By COLlive reporter
Most rabbis and religious leaders will mention health care, immigration and taxation to their members and congregants and stop short of making conclusions for presidential elections.
The discussion whether or not to vote for Barack Obama or Mitt Romney is usually left for political pundits like Rush Limbaugh or op-ed writers like Tom Friedman.
After all, openly endorsing a political candidate or party can jeopardize the tax-exempt status of non-profit organizations such as synagogues.
That did not scare off Ohio Shluchim Rabbi Nochum Mangel and Rabbi Shmuel Klatzkin of Chabad of Greater Dayton from entering the foray of hot-button issues.
In a series of classes they wrote together, entitled “Election 2012: A Jewish Perspective,” the two have set out to grapple head-on with the most controversial topics of the upcoming election – allowing the public to make their own conclusions.
Drawing on sources from the Torah, Mangel and Klatzkin present a Torah perspective on these issues and let viewers decide for themselves how to apply that to contemporary debates.
“Torah is not just for Democrats or Republicans, liberals or conservatives,” Mangel says. “Torah is above partisan politics because Torah is emes — truth. We shine a light on the Torah’s truth and respect the intelligence and integrity of our students to decide which side is closer to the Torah view.”
Taught by Rabbi Mangel, the classes will be appearing weekly on Chabad.org’s video site, Jewish.TV, with new episodes airing each Thursday night starting tonight.
Each video class has a student hand-out sheet of sources attached as a clickable PDF beneath the video player. A teacher’s manual on each lesson is available for shluchim when logged-in to Chabad.org.
Among the topics: Funding Social Services, Taxation with Representation, Health Care, Campaign Financing and The Immigration Debate.
VIDEO: The One Percent and Redistribution of Wealth –
Visit Jewish.TV for more Jewish videos.
Rabbi Mangel, I listened to the whole lecture and I really understand the concept now, Also, I heard every word and my hearing is not so good. Thank you!
I eagerly watched the first video tonight. I am fairly liberal and a law student. For whatever a student’s opinion is worth, I saw no reason whatsoever to worry about losing tax exempt status. Tho I’m sure they first consulted with their attorneys. 🙂 Comment #4 above is correct, no Liberal wants to redistribute wealth. That phrase is a scare tactic used by the Right. Rather, Liberals believe that wealthy people should pay just as heavily as the middle class. And that if someone is going to get a break, it should be the weak of society, not the strong.… Read more »
thanks for the cynicism, maybe you’d be better posting on MSNBC’s website.
enjoy your day
if it is up to the wealthy individual to share his wealth only if he wants to be G-dly/good, why does the Torah impose specific taxes such as trumah, maaser, maaser ani, peah, shichicha, leket, etc… Those like the lecturer who defend the 1% seem to be espousing one of the wealthy Korach’s claims against Moshe Rabeinu – the forced Torah distribution of resources to those Korach felt undeserving.
‘Todah’ Rabbis Mangel & Klatzkin.
In America it’s difficult to get basic health covered. If one is missing, say, 7-10 teeth, dental implants cost about $2,100 each. A tooth in one’s jaw strengthens the bone, and a metal post (Part of an implant) does the same. If there is neither, the jawbone gets weak…unhealthy … and can lead to problems as one ages.
In ‘Eretz Yisroel’ the cost is about half.
My relative said: “There are no entitlements in ‘Torah.’ Question to relative: “What about the responsibilities we have to ‘Shevet Levi?'”
Rabbi Mangel,
Very inspiring, I would suggest that you take voice lessons so you don’t lose your voice, and your lessons will be able to be heard better. I never heard you before, enjoyed it very much.
Stay away from politicians, they smile when they need you, and smile when they leave you (second smile is not a nice smile) I think B.N.H. Recently posted a long comment on this topic, on an article about bris milah
you didn’t even watch the video. keep commenting though.
The problem with this video is that the premise is false — namely that there are politicians or sizable elements of the population that advocate for an equal redistribution of wealth in which all Americans have the same amount of money, i.e. real socialism. This is simply not true. I would like for the Rabbi to name me one of the 535 members of Congress who advocate for such a thing. “Redistribution of wealth” is a right-wing meme to smear anyone who advocates for a return to Clinton-era tax rates. The knock against the “1%” is not that their wealth… Read more »
You can lose your non-profit if you endorse a candidate. I did not watch this video, but he better not have endorsed one of the candidates. He probably better stick to the parsha foon der voch and not overshoot or shoot himself in the foot.
In case you can’t tell, my title is sarcastic.
I think it’s so funny how frum people all think that Rush and Hannity are such prophets. You want to know how to vote, look in the Torah! And if you look in the Torah and can’t figure out how it applies, the ask a mashpia or a rov like Nochum Mangel or Shmuel Klatzkin or any other real rabbi who knows how to learn.
Thanks for this course! We should do this for all the issues.
Rabbi Mangel and Klatzkin have produced a masterpiece, THE SCHOLARSHIP IS 2ND TO NONE. Kol hakovad for a logical , systematic presentation that makes Dayton a leader in America.