Florida rabbi who protested Donald Trump loses his job

[question everything]

NEW YORK (JTA) — A Florida rabbi must leave his pulpit after his protest of Donald Trump’s speech at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference riled congregants.

David Paskin, who serves as rabbi of the Conservative Temple Beth David synagogue in the south Florida city of Palm Beach Gardens, will leave his position in July. In March, Paskin was one of a group of Conservative rabbis who led a protest of Trump’s speech at the annual conference of AIPAC, the Israel lobby.

Some two months later, Paskin’s contract was not renewed.

(snip)

Temple Beth David denied that Paskin’s Trump protest cost him his job. Executive Director Steve Bogad called the parting a “mutual decision.” Paskin also used the word “mutual” to describe his departure, and said the synagogue did not tell him the decision was due to his protest.

But he told JTA he had no idea about the decision before the AIPAC conference, and described it as unexpected.

A congregant with knowledge of the matter told JTA that the Trump protest factored into the synagogue board’s decision to not renew Paskin’s contract. Two congregants told JTA that synagogue members were upset that Paskin led the walkout, and that the protest was so public.

More..

http://www.timesofisrael.com/florida-rabbi-protests-donald-trump-loses-his-job/?utm_source=The+Times+of+Israel+Daily+Edition&utm_campaign=7c4ed8a726-2016_06_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_adb46cec92-7c4ed8a726-54274521

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I have no idea why many (mostly Floridians) Jews think that Trump will be good for Israel. They don't like Obama, they don't trust Clinton but why Trump? I am not aware of any indication that Trump likes Netanyahu. He certainly offended many Jews when he went to a meeting and told them that they could not "buy him" the way they've done with others..

[Hoppy]

1. A.I.P.A.C. Spending money to buy Congress.

[MosheFeingold]

2. Couple of ideas

Last edited Mon Jun 20, 2016, 04:53 PM - Edit history (1)

"I have no idea why many (mostly Floridians) Jews think that Trump will be good for Israel. "

1. Most shuls don't like their Rabbis being overtly political. One, that's not their job. Two, enough people hate us already for no logical reason; and there certain is no margin to go looking for trouble on either side of the isle. So being political (of any kind) is not a good idea for a Rabbi that desires to keep his job. Exceptions to this abound in the Reform and Haredi ends of the spectrum.

2. Trump's daughter is Orthodox and his son Eric is Reform or Conservative and married to a Jewish woman. (I guess one of his many wives was Jewish; the current one is of Jewish extraction.) So most of his children/grandchildren are Jewish. I presume they take a level of comfort in this.