Exclusive: Hungary Rabbi Outright Rejects Debate Challenge from Neo-Nazi Apologist Party Jobbik
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Algemeiner exclusive Csanad Szegedi Jewish Gabor Vona debate Gabor Vona Nazi Gabor Vona rabbi Hungary antisemitism Hungary Neo-Nazi israel Israel News Jewish Jewish Hungary Jewish News Jews Jobbik debate Jobbik Rabbi Rabbi Shlomo Koves Shlomo Koves Rabbi The Algemeiner Jobbik
Rabbi Shlomo Koves, the Hungarian Chabad Rabbi who was challenged to a debate this week by Gabor Vona.
In an interview with The Algemeiner, Rabbi Shlomo Koves, the Hungarian Chabad Rabbi who was challenged to a debate this week by Gabor Vona, leader of Jobbik, a Hungarian nationalist, Neo-Nazi apologist party, has outright declined the request.
“Here is a party which makes openly anti-Semitic comments,” he said, “what is there to debate about.”
“They say they want to have an open talk, but in every debate you need a point of agreement, I cant have a mathematical debate if you don’t agree that 1 and 1 is 2 and 2 and 2 is four,” he continued, “they consider certain extreme ideas as facts than what should I debate them on?”
“Why should I respond and give them a platform to say that ‘the rabbi says they are not anti-Semitic’” he concluded.
Koves implied that he would be open to the idea of discussion, if the party publicly expressed regret for anti-Semitic comments that have been made in its name, and resolved to cease from bigoted statements in the future, “If they send a letter that says that they regret their anti-Semitic comments from before, then there may be something to discuss,” he said.
The party has denied public accusations of Antisemitism. “Jobbik has never had and will never have any program point, proposal or idea which discriminates between Hungary’s inhabitants on the grounds of ethnicity and religion,” party leader Vona told the Hungarian political news site Politics.hu.
But the rabbi says these claims are irrelevant, “they say anti-Semitic comments and they make people hate me because I am a Jew, it makes a difference to me what they say.”
He also added that his general feeling is, that Hungary is not a particularly bad place for Jews to live, “on the street level,” he said, “The climate in Hungary for Jews is not bad, and isn’t worse than any other European country, I am not going to get hit on the street as a Jew, and there are no laws against shechita or circumcision.”
He did however find the direction of public discourse to be displaying troubling signs, “the fact that there is an extreme right wing party and a lot of anti-Semitic ideas in public discourse is concerning.” “It didn’t start today” he added, “but in the last five to ten years.”
Koves also confirmed to The Algemeiner that he has not received any communication from Jobbik or any of its representatives now or in the past, “I still didn’t get an official letter or request,” he said, “they wrote about the challenge in their paper and held a press conference to announce it.”
Last week, the Algemeiner reported that Csanad Szegedi, a leader of the notoriously anti-Semitic party, found out that he has Jewish roots.
11:12 pm
NOT ONLY IS HE AN ANTISEMITE BUT HE MAKES NO SENSE WITH HIS HODGEPODGE QUOTATIONS FROM VARIOUS BIBLICAL SOURCES THAT TESTIFY TO HIS UTTER CONFUSION AND IDIOTIC LOGIC. HE NEEDS A GOOD PSYCHIATRIST OR PERHAPS SOME SHOCK TREATMENT. A DEBATE WOULDN’T HELP. YOU NEED A RATIONAL BRAIN AND HE HAS NONE.
1:07 pm
Why is the world angry red when the truth is out? Do synagogue / temple people hate truth and love opinions? (1st Kings 18:21) They say black people are free from bondage, slavery? Ask God (John 8:33). That means those fake non Jewish, people of the state of Israel were never in bondage, slavery to any man. (Acts 7:6) 400 years of affliction (Genesis 15:13) The world puts negros in slavery, correct? But these fake Israeli’s non Jews were never in slavery with Black people. The United Nation gave Esau’s culture to Blacks, and the devil Esau’s nation of people took the negros heritage for themselves, attaching culture to it. The tribe of Judah is black people, heritage is tribal! Black people are the real Jews of the Bible, the Israelites (Romans 9:4). The twelve tribes are found, reading Revelation 21:12 from the children of Israel to the children of light. Salvation is grace and truth! Hitler hands are they greater than Moses hands with the commandments and judgments (Exodus 13:3)
9:15 am
*Genesis 24:37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: (The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel & like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel *Ruth 4:11) Ask God *Matthew 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. *Genesis 42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. *Acts 7:18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. (Salvation is grace and truth!) The state of Israel is asking for favours why? Jeremiah 13:13 equals Zechariah 12:10. Joseph has favour and grace, he owns Esau’s birthright. Four colors of man are, white, red, black, pale. Joseph was given a coat of many colors. Love truth hate opinions (1st Kings 18:21)
1:17 pm
Suggest you write your own bible.
10:41 pm
I am in complete agreement with Rabbi Koves about his desire not to enter into this debate with an outright anti-Semite.