Worst. Jewish Organization. Ever.
A hateful notion of liberation
March 19, 2010
One of us got an email from the group JONAH International directing us to their special Passover message. “With the holiday of Passover upon us and its important message of freedom,” it reads,
we need help to free others from their own personal “mitzrayim” (slavery). Those coming to us for assistance desire to be free of sexual confusion. The only people in a position to help us are those who know and understand the important work we do. And that’s you!! …
JONAH’s mission of helping men, women and their families break free from the chains of sexual confusion, including unwanted homosexuality, links directly into our past liberation from Egypt. The upcoming Passover celebration reminds us of the aspirations and struggles of those who yearn for physical, psychological and spiritual freedom.
The group also touts the success of its recent Noble Man Weekend.
This a blog: snark is like air to us. I don’t think I can be cute about this, though. I was raised to think of the Exodus as the defining story of liberation, and specifically Jewish liberation. Maybe my favorite part of the Seder is when we wish for the liberation of those Jews around the world still in need of freedom; my earliest Seder memories consist of my parents explaining to me about the condition of Soviet Jewry.
JONAH International is co-opting the joyful message of Passover for its own hateful purposes. It ought to be ashamed of itself.
Take Part In This Season Freedom! [Jonah International]
Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.
