It was inevitable. As things took an overheated turn in Minnesota, the familiar chorus of Rabbis rose in unison to invoke the Torah in support of their preferred partisan outcome. Once again, instead of prioritizing authentic Torah learning, these communal leaders decided to invoke nebulous “Jewish values” to express their personal political opinions. This is not the way.

Immigration is a highly complex issue, fraught with conflicting policy considerations as our country balances national security with civil rights and a proud history of welcoming those less fortunate to our shores. Although I spent years representing clients pro bono in political asylum cases, this article is not the place to offer a solution to this perpetual hot button issue – other than to acknowledge that both Republicans and Democrats have exploited it for their own selfish purposes.

As for what happened in Minnesota, I think it’s safe to assume that most reasonable-minded people would agree that it is inherently tragic for American citizens to die at the hands of a law enforcement officials – i.e., things went too far. But most Americans are also sophisticated enough to recognize that we should not forget how we got here in the first place, including the previously porous borders which led to the equally tragic (and avoidable) deaths of American citizens at the hands of criminals who entered our country illegally. As I said, this is a complex issue.

With respect to the dozens of almost exclusively non-Orthodox Rabbis who leapt enthusiastically into the Minnesota fray, often without any recognition of nuance, I maintain that they would be better served spending that time investing in their congregants’ Judaism – especially when a troubling majority of their congregants are assimilating or intermarrying.

Hashem has blessed each of us with a finite amount of time on this great Earth. How we use that time reflects our commitment to perpetuating Torah learning to the next generation. As Maimonides (aka Rambam) taught, the obligation to study begins as soon as a child can talk and it ends on the day of our death. Maimonides was a man of the world, a Renaissance Man before the Renaissance, publishing medical and philosophical works in addition to his seminal commentary on Jewish law – i.e., he fully recognized the importance of balancing the modern world with a life of Torah.  But his priorities were clear: moments spent on dalliances are less-than-ideal unless they enhance our understanding of Torah or the world around us.

All Rabbis, including those who engage in well-intended political frolics, are worthy of the benefit of the doubt; they have devoted their lives to religious leadership. But that does not mean they should not be accountable or held to a higher standard. Along with synagogue and institutional lay leaders, Rabbis should take a sober look at how best to enhance their congregations – with the priority being given to combating Jewish illiteracy. Every minute Rabbis spend drafting and signing half-baked petitions selectively quoting Torah verses in support of partisan politics is a conscious decision not to prioritize their congregants’ commitment to Judaism.

For those who believe those Rabbis can do both – i.e., they can walk and chew gum – please take a cold, hard look at the evidence. I will bet a dollar that the Rabbis most likely to sign Democratic Party talking points cloaked in “Jewish values” are those leading congregations with high rates of intermarriage and assimilation. If those Rabbis were filling their sanctuaries on Shabbat and holidays with Jews committed to perpetuating Judaism, perhaps I could indulge their indulgences. But the sad truth – a truth that people do not want to say out loud – is that that is not the reality of the situation.

Inevitably, I will receive negative comments in response to this assertion, accusing me of having the chutzpah to criticize Rabbis who continue to fight inequality in the tradition of Tikkun Olam legends such as Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (Z”l) – who admirably marched side-by-side Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement. The difference is that Rabbi Heschel also wrote books about the importance of observing Shabbat, taught at Rabbinical school, and lived during a different age. I would have liked the chance to have asked him his thoughts on this subject.

Despite today’s polarized political climate, the social action-oriented Rabbis signing petitions and joining protests do so virtually exclusively in support of left-wing political norms. When is the last time a critical mass of non-Orthodox Rabbis joined in support of a right-wing policy issue? Perhaps I missed it, but I don’t recall seeing any similar outpouring of Rabbinic concern regarding immigration policy when Laken Riley was murdered by an illegal immigrant. It is beyond coincidence that the only time these Rabbis invoke Torah values is in support of left-wing political causes. I’m far from being a Torah scholar, but, having been blessed to study Torah for years, I can confidently say that the Torah is not a partisan document. The point being that it is intellectually dishonest for non-Orthodox Rabbis to consistently quote Torah only in one political direction. It is one thing to breathe life into the Torah’s edict to feed the hungry by volunteering at a soup kitchen; it is something entirely different to cherry-pick Biblical passages to fit one’s particular political narrative.

Perhaps more importantly, what is the counterargument? That non-Orthodox Rabbis should spend more time getting involved in partisan politics in the name of social action? That they should spend less time focused on educating their congregants as to the fundamentals of Torah learning, observing Jewish law, and supporting Israel? That is an unserious argument about a serious problem facing American Jewry. The reality is that we are fighting a melting ice cube among non-Orthodox Jews, racing desperately against time to counteract increasing levels of Jewish illiteracy, assimilation, and intermarriage. For those who think this is too harsh a commentary, I challenge you to examine the numbers and trendlines. I am very much a child of the Conservative Movement; sadly, I have witnessed first-hand that of which I speak.

It is important to note that, with very few exceptions, Orthodox Rabbis do not reflexively comment publicly on the flavor-of-the-month political issues facing American Jews. While some view this as cowardice, I am confident that the majority of Orthodox Jews are in on the joke – they appreciate that, despite being fallible human beings, Orthodox Rabbis have their priorities straight. In other words, they have their eyes on the ball — and as they say in basketball “ball don’t lie.” Orthodox schools and shuls are bursting at the seams; wherein non-Orthodox denominations are suffering, including closing synagogues and Jewish day schools.

At the end of the day, social action-focused Rabbis need to make a choice. Whether they like it or not the clock is ticking, and we need to employ relentless, unapologetically urgent approach to undo the decaying core of non-Orthodox American Judaism. How we spend our time counts. The scoreboard does not lie. Let’s leave it all on the field…together.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)