Lavine, Hewlett rabbi and Pilip join Blakeman-Poser squabble over Hamas attack on Israel

 

Bruce Blakeman

First Nassau County Executive, a Republican, demanded the resignation of Hofstra University President Susan Poser because she did not explicitly condemn the Oct. 7 Hamas murder and mutiliation of more than 1,000 Israeli civilans, including babies, teenagers women and the elderly.

Poser instead in a statement said, "There is a complex history and conflicting views about the causal underpinnings of the current crisis."

Not enough, Blakeman insisted, "This is not the time for fence sitting and hand wringing. Dr. Poser should have been clear and strong in her condemnation of Hamas without equivocation," he wrote to Hofstra's Board of Trustees

Susan Poser

 For the past several days Blakeman, who is Jewish, has been all over the news on television and radio repeating his anger over Poser's position.   

So Glen Cove Assembly. Charles Lavine, a Democrat who enjoys publicity, issued a rather lengthy press release, attacking Republican Blakeman's attack on Poser as political interference with academic freedom.

Lavine, who is Jewish, said that Poser's comments "were every bit as condemnatory of Hamas as other noteworthy leading university adminnistrators," adding that she "explicitly damned Hamas."

(See copies of Blakeman and Poser comments in previous blog)

 

Then an influential Five Towns rabbi attacked Lavine's attack on Blakeman's attack.

Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky of Hewlett wrote to Lavine: 
"As a proud Jew, and the President of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, your defense of the President of Hofstra University, mitigating the severity of the brutal attacks, by labeling it as a “complex history of conflicting views” is deplorable.

"What is even worse is your attack on Bruce Blakeman an intrepid County Executive, who had the courage to speak out and demand responsibility.  Terming his declaration as a “MAGA Republican’s partisan political threat to academic freedom” is not only preposterous, it is nonsensical," He added.

From: Mordechai Kamenetzky
Date: Thu, Nov 30, 2023 at 12:20 PM

The Honorable Assemblyman, Charles Lavine

1 School Street
Glen Cove, NY 11542

 

Dear Assemblyman Lavine,

 

I hope this letter finds you in the best of health.  I am sure that you and all your loved ones are excitedly anticipating Chanukah, the holiday in which we celebrate the miraculous victory over those who wanted to destroy our Jewish identity by denying our people the right to study its Torah, to perform its commandments, and live peacefully in the Land promised to them by the Almighty.

 

Assemblyman Lavine, frankly, I am shocked.  As a proud Jew, and the President of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, your defense of the President of Hofstra University, mitigating the severity of the brutal attacks, by labeling it as a “complex history of conflicting views” is deplorable.

 

History is replete with “complex history and conflicting views.”  Indeed those conflicting views have led to split communities, great debates and even clashes. Even amongst our own, we have had complex histories and conflicting views. From the Sanhedrin and Kutim, the Hassidim and Mitnagdim, Reformers and Torah Observant Jews.  They were fierce, vociferous, and often led to crisis. 

 

But the asinine characterization of Hamas’ beheading of Jewish babies and the raping of Jewish women, the burning of homes with people trapped inside, the shooting of kids from every part of the globe who partying, as part of a “complex history and conflicting views about the causal underpinnings of the current crisis” is appalling.  While shooting, knifing, and burning Jews, the Hamas executioners did not shout, “Two State Solution!”  They yelled, " اقتل اليهودي “Itbach elYahudi”  “Kill the Jew.” “Kill Finkelstein! Kill Schapiro! Kill Cohen, Kill Levine” And as sad as it is to say, had we been there it would be, the shouts would have included, “itbach Kamenetzky” and itbach Lavine” as well. 

 

Those are not the “causal effects of complex history of conflicting views.” That is outright visceral hatred of Jews.   For a leader in education, to use the term “causal effects of complex history of conflicting views”   to explain the barbarity of the Hamas murderers on Simchas Torah, shows a lack of fundamental understanding of history, sensitivity and thoughtfulness.  Such an individual should not be the leader of an institution that will mold the minds of future leaders of our country.

 

Imagine if we palliated the savagery of Nazi Einsatzgruppen in Kaunus, Ukrainian Collaborators in Babi Yar, Lithuanian executioners in the Paneriai Forest outside Vilna as the result of a “complex history and conflicting views”!

 

What is even worse is your attack on Bruce Blakeman an intrepid County Executive, who had the courage to speak out and demand responsibility.  Terming his declaration as a “MAGA Republican’s partisan political threat to academic freedom” is not only preposterous, it is nonsensical.

 

I affirm County Executive’s demand for Ms. Poser’s resignation. That is not coming from someone who would love to label as a MAGA Republican, but someone who has a long standing relationship with our President, Joseph Biden, and as you see in the attached photograph, someone who President Biden labelled, “You are the best.”

 

I hope that you retract the insulting comments about the County Executive, fight vociferously against those who mitigate barbarism and Jew-hatred, and one day, I, too can say about Assemblyman Lavine, “You are the Best.”

 

With best wishes for Ah Freilichin Chanukah, I remain

 

Sincerely yours,

Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky

 

Late today, Nassau Legis. Mazi Pilip, a Great Neck Republican, jumped into the fray, attacking Poser.

Pilip has some street cred on Israel and Hamas.

Pilip is a black, Orthodox Jew born in Ethiopia who immigrated to Israel with her family when she was 12 years ago as part of an Israeli emergency air-lift operation. She served as a paratrooper in Israel's defense forces before moving to Great Neck with her cardiologist husband. She is the mother of seven children.

She too called for Poser's resignation because of Poser's refusal to condemn Hamas, a terrorist group in control of the Gaza strip.

November 30, 2023

Statement from Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip

 

 

“I am incensed that Hofstra University President Susan Poser has refused to condemn Hamas’ actions against Israel and the Jewish people. Hamas is a terrorist organization that wants the complete decimation of Israel and the Jewish state. To not denounce Hamas for their murderous actions of Israeli citizens on October 7^th, including children, is not just callous, but deeply offensive. 

 

Hofstra is one of the top colleges in New York State, with a large Jewish population on campus. Dr. Poser’s tepid reactions to date not only tells these students they are not welcome on campus, but also puts a target on their backs. This is unacceptable. I join with many other Jewish leaders in calling on Dr. Poser to resign her position immediately. She has proven that she does not have the interest of students at heart and is unable to lead this college. I will continue to use my platform to condemn Hamas and stand for Israel and the Jewish community worldwide.”