Refusing to Make Pride Cookies at a Kosher Bake Shop

The week of June 4th, Rabbi Julie Schwarzwald - the Director of Congregational Learning at Millburn's Bnai Israel - had her order for Rainbow Pride cookies cancelled by the West Orange Bake Shop.  When she went to the bake shop to ask why, she did not receive a direct answer.  Since then it has become clear that it is exactly what it seems to be: the Orthodox proprietors chose to invoke their rights determined by the Supreme Court that, as Orthodox Jews, they are not compelled to actively create a message on their products that contradicts their own religious beliefs and values.  In this case, they determined that celebrating LGBTQ+ "pride" matches that definition.

There has been much circulating in this community, and we should be clear.  The order was received by an employee and cancelled by the proprietors prior to the pickup date - when they became aware of it. Rabbi Schwarzwald went in to learn why it was cancelled, with her suspicions.  She was not given an answer.  Since then there have been private conversations, and it is clear that her suspicions were correct:  the order was cancelled because of the LGBTQ+ pride content. It is safe, one would think, to assume that the employees are now better trained not to accept such an order in the future. The real issue is not "how" the order was cancelled, but "that" the order was canceled.  It is the actual religious belief underlying the act.  

For my part, and with the full support of the Rabbinical Assembly of America and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism,  I believe that humans are created in the image of God with a variety of potential gender identities and with the possibility of gender fluidity.  In the biblical account, humans were created on the sixth day, and God declared that it was not merely "good" but "very good."  This applies to all humans, including all races, genders and identities.  Who they are is how God made them, and intended them to be.  They are part of the beauty, variety and divinity of humans in the image of God.  The concept of "pride" in anything as a virtue may contradict "humility" but given the gross historical oppression of the LGBTQ+ communities by our religious and our social authorities over time, the embrace of "Pride" is a reasonable over-correction to assert the positive value of each human being.  I rejoice that as a rabbi I live in an age that has come to better understand our texts and our traditions in this area.

The Conservative movement is "proud" to ordain clergy, rabbis, cantors and to train educators of any gender identity and background.  We are "proud" to sanctify marriages and welcome families of any gender relations and structures.  We actively seek to make our spaces safe and uplifting for all, from our restrooms to our sanctuary.  Everyone is welcome in our community, and we believe that everyone should be equally served in our community.  When we refuse basic Jewish services to members of our community who are articulating who they are, we are excluding and dividing.  When that happens, we all need to take note and respond deliberately.

I recognize that there are serious and direct differences between our beliefs and the teachings of Orthodoxy on this topic.  I recognize that there is religious freedom in this country and I accept the Supreme Court ruling that protects one from being forced to create a product or work of art that contradicts personal religious beliefs.  Nevertheless, one is not forced to cancel this type of order.  Were it a cross on a cake for a Christening, would the order also be cancelled?  Many questions arise, and I am sure that the proprietors are sincere and not taking this issue at all lightly.  

I also recognize that I too have a choice where to shop, and where not to shop.  As a result of this choice, I will not frequent the West Orange Bake Shop in West Orange NJ in the future.  I leave it to you to make your own choice.  Their food is still kosher - and certified as such.  If families in our community choose to patronize them, that is also their choice. 

I wish this were otherwise.  I wish a different choice had been made.  We are still one single Jewish community, but there are times when exclusion can not be ignored.  This is one of those times.

Fox not covering Fox - Dominion's Victory for Truth

 Fox not covering Fox

The only time I blocked someone from my facebook account was after the 2020 election when I posted that the Dominion vote counting machines functioned correctly and that the conspiracy theories to the contrary were outright lies.  That person responded with innuendo and accusation, following the fabricated talking points of Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell on behalf of President Trump.  Voting machines are calculators, and they scan and preserve the paper ballots filled out by the voter. Visual, manual recounts and checks had determined the facts and the rest was part of a concerted conspiracy to overthrow a free and fair election.  

Yesterday, the Foxs News Corporation settled a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting for $187 million in damages, acknowledging that the judge had determined the accusations to be false and the Fox company had knowingly broadcast the false accusations over and over.  Fox essentially admitted to misleading the American public intentionally to maintain ratings and curry favor with the Trump camp, behaving in the worst form of unethical journalism imaginable.

That lawsuit, and its conclusion, is a big deal.  It is news. And it is true.  But don't expect Fox to cover its own story.  Don't expect Tucker Carlson to come on air and admit his deliberate lies.  

If you Watch Fox

If you watch Fox, and are a believer in the election frauds lies, this is not just another political moment in the culture wars of America.  You have been deliberately manipulated, riled up and lied to in order to further a losing cause against the natural function of democracy.  Do you remember the "Sore-Loserman" signs held by Republicans after Al Gore and Joe Lieberman took the "hanging chads" to court after the 2000 Presidential election?  You were right then, and you are wrong now.  It's okay.  We can't all win all the time, and it looks like you will get another shot at a Trump presidential run in 2024.  But we know he is already continuing the lies.  If you want his policies say that, but drop the fraud lies and conspiracy theories.  Lick your wounds and figure out why the majority of Americans and a clear majority of the electoral college did not want President Trump to continue as president.  Work from facts and truth because truth matters.  Facts matter.

If you won't listen to me, and are offended by this post, then listen to Mitch McConnell following the attack on the Capital in support of President Trump's plan to overthrow the Congressional Count of the Electoral votes and the declaration of President Biden's Victory:

McConnell said on Jan. 6, shortly before the Capitol was breached by mobs of President Donald Trump supporters. "We cannot simply declare ourselves a national board of elections on steroids. The voters, the courts, and the states have all spoken. They've all spoken. If we overrule them, it would damage our republic forever."  McConnell went on to say that "this election actually was not unusually close. Just in recent history, 1976, 2000, and 2004 were all closer than this one. The Electoral College margin is almost identical to what it was in 2016. If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral."

If I could make Fox News cover the story I would.  The final proofs of the lies and the conspiracies will play out in multiple lawsuits and courts from New York to Georgia, and Dominion is only the largest of the voting systems to sue.  More are coming.  But for now, today, we are once again seeing that when it comes to their own honesty and trustworthiness the Fox News Corporation is not telling you who they are or why they do what they do.  Rather than spending equal time fixing their lies on air, they have issued a muted statement to the press.

Here is all you will ever hear from them:

“We are pleased to have reached a settlement of our dispute with Dominion Voting Systems. We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false. This settlement reflects FOX’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards. We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward from these issues," the statement said.

If that is enough for you, fine.  But let the consumer beware as we move forward into the next election cycle when truth will once again be on the ballot.

And finally, in anticipation of the "whataboutism" distractions of counter-accusations and political nonsense, please know that I will delete any posts in responses that are not on the topic of this specific lawsuit and the facts determined by the court.