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Israeli Right Wingers Say They Will Protest Bar Mitzvah of Rahm Emanuel's Son

By Howard M. Friedman

The Jerusalem Post reports that White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel arrived in Israel on Friday. He has made the trip for a long-planned Bar Mitzvah of his son Zach and his nephew Noah. Plans had been to hold the ceremonies at Jerusalem's Western Wall over Memorial Day week end. CBS News reported last week, however, that two Israeli right wing politicians, Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who disagree strongly with President Obama's Israel policy and hold Emanuel responsible for it, plan to disrupt the event. They wrote to Emanuel: "We promise to accompany your son's bar mitzvah events in Israel, we will make sure to receive you as you deserve to be received ... with catcalls and disgust." They say they would be happy if Zach came alone to the Western Wall without his father, but that they have no choice but to demonstrate if his father is there also. In light of these developments, it is unclear now where the Bar Mitzvah ceremonies will be held.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 24, 2010 (boomark / email).