which El-Sayed declared, 'We don't want our money sent to do apartheid or genocide or war.' Taff writes that these accusations are deeply painful to many Jews and that El-Sayed treats them as established fact despite scholarly disagreement. The letter also criticizes El-Sayed for dismissing his defeated opponent with contempt on election night, for appearing alongside Hasan Piker, whom Taff accuses of making hateful statements about Jews and Israel, and for responding to a vehicle attack on a Michigan synagogue with the phrase 'hurt people hurt people.' Taff urges El-Sayed to meet with Michigan Jewish leaders, to condemn antisemitism from his political allies, and to preserve the US-Israel partnership.