This article is part of our morning briefing. Click here to get it delivered to your inbox each weekday. A jury in Pittsburgh decided Thursday that Robert Bowers, the man found guilty of murdering 11 worshippers in the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history, is eligible for the death penalty. They deliberated for just two hours.
The final phase of the trial, to determine the sentence, is expected to begin Monday. The victims’ families want the killer to get the ultimate punishment. What does Jewish law say? Our editorial fellow Matthew Litman — whose last day at the Forward is today — convened four rabbis, a cantor and a Jewish educator for a virtual conversation about the Talmudic view of capital punishment, the role of repentance and why disagreeing about the death penalty is very, very Jewish. Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who was taken hostage at his shul in Colleyville, Texas last year, says Bowers may well be the rare case our ancient sages would allow for the ultimate punishment. “I offer this without hatred or a desire for revenge,” he said, “just great sadness and mourning.” Cantor Michael Zoosman used to support the death penalty – until he became a prison chaplain and saw what he described as the psychological “torture” of those waiting for lethal injection. “It’s worth remembering,” he said, “that the great writer Elie Wiesel opposed capital punishment despite the horrors he had seen firsthand in the Holocaust.” The Mishnah says the death penalty should only be carried out “once in 70 years,” notes Professor Beth Berkowitz, who wrote a book about capital punishment in early rabbinic and Christian cultures. Berkowitz said she draws inspiration from Coretta Scott King, who said in a 1981 speech: “Morality is never upheld by a legalized murder.” |
Opinion | Only God can truly punish the shooter: Beth Kissileff, whose husband survived the shooting, said she agrees with the jury’s decision, but is “not clamoring for Bowers’ blood.” Revenge is not healthy, she writes, adding: “The best way to punish the shooter is to take pride in being Jewish.” Read the essay ➤ Opinion | Five years after the most deadly attack on U.S. Jews, are we any safer? Threats have increased, but so has the response from Washington and the organized Jewish world, writes our senior columnist, Rob Eshman, especially since the election of President Joe Biden. “There aren’t many instances in history when a government mobilized so many resources, at such a high level, to protect its Jewish citizens,” Rob notes. “We’ve organized, lobbied, nurtured allies, formed coalitions and donated to Jewish defense and civil rights groups. We’ve spoken out, often using the very social media channels that have so often been used against us.” Read the essay ➤ Related… |
Coco, a 13-year-old terrier, was called to the bimah on his big day. (Thea Breiter)
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First person | Why I decided to give my dog a ‘bark mitzvah’: “The chairs were set up, the wine was chilling for the kiddush, and the homemade baked goods for the oneg ready to be served,” writes Linda Matchan, a Boston-based journalist. “Then came the guests. Bessie. Joy. Bella. Lyla. Carl. Miggy. Lui. Daisy. A dozen dogs, plus their humans.” Coco the mitzvah dog wore a yarmulke and tallit, and not one but two rabbis officiated. It’s a tradition, strangely, that has been adopted by many non-Jewish dog owners. Read her essay ➤ Why a gripping new movie about the aftermath of a terror attack is personal for its director: French filmmaker Alice Winocaur’s new film, Revoir Paris, explores the aftermath of a terrorist shooting through the character of Mia, who survives it. The film was inspired by Winocaur’s brother’s own experience as a survivor of the 2015 Bataclan concert massacre. It also draws from her family history, and that of her star’s, in Auschwitz. “Generational trauma is kind of my heritage,” Winocaur said, “and my DNA.” Read the story ➤ Plus… |
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY |
?? Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced his itinerary for his trip to the United States next week: He’ll meet with President Biden at the White House on Tuesday, address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, and travel to New York on Thursday to meet with Jewish leaders – and spend Shabbat. (Times of Israel) ? U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a New York Democrat, said on Thursday that he’s “probably going to be boycotting” Herzog’s address, joining his colleague from Minnesota, Rep. Ilhan Omar. (JTA) ? President Joe Biden said Thursday he’s “serious about a prisoner exchange” for Evan Gershkovich, the Jewish Wall Street Journal reporter who has been detained in Russia for more than 100 days, and that the process was “under way.” (Guardian) ? A Mississippi man was arrested on felony cyberstalking charges, accused of antisemitic harassment of Pennsylvania synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses. The authorities say he made repeated phone calls to at least three delis and worship sites, referencing Hitler and threatening to put their owners “into work camps.” (Philadelphia Inquirer) ? A delegation from five historically Black U.S. colleges and universities visited Israel this week to explores partnerships with Israeli universities. (Times of Israel) Quotable ➤ “If you saw Indiana Jones, there’s no point. You just pull the trigger.” — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response on a podcast when asked who would win a cage fight between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Shiva calls ➤ Evelyn Witkin, whose DNA research advanced the treatment of cancer and genetic defects, died at 102. Witkin was on our Forward 50 list in 2015 …. Mary Ann Hoberman, who wrote poetry for children and won the National Book Award, died at 92.
Long weekend reads ➤ The favorite summer blockbuster of some Republicans flirts with antisemitic QAnon blood libel … At this brewery, blessings are as important as barley and hops … In Australia’s remote Tasmania, Jews welcome a rare visit from a former Israeli chief rabbi. |
In this weekend’s edition of our print magazine: The Jewish Catalog, the DIY almanac first published 50 years ago amid the countercultural spirit of the early 1970s, taught a generation of readers that they could take religious practice out of the synagogue and into their own hands. It sold half a million copies. Our books reporter, Irene Katz Connelly, takes a trip down memory lane to revisit those who created it and those who it inspired. Plus: How a novelist tracked down the greatest bar mitzvah photo of all time. Download your copy now ➤ |
On this day in history (1785): Mordecai Manuel Noah – a sheriff, playwright, diplomat, journalist, co-founder of New York University, notorious opponent to emancipation, and the most famous American Jew of his day – was born. Noah made headlines when President James Madison’s administration removed him from a diplomatic post in Tunis, writing that his Judaism was “an obstacle” to his duties. His dismissal marked an early and significant flare-up over the free exercise of religion in the U.S. Noah later attempted to found a proto-Zionist haven for Jews on an island in the Niagara River. |
There’s a social media platform where more than 85,000 Jews take part in meaningful, non-political conversations every day. No, it’s not Twitter or its new competitor, Threads. It’s Reddit. Whether you’ve used the site for years or are hearing about it for the first time here, you’ll enjoy this conversation Laura and I had Thursday with two of the volunteer moderators who make Reddit’s Jewish section a pleasant place to spend time online. Watch our conversation above, or subscribe to That Jewish News Show wherever you get podcasts. — Thanks to Nora Berman, PJ Grisar, Matthew Litman and Talya Zax for contributing to today’s newsletter. You can reach the “Forwarding” team at editorial@forward.com. |
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