Thread: Caring for the Vulnerable is Moral Law

The Rabbi does make a good point: Why aren't the employers being prosecuted or are they? Does anyone know?


GUEST VIEW: Caring for the vulnerable is moral law
By Rabbi Raphael Kanter

Rabbi Kanter has been the spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Congregation since 1997.

March 17, 2007 6:00 AM

Thirty-six times within the Torah (the five books of Moses), we are told that we must care for the stranger. Who is more of a stranger in our midst than illegal aliens? I understand that they have broken the law, but the law is applied arbitrarily and inconsistently.

The raid also was directed at women, which in turn affects the children, both being the most vulnerable of society. Without the attention of the media, this would not have received the scrutiny it has.

Why was this raid carried out in New Bedford? Here is one guess: It just plays better in New Bedford. New Bedford is an immigrant community with little political power. It is no surprise that anger against illegal aliens runs high here, since they pose the greatest threat to our legal immigrants. They take the same jobs and feel the effects of illegal immigration far greater than any professional class in Boston or other business owner from other parts of the state.

Where is the punishment for the owner of the company? Why haven't the employers been locked up and separated from their families?T

he injustice is clear and compelling.

Passover, our celebration of the exodus from Egypt, teaches us that the ultimate outsiders, namely slaves, were protected by God. For Jews this means we are responsible for helping the weakest and the most vulnerable, for we know this great kindness done to us in our past.

Whatever your stand on the raid, no one has the right to separate a mother from her child, no one. And that's not in the law books but is in the greatest law, the law of God.

Let us hope that we find our way to a just solution to illegal immigration, which begins with real immigration reform. We must turn to our government to take the initiative and move on this now.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbc ... /703170314

And that's not in the law books but is in the greatest law, the law of God.

You don't know about the seperation between church and state ?

You should , It was phonys like you that were all for kicking prayer out of school because it violated that premise .

Whatever your stand on the raid, no one has the right to separate a mother from her child, no one. And that's not in the law books but is in the greatest law, the law of God.

I agree, children should be deported with thier parents.[/quote]

I posted the following in response to his comments on the website where the article appeared.
Rabbi Kanter,

I agree with you that we have a moral obligation to treat people with care, as we escort them home. We don't however have an obligation to allow people to thumb their noses at our laws and to take from OUR children. They are taking from our children, our schools are bursting at the seams and the American taxpayer is footing the bill to expand the schools while they pay no taxes.

You completely ignore the pain illegal aliens inflict on our citizens when they commit physical injury crimes, rape our children or murder our loved ones. That happens every day, should we have compassion for that type of behavior? I know that the majority of illegal aliens probably come with good intentions, however there is no way to tell who means harm and who doesn't. By the way, the last time I checked, it is against the law to enter the US without following proper protocol so laws are broken from the start.

How about the tens of thousands of Americans who find out through the IRS that their ID has been compromized so an illegal alien can get "legitimate ID" and potentially take a job from a citizen? They don't care what harm stealing IDs inflicts on our citizens as long as they get their way. Kind of arrogant isn't it?

I fully agree with you that employers should be nailed to the wall for this behavior. Unfortunately, that isn't part of the Bush scheme for "migration" reform.

I can't believe an educated man like yourself bought the media hype on New Bedford. These people weren't mistreated. They weren't ripped from the arms of their children. I can tell you why this happened, legal citizens of New Bedford demanded it. Why do you ignore the fact that the people in New Bedford had broken the law? In the recent raids of meat packing plants, the empty positions have been filled now by citizens. I believe that could happen in New Bedford as well.

If you are serious about reform, please don't use the terms "Comprehensive Immigration Reform". That term has nothing to do with fixing our current problems, it's an amnesty program, plain and simple. It will do nothing to slow down the tidal wave of illegal immigration and the American people know this. It's a smokescreen that allows the government to avoid it's responsibilities.

That rant is a total mischaracterization of scripture. God commanded that those "passing through" be treated well, but he also commanded that those who took up permanent residency among the Israelites conform to the laws of the Israelites or be banished. Period. There were different prescriptions for different situations, and the maintenance of the integrity of Israel was first and foremost. Once the Israelites began to allow the foreigners to infiltrate Israelite culture and to adulterate Israelite institutions, ruin came quickly and God turned His back on His people.

There is nothing that riles me more than some idiot Leftist-progressive torturing scripture to attempt to make a secularist-humanist point. This nonsense is exactly the sort of legalism and misappropriation of scripture that Christ held against the Pharisees.

I've had the priveledge to communicate with a policeman up there by that factory. He says:

Already the howls are being heard about how heartless this action was. I think our local U.S. Attorney (Michael Sullivan) responded quite accurately in his description of why this operation was right and necessary. Its all in the article.

Article: http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... id+factory

What the owner of this one particular factory was doing was unconscionable. I'm glad he was arrested.

Looks like the owner was arrested. So much for Rabbi Uncocked

Originally Posted by From Article

The indictment accused the company's owner, Francesco Insolia, of having knowingly and actively hired illegal immigrants to expand his workforce. It alleged that not only did Insolia and his management staff knowingly accept false documents, but that they also instructed illegal immigrants on how to obtain fake documents. Others named in the criminal complaint include Ana Figueroa, the company's payroll manager; Dilia Costa, the plant manager; and office manager Gloria Melo.

The indictment also charged Luis Torres, a New Bedford music store worker, with providing fake documentation to illegal immigrants.

GUEST VIEW: Caring for the vulnerable is moral law
By Rabbi Raphael Kanter

I understand that they have broken the law, but

Anything after the BUT is of no consequence to me.
For me it ends there.