Letter to the Editor: Rabbi Dan Dorsch

Letter to the Editor,

As the immediate past president of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association and the rabbi of a prominent Georgia congregation, I felt it was my responsibility to accept an invitation to meet with Senator Jon Ossoff. It is vital for rabbis to engage with elected officials, to express our views, and to ensure that the Jewish community has a voice in important conversations.

During that meeting, we had a candid conversation about his views on Israel. At its conclusion, at his staff’s request, we took a group photo with him to document the occasion.

It has come to my attention that some members of our community have seen that photo, which appeared in the Atlanta Jewish Times, and mistakenly interpreted it as an endorsement of Senator Ossoff’s positions. The purpose of this letter is to clarify that it is not.

As a pulpit rabbi, I do not publicly endorse political candidates. As with any elected official, should a voter wish to evaluate a candidate’s record on Israel (from either party), they should do so not through photographs, but by that candidate’s voting record.

As a rabbi who generally prefers to stay out of political matters, I write this letter with some hesitation. However, given the concerns expressed to me about how this photo has been perceived, I felt it was important to set the record straight.

Rabbi Dan Dorsch, Congregation Etz Chaim