Letters
Really, Rabbi Boteach?
After the worst atrocity against Jews since the Shoah, I would have thought that Rabbi Shmuley Boteach would write about an important topic, such as the horrendous loss of life, the savagery of Hamas, or Israeli unpreparedness. But even I never could have imagined that his first column in the Jewish Standard after the massacre (“As rockets fell on Israel, a cowardly Cory Booker ran for his life”; October 20, 2023) would be about…himself, and his seemingly never-ending denigration of Senator Booker.
Even I could not have imagined that Shmuley would be so vindictive as to call Cory Booker a “coward” for leaving Israel the day after the attack, as did many other Americans and residents of other countries.
Even I could not have imagined that Shmuley would be so self-centered as to brag that he intends to fly to Israel for his son’s wedding at the end of October, making him more courageous than the senator. Shmuley, however, failed to mention that Senator Booker returned to Israel on a bipartisan senatorial solidarity mission this past weekend.
Even I could not believe that Shmuley is still keeping up his tiresome eight-year-old vendetta against Cory Booker, because the latter had the temerity to act as the senator from New Jersey, not as Shmuley’s personal representative.
I believe that it is Shmuley who is the coward, by repeatedly attacking a public figure who will not respond publicly to these personal attacks. Perhaps Shmuley is hoping to goad Senator Booker into a response. Regardless, Shmuley’s column was despicable. He should get over himself and move on.
Richard J. Alexander
Teaneck
comments