Comments on: Stanton’s Ordination Ignites Media Frenzy

By: Media’s Frenzy over Stanton’s Ordination Repeats Repetitious Dialogue «

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:27:46 +0000

[...] Jvoices(.com), seconded by jewcy(.com), was dissatisfied with this treatment of Stanton’s story, which, like all stories linked to big issues (this time it’s racism), should have been an invitation to dialogue and introspection. [...]

By: Deena

Deena — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:59:07 +0000

Excellent article.
RLF, I think the writers are asking that the media not consider that the *only* aspects worth mentioning are Rabbi Stanton’s race and gender but explore the entire worthy person.
If we stop only at the race, gender, age, sexual orientation of a person, we denigrate the worth of the entire person.
We are made up of many facets and when examined as a whole create a diamond of true beauty.

By: RLH

RLH — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:53:53 +0000

As an African American woman trying to find her place in Judaism I have to say that Rabbi Stanton’s ordination is incredibly significant! And yes, it does still feel improbable. And yes, it makes me feel hopeful. We do NOT live in a post-racial society either inside or outside of Jewish communities. While it is true that our racial discussions can no longer be “binary,” clearly the Black-White divide is still significant. Rabbi Stanton’s race and gender ARE of significance and substance and should be recognized and honored as such. My race, gender, class, etc all have an impact on my values and perspectives, work and character. I hope that instead of these critical parts of me being de-emphasized they can be integrated, embraced and celebrated in Jewish communities and in all communities.

By: Michael Makovi

Michael Makovi — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:42:39 +0000

I’m sorry, but…I’m not sure what is so remarkable. Jews come in all colors, so difference does it make? In my yeshiva, we have Jews from the United States, from Russia, from Greece, from Germany, from India, etc. etc.

I’m especially confused by the reference to Rabbi Viñas. At http://www.joi.org/bloglinks/Youth%20Is%20Served%20for%20an%20Aging%20Congregation.htm, we read: “Initially, Mrs. Katz said, there were rumors that Rabbi Viñas would change the congregation’s longstanding customs to reflect his own practices rooted in the Sephardic traditions of North Africa and Spain. But Rabbi Viñas made it a point to stipulate in his contract that he had no plans to alter the way the synagogue sees itself – as an Eastern European Ashkenazic shul.”

Apparently, Rabbi Viñas is an ordinary, run-of-the-mill Sephardi Jew. If we’re going to remark on the fact that he is from Cuba, why not remark on the thousands of Sephardi rabbis from all over the world? There are established Jewish communities throughout South America, mostly of Syrian extraction, and Rabbi Viñas is but one of the thousands of rabbis from that continent. If we add Sephardi Jews – Judeo-Spanish (Spain, Portugal, Holland, Italy, Greece, Turkey) and Mizrahi (Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen) – from throughout the world, the numbers only increase.

My own rabbi, Rabbi Marc Angel in NYC, for example, his grandparents are from Turkey and Rhodes, as are countless Jews from his hometown in Seattle, Washington, home to a prominent Judeo-Spanish Jewish community. Similar communities throughout the United States and throughout the world.

In fact, the first Jews in America were Judeo-Spanish. The first synagogue built in America is the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, built in 1759 for Congregation Jeshuat Israel. The congregants arrived from Curaçao (off the coast of Venezuela) in 1658 (they worshipped for more than a century in private homes, until the synagogue was built), but they were originally from Spain and Portugal. So perhaps we ought to instead remark on the fact that there are non-Spanish-speaking Ashkenazi Jews in America!

By: Noach Dzmura

Noach Dzmura — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:42:13 +0000

Nice job, April and Corinne! Timely, reflective, and perceptive — April, you are an aptly named “Shusterman Insight Fellow.” I look forward to reading more of your work.