Respect at Core of Booker's Ties with Jews

[Make Newark Clean]

The Chabad Lubavitchers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabad-Lubavitch) is sect of Hasidic Jews (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasidic_Judaism) who believe their now-deceased Grand Rebbe is the Messiah. The sect is outside of Judaism's mainstream. You may remember this group from an incident in 1991 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1584655615/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-4457303-6450221#reader-link), when young Gavin Cato was killed by a motorcade.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Respect at core of Booker's ties with Jews (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1198388151225530.xml&coll=1)

BY JEFF DIAMANT
Star-Ledger Staff

"Basically, he likes Jews. He has respect for what they stand for," Herson said. "He has a tremendous respect for our traditions, for our religion, for the scriptures. ... We see eye to eye on many philosophical issues."

Of all the political dirt slung in Newark's last two mayoral races, perhaps none was more curious than the claim by incumbent Sharpe James in 2002 that challenger Cory Booker was Jewish.

The claim was viewed in political circles as an attempt by James to both emphasize Booker's newcomer status to Newark and to benefit from perceived anti-Jewish feelings in the city.

Booker, who won the mayor's race in 2006 after losing in 2002, is not Jewish. He is Baptist and says he has never considered converting. Yet James' claim, false as it was, was able to gain traction due to Booker's close relationships with Jewish community leaders and the fact that he has studied the religion in depth.

A 38-year-old with a professed spiritual nature, Booker's introduction to Judaism began 15 years ago at Oxford University after a well-documented encounter with a now-famous Orthodox rabbi, Shmuley Boteach.

Rarely has his affinity for Judaism been more public than now. Last month, the Rabbinical College of America, a school in Morristown for Lubavitch rabbis, posted on its Web site an Oct. 24 speech by Booker accepting an honorary degree there. And he was a featured speaker at two other religion-themed events with large Jewish audiences in New York, Oct. 8 and Dec. 8.

In Morristown, Booker's speech -- not to mention the image of a tall African-American non-Jew wearing a yarmulke -- thrilled the Lubavitch crowd.

He urged listeners "to be Jewish in the fullest, the boldest, most courageous sense of the word." He called a passage in the Book of Genesis, where Abraham challenges God, "the most profound moment to me in the Christian Bible and the Torah." He used a popular Hebrew phrase, "Baruch HaShem," meaning "Blessed is God," which, while an ecumenical sentiment, is not commonly used by non-Jews. He even reveled in philosophies of Jewish sages Hillel and Maimonides, and mentioned former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.

"Why do you have this meshuganah goy in front of you," he asked, using Yiddish for "crazy" and "non-Jew" -- an easy if well-worn laugh line for him -- "talking to you about why it is so important that the Jewish people thrive? Because I believe, through lots of sitting and studying with rabbis and exchanging literature of some of the more respected people in my life, that the Jewish people have such an important purpose on earth."

"... I look at a person like Hillel, what he stood for and what he understood: 'If I am not for myself, who will be for me?' 'If I am only for myself, what am I?' 'If not now, then when?' This understanding is the core of Judaism ..."

Admiring listeners included Moshe Herson, the school's dean and one in a string of Lubavitch rabbis to call Booker a friend.

Herson said that when Booker moved to Newark 10 years ago, a Lubavitch rabbi at Yale University, where Booker attended law school, called to say Booker planned to enter politics. After a meeting, Herson decided he liked the young man so much he introduced him to political donors.

"Basically, he likes Jews. He has respect for what they stand for," Herson said. "He has a tremendous respect for our traditions, for our religion, for the scriptures. ... We see eye to eye on many philosophical issues."


MAIMONIDES AND MALCOLM X

The Lubavitchers with whom Booker is friends are among the most religiously observant Jews in the country. They stand out among Hasidic sects for their outreach to less observant Jews, and for forging relationships with non-Jews.

As the story goes, Booker's first encounter with Lubavitchers occurred at Oxford in the fall of 1992. He stopped at a celebration of the L'Chaim Society, a Lubavitch-run organization of Jewish and non-Jewish students, to pick up a woman for a date. She was not there. Persuaded to stay, he sat next to the talkative Rabbi Boteach. Before night's end Booker was dancing -- though not drinking; he doesn't drink.

"It was the beginning of a long friendship," said Boteach, now of Englewood, a bestselling author and host of "Shalom in the Home" on The Learning Channel. "We did end up dancing until 2 or 3 in the night. The next day he came to see me, and we had the chance to talk. From the first moment there was a special relationship between us."

A book exchange ensued.

"Something I insisted with Shmuley was, 'I want to learn more about your culture, but this is not only one way,'" Booker said. "I'd give him a book by James Baldwin, he would give me a book about Maimonides. I'd give him a book by Cornel West, he would give me a book by Elie Wiesel. ... I gave him Malcolm X's autobiography, and I remember that for weeks he was wearing a Malcolm X hat."

Before long, Boteach decided to ask Booker to run for president of the L'Chaim Society. A non-Jewish president would have been a first for the group, and Booker was initially uneasy with the idea. He insisted on a Jewish co-president. He won the vote by acclamation.

Booker was a perfect fit in the society and wore his interest in Jewish spirituality well, said Noah Feldman, a Harvard Law School professor who is Jewish and was a Rhodes scholar and L'Chaim Society member with Booker.

"It didn't surprise me he was interested in Judaism because it wouldn't surprise me if he was interested in anything," Feldman said. "I honestly think if Cory had fallen in with some exciting and interesting Buddhists, they would be saying, 'Wow, Cory Booker was the first non-Buddhist president of the Buddhist Society!'"

After their Rhodes scholarships, Booker and Feldman started at Yale Law School in 1994. With a small group of Jewish students, they co-founded the Chai Society, with Shmully Hecht, a Lubavitch rabbi in New Haven, Conn., whom Boteach had told about them. Booker would often invite Jewish students to its events.

Booker remains close with Boteach. He often is a guest at his house for Shabbat dinners and at times he brings Police Chief Garry McCarthy and other staff.

Boteach is Booker's biggest public fan. At a Dec. 8 panel discussion on religion at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, in which Booker spoke, he called Booker "the most inspiring man I know in my life," a man "many of us believe will go to the highest heights in this country."

The mayor won praise in a different Jewish circle on Oct. 8, as a featured speaker with U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) at a New York celebration for Birthright Israel, which gives Jewish youths free trips to Israel.

The host was Michael Steinhardt, an investor in the conservative-leaning New York Sun, who has given more than $125 million to Jewish causes and has donated to Booker's campaigns.

Steinhardt said he was near Lieberman when Booker spoke: "Joe was awed by Cory. Awed. That's the right word. Because Cory's speech was so resonant and so spiritual in a deep sense."

Booker said he has gone three times, with Jewish friends, to visit the Queens grave site of Menachem Schneerson, the Lubavitcher rebbe. The trip is a spiritual pilgrimage for Lubavitchers, who have flocked there to pray since Schneerson died in 1994.

The mayor wouldn't say what he thinks about while there, but Boteach said they have spoken about it. He said Booker places a personal letter at the site, as do the Jews who pray there, and prays for those he feels need prayers -- and for Newark.


A WIDE NET

Off to the left side of Booker's desk at City Hall is a stack of five books: two Christian Bibles, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita and a Hebrew Bible. On top of them is a U.S. Constitution and African prayer beads. To either side are statuettes of Harriet Tubman.

"I'm very grounded in who I am," Booker said. "I'm a black American Christian. Being very knowledgeable about who I am, it gives me a strong foundation in which to reach out to others and embrace them and benefit from that in a powerful way."

He attends his home church, Metropolitan Baptist, one of Newark's largest, up to twice a month. On most Sundays, as mayor, he attends up to four other churches.

The Rev. David Jefferson, Metropolitan Baptist's pastor since 1995, said Booker is an attentive churchgoer whose interest in Judaism helps him better understand Christianity's roots and, in a different way, helps the city.

"A spirit of inclusion is what our city is in need of," Jefferson said. "The extent to which he has a good understanding of Judaism, it helps him ... show a sensitivity for the faith of other individuals."

Booker's Jewish studies came mostly in the first half of the 1990s, he said. Since then, he has read extensively on other religions -- Hinduism, Islam, Jainism. He traveled to India in 2000, staying in a Bangalore ashram, a community devoted to Hindu spirituality.

Asked to name his most spiritual trip, he said, "Traveling in itself is a spiritual pilgrimage." He then singled out a trip years ago to a Mexican mountain village, saying it had the worst poverty he has ever seen, yet the villagers were idealistic. Booker said he also has prayed or meditated at the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Before the Dec. 8 panel discussion, at a small VIP wine-and-cheese reception, he followed up Boteach's introduction with a glimpse into his spirituality:

"I have been sustained in my life through some very difficult times, and some incredible challenges, by this idea that there's something more powerful, more magical, more beautiful going on ... than just the biological, (than) just the physical of what we see."


NO REGRETS

The time Booker spends outside Newark has been a sore point for his critics. A child growing up in affluent Bergen County, Booker never lived in the city until 1996, two years before winning election to the city council at age 29.

So why make so many speeches outside Newark to Jewish and other groups if they could hurt Booker's image in the city?

"I'm never going to yield from my connections to other faiths," he said. "I think it does nothing but enrich my Christianity and enrich my connections to the Lord. And I am who I am. As Martin Luther said ... 'Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God.'"

Booker also said much of his time spent outside Newark, with Jews and non-Jews, helps improve its image with suburbanites and brings the city business.

His relationships with Jewish leaders, he said, have brought donations and pro bono work to the city. Jewish philanthropists have donated large sums, he said, to the Newark Police Foundation and initiatives to help crime victims.

Boteach said Booker has never shown interest in converting.

"If he had done that, I would have thought it was the failure of our friendship," he said. "Our friendship was based on creating a multiethnic society based on common principles ... as opposed to a conformist uniform society where we all need to become the same."



Jeff Diamant may be reached at jdiamant@starledger.com or (973) 392-1547.



© 2007 The Star Ledger
© 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.

[Make Newark Clean]

I pray one day that people will no longer seek their dignity through the worship of gods. Religion is a form of tribalism that is dangerous at its core. It picks sides, ultimately granting god’s approval of deleterious power relationships between the so-called righteous and the not-so righteous. Humans make these relationships.

There is a nugget of goodness in some religions, especially where they broaden beyond their group to embrace love of others. But such love still favors the group who claim to know the real “truth.” That type of esteem is conditional, and its good intent ultimately fades for those who are not a part of the “truth” group.

The revelation of truth should not state obvious scientific error as unerring fact. God should make sense. Forfeiting critical thinking for eternal life is counterintuitive. Doesn’t god know that?

Black folks are in an unacceptable condition throughout America and in many parts of Africa. And religion does not lead us out of our precarious state. Instead, it becomes a numbing narcotic of hoped-for hope and unexamined surrender as powerful as the illegal-market drugs allowed to flood our children’s streets. At least most users know that they’re in an artificial state.

Lastly, why is it that real riches evade god’s devotees of African descent? How do we get our people out of the slums, lord? Is it that god’s radical redirection of wealth to the wealthy His divine will to hasten us to a wonderful after-death?

Maybe it’s just that god hasn’t heard the right prayer yet. I’m not “official,” but I’ll give it a try:

“God, I just know you haven’t heard this type of prayer before, so listen carefully please. If you can’t outright remove black suffering, can you at least equalize it among the strong and weak of all races? It’s getting real tired—your mysterious way of concentrating poverty, disease and violence among us. Why can’t rich white folks, whose economies benefits from our subjugation, use a little penitence? How about for that slavery thing alone, or the massacres carried out in your blessed name? Why isn’t that worth a little divine redistribution of wealth? I’m only asking for a modest amount; let them keep their lion’s share for sake of peace. After all, we know how to stretch next to nothing. What? Wait, now I know you can’t be mad at us!? Dayum, you worse than them! I know, I know, just making another excuse. But you should know the reasons why we’re broke is a lot deeper than appropriating ‘rims and bling’! You run the world, don’t you? They killed your son, yeah I know, I know. :::sigh::: Another guilt trip. You never let us forget that. Let me shuffle out a church dance from memory. Okay, how’s this instead? Maybe we got you all wrong? Yo, god, my bigga! Can we get some SLAVES to exploit too? That’s what’s up!! You seem to reward exploitation!! Isn’t that’s how it works? I’ll make sure I’ll appear generous and saint-like when denying my brother's humanity. Long as we get paid this time!”

On another note, I wish Cory Booker well in his personal understandings. But, it should be obvious by now that religion has a limited, positive effect on poor black people. With faith as its currently constituted, there will always be a reason to dehumanize us and, worse, suppress the necessary anger at the institutions needed to extricate us from a conquering so complete. We, as blacks worship, even revel, in our inferiorization. Happy Sol Invictus!!

[NewarkNative]

I pray one day that people will no longer seek their dignity through the worship of gods. Religion is a form of tribalism that is dangerous at its core. It picks sides, ultimately granting god’s approval of deleterious power relationships between the so-called righteous and the not-so righteous. Humans make these relationships.

There is a nugget of goodness in some religions, especially where they broaden beyond their group to embrace love of others. But such love still favors the group who claim to know the real “truth.” That type of esteem is conditional, and its good intent ultimately fades for those who are not a part of the “truth” group.

The revelation of truth should not state obvious scientific error as unerring fact. God should make sense. Forfeiting critical thinking for eternal life is counterintuitive. Doesn’t god know that?

Black folks are in an unacceptable condition throughout America and in many parts of Africa. And religion does not lead us out of our precarious state. Instead, it becomes a numbing narcotic of hoped-for hope and unexamined surrender as powerful as the illegal-market drugs allowed to flood our children’s streets. At least most users know that they’re in an artificial state.

Lastly, why is it that real riches evade god’s devotees of African descent? How do we get our people out of the slums, lord? Is it that god’s radical redirection of wealth to the wealthy His divine will to hasten us to a wonderful after-death?

Maybe it’s just that god hasn’t heard the right prayer yet. I’m not “official,” but I’ll give it a try:

“God, I just know you haven’t heard this type of prayer before, so listen carefully please. If you can’t outright remove black suffering, can you at least equalize it among the strong and weak of all races? It’s getting real tired—your mysterious way of concentrating poverty, disease and violence among us. Why can’t rich white folks, whose economies benefits from our subjugation, use a little penitence? How about for that slavery thing alone, or the massacres carried out in your blessed name? Why isn’t that worth a little divine redistribution of wealth? I’m only asking for a modest amount; let them keep their lion’s share for sake of peace. After all, we know how to stretch next to nothing. What? Wait, now I know you can’t be mad at us!? Dayum, you worse than them! I know, I know, just making another excuse. But you should know the reasons why we’re broke is a lot deeper than appropriating ‘rims and bling’! You run the world, don’t you? They killed your son, yeah I know, I know. :::sigh::: Another guilt trip. You never let us forget that. Let me shuffle out a church dance from memory. Okay, how’s this instead? Maybe we got you all wrong? Yo, god, my bigga! Can we get some SLAVES to exploit too? That’s what’s up!! You seem to reward exploitation!! Isn’t that’s how it works? I’ll make sure I’ll appear generous and saint-like when denying my brother's humanity. Long as we get paid this time!”

On another note, I wish Cory Booker well in his personal understandings. But, it should be obvious by now that religion has a limited, positive effect on poor black people. With faith as its currently constituted, there will always be a reason to dehumanize us and, worse, suppress the necessary anger at the institutions needed to extricate us from a conquering so complete. We, as blacks worship, even revel, in our inferiorization. Happy Sol Invictus!!

My concern is that Booker joined Metropolitan Baptist Church around the same time that he was grandstanding in a truck outside of Brick Towers. Are both staged as ploys to make the Newark citizens believe that he was safe sleeping on MLK Blvd, along with the fact that angels were watching over him through Christ as a baptist. Come on - he was smart enough then not to tout his Judism beliefs.:eek: I, for one, am not fooled. This article solidifies my fear about Booker and his lack of caring about the blacks in Newark. All of his performances were to get where he is today and do what he is doing to the people.

[ProSouth]

My concern is that Booker joined Metropolitan Baptist Church around the same time that he was grandstanding in a truck outside of Brick Towers. Are both staged as ploys to make the Newark citizens believe that he was safe sleeping on MLK Blvd, along with the fact that angels were watching over him through Christ as a baptist. Come on - he was smart enough then not to tout his Judism beliefs.:eek: I, for one, am not fooled. This article solidifies my fear about Booker and his lack of caring about the blacks in Newark. All of his performances were to get where he is today and do what he is doing to the people.

1. I could have sworn Booker said publically somewhere that he has been a member of Metropolitan since childhood.

2. As a proud, educated, conscious Black Man I too have a problem with any Black Man who seems to have more love, affection and interest in those who are not like him. It is very rare to see an accomplished, successful Black Man in America who expouses the interests of Black people. There are exception to this but Cory Booker ain't it.

Think about it, if Cory were white would his Rhode Scholarship and other academic accomplishments be a big public relations issue? The answer is no. It is considered such a big deal because he is Black.

Now why is Cory such a big deal to white folks? Read the article. It's because he's a Black man with white interests. Why is Cory such a big deal to Jews, because he is a Black Man with Jewish interests. PERIOD.

If he were white his interests in Judaism would not be a point of interest to anyone.

[BraveHeart]

I was intrigued by the following excerpt in the article : Off to the left side of Booker's desk at City Hall is a stack of five books: two Christian Bibles, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita and a Hebrew Bible. On top of them is a U.S. Constitution and African prayer beads. To either side are statuettes of Harriet Tubman.

Considering all of the legal drama as of late as it relates to our cases, did anyone ever consider reading that copy of the US Constitution?

When I was asked if I was "The Rock" on NewarkSpeaks, I said no. The reasons were obvious. If Harriet Tubman had been asked if she was helping slaves, she would have said no, for obvious reasons. If a German sympathizer was hiding Jews in his basement and the SS showed up and asked if there were any Jews in the house, he would have said no, also for obvious reasons.

Though I must admit that our simple attempts to bring to light the misconduct in the police department falls far short of the actions of either of my examples, they were no less genuine. Perhaps it's a good thing that the Newark Police Dept didn't exist back then or that Harriet was their employee. She would have been charged with false statements and, (Place appropriate punishment for the offense here).

[NewarkNative]

The Chabad Lubavitchers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabad-Lubavitch) is sect of Hasidic Jews (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasidic_Judaism) who believe their now-deceased Grand Rebbe is the Messiah. The sect is outside of Judaism's mainstream. You may remember this group from an incident in 1991 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1584655615/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-4457303-6450221#reader-link), when young Gavin Cato was killed by a motorcade.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Respect at core of Booker's ties with Jews (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1198388151225530.xml&coll=1)

BY JEFF DIAMANT
Star-Ledger Staff



Of all the political dirt slung in Newark's last two mayoral races, perhaps none was more curious than the claim by incumbent Sharpe James in 2002 that challenger Cory Booker was Jewish.

The claim was viewed in political circles as an attempt by James to both emphasize Booker's newcomer status to Newark and to benefit from perceived anti-Jewish feelings in the city.

Booker, who won the mayor's race in 2006 after losing in 2002, is not Jewish. He is Baptist and says he has never considered converting. Yet James' claim, false as it was, was able to gain traction due to Booker's close relationships with Jewish community leaders and the fact that he has studied the religion in depth.

A 38-year-old with a professed spiritual nature, Booker's introduction to Judaism began 15 years ago at Oxford University after a well-documented encounter with a now-famous Orthodox rabbi, Shmuley Boteach.

Rarely has his affinity for Judaism been more public than now. Last month, the Rabbinical College of America, a school in Morristown for Lubavitch rabbis, posted on its Web site an Oct. 24 speech by Booker accepting an honorary degree there. And he was a featured speaker at two other religion-themed events with large Jewish audiences in New York, Oct. 8 and Dec. 8.

In Morristown, Booker's speech -- not to mention the image of a tall African-American non-Jew wearing a yarmulke -- thrilled the Lubavitch crowd.

He urged listeners "to be Jewish in the fullest, the boldest, most courageous sense of the word." He called a passage in the Book of Genesis, where Abraham challenges God, "the most profound moment to me in the Christian Bible and the Torah." He used a popular Hebrew phrase, "Baruch HaShem," meaning "Blessed is God," which, while an ecumenical sentiment, is not commonly used by non-Jews. He even reveled in philosophies of Jewish sages Hillel and Maimonides, and mentioned former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.

"Why do you have this meshuganah goy in front of you," he asked, using Yiddish for "crazy" and "non-Jew" -- an easy if well-worn laugh line for him -- "talking to you about why it is so important that the Jewish people thrive? Because I believe, through lots of sitting and studying with rabbis and exchanging literature of some of the more respected people in my life, that the Jewish people have such an important purpose on earth."

"... I look at a person like Hillel, what he stood for and what he understood: 'If I am not for myself, who will be for me?' 'If I am only for myself, what am I?' 'If not now, then when?' This understanding is the core of Judaism ..."

Admiring listeners included Moshe Herson, the school's dean and one in a string of Lubavitch rabbis to call Booker a friend.

Herson said that when Booker moved to Newark 10 years ago, a Lubavitch rabbi at Yale University, where Booker attended law school, called to say Booker planned to enter politics. After a meeting, Herson decided he liked the young man so much he introduced him to political donors.

"Basically, he likes Jews. He has respect for what they stand for," Herson said. "He has a tremendous respect for our traditions, for our religion, for the scriptures. ... We see eye to eye on many philosophical issues."


MAIMONIDES AND MALCOLM X

The Lubavitchers with whom Booker is friends are among the most religiously observant Jews in the country. They stand out among Hasidic sects for their outreach to less observant Jews, and for forging relationships with non-Jews.

As the story goes, Booker's first encounter with Lubavitchers occurred at Oxford in the fall of 1992. He stopped at a celebration of the L'Chaim Society, a Lubavitch-run organization of Jewish and non-Jewish students, to pick up a woman for a date. She was not there. Persuaded to stay, he sat next to the talkative Rabbi Boteach. Before night's end Booker was dancing -- though not drinking; he doesn't drink.

"It was the beginning of a long friendship," said Boteach, now of Englewood, a bestselling author and host of "Shalom in the Home" on The Learning Channel. "We did end up dancing until 2 or 3 in the night. The next day he came to see me, and we had the chance to talk. From the first moment there was a special relationship between us."

A book exchange ensued.

"Something I insisted with Shmuley was, 'I want to learn more about your culture, but this is not only one way,'" Booker said. "I'd give him a book by James Baldwin, he would give me a book about Maimonides. I'd give him a book by Cornel West, he would give me a book by Elie Wiesel. ... I gave him Malcolm X's autobiography, and I remember that for weeks he was wearing a Malcolm X hat."

Before long, Boteach decided to ask Booker to run for president of the L'Chaim Society. A non-Jewish president would have been a first for the group, and Booker was initially uneasy with the idea. He insisted on a Jewish co-president. He won the vote by acclamation.

Booker was a perfect fit in the society and wore his interest in Jewish spirituality well, said Noah Feldman, a Harvard Law School professor who is Jewish and was a Rhodes scholar and L'Chaim Society member with Booker.

"It didn't surprise me he was interested in Judaism because it wouldn't surprise me if he was interested in anything," Feldman said. "I honestly think if Cory had fallen in with some exciting and interesting Buddhists, they would be saying, 'Wow, Cory Booker was the first non-Buddhist president of the Buddhist Society!'"

After their Rhodes scholarships, Booker and Feldman started at Yale Law School in 1994. With a small group of Jewish students, they co-founded the Chai Society, with Shmully Hecht, a Lubavitch rabbi in New Haven, Conn., whom Boteach had told about them. Booker would often invite Jewish students to its events.

Booker remains close with Boteach. He often is a guest at his house for Shabbat dinners and at times he brings Police Chief Garry McCarthy and other staff.

Boteach is Booker's biggest public fan. At a Dec. 8 panel discussion on religion at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, in which Booker spoke, he called Booker "the most inspiring man I know in my life," a man "many of us believe will go to the highest heights in this country."

The mayor won praise in a different Jewish circle on Oct. 8, as a featured speaker with U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) at a New York celebration for Birthright Israel, which gives Jewish youths free trips to Israel.

The host was Michael Steinhardt, an investor in the conservative-leaning New York Sun, who has given more than $125 million to Jewish causes and has donated to Booker's campaigns.

Steinhardt said he was near Lieberman when Booker spoke: "Joe was awed by Cory. Awed. That's the right word. Because Cory's speech was so resonant and so spiritual in a deep sense."

Booker said he has gone three times, with Jewish friends, to visit the Queens grave site of Menachem Schneerson, the Lubavitcher rebbe. The trip is a spiritual pilgrimage for Lubavitchers, who have flocked there to pray since Schneerson died in 1994.

The mayor wouldn't say what he thinks about while there, but Boteach said they have spoken about it. He said Booker places a personal letter at the site, as do the Jews who pray there, and prays for those he feels need prayers -- and for Newark.


A WIDE NET

Off to the left side of Booker's desk at City Hall is a stack of five books: two Christian Bibles, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita and a Hebrew Bible. On top of them is a U.S. Constitution and African prayer beads. To either side are statuettes of Harriet Tubman.

"I'm very grounded in who I am," Booker said. "I'm a black American Christian. Being very knowledgeable about who I am, it gives me a strong foundation in which to reach out to others and embrace them and benefit from that in a powerful way."

He attends his home church, Metropolitan Baptist, one of Newark's largest, up to twice a month. On most Sundays, as mayor, he attends up to four other churches.

The Rev. David Jefferson, Metropolitan Baptist's pastor since 1995, said Booker is an attentive churchgoer whose interest in Judaism helps him better understand Christianity's roots and, in a different way, helps the city.

"A spirit of inclusion is what our city is in need of," Jefferson said. "The extent to which he has a good understanding of Judaism, it helps him ... show a sensitivity for the faith of other individuals."

Booker's Jewish studies came mostly in the first half of the 1990s, he said. Since then, he has read extensively on other religions -- Hinduism, Islam, Jainism. He traveled to India in 2000, staying in a Bangalore ashram, a community devoted to Hindu spirituality.

Asked to name his most spiritual trip, he said, "Traveling in itself is a spiritual pilgrimage." He then singled out a trip years ago to a Mexican mountain village, saying it had the worst poverty he has ever seen, yet the villagers were idealistic. Booker said he also has prayed or meditated at the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Before the Dec. 8 panel discussion, at a small VIP wine-and-cheese reception, he followed up Boteach's introduction with a glimpse into his spirituality:

"I have been sustained in my life through some very difficult times, and some incredible challenges, by this idea that there's something more powerful, more magical, more beautiful going on ... than just the biological, (than) just the physical of what we see."


NO REGRETS

The time Booker spends outside Newark has been a sore point for his critics. A child growing up in affluent Bergen County, Booker never lived in the city until 1996, two years before winning election to the city council at age 29.
So why make so many speeches outside Newark to Jewish and other groups if they could hurt Booker's image in the city?

"I'm never going to yield from my connections to other faiths," he said. "I think it does nothing but enrich my Christianity and enrich my connections to the Lord. And I am who I am. As Martin Luther said ... 'Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God.'"

Booker also said much of his time spent outside Newark, with Jews and non-Jews, helps improve its image with suburbanites and brings the city business.

His relationships with Jewish leaders, he said, have brought donations and pro bono work to the city. Jewish philanthropists have donated large sums, he said, to the Newark Police Foundation and initiatives to help crime victims.

Boteach said Booker has never shown interest in converting.

"If he had done that, I would have thought it was the failure of our friendship," he said. "Our friendship was based on creating a multiethnic society based on common principles ... as opposed to a conformist uniform society where we all need to become the same."



Jeff Diamant may be reached at jdiamant@starledger.com or (973) 392-1547.



© 2007 The Star Ledger
© 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.

Much respect Pro, but the article clearly states he lived his childhood in affluent Bergen County; nothing about his going to Metropolitan BC until he came to Newark and ran for city council in 1996 at age 29. Of course we have learned that we cannot believe everything that he states publicly; quick with the tongue the man is! Certainly Booker didn't commute to Newark to go to church from Harrington Park. He planned his landing in that church just like he counted the votes he needed to unseat George Branch. It is unfortunate that the people fell for and supported his plan, which was not to become councilman, but to become mayor of this city. This article clearly distinguishes Booker's affilliations throughout most of his adult life.

[VicVD]

"A spirit of inclusion is what our city is in need of," Jefferson said. "The extent to which he has a good understanding of Judaism, it helps him ... show a sensitivity for the faith of other individuals."

I've gotta respectfully disagree with the good Reverend. What our city needs is good, solid management, and having the mayor spend most of his time elsewhere giving speeches ain't the best way to run a city- esp. when a lot of the people he's delegated responsibility to aren't very qualified.

[ForChange]

1. I could have sworn Booker said publically somewhere that he has been a member of Metropolitan since childhood.

2. As a proud, educated, conscious Black Man I too have a problem with any Black Man who seems to have more love, affection and interest in those who are not like him. It is very rare to see an accomplished, successful Black Man in America who expouses the interests of Black people. There are exception to this but Cory Booker ain't it.

Think about it, if Cory were white would his Rhode Scholarship and other academic accomplishments be a big public relations issue? The answer is no. It is considered such a big deal because he is Black.

Now why is Cory such a big deal to white folks? Read the article. It's because he's a Black man with white interests. Why is Cory such a big deal to Jews, because he is a Black Man with Jewish interests. PERIOD.

If he were white his interests in Judaism would not be a point of interest to anyone.


I agree, but I wonder if this isn't more the problem of the media and what they choose to focus on, than Booker himself. I mean, would you have him NOT go to Stanford or NOT be a Rhodes Scholar? He did those things. Judaism interests him (sounds like a lot of other things do too...). So what?

This is the white media have a friggin' field day over a black man getting along with Jews (that isn't supposed to happen in their world view).

I think Booker takes advantage of this media attention, but I don't necessarily fault him for that... it gets Newark in newspapers and magazines that it wouldn't be in (except for negative press).

I don't know... I agree that it's kinda... slimy. But I see why he does it and I do think that stories like these are more about the media than they are about Booker.

[artdecohero]

Regarding Booker's interest in Judaism, from what I've read it seems like it's more like a pedagogic interest rather than a spiritual one. Booker is a straight up academic. There seems to be a general animosity towards him on this board. I'm an outsider so I can't really say whether or not he's doing a good job. It seems like he's trying his best but without the results he was anticipating (and I can see why this would frustrate Newark residents). However, I think having someone that is so educated (maybe even over-educated) in a leadership position is a good thing, regardless of his personal affiliations or upbringing. He has the capability to bring fresh ideas to Newark. Now, I think his biggest fault was that he was too hasty in his ascension to Mayor, and seems to be biting off more than he can chew (in other words, he was a bit naive about the demands of that office). But I think deep down he wants to do good for this city, and really the bottom line of Judaism and Christianity and Islam is to be a good person. Only time will tell if his good intentions pay off.

[JoefromPGH]

Its very nice that Mayor Booker has affinities to many groups but he must solidify his affinity to the group that matters the most ---the people of the City of Newark.

[counterattack]

Its very nice that Mayor Booker has affinities to many groups but he must solidify his affinity to the group that matters the most ---the people of the City of Newark.


Well said Joe, He does not have to break his ties with those in the Jewish community. However get to Know the people who have intrusted you to represent them.

[Miss Tam-Tam]

Originally Posted by JoefromPGH: <<Its very nice that Mayor Booker has affinities to many groups but he must solidify his affinity to the group that matters the most ---the people of the City of Newark. >>

Originally posted by Counter: <<Well said Joe, He does not have to break his ties with those in the Jewish community. However get to Know the people who have intrusted you to represent them.>>

[RealVest]

1. I could have sworn Booker said publically somewhere that he has been a member of Metropolitan since childhood.

2. As a proud, educated, conscious Black Man I too have a problem with any Black Man who seems to have more love, affection and interest in those who are not like him. It is very rare to see an accomplished, successful Black Man in America who expouses the interests of Black people. There are exception to this but Cory Booker ain't it.

Think about it, if Cory were white would his Rhode Scholarship and other academic accomplishments be a big public relations issue? The answer is no. It is considered such a big deal because he is Black.

Now why is Cory such a big deal to white folks? Read the article. It's because he's a Black man with white interests. Why is Cory such a big deal to Jews, because he is a Black Man with Jewish interests. PERIOD.

If he were white his interests in Judaism would not be a point of interest to anyone.

I love when intelligent people post.

Lets not forget the part where they say his buddy told all his boys to $upport Cory. :D

[ProSouth]

Regarding Booker's interest in Judaism, from what I've read it seems like it's more like a pedagogic interest rather than a spiritual one. Booker is a straight up academic. There seems to be a general animosity towards him on this board. I'm an outsider so I can't really say whether or not he's doing a good job. It seems like he's trying his best but without the results he was anticipating (and I can see why this would frustrate Newark residents). However, I think having someone that is so educated (maybe even over-educated) in a leadership position is a good thing, regardless of his personal affiliations or upbringing. He has the capability to bring fresh ideas to Newark. Now, I think his biggest fault was that he was too hasty in his ascension to Mayor, and seems to be biting off more than he can chew (in other words, he was a bit naive about the demands of that office). But I think deep down he wants to do good for this city, and really the bottom line of Judaism and Christianity and Islam is to be a good person. Only time will tell if his good intentions pay off.

At the end of the day it comes down to who in Newark will benefit the most from Cory Booker, A Black Man. Will it be Blacks people or non-Blacks?

Lets be honest, it is never a question whether a white or Jewish or Italian politician is going to enrich and empower his own upon getting into office. Its automatic and expected. Its the Black politician who always wants to get in on the backs of Black folks but not repay the favor by having a pro-Black attitude towards his own. Black politicians always want to play the "We are the world/ Everybody is the same" crap. We seem almost afraid to openly look out for our own.

If Cory Booker was not pro-Jewish and was not able to speak a little Yiddish would these Jewish people financially support him? You know they wouldn't. So why is it a problem in reverse when many Black people in Newark have a problem with Booker due to his LACK of having pro-Black interests?

Black people should not be angry with the Jewish community. They use their money to support their causes and interests. The anger should be with the Black conduit (politician) who seems to ignore the worldwide problems of white superiority and its strangle-hold on Black capitalism and promotion of industrial racism.

How are Black people going to advance when those we hire to protect us and further our interest want to protect and further everybody else's interest?

I challenge anyone here to deny that whites/Jews/Hispanics do not overwhelmingly help (without shame) their own.

I don't want anyone to misunderstand me, Cory should cultivate his relationships with the Jewish community and take their money. But, he should use those connections to further African-American interests in Newark.

At the end of the day, when the lights come on, at the end of his term are there going to be more Jewish, Hispanic or white people enriched than Blacks people in Newark. That's the issue.

[JoefromPGH]

I challenge anyone here to deny that whites/Jews/Hispanics do not overwhelmingly help (without shame) their own.



No one can objectively challenge that Pro. And no one can objectively challenge the need (as you have stated) that black politicians should do the same for their constiutents. I will add that I believe the need is most important at the lower levels of government (council, mayor, state legislator, U.S. representative) than on more encompassing levels of representation (senator, governor, president), where the demographics of those represented are more diverse. At those levels, the acid test should be more of how much (if at all) is the senator or president benefiting/helping my community, rather than is the senator or president only benefiting/helping my community.

[Make Newark Clean]

1. I could have sworn Booker said publically somewhere that he has been a member of Metropolitan since childhood.

2. As a proud, educated, conscious Black Man I too have a problem with any Black Man who seems to have more love, affection and interest in those who are not like him. It is very rare to see an accomplished, successful Black Man in America who expouses the interests of Black people. There are exception to this but Cory Booker ain't it.

Think about it, if Cory were white would his Rhode Scholarship and other academic accomplishments be a big public relations issue? The answer is no. It is considered such a big deal because he is Black.

Now why is Cory such a big deal to white folks? Read the article. It's because he's a Black man with white interests. Why is Cory such a big deal to Jews, because he is a Black Man with Jewish interests. PERIOD.

If he were white his interests in Judaism would not be a point of interest to anyone.

Very interesting perspective!

[Make Newark Clean]

At the end of the day it comes down to who in Newark will benefit the most from Cory Booker, A Black Man. Will it be Blacks people or non-Blacks?

Lets be honest, it is never a question whether a white or Jewish or Italian politician is going to enrich and empower his own upon getting into office. Its automatic and expected. Its the Black politician who always wants to get in on the backs of Black folks but not repay the favor by having a pro-Black attitude towards his own. Black politicians always want to play the "We are the world/ Everybody is the same" crap. We seem almost afraid to openly look out for our own.

If Cory Booker was not pro-Jewish and was not able to speak a little Yiddish would these Jewish people financially support him? You know they wouldn't. So why is it a problem in reverse when many Black people in Newark have a problem with Booker due to his LACK of having pro-Black interests?

Black people should not be angry with the Jewish community. They use their money to support their causes and interests. The anger should be with the Black conduit (politician) who seems to ignore the worldwide problems of white superiority and its strangle-hold on Black capitalism and promotion of industrial racism. My problem with painting a black veneer on a system (Obama) that continues to be hostile to our interests and everybody supposed to be quiet so the negro can win. We need to stand up in truth.

How are Black people going to advance when those we hire to protect us and further our interest want to protect and further everybody else's interest?

I challenge anyone here to deny that whites/Jews/Hispanics do not overwhelmingly help (without shame) their own.

I don't want anyone to misunderstand me, Cory should cultivate his relationships with the Jewish community and take their money. But, he should use those connections to further African-American interests in Newark.

At the end of the day, when the lights come on, at the end of his term are there going to be more Jewish, Hispanic or white people enriched than Blacks people in Newark. That's the issue.

I am standing up and applauding inside!!!

[VicVD]

My problem with painting a black veneer on a system (Obama) that continues to be hostile to our interests and everybody supposed to be quiet so the negro can win. We need to stand up in truth.

Elections are contests, you either choose one candidate or the other, or you don't participate. Once you decide to participate you try and make the best choice. "Black veneer" notwithstanding, Obama is the best choice out of the current field.

The system is always going to be hostile to Black people because it wasn't created to benefit us, and no one person- especially a politician- is going to change that fact. So you can either take your marbles and go home, and complain about the unfairness of the world, or you can play ball and try to squeeze some lemonade out of the lemons we've been dealt!

p.s. What Obama's doing in running for President doesn't compare in any way to Cory's activities. Cory's job is supposed to be running this city, and he's spending all of his time and energy doing everything but that.

[Make Newark Clean]

So you can either take your marbles and go home, and complain about the unfairness of the world, or you can play ball and try to squeeze some lemonade out of the lemons we've been dealt!

Edwards is a better choice; that's the one who is saying what's right for my "marbles." At least he knows the Establishment corporate beast for what it is and is saying it straight. Maybe all his spirited talk will become action. Sadly, not likely.

A black presidential candidate who cannot stand up when children, most of whom are black, are being sent to adult prisons when its already known to be counterproductive to BOTH the child and society is self-centered.

What's more, so much for his enlightened stances on New Orleans, especially where it regards policies toward illegal drugs (http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2007/aug/28/obama_what_new_orleans_needs_is_).

To paraphrase a line from Robert Townsend's 1987 movie, Hollywood Shuffle (http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/22791/Hollywood-Shuffle/overview), there's plenty of work at the post office.

[coloredboy]

I pray one day that people will no longer seek their dignity through the worship of gods. Religion is a form of tribalism that is dangerous at its core. It picks sides, ultimately granting god’s approval of deleterious power relationships between the so-called righteous and the not-so righteous. Humans make these relationships.

There is a nugget of goodness in some religions, especially where they broaden beyond their group to embrace love of others. But such love still favors the group who claim to know the real “truth.” That type of esteem is conditional, and its good intent ultimately fades for those who are not a part of the “truth” group.

The revelation of truth should not state obvious scientific error as unerring fact. God should make sense. Forfeiting critical thinking for eternal life is counterintuitive. Doesn’t god know that?

Black folks are in an unacceptable condition throughout America and in many parts of Africa. And religion does not lead us out of our precarious state. Instead, it becomes a numbing narcotic of hoped-for hope and unexamined surrender as powerful as the illegal-market drugs allowed to flood our children’s streets. At least most users know that they’re in an artificial state.

Lastly, why is it that real riches evade god’s devotees of African descent? How do we get our people out of the slums, lord? Is it that god’s radical redirection of wealth to the wealthy His divine will to hasten us to a wonderful after-death?

Maybe it’s just that god hasn’t heard the right prayer yet. I’m not “official,” but I’ll give it a try:

“God, I just know you haven’t heard this type of prayer before, so listen carefully please. If you can’t outright remove black suffering, can you at least equalize it among the strong and weak of all races? It’s getting real tired—your mysterious way of concentrating poverty, disease and violence among us. Why can’t rich white folks, whose economies benefits from our subjugation, use a little penitence? How about for that slavery thing alone, or the massacres carried out in your blessed name? Why isn’t that worth a little divine redistribution of wealth? I’m only asking for a modest amount; let them keep their lion’s share for sake of peace. After all, we know how to stretch next to nothing. What? Wait, now I know you can’t be mad at us!? Dayum, you worse than them! I know, I know, just making another excuse. But you should know the reasons why we’re broke is a lot deeper than appropriating ‘rims and bling’! You run the world, don’t you? They killed your son, yeah I know, I know. :::sigh::: Another guilt trip. You never let us forget that. Let me shuffle out a church dance from memory. Okay, how’s this instead? Maybe we got you all wrong? Yo, god, my bigga! Can we get some SLAVES to exploit too? That’s what’s up!! You seem to reward exploitation!! Isn’t that’s how it works? I’ll make sure I’ll appear generous and saint-like when denying my brother's humanity. Long as we get paid this time!”

On another note, I wish Cory Booker well in his personal understandings. But, it should be obvious by now that religion has a limited, positive effect on poor black people. With faith as its currently constituted, there will always be a reason to dehumanize us and, worse, suppress the necessary anger at the institutions needed to extricate us from a conquering so complete. We, as blacks worship, even revel, in our inferiorization. Happy Sol Invictus!!

you sound like you want the rich white man's life, but you hate them for what they have and how they behave with it. I wonder if the irony is lost on you?

[Make Newark Clean]

you sound like you want the rich white man's life, but you hate them for what they have and how they behave with it. I wonder if the irony is lost on you?

No, I don't believe in supernatural gods (http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/). I fearlessly strive for truth no matter where it leads me. You're deep, Colored Boy, got any truth for me?

I know my viewpoint is out of the mainstream. I expect folks to largely disagree, but maybe they can challenge themselves about certain things they always assumed as the absolute truth. Knowledge is out there. What I am, though, is an ordinary ANGRY BLACK MAN who refuses to turn that inward on my own people in light of historical knowledge. It's about right and wrong. I would like to see leadership stop playing on people's fragilities in lieu of leveling with them. Maybe then government PR firms can go out of business.

Analysis has failed you yet again. Don't quit your day job. :D I won't be going back and forth with you on this matter.

[NewarkNative]

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I read the actual extemporaneously delivered by Mayor Cory Booker at the Rabbinical College of America National Founder's Dinner on October 24, 2007. I was particularly interested in his statement: "Why do I love Rabbi Herson? It's because he's unapologetic about who he is and what his mission is. He knows that this world is desperately in need of a Divine message, and from a Sheliach. I feel like I'm the first Sheliach into City Hall. I'm the representative of Lubavitch in City Hall right now."

I no longer think of Booker in terms of his being a black man, but rather take his quote from the horses mouth. He is a Sheliach representative of Lubavitch in City Hall right now!;) Isn't it funny how the reporter omitted this quote in the article on Sunday. It would give the masses a real perspective of Booker's frankness to those he wishes acceptness from. In this case it's the Jews. He does not apologize to those he harms - only is moving forward on his mission!

[Miss Tam-Tam]

"He [Rabbi Herson] knows that this world is desperately in need of a Divine message, and from a Sheliach. I feel like I'm the first Sheliach into City Hall. I'm the representative of Lubavitch in City Hall right now."

What is a "Sheliach?" A messenger? An agent with a message? Thanks. And thanks to you, NewarkNative, for your sharp detection work. I wonder that Booker doesn't convert to Judaism. I would respect him for openly going where his spirit leads him rather than pretending to be something that he isn't.

[VicVD]

Edwards is a better choice; that's the one who is saying what's right for my "marbles."

I guess we can agree to disagree on who the better choice is. But I haven't heard Edwards saying anything about the problems you cite either. In fact it's probably the safest bet in the world that NO major candidate is going to adddress the drug war issue, especially not a democrat. They don't want to appear to be soft on crime, or anything else for that matter.

[VicVD]

I wonder that Booker doesn't convert to Judaism. I would respect him for openly going where his spirit leads him rather than pretending to be something that he isn't.

If he converted he wouldn't be as viable a candidate for Gov. or even Pres, so he's playing it safe. Maybe he'll convert if and when he gets elected to a higher office. Again, I say if the guy likes jews and/ or wants to be jewish, then god bless him.

What we need in city hall is not a "Sheliach" (whatever that is), but someone who can run the city in a competent fashion. So I'm pretty sure Sheliach can't mean "good manager" or "one who spends his time doing the job he's being paid to do". :D

[ACLU-NJ]

What is a "Sheliach?" A messenger? An agent with a message? Thanks. And thanks to you, NewarkNative, for your sharp detection work. I wonder that Booker doesn't convert to Judaism. I would respect him for openly going where his spirit leads him rather than pretending to be something that he isn't.

I'm a Jew with no Jewish education, so I called a friend to ask; sheliach means emissary or representative.

[coloredboy]

No, I don't believe in supernatural gods (http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/). I fearlessly strive for truth no matter where it leads me. You're deep, Colored Boy, got any truth for me?

I know my viewpoint is out of the mainstream. I expect folks to largely disagree, but maybe they can challenge themselves about certain things they always assumed as the absolute truth. Knowledge is out there. What I am, though, is an ordinary ANGRY BLACK MAN who refuses to turn that inward on my own people in light of historical knowledge. It's about right and wrong. I would like to see leadership stop playing on people's fragilities in lieu of leveling with them. Maybe then government PR firms can go out of business.

Analysis has failed you yet again. Don't quit your day job. :D I won't be going back and forth with you on this matter.


Analysis will always fail you - it's a neverending abyss of nothingness.

The reason that politicians fear engaging truthfully, in other words, speaking and exploring by way of truth; is because then they can't lie, because the funny thing about truth is that it requires and finds more of the truth. And this scares the BeJesus out of them. Excuse my awkward attempt at analysis, again ;) there is faith in your truth :rolleyes:

[coloredboy]

If he converted he wouldn't be as viable a candidate for Gov. or even Pres, so he's playing it safe. Maybe he'll convert if and when he gets elected to a higher office. Again, I say if the guy likes jews and/ or wants to be jewish, then god bless him.

What we need in city hall is not a "Sheliach" (whatever that is), but someone who can run the city in a competent fashion. So I'm pretty sure Sheliach can't mean "good manager" or "one who spends his time doing the job he's being paid to do". :D

i heard he was changing his name to Bookeroni - and was converting to Catholicism. He 's already got an initiative to put on the next ballot: to add a Consigliere to the City Staff. I think he wanted that guy from HBO: James Gondola, as his first choice.

[coloredboy]

i kid Jimmy, of course. He's a very fini actor.

I wonder if he's going to play the charcater of Big Lou Addinirio - a funeral director - in that hot property (script) titled: ESSEX COUNTY?

Has anybody heard anything out there on the street, about that?