Rabbi Who Oversaw Ivanka Trump's Conversion To Judaism Slams President

Rebecca Shapiro
Updated

The rabbi who sponsored Ivanka Trump’s conversion to Judaism has fiercely criticized Donald Trump’s defense of neo-Nazis and other white supremacists.

The president’s response to the white nationalists’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend has outraged Republicans and Democrats alike. Trump on Tuesday blamed “both sides” for the deadly violence that unfolded in the city. And he doubled down on his defense of white supremacists who marched through the University of Virginia’s campus and chanted Nazi slogans including “Jews will not replace us.”

In a joint letter sent to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s former congregation in New York City Wednesday evening, Rabbi Emeritus Haskel Lookstein and two other rabbis criticized Trump’s reaction to the Charlottesville events, which resulted in an anti-racist protester being killed by a car. James Alex Fields Jr., 20, from Ohio, has been charged with offenses including second-degree murder.

“On the day of the funeral of Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman who was murdered by a vicious, white supremacist, neo-Nazi, we are all shaken by this human tragedy and all the horrible scenes from last Saturday’s riot in Charlottesville and the frightening message and fallout that have consumed us since then,” states the letter, signed by Lookstein and fellow Rabbis Chaim Steinmetz and Elie Weinstock.

The letter continues, “While we always avoid politics, we are deeply troubled by the moral equivalency and equivocation President Trump has offered in his response to this act of violence.”

Trump insisted that the counterprotesters demonstrating against the white supremacists’ anti-Semitic and racist behavior were also to blame for events that occurred. (Though on Thursday he tried to walk back his earlier comments, claiming he never “said there is a moral equivalency between” the white supremacists and the anti-fascists protesters.)

The president also falsely argued that the counter-protesters did not have a permit, while the white supremacists and neo-Nazis were legally permitted to demonstrate.

Several hundred white supremacists chant "Jews will not replace us," as they march through the University of Virginia campus. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Several hundred white supremacists chant "Jews will not replace us," as they march through the University of Virginia campus. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

While the letter was sent to families within the community, the Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side also chose to post the statement on its Facebook page.

Lookstein had sponsored Ivanka Trump’s orthodox conversion to Judaism before her 2009 wedding to Kushner. Since the blatant displays of anti-Semitism in Charlottesville, critics have demanded to know why Trump did not immediately, unequivocally and repeatedly denounce the neo-Nazis that demonstrated in the city, considering his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are Jewish.

Critics also want to know why Ivanka Trump has not spoken out more against the anti-Semitic behavior displayed over the weekend. Following Heyer’s death on Saturday, the first daughter condemned white supremacists more harshly than her father, but she has been silent on the issue since tweeting a message on Sunday. The New York Times reported Tuesday that she and Kushner were on vacation in Vermont.

In Vice News’ documentary on the Charlottesville rally, white nationalist shock jock Christopher Cantwell chastised Trump for “giving his daughter to a Jew.”

“I don’t think you can feel about race the way I do and watch that Kushner bastard walk around with that beautiful girl,” the self-proclaimed fascist said.

America does not do a good job of tracking incidents of hate and bias. We need your help to create a database of such incidents across the country, so we all know what’s going on. Tell us your story.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Also on HuffPost

Neo-Nazis and white supremacists encircle and chant at counter-protesters at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11, 2017, after marching with torches through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists encircle and chant at counter-protesters at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11, 2017, after marching with torches through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists take part in the "Unite the Right" rally.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists take part in the "Unite the Right" rally.
The group marched through the University of Virginia campus with torches.
The group marched through the University of Virginia campus with torches.
A man wears Nazi regalia before the "Unite the Right" rally.
A man wears Nazi regalia before the "Unite the Right" rally.
Counter-protesters arrive at the "Unite the Right" rally.
Counter-protesters arrive at the "Unite the Right" rally.
White supremacists carry Nazi flags on Aug. 12, 2017.
White supremacists carry Nazi flags on Aug. 12, 2017.
A white supremacist carries the Confederate flag as he walks past counter-demonstrators.
A white supremacist carries the Confederate flag as he walks past counter-demonstrators.
White nationalists march through the street.
White nationalists march through the street.
A sign on a business in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.
A sign on a business in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.
Police arrive at the scene of protests after a state of emergency is announced in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Police arrive at the scene of protests after a state of emergency is announced in Charlottesville, Virginia.
A man is down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.
A man is down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.
White nationalists and counter-protesters clash.
White nationalists and counter-protesters clash.
A protester receives first-aid during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A protester receives first-aid during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A man makes a slashing motion across his throat toward counter-protesters as he marches with other white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A man makes a slashing motion across his throat toward counter-protesters as he marches with other white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A white supremacist stands behind militia members after he scuffled with a counter-demonstrator.
A white supremacist stands behind militia members after he scuffled with a counter-demonstrator.
Virginia State Police use pepper spray as they move in during a clash between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters.
Virginia State Police use pepper spray as they move in during a clash between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters.
Hundreds of white nationalists and neo-Nazis march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally.
Hundreds of white nationalists and neo-Nazis march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A smoke bomb is thrown at a group of counter-protesters.
A smoke bomb is thrown at a group of counter-protesters.
Virginia State Troopers stand under a statue of Robert E. Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the statue's removal.
Virginia State Troopers stand under a statue of Robert E. Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the statue's removal.
Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Lee Park to hurl insults as white nationalists and neo-Nazis are forced out after the "Unite the Right" rally was declared an unlawful gathering.
Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Lee Park to hurl insults as white nationalists and neo-Nazis are forced out after the "Unite the Right" rally was declared an unlawful gathering.
A group of counter-protesters rally against white nationalists.
A group of counter-protesters rally against white nationalists.
A man is seen with an injury during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A man is seen with an injury during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
Protesters and counter-protesters after being pepper-sprayed and/or maced.
Protesters and counter-protesters after being pepper-sprayed and/or maced.
David Duke (C), participates in the white nationalist rally.
David Duke (C), participates in the white nationalist rally.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.