Drew University scholar defends article exposing Lakewood rabbi’s ‘racialist’ text

by Marilyn Silverstein
NJJN Staff Writer

As a scandal over a Lakewood rabbi’s book describing gentiles as an “evil” species continues to simmer inside Jewish circles, the Drew University scholar who broke the explosive story says that he has no regrets about bringing the matter to light.

“Regrets? No!” Allen Nadler exclaimed into the telephone from Boston, where he was attending a conference. “Not only don’t I regret writing the piece, I wish it had been harder-hitting and more critical about what’s going on in the Orthodox community.”

Nadler, director of the Jewish Studies Program at Drew in Madison, published his story in the Dec. 19 issue of the New York-based Forward, shining a spotlight on a recently published Hebrew-language book that claims that Jews constitute a genetically superior species and that gentiles are “completely evil.”

The book, Romemut Yisrael Ufarashat Hagalut — which can be translated as “Jewish Superiority and the Question of Exile” — was self-published by Rabbi Sadya Grama of Lakewood, an alumnus of Beth Medrash Govoha, a prominent Orthodox yeshiva in Lakewood.

“The difference between the people of Israel and the nations of the world is an essential one,” the book claims. “The Jew by his source and in his very essence is entirely good. The goy, by his source and in his very essence, is completely evil. This is not simply a matter of religious distinction, but rather of two completely different species.”

According to Nadler, Grama claims in his book that Jewish success in the world is completely contingent upon the failure of other peoples. He writes that Jews experience good fortune only when gentiles experience catastrophe. He asserts that the difference between Jews and gentiles is not historical or cultural, but rather genetic and unalterable. And he blames Jews for bringing about the Holocaust through their own arrogance and assimilation.

“Grama’s full-blown racialist theories appear to break new ground,” Nadler wrote in the Forward, “building on a handful of hints of national and racial chauvinism occasionally found in the writings of a few earlier rabbinic figures, but combining them into a racialist doctrine with no precedent in rabbinic literature.”

Although several prominent Jewish figures attempted to get the Forward to squelch Nadler’s story — apparently in fear that it would be picked up and used by the anti-Jewish or anti-Zionist press — Nadler is adamant in his belief that exposing Grama and his ideas was the right thing to do.

“The question is, what’s the purpose of a Jewish newspaper? Is it only to report the good stuff going on in the Jewish community, or also the ugly stuff?” he asked. “I don’t think it’s healthy for Jews to hide or cover up something that I consider to be a virus.

“If anything, this piece shows that there’s a healthy opposition to this in the Jewish community,” he said. “I think it makes the Jews look good, actually. We’re willing to talk about it openly.”

And while the chief executive officer of the yeshiva, in an interview with NJJN, described Grama’s book as “repugnant and abhorrent,” Nadler believes that the book’s publication hints at a worrisome strain within the haredi, or fervently Orthodox, community.

“The yeshiva world has become so extreme,” Nadler said. “This is the Jewish equivalent of the Taliban. How sad it is that the yeshiva world has drifted over to a kind of fundamentalism. It’s just very sad. If we don’t fight what I would classify as a kind of spiritual pathology, we’ll get sicker and sicker.”

Rabbi’s approval
Nadler underscored the fact that Grama’s book carries the earnest endorsements of the most revered religious leaders at the Lakewood yeshiva, including the rosh yeshiva, or head of school, Rabbi Aryeh Malkiel Kotler.

In his endorsement, Kotler remarks that Grama’s book covers “the subjects of the Exile, the Election of Israel and her exaltation above and superiority to all other nations, all in accordance with the viewpoint of the Torah, based on the solid instruction he has received from his teachers.”

But when writers at the Forward contacted Kotler, the Orthodox rabbi quickly issued a statement repudiating Grama’s positions and claiming that he had only glanced at the book before endorsing it.

“We have seen the objectionable statements that allegedly appear in a sefer [book] written by Rabbi Grama, a former student at our yeshivah,” Kotler wrote in his statement. “I did glance briefly at the book but did not read it carefully — which is the general practice in providing approbations to the many books by alumni that come across a desk like mine.

“In looking at the specific points allegedly contained in the sefer, I can certainly tell you that they are not reflective of normative Jewish thought and are certainly not the philosophy of our yeshivah,” he wrote. “Our philosophy asserts that every human being is created in the image of the Lord and [asserts] the primacy of integrity and honesty in all dealings without exception. I strongly repudiate any assertions in the name of Judaism that do not represent and reflect this philosophy.”

Nadler, however, scoffs at Kotler’s about-face. “I don’t give much credence to his denial that he endorses these views,” Nadler said, noting that the first line in the book’s table of contents announces that the difference between Jews and gentiles is one of essence, not of faith. “So, when Rabbi Kotler says he didn’t read the book, that may be true,” he said, “but he had to have looked at it. It took me about 30 seconds to conclude that this was a racist book.”

In fact, Nadler said, he wishes the Forward had put a different headline on his article, rather than, “Charedi Rabbis Rush to Disavow Anti-Gentile Book.”

“To me, that’s not the story,” he said. “The story is that haredi rabbis endorsed the book.”

‘Repugnant and abhorrent’
Kotler did not make himself available to NJJN, but his brother, Rabbi Aaron Kotler, chief executive officer of the yeshiva, castigated the ideas in Grama’s books as “repugnant and abhorrent.”

“Nothing could be further from our ideology and philosophy,” Aaron Kotler said in a telephone interview. “We couldn’t disagree with it more.”

When asked about his brother’s reference in his endorsement to Israel’s “exaltation above and superiority to all other nations,” Kotler responded, “We believe the Jewish people have a special mission, a divine mission, a special role to play in the world. That does not lead to claims of superiority and others being inferior in any way. There is a historic mission the Jewish people have carried throughout history. Any notion of others being inferior, of genetic superiority — all that is something we couldn’t disagree with more.”

Kotler explained that at any given time, his brother has perhaps 30 books sitting on his desk awaiting his endorsement. “My brother is disturbed that he was given something to endorse without it being disclosed that it had such ideas in it,” he said.

“We think that the world recognizes that these ideas run counter to everything we stand for,” Kotler added. “You could say we were shocked by what was in this book, and we will do everything to ensure that all know that such ideas have no credence or legitimacy. The most important thing is to make sure everyone knows that such ideas have no place in Jewish thought.”

At least one ultra-Orthodox spokesman has challenged Nadler’s reading of the Grama book. In a memo to Kotler, Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president for government and public affairs at Agudath Israel of America, writes that “Nadler’s article is false and misleading in several critical respects.”

Although he does not address the charge that Grama describes gentiles as “completely evil,” Zwiebel denies Nadler’s contention that Grama considers Jews “genetically” different from and superior to gentiles.

“The implication is that Grama holds that Jews are some sort of master race with their own identifiable DNA,” writes Zweibel. However, “the inherent distinctions he draws between Jew and non-Jew are spiritual in nature, not genetic or otherwise physiological. What he seems to be saying is that Jews have a ‘ruchniyus’ [spiritual] dimension that is part of their essential makeup and that renders them inherently distinct and superior.”

But even as he shared Zweibel’s memo with NJJN, Kotler insisted, “Zwiebel’s review has no impact on our utter and complete disavowal of and disassociation with the ideas and theories ascribed and alleged to Grama.”

The senators’ gift
The controversy swirling around Beth Medrash Govoha, Grama, and his book has been intensified by the fact that the yeshiva is on the eve of receiving $500,000 in federal funds to establish a Holocaust memorial library. The proposed grant was inserted into the 2004 Omnibus Appropriation Conference Agreement by New Jersey’s two United States senators, Democrats Jon Corzine and Frank Lautenberg — reportedly at the urging of Aaron Kotler.

In a telephone conversation, David Wald, Corzine’s press secretary, said that the senator would have no comment on the rabbi’s book, but when pressed, he added, “Obviously, the senator doesn’t tolerate any prejudice and he’s deeply opposed to discrimination of any kind — racial, ethnic, or religious.”

Wald said that Corzine sought the appropriation so that the yeshiva could build a Holocaust library and collect materials related to the Holocaust for the purposes of scholarship and education. He noted that Congress would begin its next session on Jan. 20. “The forecast,” he said, “is that a vote on the Omnibus Appropriation Bill will take place soon thereafter.”

Alex Formuzis, Lautenberg’s press secretary, conveyed to NJJN the same statement the senator made to the Forward: “If these translations accurately portray the sentiments of Rabbi Grama’s book,” Lautenberg wrote, “I find it deeply troubling that any representative of the school would endorse these views.”

For his part, Aaron Kotler expressed dismay that his quest for a Holocaust memorial library at his yeshiva would be associated in any way with the scandal over Grama’s book. “The events of recent Jewish history, including the Holocaust, are the ultimate proof of the fact that we can give zero legitimacy to any views such as those ascribed to Grama,” he said. “If there’s any one lesson the world has taken from the Holocaust, it’s the need for tolerance, understanding, freedom of religion, and respect.”

Asked to comment on the scandal, Shai Goldstein, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, stressed the importance of underscoring the fact that the racist ruminations of Grama’s book have nothing to do with traditional Jewish thought.

“The book should never have been written or published,” the NJ ADL director said in a telephone interview. “It is offensive to traditional Judaism. We condemn the book in the same way we would condemn any book that espouses that kind of philosophy.

“It’s personally upsetting,” he added. “I’ve devoted my life to combating these kinds of thoughts and words, no matter who they emanate from.”

In the wake of the controversy, Grama reportedly contacted the bookstore where his book was on display in Brooklyn’s heavily Orthodox Boro Park and requested that it be withdrawn. Attempts to reach Grama at his Lakewood home were unsuccessful, but, with the sounds of children at play in the background, his wife told NJJN, “He’s not going to be interested in speaking to you.”

The complete text of Nadler’s article is available at www.forward.com.

Marilyn Silverstein can be reached at msilverstein@njjewishnews.com.