One reason the South African Jewish religious authority, the board of deputies, has tried to back away from the Goldstone bar mitzvah disinvitation is surely the condemnation below from NY congressman Gary Ackerman (after the jump). Note that Ackerman identifies himself as the Chairman of the House subcommittee on the Middle East but twice invokes the "Jewish people" in his letter and a Jew’s obligation to his/her community. Isn’t that something of a contradiction? Gosh. But I guess that’s why he’s relating on such familiar terms to Jewish authorities half the world away.

Note too his righteous denunciation of the excommunication. Apologies to Ackerman, I removed most of his endless criticisms of Goldstone in the letter. You can find them somewhere else…

April 15, 2010

Mr. Avrom Krengel

Chairman South Africa Zionist Federation

Johannesburg, South Africa

Dear Mr. Krengel: As an unapologetic critic of the Goldstone report, and of Judge Richard Goldstone’s… , I am appalled and utterly disgusted by reports that Judge Goldstone will not be able to attend the bar mitzvah of his grandson due to protest threats by Jewish groups in South Africa.

There is absolutely no justification or excuse for carrying legitimate opposition and criticism of Judge Goldstone’s (wretched) professional work into the halls of his family’s synagogue, much less the celebration of a 13 year-old Jewish boy’s ritual acceptance of responsible membership in the Jewish community.

In response to this outrage, according to the Jewish Telegraph Agency, you said “We understand that there’s a bar mitzvah boy involved – we’re very sensitive to the issues and at this stage there’s nothing further to say.”

Actually, there’s rather a great deal more to say.

I take a back seat to no one in strenuous opposition to Judge Goldstone’s critique… But there is no excuse for what has been reported if it is true. Compelling Judge Goldstone to absent himself from his grandson’s bar mitzvah offends me as a believer in civil discourse and the power of debate and argument; it offends me as a believer in the fundamental human right to freedom of worship and belief; it offends me as a defender of the Jewish state and the Jewish people; it offends me as the president of the International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians; and it offends me personally as a Jew and a Jewish grandfather.

People are entitled to their views about Judge Goldstone, and mine is that he… But there is no entitlement to vent justifiable anger about his work at either his community or his family, much less an innocent child.

Doing so is an abysmal moral failure, a disgrace deserving the fullest condemnation by every friend of human freedom and all those who love the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

Sincerely,

GARY L. ACKERMAN

Chairman, House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia