Edgar Bronfman on money, the Jews’ God and Sarah Palin http://blogs.jta.org/ENTRY_PERMALINK_HERE/edgar-bronfman-on-money-the-jews-god-and-sarah-palin/ In a Q & A in the New York Times Magazine, Jewish billionaire philanthropist Edgar Bronfman, Sr., the former Seagram chairman, talks about why the Jewish community should welcome interfaith marriages, why he gives his money to Jewish causes even though he doesn’t believe in the God of the Old Testament and why he’d vote for Mickey Mouse before voting for a McCain-Palin ticket. My favorite exchange in this piece: Did you lose a lot of money in the Wall Street meltdown last month? I don’t know. I don’t watch it on a day-to-day basis. Do you get upset when you lose large sums of money overnight? I get over it very quickly. You don’t get ulcers? My father put it right when he said: I don’t get ulcers. I give ulcers. en-us uheilman@jta.org Copyright 2008 2008-10-07T;15:10:08-05:00 Comment by leeada47@aol.com Uhmmm. Pathetic. This man will have no jewish descendents, has no knowledge of Judaism, has only his arrogance of money. I’m tired of hearing a few Billionaires like him and Soros, tell Jews, what’s best for Judaism and the Jewish people. I’d take Mickey Mouse over Bronfman any day, and I’d take Palin as friend of the Jewish people over Bronfman, 24/7. The New York Times… seems to represent a very limited class view. Uhmmm. Pathetic. This man will have no jewish descendents, has no knowledge of Judaism, has only his arrogance of money. I’m tired of hearing a few Billionaires like him and Soros, tell Jews, what’s best for Judaism and the Jewish people.

I’d take Mickey Mouse over Bronfman any day, and I’d take Palin as friend of the Jewish people over Bronfman, 24/7.

The New York Times… seems to represent a very limited class view.

]]> 2009-11-05T;15:59:00-05:00 Comment by anti-intermarriage@yahoo.com Most of Edgar’s extended family members are not even Jews!  He should just shut up.  I’m voting for Mcain like any real Jew would!  Only self-hating Jews will vote for Obama whose surrounded by aanti-Israel and anti-semitic advisors. Hillel; If your grandsonson’s mother’s a Gentile than so is he!  In Israel he’s not considered a Jew and most importantly under Halacha law he’s not a Jew. My grandchildren will be real Jews not Gentiles who think they’re Jewish. Most of Edgar’s extended family members are not even Jews!  He should just shut up.  I’m voting for Mcain like any real Jew would!  Only self-hating Jews will vote for Obama whose surrounded by aanti-Israel and anti-semitic advisors.

Hillel; If your grandsonson’s mother’s a Gentile than so is he!  In Israel he’s not considered a Jew and most importantly under Halacha law he’s not a Jew. My grandchildren will be real Jews not Gentiles who think they’re Jewish.

]]> 2009-11-05T;15:59:00-05:00 Comment by Hillels2@zahav.net.il Kol hakavod (all honor to him in Hebrew) to Edgar Bronfman, who’s still telling it like it is.  My grandson in New York, a product of a mixed marriage, describes himself as “Jewish with Christian influences.” And he enjoyed his bar-mitzva at an enlightened synagogue in Manhattan.  And I couldn’t agree with him more about preferring Mickey Mouse, and definitely Obama-Biden to McCain-Palin.  I don’t see how any self-respecting American Jew can vote for a ticket with Palin on it, with her end of days/rapture views. Hillel Schenker Tel Aviv Kol hakavod (all honor to him in Hebrew) to Edgar Bronfman, who’s still telling it like it is.  My grandson in New York, a product of a mixed marriage, describes himself as “Jewish with Christian influences.” And he enjoyed his bar-mitzva at an enlightened synagogue in Manhattan.  And I couldn’t agree with him more about preferring Mickey Mouse, and definitely Obama-Biden to McCain-Palin.  I don’t see how any self-respecting American Jew can vote for a ticket with Palin on it, with her end of days/rapture views.
Hillel Schenker
Tel Aviv

]]> 2009-11-05T;15:59:00-05:00 Comment by rosnerm@ou.org OMG! Since when has Bronfman become a Jewish leader?? If the guy had no money would you have featured him or taken anything he says seriously? Have you guys been drinking too much Seagrams! Try some single malt instead and start featuring people who make a difference OMG! Since when has Bronfman become a Jewish leader?? If the guy had no money would you have featured him or taken anything he says seriously?
Have you guys been drinking too much Seagrams! Try some single malt instead and start featuring people who make a difference

]]> 2009-11-05T;15:59:00-05:00 Comment by ricvera@mchsil.com What an uninteresting and uninspiring interview!!! Did you select him because he’s got so much money, and you felt you would get great readership??? What an uninteresting and uninspiring interview!!! Did you select him because he’s got so much money, and you felt you would get great readership???

]]> 2009-11-05T;15:59:00-05:00 Comment by shahidsyed23@yahoo.com Interesting views. Interesting views.

]]> 2009-11-05T;15:59:00-05:00 Comment by PGolin@JOI.org That was my favorite exchange too.  However, he didn’t say the Jewish community should “welcome interfaith marriages”, he said we should “accept interfaith marriage for what it is” and “Instead of shunning people who marry out, we need to welcome them”. It’s not just semantics; there’s a difference between “welcoming intermarriage” and “welcoming the intermarried”. That was my favorite exchange too.  However, he didn’t say the Jewish community should “welcome interfaith marriages”, he said we should “accept interfaith marriage for what it is” and “Instead of shunning people who marry out, we need to welcome them”.

It’s not just semantics; there’s a difference between “welcoming intermarriage” and “welcoming the intermarried”.

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