Media coverage of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue has included feature articles and highlights in the many local, national and international news outlets. Below is some select coverage that highlights the synagogue.
Press inquiries may be directed to Communications Director Ryan Greiss at rgreiss@swfs.org or (212) 877-4050, ext. 267.
18Forty Podcast: Denominations — Ammiel Hirsch: ‘What did we do wrong?’ Peoplehood and the Reform movement
May 21, 2024
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, Dovid Boshevkin talks to Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch about how Jewish Peoplehood is understood among the non-Orthodox majority of American Jews. Rabbi Hirsch is known in the Reform movement and beyond for his decades-long staunch commitment to Jewish peoplehood. This interview was recorded before Oct. 7, and especially considering Rabbi Hirsch’s leadership on issues related to Zionism, a follow-up conversation with him will follow soon.
The Wall Street Journal: The Democratic Party Forces Jews to Choose (Opinion Letters)
May 20, 2024
Wall Street Journal readers respond to Rabbi Ammi Hirsch’s opinion piece “Democrats Take Jewish Voters for Granted.”
Algemeiner: Republican Jewish Coalition Unveils $50,000 Ad Buy to Woo Jewish Voters Ahead of 2024 Presidential Election
May 20, 2024
The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) will purchase $50,000 worth of digital ads in key battleground states with the purpose of targeting Jewish voters ahead of the 2024 US presidential election, according to a statement released by the group on Monday. Ammiel Hirsch, a rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, penned a Wall Street Journal op-ed last week warning Democrats not to take Jewish voters for granted. “American Jews increasingly feel politically homeless. Liberal Jewish voters consider President Biden a longtime friend. At the same time, they are troubled by the growing influence of anti-Israel forces in the Democratic Party,” Hirsch wrote.
The Wall Street Journal: Democrats Take Jewish Voters for Granted
May 16, 2024
“American Jews feel increasingly homeless politically. Most liberal American Jews consider President Biden a longtime friend. At the same time, they are troubled by the growing influence of anti-Israel forces in the Democratic Party,” writes our Rabbi Ammi Hirsch in The Wall Street Journal. He explains the mainstream liberal Jewish perspective and warns politicians not to take American Jews for granted…
The Jerusalem Post: Celebrating Israel’s Independence amidst struggle with diverse perspectives on national identity
May 12, 2024
This year, as Israel’s Independence Day approaches, many of us who usually look forward to the annual festivities are feeling somewhat anxious, not knowing if and how to celebrate Israel’s 76th anniversary. “I think it is more important than ever to celebrate Independence Day, said Ammiel Hirsch. “This year will be especially difficult for us. Still, our joy and celebration of Jewish freedom and self-determination is especially poignant this year, with the rise of antisemitism in America and the attacks on Israel. Zionism thrust the Jewish people, as a people, back into history as actors rather than passive victims.”
The New York Sun: Plea for Return of Hostages Held by Hamas Will Add Somber Undertone to This Year’s Parade for Israel at New York
May 3, 2024
Following the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, the annual parade for Israel on Fifth Avenue will be less of a celebration and more of a show of solidarity, organizers say. Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, a prominent congregation on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, plans to provide hostage posters for marchers to carry.
JNS: The Jewish vote is up for grabs, and it may decide the election
May 3, 2024
A few weeks ago, a sermon by Reform Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch shocked millions from that city to Tel Aviv. Standing at his pulpit, Hirsch delivered a stern warning to the Democrats. Hirsch warned Democratic elected officials: “Do not take American Jews for granted.” “Is the Jewish vote really in danger for Democrats? And does it matter?” Caroline Glick asks, writing in JNS. “The data show that Jews are a big enough demographic to move four swing states away from Biden.”
Haaretz: ‘Unbelievably Challenging’: Gaza War Sparks Polarization Among US Reform Jews
Apr 26, 2024
In the immediate aftermath of October 7, Jewish Americans overwhelmingly rallied behind Israel. But as the war in Gaza progressed, they have found themselves increasingly conflicted and divided. The Reform movement has experienced these tensions most viscerally – and for obvious reasons. Rabbi Ammi Hirsch has, in recent years, emerged as a prominent voice of dissent within Reform Judaism, accusing it of burning bridges rather than strengthening ties with Israel. Although many of his congregants may not share his views, he says, that hasn’t stopped him from speaking his truth.
FOX 5 NY: NYC Rabbi and Imam tackle hate speech, stress compassion and hope in troubled times
Apr 22, 2024
This Passover, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch’s mind and heart are occupied by the war in the Middle East and the hostages who are still being held captive by Hamas. “There’s a heavy cloud over the entire Jewish world as we sit down to celebrate this festival of freedom. We’re very concerned about Israel’s security,” he told FOX 5 NY.
South Florida Sun Sentinel: This Passover, let’s fix our interfaith relationships
Apr 22, 2024
Rabbi Samantha Kahn — a member of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue’s inaugural cohort of Amplify Israel rabbinic fellows —writes about the Jewish perspective in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Rabbi Kahn has felt abandoned by many of her non-Jewish friends and colleagues and wants to use Passover as an opportunity to clear the air and restart interfaith dialogue.
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