Rabbi Kasman lives in Niskayuna, New York. He is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Troy, and has spent the past two decades in the rabbinate. He also teaches at Siena College and is a chaplain at Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady and Albany Medical Center.
Kasman recently came to the realization that for the entire time that he has been in the rabbinate, he has never met a member of The Church of Jesus Christ (officially called Latter-day Saint, but referred to as Mormon) at an interfaith event, nor has he ever heard a Mormon speaking at a Jewish synagogue. And so, feeling that the burden of responsibility to rectify the situation rested on his shoulders, he decided to do some outreach.
I realized this when I was watching the televised Tony Awards that featured songs from “The Book of Mormon.” One of the songs made jokes about the beliefs of Mormons. It bothered me and made me wonder how I would feel about a show that ridiculed Jewish theology. But I was also impressed by how the Mormons responded wisely with this statement: “The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people’s lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.” The Mormon church also has taken out advertisements in communities where the road company performed the hit Broadway musical, saying, “You’ve seen the show; now read the Book.” It made me smile. [1]
Rabbi Kasman noted that Jews take pride in laughing about themselves. He stated that when the going gets tough, Jews tell jokes because nobody knows better how funny Judaism is than Jews. The father of psychology, Sigmund Freud, wrote in Wit and the Unconscious, “Jewish jokes about Jews are “stories invented by Jews and aimed at Jewish characteristics. which show an awareness of (Jews’) real faults. They know how these are related to their good points.” Rabi Kansman further stated that the ability of Mormons to go with the humor of the Book of Mormon Musical resonates with his Jewish soul, and that the Latter-day Saints seem to be his kind of people. “You’ve seen the show; now read the Book.” I get it, he says.
Jews hold a special place in their hearts for people who call themselves the new Israel. Declaring that the United States was “Zion” and that the leadership of the LDS Church has a mission related to the biblical prophets, signifies that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a complex relationship with Hebrew vocabulray, as well as the history of the Israelites. Latter-day Saints, like Jews, identify themselves with Israelite ancestors.
Stake President of the Albany Stake, Rodney Standage, is the leader of the Latter-day Saints in and around the Capital Region. A stake may be compared to a diocese in the Roman Catholic Church. It is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations, or wards. The term “stake” comes from an allegorical interpretation of a verse found in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 33:20 are recorded these words:
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
And in Isaiah 54:2, 3 are found these words:
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Latter-day Saints have faced oppression in the United States since their beginning in upstate New York, and moving West when religious groups and others attacked them. Most recently, during the race for the White House, with Mitt Romney, a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ, being one of the candidates vying for the oval office, the LDS Faith was continuously in the spotlight as anti-Mormon bigotry began to stir. Romney’s comment about “binders full of women”, for example, sparked ridiculous allegations about Mormon plural marriages, or polygamy, which was outlawed in the United States by the Morril Anti-Bigamy Act in 1862. In Ohio, American atheists sponsored billboards said not to vote for Romney since he was Mormon and Mormons are bigots.
Today, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues its mission to spread the faith, seeking converts all over the world, including within the Jewish community. Rabbi Kassman stated, “While this has made Jews uncomfortable, I believe it is also one the reasons why we should talk to each other in an interfaith dialogue.” [1]
Toward that end, Rodney Standage, Stake President of the Albany Stake, was invited to speak at Temple Beth El in Troy, and the public was invited to attend.
His talk is part of our congregation’s series called “Peace — How can people of different religious viewpoints contribute to getting along?” So far, we’ve featured evangelical Christian, Muslim, humanist and Franciscan faith community leaders. These programs are scheduled for the first Saturday of each month immediately after services. Standage will be speaking at a light bagel and spreads lunch. Donations are not accepted on the Sabbath, and, like all kiddush meals, there is no charge for the event. [1]
Rabbi Kasman believes that the good-nature response of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to parody is even more reason to invite them into the ongoing interfaith discussion, respecting their beliefs, while at the same time gaining a better understanding of what motivates them. He further believes that prejudices against Latter-day Saints should have no place in our political system, and encourages fellow clergy of all faiths to come together to appreciate and better understand the Mormon faith.
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