Rabbi Ammi Hirsch

Raised Christian in America after her family fled the Lebanese Civil War, Hagar Chemali learned as a teenager that her mother was secretly #Jewish. Today, she identifies as Christian, Jewish & a self-described Lebanese #Zionist. I spoke w/ her about her remarkable journey and work to advance #peace:

Caught between #Hezbollah & #Iran, sometimes we forget there are real people in #Lebanon. What do they want? Hagar Chemali is *the* one to provide key context. She’s hopeful, but tells me if Lebanon & #Israel don’t have a #peace deal in 2 years, it may not happen👇📺 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

youtu.beLunch in Beirut: Hagar ChemaliYouTube video by In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch

I'm back with a new season of my “In These Times” podcast. My first guest Hagar Chemali spent years in #NationalSecurity roles in the Bush & Obama admins & at the UN. Her personal story & tireless #PeaceBuilding efforts on the #Lebanon #Israel front are just as fascinating: youtu.be/oV_zNXIpxP4?...

After interviewing Hagar, my first reaction was to say to myself — again — for the umpteenth time: wars are just so stupid. And this war between #Israel and #Lebanon is especially stupid...

I’ll debate Israel’s laws, its leaders, its policies. But I won’t debate whether it has the right to exist. That’s a stupid debate.

What most people don’t know about the flydubai hijacking attempt: according to several people on board, the flight crew insisted that the Israelis who had stopped the would-be hijacker untie him…

nytimes.comOpinion | Zohran Mamdani’s Moral ObscenityA mayor for one million Jewish New Yorkers fails his duty.

It is hard to describe how offensive this was. Bret Stephens’ @nytimes.com @nytopinion.nytimes.com column on @mayor.nyc.gov’s statement on the 3rd anniversary of #October7 is required reading: www.nytimes.com/2026/10/09/o...

My statement on the 3rd anniversary of #October7👇

nytimes.comMamdani Draws Anger With Oct. 7 Statement Denouncing Israel’s Gaza AttacksAfter calling the anniversary of the attacks on Israel “profoundly painful,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani denounced Israel’s military action in Gaza, prompting criticism from some Jewish leaders.

As I told @nytimes.com, @mayor.nyc.gov @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's statement on the 3rd anniversary of #October7 is morally perverse — like sticking a knife into the pain of the #Jewish community. It is hard to describe how offensive this is: www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/n...

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@mayor.nyc.gov

The #Jewish community across the board welcomes any efforts to quell #antisemitism that includes rigorous #HateCrime prevention coupled with security and education investment…

@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social has made it clear that he is opposed to the existence of the #Jewish state, and he has repeatedly failed to acknowledge the role that anti- #Israel animosity plays in fomenting hatred against Jews.

wsj.comMamdani, an Israel Critic, Unveils Strategy to Combat AntisemitismThe Democratic socialist mayor said the city will spend $7.4 million on education campaigns and security upgrades.

Further thoughts in @wsj.com: www.wsj.com/us-news/mamd...?

The #Jewish community across the board welcomes any efforts to quell #antisemitism that includes rigorous #HateCrime prevention coupled with security and education investment…

There is clear documentation of violent incidents in which anti- #Israel rhetoric precipitated or accompanied attacks against Jews in #NYC and across the country, particularly in the wake the October 7th…

That @mayor.nyc.gov @phylisawisdom.bsky.social strategy to combat #antisemitism ignores this basic fact is disappointing and unserious — and unbecoming of the mayor's office…

The #Jewish community across the board welcomes any efforts to quell #antisemitism that includes rigorous #HateCrime prevention coupled with security and education investment…

At the same time, there is a glaring omission in the near 30-page report on the significant role that manifestations of anti- #Israel hostility and #antizionism have played in the rise of #antisemitism in the West and in #NYC…

Have @mayor.nyc.gov's staff informed him that #Sukkot is a biblical festival of pilgrimage to #Jerusalem? It is a celebration of #Jewish sovereignty in the Land of #Israel - gratitude to God for Jewish independence & self-determination.

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@mayor.nyc.gov

Tonight begins the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. May a sukkat shalom — a shelter of peace — spread over our city. To all celebrating: Gut Yontif and Chag Sukkot Sameach!

timesofisrael.comLeading US Reform rabbi in Yom Kippur sermon: Unhinged, obsessive loathing of Israel is corrupting US valuesAmmiel Hirsch warns that if antisemitism is allowed to spread, 'it is not only Jews who will pay the price, America will too'; says Jewish voters should only back politicians 'who support us'

I connected with @timesofisrael.com's @luketress.bsky.social to discuss my #YomKippur sermon. Here’s the full story: www.timesofisrael.com/leading-us-r...

21 Sept

I have frequently been asked whether I think it is time to leave this town. 'What would it take for you to recommend that people leave?' they inquire. My thoughts:

21 Sept

Deep down, we know that the return of legitimated, tolerated, excused, contextualized, intellectualized and often violent antisemitism — and loathing of Israel — is a flashing warning sign of the decay of something uniquely precious about America, itself.

13 Sept

On 9/11, we saw people at their worst and at their best.

13 Sept

Mario Nardone lived one floor below me. On Sept. 11, 2001, he was on the way down from the 84th floor of the second tower when he stopped to use the restroom…

12 Sept

Religion has the power to destroy and the power to uplift. Twenty-five years after 9/11, the only question is which one we choose.

nytimes.comOpinion | For Gaza to Recover, Hamas Must Be ExpelledIf Western supporters of the Palestinians want to help Gaza, denounce Hamas.

6 Sept

Important and courageous piece. A must read. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/04/o...?

Have any of @mayor.nyc.gov's #Jewish staffers educated him that Tisha B'Av commemorates the destruction of the ancient Jewish state and the loss of Jewish sovereignty?

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@mayor.nyc.gov

Wishing a peaceful Tisha B’Av to Jewish New Yorkers across the five boroughs. From sundown tonight until tomorrow, mourners will pause and reflect on the history and resiliency of the Jewish people. May all observing have a safe and meaningful fast.

Had they informed the Mayor about #Judaism, they would have spared him embarrassment, and the impression of being ignorant, or worse, hypocritical.

@mayor.nyc.gov: If you wish to express identification with the #Jewish community, mean it. Otherwise, spare us your holiday greetings.

Have any of @mayor.nyc.gov's #Jewish staffers educated him that Tisha B'Av commemorates the destruction of the ancient Jewish state and the loss of Jewish sovereignty?

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@mayor.nyc.gov

And have they taught the Mayor that the dream of national restoration began immediately upon the destruction - a dream that came to fruition nearly two millennia later in the mid-20th century when the State of #Israel was established?

24 June

Franklin Foer makes quite the sobering pronouncement about the future of the left: youtu.be/0PPj4t-_Q1o

22 June

The dangerous accusation that #Israel was the reason why the US launched the war against #Iran is still being callously uttered. @theatlantic.com's Franklin Foer calls it “dangerous,” and I wholeheartedly agree. Listen to his take on this: youtu.be/0PPj4t-_Q1o

youtu.beAmerican Jews After the Fall: Franklin FoerYouTube video by In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch

18 June

. @theatlantic.com’s Franklin Foer joins me my latest “In These Times” podcast. Our conversation centered around a question that’s top of mind for American Jews: Is the hostility we’re experiencing after Oct. 7 temporary? Or does it reflect deeper changes? Full episode: youtu.be/0PPj4t-_Q1o

nytimes.comA Jewish Democrat’s Support of Israel May Cost Him His N.Y.C. House Seat

17 June

My guess is that @bradlander.bsky.social knows that the “genocide” smear is a lie, an ancient blood libel dressed up for modern consumption. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/n...

17 June

If I am right, it begs the question, why does he — a self-proclaimed liberal Jewish Zionist — continue to spread this fabricated falsehood that empowers our ideological adversaries and militant enemies who seek the destruction of the Jewish state and the Jewish people?

17 June

As a liberal Jewish Zionist myself, I hope that once the campaign is over — whether Mr. Lander is elected or not — that he uses his platform to speak truth to power.

Rabbi Ammi Hirsch reposted

The Times of Israel

@timesofisrael.com

15 June

Ammiel Hirsch: "The balance of universalism with the particularism of religious thought and Zionism is Judaism's distinctive genius. Stripping away those Jewish parts spells disaster." *The posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-reckoning-...

ejewishphilanthropy.comURJ to host record 570 Israelis across 14 camps this summer as it ‘doubles down’ on IsraelThe goal is 'bringing Israeli and Diaspora peers together in authentic relationships in joyfully Jewish spaces,' URJ's Melissa Frey says

5 June

This is great news for the Reform movement, for #Israel & for our campers. I commend the URJ for doubling down on its relationship with Israel & Israelis. These young Israelis are heroes and role models for the next generation of Reform Jews. ejewishphilanthropy.com/urj-to-host-...

youtu.beRe-CHARGING Reform Judaism: Clarity, Courage and Moral LeadershipYouTube video by Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

27 May

Today at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue — where hundreds of Reform rabbis and #Jewish community leaders are gathered for our “Re-CHARGING” conference — I addressed my deep concerns over the Reform movement and its seminary's commitment to #Zionism. My full remarks here —> youtu.be/ZFT02ZM_58I?...

Rabbi Ammi Hirsch@ammihirsch.bsky.social

We’ve got 350 rabbis & #Jewish thought leaders here at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue for our 3rd “Re-CHARGING Reform Judaism” forum today. Together with clergy from across the country, we will be pushing for a series of Reform movement-wide change through a series of resolutions. More to come.

27 May

21 May

Yardena Schwartz and I discussed one of the most painful lessons of the 1929 Hebron massacre when centuries of coexistence collapsed into unimaginable violence almost overnight. Yet there were also Arab families who risked their own lives to save their Jewish neighbors... youtu.be/qHN4d8Mlusc

19 May

I condemn the despicable attack on the Islamic Center in San Diego. As all such hate crimes, this is an attack not only on the Islamic Center, but on the very fabric of American society.

19 May

I send my condolences to the victims’ families, and my gratitude to the security guard who gave his life protecting the innocent. May all right-thinking Americans work together to increase tolerance, respect and brotherhood in our country.

14 May

@adamlouisklein.bsky.social talks about his story of arriving at the gates of the highly charged conflict of ideas on social media around #antizionism. He was not particularly in tune to #Israel discourse before Oct. 7. Now, he’s relentless in fighting what he calls a “pseudoscience”⬇️

youtu.beAntisemitism, Rebranded: Adam Louis-KleinYouTube video by In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch

13 May

I have been following @adamlouisklein.bsky.social & delighted to give increased exposure to his views on my podcast. Adam is approaching the #antisemitism & #antizionism conversation in a way that is rooted in academic rigor. I wish more people were like him. Full conversation ⬇️ youtu.be/jWkXDtrfKOQ

youtu.beNY-12 Democratic Congressional Primary ForumYouTube video by Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

7 May

At the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, we do not endorse candidates or parties, but we do pledge to be a moral agent to the community at large. Under this premise, we hosted a forum w/ leading democratic hopefuls for our #NY12 #NYC congressional district. Watch the full forum here⬇️ youtu.be/2CYbreAZCuE

youtu.beCEO of Anti-Defamation League speaks on antisemitism in NYCYouTube video by PIX11 News

Many from our Stephen Wise Free Synagogue #NYC community & beyond joined us this week for an engaging and timely town hall with ADL's Jonathan Greenblatt. We appreciate PIX11 for joining us to cover such an important story: youtu.be/95qhZJUUjYY?...

Since Oct. 7, we have talked at length about #antisemitism & #antizionism. It’s critical that we unapologetically & emphatically drive home this message 👇

The #NYC Council recently passed a bill that would require law enforcement to establish buffer zones around houses of worship in an effort to address intimidation. Stephen Wise Free Synagogue commends ADL for their work on this front. The moment demands clarity from @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social

youtu.beCEO of Anti-Defamation League speaks on antisemitism in NYCYouTube video by PIX11 News

Jonathan Greenblatt and I discussed #antisemitism rearing its ugly head from the right, political #antizionism from the left, and how manifestations of extremism are threatening Jewish life today. A sobering take we can’t afford to ignore:

15 Apr

On my latest “In These Times” Stephen Wise Free Synagogue podcast, author Zibby Owens joins me to dig into what it means to be #Jewish at time of rising #antisemitism and renewed questions about identity and belonging. Full episode --> youtu.be/RZjCK326aco?...