Anyone who believes Rahm is a fool. This is a clear cut case of the administration playing both sides of the aisle.
EXCERPT White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel isn’t only known for playing hardball (he’s been called a “profane, hyperactive attack dog”). The former Chicago politician and chairman of the House Democratic caucus, is also known for something far more enlightened.......his religious commitment to Judaism.
Beliefnet recently spoke with Rabbi Asher Lopatin of Chicago's Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation--a modern Orthodox synagogue where Emanuel and his family are members (Rahm's wife is a convert to Judaism).
In Washington, Rahm's family are close to Rabbi Jack Moline's synagogue. The Emanuel children go to a community Jewish day school, the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School.
Rabbi Lopatin, who famously gave Emanuel permission to take a conference call on Rosh Hashanah (prohibited by the religious holiday's laws), offered insight into Rahm, the “model congregant” and how his faith influences his public work.
Q. Would you explain the difference between modern Orthodoxy and ultra-Orthodoxy for our readers?
A. Modern Orthodoxy believes that there are a lot of benefits to engaging the contemporary world outside of Judaism. It encourages engagement--and even struggling--with the parts of the outside world that seem strange. I think I should say that ultra-Orthodoxy has a negative attitude towards the outside world (Christianity) and basically feels that the more you can isolate yourself from the outside world (Christianity), the better.
Q. How would Emanuel classify himself in terms of his religious affiliation? I think you’d have to ask him.
A. Rahm and his family are members of our modern Orthodox synagogue....that doesn’t mean necessarily that they would classify themselves as modern Orthodox. He and the family are close to D.C. Rabbi Jack Moline and Rabbi Moline’s synagogue. The Emanuel children go to a community Jewish day school, the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, which doesn’t classify itself with any movement.
Q. You’ve also been at the forefront of a very big fight along with Rabbi Avi Weiss and Rabbi Marc Angel to gain control of modern Orthodoxy from the right wing. And so it stands to reason that your congregants, Emanuel included, would hold the same views.
A. I do try to speak out as much as possible on issues that I believe passionately about. One of them is the whole problem of the community not responding to people who would like to convert and who are sincere in their conversions. As well as issues of children who should be converted and accepted into the Orthodox halakhic community through conversion. I do find members of my synagogue—----and Rahm and Amy are, again, loyal members of our synagogue—----to be very supportive about my speaking out about these issues.
Q. Do you think Emanuel’s Israeli roots and religious practice will reassure Jews who are skeptical of Barack Obama’s commitment to Israel? (Rahm's father is an Israeli and Rahm was a civilian volunteer in the Israeli Defense Forces c1991).
A. I think they will, and I think that even more significant is his work in the Clinton administration and his reputation as someone who wants to promote successful policies, policies that have broad-based support. I think it'll assure people that the Obama administration, if anything, will have very pleasant surprises and no real nasty surprises.