Clinton To Headline Gala Honoring Prominent Anti-Trump Rabbi

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By Josh Nathan-Kazis November 8, 2017

Hillary Rodham Clinton is scheduled to headline a gala dinner honoring Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, a prominent critic of the Trump administration and the spiritual leader of the Manhattan LGBT synagogue Congregation Beit Simchat Torah.

The gala marks Kleinbaum’s 25th anniversary leading Beit Simchat Torah, perhaps the most prominent LGBT synagogue in the world.

Kleinbaum’s partner, American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten, is a longtime friend of Clinton’s.

Kleinbaum has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration, and was arrested for protesting the Trump administration’s travel ban in February.

“Let’s keep what we did in perspective, those of us arrested were white with excellent pro bono lawyers standing ready,” Kleinbaum wrote on Facebook at the time. “Honestly, I can’t take credit for profound courage. I’m not facing daily bombings or fleeing in terror. I don’t face police brutality because I am black or brown. That’s real courage. But I will use whatever voice I DO have to speak in the name of my God and my tradition against the injustices being done.”

Clinton has spoken widely since her defeat in the 2016 presidential election. She appeared last week at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan to discuss her book “What Happened.”

Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at [email protected] or on Twitter, @joshnathankazis.

Josh Nathan-Kazis is a staff writer for the Forward. He covers charities and politics, and writes investigations and longform.

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