"If you’d like to see any other election-related stories regarding other neighborhoods around Seattle, let me know." Kim Schrier's town hall in Issaquah on the fentanyl crisis.
I disagreed with my rabbinic colleagues. I thought the billboards were clever--and I'm not even from Brooklyn. We need to learn to lighten up a little.
As someone who would probably be the target market for JewBelong's billboards, I will say that my first reaction in seeing the billboards was disappointment. One of the things I really appreciated about my Jewish upbringing was that there was no proselytizing. We didn't try to convert people or feel the need to prove ourselves to others. A live and let live mentality. I understand this campaign isn't about convincing non-Jews to become Jewish, but it feels too similar to something I'd expect to see from Christians. We don't need to use their playbook.
I don't think the billboards need to come down or be banned or anything like that. I'm less concerned with them being controversial and in-your-face and more bothered by how lame the messaging is. It's very "how do you do, fellow kids." I have a very hard time believing that any DJs would be influenced by them. There's nothing new in the information they're presenting. We're not idiots who don't know any better.
I see the existential threat that the campaign is trying to deal with, but this isn't the way to go about it. It just creates more division (hence this article).
I am generally a fan and supporter of JewBelong. But I object to this billboard, though not for the reason given by those interviewed. And I object to the response as well.
The billboard is inconsistent with Jewish values, becauses it overtly attempts to "recruit" to Judaism, offering competing reasons and incentives to join our community/people/religion. But Judaism is not a proselytizing religion, and any such attempt to convince people to convert is frowned upon, halachically speaking.
The response is ill-advised, because Jews, in this case Jewish community leaders, are claiming to know what is offensive to non-Jews. Just as we demand the right to determine what is antisemitic and what is not, others have the right to determine what is offensive to them. If any *non-Jewish* religious or community leaders complained to JewBelong, I would fully support them. But coming from within the Jewish establishment, it is condescending to claim offense to others.
When I saw the billboards, I didn't understand what they were talking about. They made no sense to me. What does "come for your girlfriend" mean? If I don't understand it, as a 4th generation American Jew on my father's side, recent immigrants from other countries who are here on an H1-B visa and have never or hardly ever met a Jewish person in their lifetime will be completely confused and wonder who these people are. It doesn't help when materials confuse the situation even more for people who don't know our history and culture. Simple, *clear* messaging is important in politics.
"small group met in the backyard of a Seward Park home " What does this mean? What is the professional / organizational connection to the house? Was it a political party leader? A religious leader? Was this a fund raiser sponsored by her campaign? Who is the group? Who organized it?
"If you’d like to see any other election-related stories regarding other neighborhoods around Seattle, let me know." Kim Schrier's town hall in Issaquah on the fentanyl crisis.
I disagreed with my rabbinic colleagues. I thought the billboards were clever--and I'm not even from Brooklyn. We need to learn to lighten up a little.
As someone who would probably be the target market for JewBelong's billboards, I will say that my first reaction in seeing the billboards was disappointment. One of the things I really appreciated about my Jewish upbringing was that there was no proselytizing. We didn't try to convert people or feel the need to prove ourselves to others. A live and let live mentality. I understand this campaign isn't about convincing non-Jews to become Jewish, but it feels too similar to something I'd expect to see from Christians. We don't need to use their playbook.
I don't think the billboards need to come down or be banned or anything like that. I'm less concerned with them being controversial and in-your-face and more bothered by how lame the messaging is. It's very "how do you do, fellow kids." I have a very hard time believing that any DJs would be influenced by them. There's nothing new in the information they're presenting. We're not idiots who don't know any better.
I see the existential threat that the campaign is trying to deal with, but this isn't the way to go about it. It just creates more division (hence this article).
I am generally a fan and supporter of JewBelong. But I object to this billboard, though not for the reason given by those interviewed. And I object to the response as well.
The billboard is inconsistent with Jewish values, becauses it overtly attempts to "recruit" to Judaism, offering competing reasons and incentives to join our community/people/religion. But Judaism is not a proselytizing religion, and any such attempt to convince people to convert is frowned upon, halachically speaking.
The response is ill-advised, because Jews, in this case Jewish community leaders, are claiming to know what is offensive to non-Jews. Just as we demand the right to determine what is antisemitic and what is not, others have the right to determine what is offensive to them. If any *non-Jewish* religious or community leaders complained to JewBelong, I would fully support them. But coming from within the Jewish establishment, it is condescending to claim offense to others.
When I saw the billboards, I didn't understand what they were talking about. They made no sense to me. What does "come for your girlfriend" mean? If I don't understand it, as a 4th generation American Jew on my father's side, recent immigrants from other countries who are here on an H1-B visa and have never or hardly ever met a Jewish person in their lifetime will be completely confused and wonder who these people are. It doesn't help when materials confuse the situation even more for people who don't know our history and culture. Simple, *clear* messaging is important in politics.
"small group met in the backyard of a Seward Park home " What does this mean? What is the professional / organizational connection to the house? Was it a political party leader? A religious leader? Was this a fund raiser sponsored by her campaign? Who is the group? Who organized it?
It was organized by an individual.