The Real Reason Rabbi Lookstein Retreated From the RNC

Not Political: Rabbi Haskel Lookstein has been, unwittingly, at the center of two major political controversies in July, 2016. Image by YouTube
To the Editor:
Kudos to Bethany Mandel for pointing out the travesty that resulted in Rabbi Haskel Lookstein having to forfeit giving the invocation at the RNC (“Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Would Have Schooled Donald Trump at the Republican Convention — If You’d Let Him”, July 17, 2016).
I was privileged to study under Rabbi Haskel Lookstein when I attended Teacher’s Institute back in the 70s. The man I knew then, and the man I would encounter years later, was a person of dignity, determination and fortitude. I also learned that Rabbi Lookstein was a man who cherished the importance of teaching Torah while showing strong resolve about shying away from politics. In fact, I learned this lesson in a rather painful way.
It was in the late 80s and I found myself embroiled in a messy family court and child welfare situation which had palpable elements of agency malfeasance, causing the dire and painful (and unfortunately permanent) separation of myself from my own daughter, who I cherished with all my heart. I had approached Rabbi Lookstein urging him to help me get the ear of the then Attorney General, Bob Abrams, who was an esteemed member of his congregation.
Rabbi Lookstein’s response, though at the time devastatingly disappointing to me, was “I don’t mix my religious duties with politics.” His answer was not at all what I had hoped for. But he was sincere in his response, and I knew at that moment that he would not lead me on a wild goose chase as others had.
Though I am deeply saddened that Rabbi Lookstein will not be giving the invocation at the RNC, I can say that I truly understand the man: it was not weakness or cowardice that forced him to retreat, but a deep respect for his role as a teacher, educator, and beacon of light for all us in the Jewish community.
Amy Neustein, Ph.D.
Editor, Tempest in the Temple (Brandeis University Press, Jonathan Sarna Series in American Jewish History, Culture and Life)
Fort Lee, NJ
The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.
This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Most Popular
- 1
Opinion The dangerous Nazi legend behind Trump’s ruthless grab for power
- 2
Culture Trump wants to honor Hannah Arendt in a ‘Garden of American Heroes.’ Is this a joke?
- 3
Opinion A Holocaust perpetrator was just celebrated on US soil. I think I know why no one objected.
- 4
Culture Did this Jewish literary titan have the right idea about Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling after all?
In Case You Missed It
-
Culture I have seen the future of America — in a pastrami sandwich in Queens
-
Culture Trump wants to honor Hannah Arendt in a ‘Garden of American Heroes.’ Is this a joke?
-
Opinion Gaza and Trump have left the Jewish community at war with itself — and me with a bad case of alienation
-
Fast Forward Trump administration restores student visas, but impact on pro-Palestinian protesters is unclear
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
Republish This Story
Please read before republishing
We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines.
You must comply with the following:
- Credit the Forward
- Retain our pixel
- Preserve our canonical link in Google search
- Add a noindex tag in Google search
See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.
To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at [email protected], subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.