Pages

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Insensitivity: Strib report concerning a Michigan political rally, late in the item, "Detroit-area Rabbi Jason Miller said on Facebook that there are at least 60 rabbis on a directory of Michigan rabbis and 'yet the only rabbi they could find to offer a prayer for the 11 Jewish victims in Pittsburgh at the Mike Pence rally was a local Jews for Jesus rabbi? That's pathetic!' "

This link. It appears that it was a local candidate, not Pence, responsible for the SNAFU:

The major denominations of Judaism reject Messianic Judaism as a form of Judaism, and Jacobs' participation was condemned by Jews on social media.

A Pence aide told The Associated Press that Jacobs was invited to pray at the event in suburban Detroit's Waterford Township by GOP congressional candidate Lena Epstein and said Pence did not know who he was when he invited Jacobs back onstage to offer another a prayer for the victims, their families and the nation. As Pence stood next to him, Jacobs ended his prayer by saying, "in the name of Jesus."

The aide was not authorized to discuss the situation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

"He was not invited by the VP's office to speak on behalf of the Jewish community," the aide said.

UPDATE: With Trump reported as intending to go to Pittsburgh, another Oct. 30 AP report carried by Strib:

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's campaign spokeswoman, Beth Melena, says the governor based his decision on input from the victims' families who told him they did not want the president to be there on the day their loved ones were being buried.

Democratic Mayor Bill Peduto says he also won't greet Trump.

Peduto earlier said the White House ought to consult with the families of the victims about their preferences and asked that the president not come during a funeral.