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Joe Lieberman Was a True Man of Faith
The official Senate portrait of Joe Lieberman.
I was deeply saddened by Senator Joseph “Joe” Lieberman’s passing earlier this week. A colossus in American politics, Senator Lieberman exemplified the essence of principled leadership — itself a rare commodity in that realm. Yet, to define him merely as an outstanding politician scarcely captures the breadth of his remarkable journey.
As an observant Orthodox Jew, Senator Lieberman navigated the pinnacle of US political power with an adherence to faith that was as commendable as it was extraordinary. For many, leading a life aligned with devout religious principles and the requirements of Jewish ritual law is more than challenging in the rough-and-tumble of an ordinary existence. But Senator Lieberman managed this feat in the high-stakes life and public scrutiny of the world’s most high-octane political stage, setting a profound example of integrity and character strength.
Born into an unobtrusive, humble Jewish family in Stamford, Connecticut, Senator Lieberman’s Orthodox Jewish faith guided him throughout his life and career. His dedication to the Jewish religion and to his Jewish heritage was evident in every aspect of his life — whether it was observing demanding Sabbath laws, or the strict requirements of a kosher diet.
In an address to students at Brigham University in 2011, Senator Lieberman explained his deep religious commitments: “My Jewish faith is central to my life, including my career in politics. My faith has provided me with a foundation, an order, and indeed a purpose, and has so much to do with the way I navigate through each day, both personally and professionally, in ways both large and small.”
At the same time, Senator Lieberman’s ability to integrate this profound personal identity into a universal message of tolerance, respect, and understanding truly set him apart. He was able to be a deeply committed Jew and an all-round American with an ease that truly showed how this ideal can be achieved.
During Senator Lieberman’s historic 2000 vice-presidential campaign, his Orthodox Jewish faith was thrust into the national spotlight, providing the American public with a vivid illustration of his devout adherence to Jewish religious principles. Perhaps the most symbolic of these moments occurred each Friday evening and throughout Saturday, when Senator Lieberman would abstain from the usual campaign activities, respecting the halakhic prohibition against traveling in a car and using communications devices.
But while Senator Lieberman’s devout Jewish practices and proud faith left a significant impression on the American public in 2000 — so much so, that one Jewish leader, feeling self-conscious about his own lesser observance, publicly asked Senator Lieberman to “keep religion out of the presidential campaign” — these were not new or performative acts. Senator Lieberman’s commitment to his faith was a long-standing and sincere part of his life, not undertaken for public admiration.
Throughout his tenure in the US Senate, Senator Lieberman was committed to participating in crucial votes, often staying late to ensure his voice was heard, even if it was a Friday night. However, in observance of Sabbath restrictions, he conscientiously refrained from using the Senate’s electronic voting system on Friday evenings. And then, following the vote, instead of opting to drive home, Senator Lieberman would embark on a 4.5-mile walk back to his apartment in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Remarkably, considering the deeply divided political arena of 2024, Joe Lieberman’s political career was marked by a sensible, non-progressive liberalism emphasizing bipartisanship, moral clarity, and a deep commitment to democratic values that embraced consensus and eschewed partisan conflict. Throughout his tenure in the US Senate, Senator Lieberman championed causes that reflected his moderate approach, always striving to find a middle ground in an increasingly polarized political landscape.
One of Senator Lieberman’s most defining political positions was his unwavering support for Israel and the importance of the US-Israel relationship. He viewed this bond not merely as a matter of foreign policy but as a deeply personal commitment, rooted in his faith and his understanding of the strategic importance of a strong bond between United States, the world’s most powerful democracy, and Israel, a tiny democracy in a region swamped by theocracies and corrupt dictatorships.
His advocacy for Israel’s security and prosperity, and his efforts to strengthen the ties between the country of his birth and the country of his religious heritage, were relentless and unyielding. As he explained, “Support for Israel is not just a matter of policy for me, it is a personal commitment that reflects the best of what America stands for.”
When Senator Lieberman visited our synagogue in Beverly Hills in 2015, he was the keynote speaker at a broadly attended public session about the future of Jewish education, titled: “How do we educate the children of this generation for a future we cannot yet envision?” His sensitivity to the aspirations and challenges faced by the next generation of Jews in particular, and Americans in general, was remarkable –showcasing a level of depth and compassion that surpassed the frequently superficial engagement characteristic of seasoned political figures.
Senator Lieberman’s legacy is not just in the laws he helped pass or the political battles he fought; it is in the example he set. His life demonstrated in real time, during our lifetimes, the power of living one’s values, of the possibility of unity in diversity, and of the enduring value of true religious faith in public life. Senator Lieberman showed us that it is possible to be devout in one’s personal beliefs while simultaneously serving a diverse and pluralistic society productively and with a broad-mindedness that enables and effects positive outcomes for all.
As we commemorate Senator Lieberman this week, I am reminded of a tradition in Jewish education where the first book of the Torah taught to young children is the third book of the Pentateuch: Vayikra (Leviticus) — which is currently being read in synagogues worldwide. This book, with its detailed focus on the rituals of the ancient Temple, is introduced early to instill the significance of Jewish faith rituals in the next generation before they delve into civil laws and the foundational stories of the Jewish people. This approach underscores a belief that once faith is firmly established, it naturally leads to moral behavior in everyday life and enables meaningful participation in broader society.
Senator Lieberman’s life, deeply rooted in the Orthodox Jewish tradition from his earliest days, exemplified this principle. His unwavering adherence to faith and its rituals equipped him to navigate the complexities of public life with a moral compass that was both steadfast and inclusive. He became the quintessential everyman politician, capable of representing individuals from all walks of life — old and young, left and right, privileged and underprivileged. His journey underscores the transformative power of faith to guide moral action and foster broad societal engagement, serving as a perfect example for future generations to follow.
The author is a rabbi in Beverly Hills, California.
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Israel Strikes Houthi Targets in Yemen
Smoke rises after Israeli strikes near Sanaa airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, Dec. 26, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
Israel struck multiple targets linked to the Iran-aligned Houthi terrorist group in Yemen on Thursday, including Sanaa International Airport, and Houthi media said three people were killed.
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he was about to board a plane at the airport when it came under attack. A crew member on the plane was injured, he said in a statement.
The Israeli military said that in addition to striking the airport, it also hit military infrastructure at the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib on Yemen’s west coast. It also attacked the country’s Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations.
Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said two people were killed in the strikes on the airport and one person was killed in the port hits, while 11 others were wounded in the attacks.
There was no comment from the Houthis, who have repeatedly fired drones and missiles towards Israel in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following the attacks that Israel will continue its mission until it is complete: “We are determined to sever this terror arm of Iran’s axis.”
The prime minister has been strengthened at home by the Israeli military’s campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon and by its destruction of most of the Syrian army’s strategic weapons.
The Israeli attacks on the airport, Hodeidah and on one power station, were also reported by Al Masirah TV.
Tedros said he had been in Yemen to negotiate the release of detained UN staff detainees and to assess the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
“As we were about to board our flight from Sanaa … the airport came under aerial bombardment. One of our plane’s crew members was injured,” he said in a statement.
“The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” he said, adding that he and his colleagues were safe.
There was no immediate comment from Israel on the incident.
More than a year of Houthi attacks have disrupted international shipping routes, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys that have in turn stoked fears over global inflation.
The UN Security Council is due to meet on Monday over Houthi attacks against Israel, Israel‘s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said on Wednesday.
On Saturday, Israel‘s military failed to intercept a missile from Yemen that fell in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area, injuring 14 people.
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Controversial Islamic Group CAIR Chides US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew for Denying Report of ‘Famine’ in Gaza
US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew. Photo: Alchetron.
The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew for casting doubt on a new report claiming that famine has gripped northern Gaza.
The controversial Muslim advocacy group on Wednesday slammed Lew for his “callous dismissal” of the recent Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) report accusing Israel of inflicting famine on the Gaza Strip. The organization subsequently asserted that Israel had perpetrated an ethnic cleansing campaign in northern Gaza.
“Ambassador Lew’s callous dismissal of this shocking report by a US-backed agency exposing Israel’s campaign of forced starvation in Gaza reminds one of the old joke about a man who murdered his parents and then asked for mercy because he is now an ‘orphan,’” CAIR said in a statement.
“To reject a report on starvation in northern Gaza by appearing to boast about the fact that it has been successfully ethnically cleansed of its native population is just the latest example of Biden administration officials supporting, enabling, and excusing Israel’s clear and open campaign of genocide in Gaza,” the Washington, DC-based group continued.
On Monday, FEWS Net, a US-created provider of warning and analysis on food insecurity, released a report detailing that a famine had allegedly taken hold of northern Gaza. The report argued that 65,000-75,000 individuals remain stranded in the area without sufficient access to food.
“Israel’s near-total blockade of humanitarian and commercial food supplies to besieged areas of North Gaza Governorate” has resulted in mass starvation among scores of innocent civilians in the beleaguered enclave, the report stated.
Lew subsequently issued a statement denying the veracity of the FEWS Net report, slamming the organization for peddling “inaccurate” information and “causing confusion.”
“The report issued today on Gaza by FEWS NET relies on data that is outdated and inaccurate. We have worked closely with the Government of Israel and the UN to provide greater access to the North Governorate, and it is now apparent that the civilian population in that part of Gaza is in the range of 7,000-15,000, not 65,000-75,000 which is the basis of this report,” Lew wrote.
“At a time when inaccurate information is causing confusion and accusations, it is irresponsible to issue a report like this. We work day and night with the UN and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew continued.
Following Lew’s repudiation, FEWS NET quietly removed the report on Wednesday, sparking outrage among supporters of the pro-Palestinian cause.
“We ask FEWS NET not to submit to the bullying of genocide supporters and to again make its report available to the public,” CAIR said in its statement.
In the year following the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s invasion of and massacre across southern Israel last Oct. 7, Israel has been repeatedly accused of inflicting famine in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Despite the allegations, there is scant evidence of mass starvation across the war-torn enclave.
This is not the first time that FEWS Net has attempted to accuse Israel of inflicting famine in Gaza. In June, the United Nations Famine Review Committee (FRC), a panel of experts in international food security and nutrition, rejected claims by FEWS Net that a famine had taken hold of northern Gaza. In rejecting the allegations, the FRC cited an “uncertainty and lack of convergence of the supporting evidence employed in the analysis.”
Meanwhile, CAIR has been embroiled in controversy since the onset of the Gaza war last October.
CAIR has been embroiled in controversy since the Oct. 7 atrocities. The head of CAIR, for example, said he was “happy” to witness Hamas’s rampage across southern Israel.
“The people of Gaza only decided to break the siege — the walls of the concentration camp — on Oct. 7,” CAIR co-founder and executive director Nihad Awad said in a speech during the American Muslims for Palestine convention in Chicago in November. “And yes, I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land, and walk free into their land, which they were not allowed to walk in.”
CAIR has long been a controversial organization. In the 2000s, it was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case. Politico noted in 2010 that “US District Court Judge Jorge Solis found that the government presented ‘ample evidence to establish the association’” of CAIR with Hamas.
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), “some of CAIR’s current leadership had early connections with organizations that are or were affiliated with Hamas.” CAIR has disputed the accuracy of the ADL’s claim and asserted that it “unequivocally condemn[s] all acts of terrorism, whether carried out by al-Qa’ida, the Real IRA, FARC, Hamas, ETA, or any other group designated by the US Department of State as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization.’”
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Jewish Civil Rights Group Representing Amsterdam Pogrom Victims Slams Dutch Court for ‘Light Sentences’
Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters are guarded by police after violence targeting Israeli football fans broke out in Amsterdam overnight, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 8, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ami Shooman/Israel Hayom
The international Jewish civil rights organization legally representing more than 50 victims of the attack on Israeli soccer fans that took place in Amsterdam last month has joined many voices in lambasting a Dutch court for what they described as a mild punishment for the attackers.
“These sentences are an insult to the victims and a stain on the Dutch legal system,” The Lawfare Project’s founder and executive director Brooke Goldstein said in a statement on Wednesday. “Allowing individuals who coordinated and celebrated acts of violence to walk away with minimal consequences diminishes the rule of law and undermines trust in the judicial process. If this is the response to such blatant antisemitism, what hope is there for deterring future offenders or safeguarding the Jewish community.”
On Tuesday, a district court in Amsterdam sentenced five men for their participation in the violent attacks in the Dutch city against fans of the Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv. The premeditated and coordinated violence took place on the night of Nov. 7 and into the early hours of Nov 8, before and after Maccabi Tel Aviv competed against the Dutch soccer team Ajax in a UEFA Europa League match. The five suspects were sentenced to up to 100 hours of community service and up to six months in prison.
The attackers were found guilty of public violence, which included kicking an individual lying on the ground, and inciting the violence by calling on members of a WhatsApp group chat to gather and attack Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. One man sentenced on Tuesday who had a “leading role” in the violence, according to prosecutors, was given the longest sentence — six months in prison.
“As someone who witnessed these trials firsthand, I am deeply disheartened by the leniency of these sentences,” added Ziporah Reich, director of litigation at The Lawfare Project. “The violent, coordinated attacks against Jews in Amsterdam are among the worst antisemitic incidents in Europe. These light sentences fail to reflect the gravity of these crimes and do little to deliver justice to the victims who are left traumatized and unheard. Even more troubling, they set a dangerous precedent, signaling to future offenders that such horrific acts of violence will not be met with serious consequences.”
The Lawfare Project said on Wednesday that it is representing over 50 victims of the Amsterdam attacks. It has also secured for their clients a local counsel — Peter Plasman, who is a partner at the Amsterdam-based law firm Kötter L’Homme Plasman — to represent them in the Netherlands. The Lawfare Project aims to protect the civil and human rights of Jewish people around the world through legal action.
Others who have criticized the Dutch court for its sentencing of the five men on Tuesday included Arsen Ostrovsky, a leading human rights attorney and CEO of The International Legal Forum; Tal-Or Cohen, the founder and CEO of CyberWell; and The Center for Information and Documentation on Israel.
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