Rabbi Arthur Weiner

  These are the remarks that I delivered to the community at a special memorial service to honor the victims of the murderous attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue on October 28. 2018.     Thank you for coming this evening, for prayer, for reflection, for gathering in solidarity with the Jewish Community of Pittsburgh, and with good people everywhere. We welcome all of you the JCCP/CBT this evening, members of our congregations from throughout Bergen County, distinguished Rabbis, and honored guests, and especially so many of our elected officials and members of the law enforcement community who are joining us tonight.   I want to say to you that despite the rising tide of hate crimes in our great nation in general, and the staggering increase in hate crimes directed directly towards the Jewish community in particular, your presence here this evening is a reminder to all that whatever threats are before us, we do not face them alone.   We will always remem...

  This week, I would like to talk about an issue that was raised in last week’s Torah reading and this week’s Torah reading.   Something happened to Abraham and Sarah in last week’s Parshah , and twice again in this week’s Parshat VaYera .   What happened to them offers an important perspective and lesson for one of the most difficult and immediate political issues of our times. Immigration is a serious and difficult issue in our nation. Our immigration system is broken, and the American people are concerned.   Since President Biden assumed office, 1.4 million people have entered the country illegally.   A recent poll confirmed that immigration is the third greatest concern of American voters, right behind the economy and COVID.   It is of particularly high concern to Republicans and Independents. Opposition to building a wall along the border with Mexico has dropped precipitously since when the question was first asked by the Quinnipiac University Poll i...

In early September, a new law was enacted in Texas that banned most abortions. It is the most restrictive such law in the country.   And lest anyone think that this law is unique, you should know that similar laws are under discussion in Mississippi and other states.   Indeed, 2021 has seen state legislatures pass a record number of restrictions on abortion, part of a legislative strategy to achieve on the state level what could not be achieved on the federal level. There is no doubt that this strategy has been successful, guaranteeing that abortion will remain among the most divisive legal, cultural, and yes, religious issues in America. This issue will remain a hot button topic because the issue abortion goes hand in hand with a definition or at least understanding of when life actually begins.   And the reason why the anti-abortion movement is by in large led by religious organizations is that when life begins is not just a legal definition but also a reflection of r...

  I have long been concerned about Jewish communities in Europe. So it was with great interest as well as pleasure that I learned yesterday about a great victory for British Jewry. As many know, I don't really travel. I have never been to any of the great cities in Europe unless you count the airports where El Al used to stop on flights from New York to Tel Aviv. For those who remember those days (now they fly direct), passengers of El Al were not allowed to wander through the terminals because of security concerns, and that was in the 1970's and 80's. With the rise of right-wing extremism throughout eastern and central Europe, and unforgivable tolerance of Islamic extremism throughout much of western Europe, I have often shared my strong opinion that Jewish tourist dollars should be withheld until authorities take these threats to our fellow Jews more seriously. I know I am in the minority but I make no excuses for this belief. Travel is important. It's just no...