Yehuda Levin: Difference between revisions

Rabbi
Yehuda Levin
Rabbi Yehuda Levin
	Hosting a conference of the Igud Harabbonim
Personal life
Nationality	United States of America
Religious life
Religion	Judaism
Denomination	Orthodox

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Lew Y. Levin^[1] or Yehuda Levin (born 1954) is a Brooklyn, New York-based Orthodox rabbi^[2] known for his endorsing of hard-right Republican Party political candidates and his vocal opposition to gay rights, feminism, and abortion. He has run for elective office numerous times but has lost each time.

Beliefs and political activities

Levin is a vocal religious conservative and opposes LGBT rights and abortion.^[3]

Levin is a member of the advisory committee of Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation, a US-based Jewish group dedicated to fighting discrimination directed against Christians, and tends to be in alliance with Christian evangelicals on efforts opposed to LGBTQ rights and other social issues.^[4] This led to his 1996 support for Pat Buchanan.^[5]^[6]

Levin has run for public office numerous times. He ran for Congress in 1984 on the Republican ticket; for mayor of New York City in 1985 on the Right to Life ticket, and for New York City Council in 1991 and 1993 on the Conservative ticket. He was unsuccessful in each of these elections.

Levin was involved in stopping a gay pride event from taking place in Jerusalem.^[7]

In October 2010, Levin worked with Carl Paladino to prepare a homophobic statement that Paladino read at a meeting of New York Orthodox groups, which made national news.^[8] Paladino later apologized for that statement, causing Levin to withdraw his support from Paladino.^[9]

Levin is often noted in popular culture for his strong anti-gay statements, most notably his statement blaming the 2010 Haiti earthquake on the presence of homosexuals in the military.^[10]^[11] Levin posted a video onto YouTube the same day as 2011 Virginia earthquake in which he said, "The Talmud states, "You have shaken your male member in a place where it doesn’t belong. I too, will shake the Earth." He said that homosexuals shouldn't take it personally: "We don’t hate homosexuals. I feel bad for homosexuals. It’s a revolt against God and literally, there’s hell to pay."^[11]

Endorsements

Levin supported Randall Terry's bid to run as a Democrat in 2012 for President of the United States.^[12]

Praise and criticism

Levin, a student of Avigdor Miller, has received praise by Orthodox rabbis for defending tradition.^{[citation needed]} Nevertheless, some Orthodox rabbis and community leaders from Ashkenazic and Hasidic communities have responded negatively to Levin.^{[citation needed]} Levin has also received support from some conservative Catholics for causes relevant to the World Congress of Families.^[13]

References

^ (February 4, 2013) "Flashback 30 Years: Koch Writes About Satmar, Bobov, Fistfights, & Rabbi Yehuda Levin", Yeshiva World News. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^ Polipace, 16 November 2017, "Meet Roy Moore’s Radical Rabbi that Wants to Kill Ivanka," http://polipace.com/2017/11/16/meet-roy-moores-radical-rabbi-wants-kill-ivanka/ Archived 2020-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
^ jewish israel torah traditions judaica at jewishunion.com
^ Singer, Tibi (3 October 2014). "On Eve of Yom Kippur, Haredi Rabbi Calling on Pope to Reject Homosexuals". Retrieved 11 August 2022.
^ NPR
^ "Human Events by way of Find Articles".
^ Boudreaux, Richard (11 November 2006). "Gay rights parade called off in Israel". Los Angeles Times.
^ Dickter, Adam (10 October 2010). "Paladino Reads Anti-Gay Remarks Prepared By Yehuda Levin In Brooklyn". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
^ [1]^{[dead link‍]}
^ Video on YouTube
^ ^a ^b "Fear the almighty wrath: Five natural disasters "caused" by gays". 30 October 2012.
^ "Pro-Life Activist Randall Terry Declares Candidacy for the U.S. Presidency". Archived from the original on 2011-01-23. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
^ Indian Catholic reprint of Zenit News Agency article

External links

[Flashback-1] (February 4, 2013) "Flashback 30 Years: Koch Writes About Satmar, Bobov, Fistfights, & Rabbi Yehuda Levin", Yeshiva World News. Retrieved January 26, 2022.

[2] Polipace, 16 November 2017, "Meet Roy Moore’s Radical Rabbi that Wants to Kill Ivanka," http://polipace.com/2017/11/16/meet-roy-moores-radical-rabbi-wants-kill-ivanka/ Archived 2020-11-21 at the Wayback Machine

[3] wish israel torah traditions judaica at jewishunion.com

[4] Singer, Tibi (3 October 2014). "On Eve of Yom Kippur, Haredi Rabbi Calling on Pope to Reject Homosexuals". Retrieved 11 August 2022.

[5] NPR

[6] "Human Events by way of Find Articles".

[7] Boudreaux, Richard (11 November 2006). "Gay rights parade called off in Israel". Los Angeles Times.

[8] Dickter, Adam (10 October 2010). "Paladino Reads Anti-Gay Remarks Prepared By Yehuda Levin In Brooklyn". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 11 August 2022.

[9] [1]^{[dead link‍]}

[10] Video on YouTube

[salon-11] "Fear the almighty wrath: Five natural disasters "caused" by gays". 30 October 2012.

[terry-12] "Pro-Life Activist Randall Terry Declares Candidacy for the U.S. Presidency". Archived from the original on 2011-01-23. Retrieved 2011-01-22.

[13] Indian Catholic reprint of Zenit News Agency article

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+{{Short description|American rabbi (born 1954)}}
 {{Infobox Jewish leader
 |honorific-prefix =Rabbi
 |name        = Yehuda Levin
 |honorific-suffix =
 |image       = Rabbi-Yehuda-Levin.jpg
-|caption     = Rabbi Yehuda Levin
+|caption     = Hosting a conference of the Igud Harabbonim
-|caption     =
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+|semicha     =
-|organisationposition = Rabbi, Congregation Mevakshei Hashem
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 |nationality = {{flag|United States of America}}
 |denomination= [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]]
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+'''Lew Y. Levin'''<ref name="Flashback">(February 4, 2013) [https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/155357/flashback-30-years-koch-writes-about-satmar-bobov-fistfights-rabbi-yehuda-levin.html "Flashback 30 Years: Koch Writes About Satmar, Bobov, Fistfights, & Rabbi Yehuda Levin"], ''Yeshiva World News''. Retrieved January 26, 2022.</ref> or '''Yehuda Levin''' (born 1954) is a [[Brooklyn]], New York-based [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] [[rabbi]]<ref>Polipace, 16 November 2017, "Meet Roy Moore’s Radical Rabbi that Wants to Kill Ivanka," http://polipace.com/2017/11/16/meet-roy-moores-radical-rabbi-wants-kill-ivanka/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121132758/https://performinsider.com/ |date=2020-11-21 }}</ref> known for his endorsing of hard-right [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] political candidates and his vocal opposition to [[gay rights]], [[feminism]], and [[abortion]]. He has run for elective office numerous times but has lost each time.
-Rabbi '''Yehuda Levin''' is the Rabbi and founder of Congregation Mevakshei Hashem (Those Who Seek the Lord) Synagogue in the [[Flatbush, Brooklyn|Flatbush]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn, New York]].
 ==Beliefs and political activities==
-Levin is a vocal religious conservative and opposes [[gay rights|homosexual rights]] and [[abortion]]<ref>[http://www.jewishunion.com/ju_right_to_life_speech010122.htm jewish israel torah traditions judaica at jewishunion.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and seeks to create an "Orthodox [[Tea Party]]"<ref>Nicholas Confessore, [http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/nyregion/12rabbis.html?ref=todayspaper "Agendas of Paladino and Rabbi Meld"], ''New York Times'', 13 October 2010</ref>
+Levin is a vocal religious conservative and opposes [[LGBT rights]] and [[abortion]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010615231125/http://www.jewishunion.com/ju_right_to_life_speech010122.htm jewish israel torah traditions judaica at jewishunion.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
-Levin is also a member of the advisory committee of the organization [[Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation]]. Yehuda Levin tends to be in alliance with Christian Evangelicals on efforts opposed to [[gay rights|homosexual rights]] and other social issues. This led to his 1996 support for [[Pat Buchanan]]<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2388237.html NPR by way of High Beam]</ref><ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_199903/ai_n8849318 Human Events by way of Find Articles]</ref>.
+Levin is a member of the advisory committee of Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation, a US-based Jewish group dedicated to fighting discrimination directed against Christians, and tends to be in alliance with Christian [[Evangelicalism|evangelicals]] on efforts opposed to LGBTQ rights and other social issues.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singer |first1=Tibi |title=On Eve of Yom Kippur, Haredi Rabbi Calling on Pope to Reject Homosexuals |url=https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2014/10/03/on-eve-of-yom-kippur-haredi-rabbi-calling-on-pope-to-reject-homosexuals/ |access-date=11 August 2022 |date=3 October 2014}}</ref> This led to his 1996 support for [[Pat Buchanan]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121104232848/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2388237.html NPR]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_199903/ai_n8849318|title=Human Events by way of Find Articles}}</ref>
+Levin has run for public office numerous times. He ran for [[1984 United States House of Representatives elections#New York|Congress in 1984]] on the Republican ticket; for [[1985 New York City mayoral election|mayor of New York City in 1985]] on the [[New York State Right to Life Party|Right to Life]] ticket, and for New York City Council in 1991 and 1993 on the [[Conservative Party of New York State|Conservative]] ticket. He was unsuccessful in each of these elections.
-Levin was recently involved in stopping a [[gay pride]] event from taking place in Jerusalem<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-gaypride11nov11,1,93456.story?coll=la-headlines-world]</ref>. He apparently supported the use of violence by protesters in opposing the planned event saying "I promise that there's going to be bloodshed"<ref>[http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/david_hirsh/2006/07/world_pride_must_go_ahead.html Comment is free: Pride and prejudice<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
+Levin was involved in stopping a [[gay pride]] event from taking place in [[Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-gaypride11nov11,1,93456.story?coll=la-headlines-world | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Richard | last=Boudreaux | date=11 November 2006 | title=Gay rights parade called off in Israel}}</ref>
-In October 2010 Levin worked with [[Carl Paladino]] and prepared an anti-gay statement which Paladino read in part in the Orthodox Jewish community, which made national news.<ref>[http://www.vosizneias.com/65965/2010/10/13/new-york-harav-yechezkel-roth-%E2%80%9Cdeeply-distressed%E2%80%9D-by-paldino-anti-gedolim-remark]</ref> Paladino later apologized for that statement causing Levin to withdraw his support from Paladino.<ref>[http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gHmExeElKpMEkDdz91YX4J37pS2wD9IQV0IG1?docId=D9IQV0IG1]</ref>
+In October 2010, Levin worked with [[Carl Paladino]] to prepare a homophobic statement that Paladino read at a meeting of New York Orthodox groups, which made national news.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dickter |first1=Adam |title=Paladino Reads Anti-Gay Remarks Prepared By Yehuda Levin In Brooklyn |url=https://www.jta.org/2010/10/10/ny/paladino-reads-anti-gay-remarks-prepared-by-yehuda-levin-in-brooklyn |access-date=11 August 2022 |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=10 October 2010}}</ref> Paladino later apologized for that statement, causing Levin to withdraw his support from Paladino.<ref>[https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gHmExeElKpMEkDdz91YX4J37pS2wD9IQV0IG1?docId=D9IQV0IG1]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref>
-October 13, 2010 - Orthodox Rabbi Yehuda Levin has withdrawn his support from Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, citing Paladino's apology to the gay community for his remarks earlier this week that he doesn't want children "to be brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid or successful option. It isn't."
+Levin is often noted in popular culture for his strong anti-gay statements, most notably his statement blaming the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]] on the presence of homosexuals in the military.<ref>{{YouTube|tKqbRjRARFQ}}</ref><ref name="salon">{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2012/10/30/fear_the_almighty_wrath_five_natural_disasters_caused_by_gays/|title=Fear the almighty wrath: Five natural disasters "caused" by gays|date=30 October 2012}}</ref> Levin posted a video onto [[YouTube]] the same day as [[2011 Virginia earthquake]] in which he said, "The [[Talmud]] states, "You have shaken your male member in a place where it doesn’t belong. I too, will shake the Earth." He said that homosexuals shouldn't take it personally: "We don’t hate homosexuals. I feel bad for homosexuals. It’s a revolt against God and literally, there’s hell to pay."<ref name="salon"/>
-Levin said in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City that he can no longer support Paladino, "until such time as he straightens out."
+===Endorsements===
-Levin had been advising Paladino's outreach efforts to the Orthodox Jewish community, and had even contributed to Paladino's controversial speech in Brooklyn last Sunday: "I did not write [the speech]," Mr. Levin told the New York Times. "However, I did have some input into it -- and I stand ready to defend the content of it."
+Levin supported [[Randall Terry]]'s bid to run as a Democrat in 2012 for President of the United States.<ref name="terry">{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=40046|title=Pro-Life Activist Randall Terry Declares Candidacy for the U.S. Presidency|access-date=2011-01-22|archive-date=2011-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123081556/http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=40046|url-status=dead}}</ref>
-The prepared text of the speech in question, delivered in Williamsburg, also contained the line: "There is nothing to be proud of in being a dysfunctional homosexual. That is not how God created us." But Paladino didn't deliver the line, and has since claimed he took it out because he wasn't comfortable with it.
-==Praise of Levin==
+==Praise and criticism==
-Yehuda Levin, a student of Rabbi [[Avigdor Miller]], has received praise by some Orthodox rabbis for defending tradition<ref>[http://www.jewishpress.com/page.do/21774/My_Machberes.html Jewish Press]</ref> and by some conservative Catholics for causes relevant to the [[World Congress of Families]].<ref>[http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=7550 Indian Catholic] reprint of [[Zenit News Agency]] article</ref>
+Levin, a student of [[Avigdor Miller]], has received praise by Orthodox rabbis for defending tradition.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}} Nevertheless, some Orthodox rabbis and community leaders from Ashkenazic and Hasidic communities have responded negatively to Levin.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}} Levin has also received support from some conservative Catholics for causes relevant to the [[World Congress of Families]].<ref>[http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=7550 Indian Catholic] reprint of [[Zenit News Agency]] article</ref>
 ==References==
-<References />
+<references />
 ==External links==
+* [http://RabbiLevin.com http://rabbilevin.com]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080319141958/http://www.godreignoverus.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20080319141958/http://www.godreignoverus.com/]
+* [http://www.thefearkashes.com/ Rabbi Levin's radio show]
+* {{C-SPAN|33690}}
+{{authority control}}
-Rabbi Yehuda Levin's web sites:
-* [http://jews4morality.com http://jews4morality.com]
-* [http://www.godreignoverus.com http://www.godreignoverus.com]
-* [http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-1816.html Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum on Levin]
-* [http://www.thefearkashes.com/ Rabbi Levins radio show]
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Levin, Yehuda}}
 [[Category:American Haredi rabbis]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
+[[Category:1954 births]]
+[[Category:Orthodox rabbis from New York City]]
+[[Category:New York (state) Republicans]]
-{{rabbi-stub}}
+[[Category:Conservative Party of New York State politicians]]
+[[Category:New York State Right to Life Party politicians]]
-[[es:Yehuda Levin]]
+[[Category:American anti-abortion activists]]
+[[Category:American anti-same-sex-marriage activists]]
+[[Category:20th-century American rabbis]]
+[[Category:21st-century American rabbis]]